Owning the worst record in the NBA, trading away one of your big stars, having your other big star sit out the rest of the season - what better time is there to sell season tickets?

(Miami Heat basketball - plenty of great seats still available!)

Jorge Sedano of 790 THE TICKET reports that the Miami Heat is doing just that. Apparently throwing in the towel for this year, the NBA club is looking toward the future, trying to convince south Florida spectators to park their posteriors in American Airlines Arena for 2008-09.

And to do so, the team pulled out the big guns for the big pitch.

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In quick succession recently, the NBA lost Yao Ming and Dwayne Wade to season-ending injuries. In each case, the player had apparently been struggling through one or more injuries and simply could not risk playing any longer. Also, each player had strong reasons to begin the healing process as soon as possible: Olympic glory.

Yao has extraordinarily strong national responsibilities, but both players have immense marketing muscle behind their athletic efforts under the international spotlight - in the most lucrative emerging consumer market.

Which leaves the obvious question: which players have the most incentive to set aside the remainder of the NBA season to better prepare for Olympic success this summer in Beijing?

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• A Florida Marlins reliever finds relief in shooting critters from ‘copters.

• Erin Andrews reveals what Bruce Pearl texted after their halftime hug.

• Steve Nash is not concerned if he never gets NBA championship gold.

• Baron Davis shares a soulful song.

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• FAN IQ reveals that Shaq is bringing so much more than just basketball skills to the citizens of Phoenix.

• AZ SPORTS HUB bears down word that Arizona coach Mike Stoops called Arizona State a “junior college“.

• THE 700 LEVEL finds Dwayne Wade & Rodney Carney trading back-to-back in-your-face dunks.

• First it was PTI. Then it was ABC. Now the BOSTON HERALD is in desperate need of proofreaders:

• Even with the pursuit of perfection going “poof!”, GOSSIP ON SPORTS knows it’s still good to be Tom Brady.

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The KANSAS CITY STAR reports today that George Brett’s restaurant on Kansas City’s Plaza has gone belly up. This comes as no surprise to anyone from the area (like us). We walked by it dozens of times and never went in, because there was nothing compelling about it.

(Next Up, Buddy Biancalana’s!)

Like most ill-fated restaurant concepts from athletes, George Brett’s tried to be all things to all people: sports bar, fine food, upscale atmosphere. And it apparently failed on all three accounts. Not to mention, the joint was placed in a space that had seen about five restaurants come and go over the years. So when it opened, locals all knew it had no chance to succeed.

We went to Mike Shannon’s in St. Louis awhile back, and that place rocked. Good location (in the summer, next to Busch Stadium) and a straight-on menu: Red meat, side of Crown Royal. Most importantly, Shannon himself was always there hangin’, unlike Brett at his place. Brett freely admitted to the Star that he rarely showed up at his joint, one more reason it was doomed.

Here in South Florida, word is that Dwyane Wade is opening several “D-Wade Sports Grills” throughout the area.

(Former Kenny Rogers Roasters?)

We seriously doubt #3 will be dragged away from Prime 112 and other assorted half-price affairs to wander 30 miles north to Aventura Mall, where one of the former Kenny Rogers Roasters franchises will be located. But we expect the food to be great, considering he’s got one helluva a menu-tester as a teammate.