Basketball writers and fans set a world record yesterday for using the word "dominant" the most times in one day.

I must've heard or read that word about ten thousand times yesterday in stories and analyses about Shaq's trade to Miami.

"The Heat obtained the most dominant force in the game today."
"The Lakers have lost the game's most dominant force."
"Shaquille O'Neal is the dominant sports figure of our generation."
"Nobody dominates the game the way Shaq does." 
 
Mm, I see.  
 
What else can you tell me about Shaq?
 
"There hasn't been a more dominant big man in the history of the NBA than Shaq."
"Shaq dominates the game of basketball like no one in the history of the NBA."
"Shaq dominated teams in the West, and now he'll dominate teams in the East."
"Shaq's dominance of the NBA would make an S-and-M mistress cringe."
 
OK, that's enough.

I should note, also, that no other adjective was used to describe Shaq.  No one even TRIED to use a different word.  Just "dominant".  Apparently that's the only word that comes to mind when one thinks of Shaq.
 
Dominant. 

I say it's time for a change.  I say with the dawn of a new era in basketball should come the dawn of a new word to describe the league's most dom..... (crap).... the league's best player.  I say we owe it to Shaq to be a little more creative with the way we describe him in our stories and in our daily sports discussions.  I say that's the least we can do for..... the best player in the NBA today.  
 
Yes, instead of using the same ol' "dominant" in every article about Shaq, I would like to propose a new word.  A word that will rescue me, you, and most importantly, Shaq himself, out of the adjective ditch that is "dominant".   
 
Ladies and gentlemen.  Without further ado....
 
I present to you:

Puissant.

Pyoo - i - sent.

Shaq is the most puissant force in the NBA.
No athlete has ever demonstrated more puissance in his sport than Shaq.
When the Heat traded for Shaq, they knew they were getting the most puissant player in the league.
 
I kinda like it. 
  
And  after we break the world record for using the word "puissant" the most time in one day, we can replace that word with:
 
Preponderant.
 
Pre-pon-der-ent.
 
Shaq is the most preponderant force in the NBA. 
 
And then, when all else fails, we can just stop referring to Shaq as if he's some kind of man-eating animal.