http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/content/sports/epaper/2004/10/01/a1b_shaq_1001.html ...."He (messed) up in Colorado doing what he did, and what's the first name that comes out of his mouth? My name," O'Neal said Thursday. "That should tell you I'm important to this cat. "A lot of people ask me, 'What do you think about him?' This dude's a clown. He's a... clown. You're out there (messing) up and you're saying, 'He did it.' He did what? You don't even know me. I promise you we never hung out. We were never in any clubs together. He never did nothing with the team. I don't even know this kid. But I knew he was a weirdo."O'Neal said Bryant's recent troubles revealed the man behind the image. "There's fairy-tale life and there's real life," O'Neal said. "He just showed his colors in real life." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wow, reason #1,353,958 why I can't wait til Christmas! (The #1 reason is still Santy Clause though!)
You gotta wonder, can Shaq look ANY better right now? I mean, the dude got run out of town by Bryant and everytime Bryant mentions him, Shaq makes fun of him and has a general attitude of indifference towards him. I used to be a huge Kobe backer. The rape thing never really swayed me because I don't know what happened. But the personal rants against O'Neal are beginning to speak volumes to the guy's true character. Hell of a baller, but what a little girl sometimes.
kobe said what he said a year ago to the police. shaq is the one with a rap song dissing kobe and who's talking about "buying love" and being a "clown." they're both just taking turns sniping each other (most likely for the reason CBFC brought up) and neither is glowing right now. although, shaq clearly has it better right now because he isn't coming off a rape case. but all this stuff sure does just keep making the Christmas Day showdown that much more exciting. neither of them better get injured before that matchup.
So you honestly believe that Kobe had no part in trading Shaq? That Kobe would have re-signed with LA if they told him they were keeping Shaq?
SHaq is one funny mofo, he clowns KOBE. Kobe needs to shut up or put up. He should work on the comedy thing... COZ he sucks at it.
I think that Kobe sure wouldn't mind if the Lakers traded Shaq, but I don't think he "ran Shaq out of town". He doesn't have that kind of power over an NBA franchsie. In fact I think that Bryant would have resigned with the Lakers even if Shaq stayed. Does anyone honestly think that he really wanted to be a Clipper (which would be his only other realistic option)? O'neal was traded for economic reasons. The Lakers did not want to give O'neal the type of extention that he desired (and I think that it's wise). The Heat will face a similiar delimma not too far in the future. Do you want to pay a 33-year-old O'neal 30 mil. a year for four years? That's a tough question for any NBA GM.
Naive.. "O'neal was traded for economic reasons"? that's just surface thing. What's the gesture Lakers management suggested behind that, have you ever thought it?
Please. The extension may have had a little to do with it, but to say Kobe did not have the power is silly. He nearly hired their new coach single-handedly (Coach K) and had to approve the hiring of Rudy T (and this with an unresolved rape case).
I disagree. It became more and more apparent last season that these two were not going to play with each other, and I DO believe that Kobe holds all the cards on that team right now. The guy is going to get what he wants as long as the organization can give it to him, because he is the only chance that L.A. can win right now. You have a disgruntled Bryant, you have a wasted season. And no, I don't get all of my sports ideas from Jim Rome. The dude's a moron. A FUNNY moron, yes, but a moron nonetheless...
I'm not suggesting that Bryant has nothing to do with O'neal's departure from L.A. However, I would say that it's not the main reason. The billion-dollar extension that Shaq wanted and his diminishing abilities on the court were the main reasons that he was dumped. The Lakers would not go anywhere with an aging O'neal lock up 30 million dollars of their cap space. The move did please Kobe as people here suggsted (and certainly that was part of consideration). However, do you honestly believe that the Lakers would have traded O'neal if he was more reasonable in his salary demands (say 15 mil. per year)? Remember Shaq's unhappiness started before last season not because of Bryant, but because of the lack of progress in his contract negotiation. I do believe that Bryant would have resigned regardless of whether Shaq stayed. He would give up roughly 30 million dollars to sign with another team. And his option was pretty much limited to the Clippers. He didn't have nearly as much negotiating power as some media suggested. Yes, the Lakers are committed to Bryant, a young superstar who's still in his mid-20s, and would like to make him happy. It's the same way that the Rockets are commited to Yao and Mcgrady. However, iif you think Bryant has more power over the Lakers organization than Jerry Buss, you need to think again. Even Michael Jordan was shown the door in Chicago when it came down to conflict of interests between a player and a franchise.
