I recently read the article for "Godfather" Shaq in Dime Magazine (issue#38) and this is what he says about Hakeem and Yao Ming. Dime: How does the Godfather theme relate to you in terms of basketball and the NBA? Shaq: I've paid my dues in this game to become the most dominant big man in NBA history. I came in and took out all of the great centers standing in my way, from Ewing to David Robinson to Hakeem Olajuwon. And now all of these young guys have come in looking to take me out, doing whatever they can to take me out, whining and crying. But it's not happening. Dime: Who, specifically? Shaq: Yao Ming, Dwight Howard, guys like that. But it's not so much them whining. It's their coaches and their team owners. They've had to change the rules of the game just to deal with me. Dime: Who is the best player you ever played against? Shaq: Hakeem Olajuwon. No doubt. He had all that **** to his game and you couldn't break him. All the other guys I've played against, I could get physical with them or say stuff about them in the papers to shake them. And it always worked. But I couldn't shake Hakeem This whole article was just him boasting about being the best and the most dominant center of all time. Kinda made me laugh, especially when he talked about how great Hakeem was, and saying that he "took him out".
lol: I have to admit he is the best center among those aged '35' He just doesnot admit he is old although he was great.
Shaq did take the old and often injured Hakeem when the Lakers were the team to beat. Dream always said Shaq was hard to guard cause he was so physical. However, we all knew what happened when MVP Dream faced him.
Shame on Shaq. He is too old now and is far away from dominating. It makes no sense for other centers to beat him now as it proves NOTHING at this time. But he still won't admit that. Shame on him.
It sounds like Shaq is having a very tough time dealing with his rapid decline. Regarding Yao and Dwight; it sounded like Shaq make a moronic statement about people whining and when the interviewer pressed him he could only think of Yao and Dwight but since neither guy whines he had to make up some BS about their coaches whining. I don't remember JVG ever whining about Shaq when Yao faced him. In fact, he always seemed to be one of the guys who said players like Yao AND Shaq get a raw deal from the refs.
