That's how it is for most star basketball players as they're growing up. They're spoiled, get easy classes, go to rich schools, playing ball is their only concern. Then when they make it to the NBA they put on a fake tough guy image, it's almost hilarious. They're the most spoiled, protected athletes on the planet, that's why basketball players (except Steven Jackson) can't fight for the most part. I fall off my couch in laughter when they start jawing at each other. They just talk and talk and talk, occasionally swing and miss badly then go about the game.
And when the Spurs get their asses kicked next year like after every time they manage to be the last team standing I won't shed a tear for them. To start a thread like "In praise''..of freaken big time rival and then trash a team that epitomizes toughness, teamwork and getting all you can out of individuals is quite lame. Billips plays the game the right way and conducts himself the right way, it is not his fault Parker has no balls. Respect Duncan as a player, yes. But I hope Yao freaken destroy's his game like Hakeem did to DRob when he borrowed his MVP trophy on the way to our back to back. You think this is hating, you should see the stuff after the Lakers won three and row, and they are much less of a rival than the Spers. Imagine what "In praise...of Shaq or Kobe" would have done around here.
something tells me they can fight. the thing is, they all way about as much as a heavyweight fighter does. you don't see heavyweight fighters get in the ring and just start wailing on each other b/c each punch could be devastating. and that's with gloves on. there'd be even more bobbing and weaving w/o gloves. and you've only got about 3 seconds at most to get your fighting done, so you have to somehow hit the guy while not being creamed and you've only got 3 seconds to do it so you get the slapfests we get.
That's because neither Shaq or Kobe are as classy of a guy as Duncan. I'm a Rocket fan first and foremost and I certainly would love to see Yao dominate Duncan and T-Mac sink 50 treys against the Spurs in between blowing bast Parker, Ginobli and Bowen. That said since the Rockets weren't the one's hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophy and neither Yao or T-Mac were hosting the Finals MVP I'll gladly give credit to Duncan in the Spurs for playing hard and being extremely gracious in victory. It has nothing to do with dissing the Pistons who also played their hearts out but as I told another poster I can't see into alternate realities where Billups gives a classy gracious acceptance speech for me to praise him for.
Sorry Sishir, but I disagree. Shaq offered and paid for George Mikan's funeral, for crying out loud. Also, I thought I have read in the past that Shaq is very generous and giving when it comes to charities. And although he started off somewhat derogatory, he has been very complimentary of Yao and ALWAYS has been complimentary of Hakeem. I am not disagreeing with you that Duncan is not classy but I would be careful in saying that Timmy is "so much more classy" than Shaq. One thing for sure is that Shaq has more personality in his little finger than Timmy does in his whole body. But yes, I agree with you completely on Kobe Bryant.
Yeah Manny you are right that Shaq has done a lot of good stuff for charity so maybe classy isn't the right word. How about because Shaq isn't as mature as Duncan. I mean if the Miami Heat had won it this year can you imagine Shaq being as gracious to Kobe Bryant as Duncan was to David Robinson.
