I agree with everything except there except the music reference... Shaq is more of a crappy New Power-Rock Country sound... far more horrible than anything else out there... oof. In that kinda Billy Ray Cyrus mullitude vein...
It's just Shaq trying to play mind games with Yao. Why not? Yao becomes the second best center in the league when he arrives and Shaq knows the mantle of "best center in the game" will ultimately pass to Yao. Shaq knows it and is thinking about it. That being said, after their first meeting, I would not be surprised for Shaq to be very complimentary and the first to give Yao a pat on the back. Especially after Yao sends a few of his shots into the stands. I think it will motivate Yao.
Who cares what he says? Let's see what he does. That talk is designed to cause controvesy and get press. Press gets him more notoriety and Radio Shack commercials. Big deal... The guy is a cartoon character, he can't hit a free throw and can't play ball beyond 8 ft. He should be a defensive tackle, not a center. The league needs to make some rules against his offensive charging as well...
First of all, I'm a Shaq fan. He genuinely seems to be a nice guy, and is good for the league. And no. 2, Shaq never backs up his smack. In other words, yeah he destroys everyone, but when he talks about hurting people he never does it. He's just likes to have some fun and play the big tough role. I wouldn't be surprised if Shaq and Yao ended up being friendly towards each other. Remember the old saying, '...If they're talking about you, they probably respect you. It's when they don't talk about you that's a problem...' Relax, Shaq is just doing his Ali imitation.
The stepping over the line thing. . .wasn't that always a rule but it just was not enforced? Rocket River
I want in on the bet. By the beginning of next season, MoT and KT will both be gone, Griffin will be our starter, and we'll sign Robert Horry to back him up. As for Shaq and all this Lakers stuff, we can't say anything till ANYONE else wins the NBA championship. Sacramento had home-court advantage, and they lost. People arguments about our championships are MUCH more founded than the "Refs were on their side" excuse. But we won, and were champions 2 staright seasons, and we deserved it. Luck is a MUST in winning championships. These guys earned the right to talk smack. They have the two best players at their positions. By the end of their careers, they will both be considered top 5 at their positions in history. Their coach did what the previous coach didn't, which is saying enough. How many should they win till they've finally earned it? I mean, COMMON, they won 3!! I hate it as much as you do, but when they won the 3rd, I just said to myself that NO ONE wins 3 championships in a row, and doesn't deserve at least one of them. They've just steam-rolled through every series in the past 3 years except for last year against Sacramento. BUT, my expectations: Sacramento FINALLY make it past LA who will be without either Kobe OR Shaq (unluckily), but they will lose to the winners of the East.
I have most of Shaq's rookie cards. I've been a fan of his since day one. He's still the dominant figure that he's always been, he's just more vocal about it. 3 championships gives him the right. But he's still a good guy, gives back to the community, and could easily hurt/kill someone out on the court every time, but he doesn't. He'll be shaking Yao's hand after their first matchup, wait and see.
The ironic thing about this is the same people saying this are getting on Phil Jackson when he talks trash for being "arrogant". Nobody said Shaq should be punished, what are you going to punish him for talking trash!? And I doubt if everybody in the US is on Shaq side, they probably think he has a big mouth. I don't think Shaq will be shaking Ming's hand after the game. I've liked Shaq, but really when has Shaq given respect to the opposing center he has played outside of Hakeem? I wonder though if Jordan had said the samething while with the Bulls if people would defend him like they did with Shaq.
were on. but on one condition, that if horry retires for whatever reason, no bet. so what should it be on? season tix? yao ming life-sized poster? or how about take robert horry out to dinner (i got "connections" since he went to ua for college)?
He gave respect to Dream because Dream kicked his butt in a championship series. I can see a similar relationship between him and Ming, except the roles will be reversed. If he retires early, I don't think Ming will have a chance to best him in a championship game like Shaq never did with Dream. I'm pretty sure they do respect eachother. Hell, if he respects Todd MacCulloch, he'll respect Ming. It would be cool if it turns into a Russel/Chamberlain type of rivalry, but I have doubts about that. As for punishment, I meant there were people here saying Shaq should be fined or suspended for saying he was going to elbow ming.
Shaq is trying to make everyone think he isn't scared of Yao, the Kings, etc. I think it is the exact opposite. His body is beginning to fail him, and he knows there are teams and players creeping up behind him. He knows he is on the decline, so the only way he can make himself feel better is to talk trash. I can see talking trash if Yao had said "I can't wait to get to the NBA and show Shaq who the best big man really is", or "Shaq is too short, I will kill him". But all Yao has said is that Shaq is the best, and he can't wait to measure his game against Shaq's to see where he stands. He has done nothing but show respect, and Shaq has not returned that respect. Nice! All I know is, Shaq is going to hate it when Yao is pulling him 18 feet from the basket and dropping jumpers in his face all night long. Shaq has always been bigger than everyone else, but he has never had to actually had to GUARD anyone. Sure he has had to use his weight and size to defend someone posting up, but he hasn't had to actually move his feet, stay with the ballhandler, and defend a jumpshot. It may not be this year, but Yao will make Shaq eat his words. He is taller, quicker, has better fundamentals, and Shaq doesn't really know what he is in for. He will soon be calling for Horry to defend Yao because his big toe won't be able to take all that movement. When Shaq is on the low block with the ball, he'll make that drop step, drop his shoulder into Yao to move him out the way (illegal, never gets called), go to shoot that little hook shot, and Eddie will come from the weak-side to send that shot into the second row. Like I said, it may not be this year, but Shaq's reighn is coming to and end...........very soon..........
GATER- Those guys (Sheed and Payton) aren't in the same building with Shaq when it comes to personality. And yes, when it comes to quotes and interviews compared to Shaq they ARE boring. NJ fast break ball is equal to the high powered Yankee offense, but with personalities like Paul O'neil gone the team is talented but not as sexy. Plus, who's mom is more recognizable in the NBA than his, that's another positive for him in my book. I think that we'd all agree that Yao is the future for NBA centers so until Shaq starts to slow down, it's gonna be one hell of a ride BTW did anyone see Barkley on with Bill OReilly? Classic!
When Barkley was in Houston, the trash he talked was funny. But whenever Shaq is selling papers, anything he says is from another big oafish jock...
in shaq's own way i see it as a sign of respect for yao. if he didn't think anything of him he wouldn't talk about it. it'd be great for a rivalry to develop mostly because it would have to coincide with ming being an awesome player.
Want to explain what "if horry retires for whatever reason, no bet" means? The last time I looked, retirement was inevitable for every athlete. Why should this void the wager? Horry turned 32 this past August 25th. He has a contract for this season and a team option for 2003-2004. The Lakers are certainly going to exercise that option. Thus, Robert Horry will be 34 going into the 2004-2005 season which is when he might be available (the Lakers have full Bird rights and can match any offer for 2004-2005). First, I don't think the Rox want/need a 34 yo SF who only brings his A game to the playoffs. Secondly, Shaq is a year or two younger than Horry but very high-mileage. Shaq and Horry will both likely retire after two more seasons. Sorry, but I just don't see any reason why retirement should let you off of the hook.
Another Brother - On the subjects of moms - it is probably just me, but I am more familiar with Dolores Jordan (who has authored a book) and Vince Carters' mother Michelle (an educator who tried to keep VC well rounded). On the subject of "flava" or personality or who's "sexy" - This is probably a generational thing but I choose my heroes differently. I am not old enough to have seen him in person, but I can't imagine Joe DiMaggio calling the NY Giants the "NY GNats" or the Brooklyn Dodgers the Brooklyn "Do-Girls". How about a Henry Aaron interview were he spouts - "yep, it'll be a long time before any of todays chumps breaks this one"? Or Magic Johnson proclaiming "our fastbreak is like the Pythagorean Theorem - by the time you've solved it, we've already scored". Talking "trash" or "smack" is probably real cool for younger people. I personally find it repugnant. Just my humble opinion, but the cartoon-esque Shaquille O'Neall will never approach the elequence of say a Dr. J. Have you ever seen the NBA commercial where Wilt talks about the abilities of Connie Hawkins and Elgin Baylor and proclaims himself (like them) a "part of history"? I fully don't expect most (not all, but most) of the teenagers and twenty-somethings which predominate CC to understand, but there something out there called "class". Shaq may be "comic", but I firmly doubt he'll ever be considered "classy". Class is Ruth, Gehrig, Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, John Unitas, Jim Brown, Bill Russell, Havlicek, Clyde Frazier, Dr, J, Magic... Maybe these guys never dominated ala "3-peat" but I for one would rather listen to them articulate about life than have a cartoon like Shaq be my hero. OK, the rant is over but please note - I never said Shaq wasn't a nice guy - he's just not my kind of warrior / sports hero.
Fever, you are soooo right. Yao has said nothing. And this is good. If Yao keeps being honest and humble, things will go fine. Shaq might even "pass the torch" to Yao if he's as good as everyone is saying. I do see some offensive fouls in Shaq's future. You know for sure the first time that Shaq posts-up Yao he will try and lower his shoulder into Yao's chest. It will mean nothing since Yao will, as you said, "... dropping jumpers in his face..." Jumpshots confuse Shaq. It gives him nightmares of the "Dream!"
A lot of good posts, particularly Fever's. Shaq's just joking around, as the article clearly insinuates. I don't see anything to get worked up about. Talking smack's part of the game for players. At the same time, I agree wholeheartedly with Fever that guys like that don't make me a fan. I'll take the diplomatic, good sportsman, professional any day, even if it makes some people gag. I also believe Shaq's a nice guy. I don't think that he's (especially) full of himself; I think he knows the media likes it when he says stupid stuff; I think he's parodying his own celebrity persona that the media for the most part created, that of a clownish, not-too-bright big man. I can't say the same for Phil Jackson (although he may be, I just don't know). Maybe he's messing around when he talks trash in the media, but it doesn't feel like it generally. Hence, he bothers me a lot more. Back to Shaq and Yao. I think Shaq genuinely respects Yao and will be one of the first to give him props when he's earned it. There was an article on ESPN about Magic and Bryon Scott and how Magic pushed him around until Scott stood up for himself. I think Shaq's just pulling seniority on the rookie, but that he'll graciously applaud him when he comes in to his own just as Dream did for him.
I am really not a Shaq fan, but I wouldn't mind seeing the Rocks with a young Yao challenge the lakers with Shaq like the Magic and Rockets in 95
Say what you want, but as of right now he is the LCL (last center left). He is dominate and his personality is great. I said the yr before that giving Philly all the awards wouldn't do anything but piss him off. How do a player be 2nd in scoring,3rd in rebounding,1st in fg% and 2nd in blks and not win the mvp? He was screwed no matter how you look at it because he is so dominant. Don't get it twisted, there have been guys just as big and strong as Shaq, but the difference is in the skill level and atheleticism. He wants to be a center and plays like one. In fact , he is so hard to guard, that guys who should be centers, Wallace, Camby,Garnett, Webber and Duncan are so afraid of him, they choose to shoot jumpers and call themselves power forwards. The only one with heart to play the pivot was the undersized pre kidney ailment Zo. Even undersized scary heartless Robinson played center and these guys have just as much size as he did, but refuse to play. People say what they want and pretend to choose who and what, but its not a gm in the league that if given a choice they would take anyone over a 30 yr old, poor ft shooting Shaq.All the doubters can have Big Fundemental,,T-Mac,P squared or The Kid, but give me Shaq and I'll give you the finals. The quote about Kandi man and Sterling is a classic.
