I am glad Shaq said this. Maybe we fans shoud let the league know how we feel by e-mailing the league office about the inconsistency of the officiating. Contact forms can be found here: http://www.nba.com/contact/index.html ------------------
He beat Barkley's record of swearing the most times in a quote. ------------------ Cuttino Mobley Online
Here's a complete article on the whole thing in the LA Times. I think it's important to point out that this wasn't a profanity-laced tirade; Shaq was joking around with reporters in the parking lot -- even holding their arms up in the air to show how he's been playing D. What can I say? I like the guy. http://www.latimes.com/print/sports/20010106/t000001458.html O'Neal Most Animated When He's in Foul Mood By TIM BROWN In the most over-officiated period in NBA history, Shaquille O'Neal is the guy who can't shoot free throws. He's a prolific shooter, actually. He's just not a maker. And there's the rub, which is not allowed in the final two minutes of either half, which was exactly O'Neal's point Friday afternoon after practice. O'Neal has fouled out of consecutive games. He received a technical foul on the way out of the last one, Wednesday's victory over Utah, and Kobe Bryant is beginning a collection of his own. O'Neal leads the Lakers in personal fouls and the NBA in free throws. He doesn't want to complain, really, but the man would like some consistency. He was in an El Segundo parking lot Friday in head-to-toe black attire, holding up reporters' hands and leaving them there so he could show them how he's trying to defend people. Then he danced around the parking lot, his eyebrows up and his lips peeled back in a ridiculous grin, making like attention-thirsty referees calling charging fouls or offensive fouls or hand checks or whatever. He laughed. "I'm not mad," O'Neal said. "Well, you know who I'm mad for? I'm mad for the fans. I'm mad for Norm Pattiz. He pays all that . . . money to come watch us play and he has to watch that . . . . Who wants to see that? They want to see us play." O'Neal had pulled a season-ticket holder's name out of the air, a guy who during games at Staples Center sits closer to Phil Jackson than Devean George does. So, on many nights, Pattiz gets to watch the free throw contest from closer than the rest, and maybe that's a better investment than Dallas owner Mark Cuban's $250,000 (and counting) fine, and maybe it's not. "Most of the fouls are [poor] calls," O'Neal said. "The other fouls are trying to help my teammates out or trying to block shots. I don't foul my guy as much. So, I'm just playing without worrying about them calling stuff. I'm just playing hard. Whatever happens, happens. "They've got all these little rules, I've got to abide by the rules. They're going to call me for not touching [John] Stockton but looking like I'm touching him, they call it. What about down there? When I get beat up? I got coaches telling the media what they're going to do [Hack-a-Shaq], but I still don't get the calls. . . . that. I'm playing defense and trying to block shots. . . . them, . . . everybody. I'm serious. They need to call it the same every time. [Karl] Malone and Stockton get to yell at the refs, say anything they want to say, and I don't say anything? . . . that. I'm just as big as [Malone] is." It is a familiar cry, particularly from an inside player. But, if O'Neal is going to spend all of this time shooting free throws, maybe he wants to know why. Maybe he wants to know what a foul is and what isn't, just out of curiosity. "You just have to play through it," he said. "You can't change it. It's not about me getting calls or not getting calls. Call them consistently. You're going to call me for reaching, why don't you call John Stockton for reaching? Call me for talking to the ref, call them cats for talking to the ref. I'm just as big as them cats. And I don't want to hear that they've got more experience. It's not my fault they were born before I was." He smiled. "I've been in this raggedy- . . . league for nine years," he said. "I demand my respect." ------------------ [This message has been edited by wrath_of_khan (edited January 06, 2001).]
(expletive) yeah! ------------------ Francis out top, 9 seconds on the clock, he gives a no look pass to Cuttino Mobley, 4 seconds left, Mobley passes to an open Langhi in the corner with 1 second left! Langhi at the buzzer.......YES!!! How Sweet It Is!!
. 'What about (expletive) down there when I get (expletive) beat up? They've got (expletive) teams telling the (expletive) media what the (expletive) they're going to do, and I still don't get the calls. Well, (expletive) that. I'm (expletive) playing defense and trying to block shots. (Expletive) them, (expletive) everybody. I'm serious. That's (expletive). They need to call it the same way every time.' '(Expletive Karl) Malone and Stockton get to (expletive) yell at the refs and say any (expletive) thing they want to say?' O'Neal said. 'By our bench? (Stockton) gets to (expletive) yell at him? And I can't say (expletive)? (Expletive) that. I'm just as big as that (expletive) is. . . .And I don't want to hear that they've got more experience. It's not my fault they were born before I was.' He smiled. 'I've been in this raggedy-(expletive) league for nine years,' O'Neal said. 'I demand my respect.' LLLOL! ------------------ President of the Moochie Norris fan club & Vice President of the Jason Collier fan club!
