It seems beyond me to justify or criticize Shaquille O’Neal’s dissing of Kobe Bryant on his latest venture into the world of rap. Nor can I justify or criticize Shaq’s losing his deputy badge over it.
As to the first aspect—the dissing, I think it was done all in fun. As to the second aspect—Shaq losing his badge, I guess the sheriff didn’t get the joke.
What I will comment on is the Shaq and Kobe feud. What feud? It seems to me that there is a feuder in Shaq. But no feudee.
It certainly seems from Kobe’s response that it is all water under the bridge to him. The only thing he has spoken about recently is next season and his teammates.
No word from the MVP at all about ex-teammates.
Whatever happened between the two, it appears that it was too much for Shaq to get over. But that’s fine. A lot of people have a hard time getting over things.
If any of you have gone through a less-than-amiable divorce, you know what I am talking about.
What I would, however, like you basketball fans and sports fans in general to comment on is this.
Here is Shaq after Kobe won the NBA MVP and just prior to the NBA Finals. "He's been great all year. He was great in the playoffs and he's showing everyone what he's made of. He's on the verge of being the latest great one with four rings. He's come a long way. All I can say is, I'm happy for him. And I'm proud of him."
Those are Shaq's words. And they are quite different from: "You can’t win a championship without me" and "How does my _____ taste?"
So, is this a case of the leopard changing his spots? What do you think? What if the Lakers had won the title? It is my feeling we would have heard an altogether different quote from Shaq, one that was very conciliatory rather than derisive.
The truth is Kobe could have won the championship with a lot of people not just Shaq. Kevin Garnett, for example, or Dwight Howard or Amare Stoudemire or Dirk Nowitzki to name a few.
But with Dwayne Wade not totally healthy for the past two years, Shaq-fu couldn’t win the championship or even get close without him. So, where does that leave Shaq’s legacy with Miami?
Not too memorable, I’m sure. To go from the top spot to the absolute bottom in two years, you must admit, is pretty pathetic.
At least, when Shaq left the Lakers, they were Western Conference Champions, right where they are now without him. So, I hate to see Shaq lose favor with the many fans and sportswriters in this town who still respect him and appreciate what he and Kobe did together during that memorable three-peat.
What do you think?
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3 months ago
I have never really been a fan of shaq. He is obviously a great player. One of the greatest and most dominate athletes of all time. But I am really getting sick of him running his mouth all the time and throwing anyone he can under the bus.
When he was in L.A he said he loved it and that he never wanted to play for another coach and that Phil Jackson was the greatest coach of all time. Then he gets traded to the Heat and all of the sudden Phil Jackson is nothing and Pat Riley is the greatest coach of all time. After he got traded to the Suns. He says that he is finally playing for a coach he wants to play for and players he wants to play with. I know one thing. I would not want to be his teammate. He could be great to you one day. Then run off and verbally crush you.
I'm sure when he leaves Phoenix he will be saying the same type of things about steve kerr and mike d'antoni. You can't take stock in anything he says. He just says things to get publicity. Plus the fact that he has never managed to consistently stay in decent shape shows how committed he is to his teammates.
The main reason him and Kobe fueded in the first place was because Shaq would come into camp overweight and out of shape. Not ready to move forward with his team. But at the same time he would careen in and make sure everyone knew that it was his team. I can see how that would frustrate Kobe. One of the hardest if not the hardest worker in the league. Shaq's work ethic was a major contribution to the dismantling of the Heat like you mentioned in your article. Overall I think this was a good article with a lot of good points and insight.
3 months ago
I think that Shaq is clearly a looser. The money and the spotlight seem to be the only thing that is important to him. He has never been capable of sharing the same spotlight with any of his teammates. Had it not been for Penny, Kobe and Wade; where would he be??
Kobe cant be the cause of your marriage ending in divorce. Your wife knew that you were banging other women before Kobe let the cat out the bag. He also didnt hold her legs open to be banged out by another man. Oh I'm sorry maybe he did......
Shaq man up or grow up. dont say something that you cant stand behind.
3 months ago
Shaquille O'neal was a dominant player. Shaquille O'Neal used to be a great player but was he really a "great player"? I say hell to the naw simply because a great player exemplifies leadership on and off the court. A"great player" comes to training camp already fit because he's an athlete and he wants to show the others he is serious about winning but more importantly staying healthy throughout the season,"a great player" takes the time to work on his weakness in this case Shaquille has never been a free throw shooter for all the height and the money and fame and opportunity that one would give an arm for
(okay maybe not an arm because you gotta shoot the ball) but maybe give his all for an opportunity of a life time just to taste and touch the the things Shaquille O'Neal gets to do without really deserving it.
In the end Kobe will best Shaquille on all fronts.
Kobe isn't perfect but who is? So Kobe snitched, he was in a pinch and he's not as street saavy as the others it was just that thing but so what. Kobe B is still the best player in the NBA today, he's no MJ he's KB and KB is a bad ass.
So let's just keep in mind that Shaq is a fat washed up NBA center who was once touted as a dominant force is now nothing more than a diminshed farce. KOBE will always trump SHAQ!!
3 months ago
I think the maricopa sheriff Joe Arpaio is making a big thing out of nothing. Shaq shoud'nt got his badge taken away, who said rappin on stage is a crime. If any one should get their badge taken away it should have been Joe Arpaio. He talks about racial comments made by Shaq, what about him. He had been putting hispanics in jail for no reason. My thoughts are, Shaq you should feel free to do what ever you pleased, enjoy your life and be happy for what you have accomplish. And this go for everyone out there, keep you heads up and don't let Joe Arpaio judge you.
from 3 months ago
Please work on your grammer. Your comment is very difficult to read. If you cannot write any better than that don't write in a public forum. Thanks
Oh, and Joe is not the judge. He just locks up the people the judge sends to him.
3 months ago
As a Laker fan myself I must say other Laker fans are ungreatful to Shaq for all he's done. The Big Aristotle basically single handedly brought home 3 championships. Shaq averaged 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks while with the Lakers. Without Shaq in the lineup from 2000-2004 Lakers lost 53% of their games, illustrating that Kobe would've struggled w/o Shaq. When Shaq went to the Heat, the Heat won about 25 more games while the Lakers won 20 less and struggled to make the playoffs. La does anyone remember Kobe air-balling 5 times vs the jazz during the semi finals? Probably none of you b/c most of these fans dissing shaq started rooting for the Lakers after Shaq brought home 3 championships.
from 3 months ago
Are you kidding me?!? A line-up of Fat Shaq, D-Fish, Rick Fox, Glenn Rice, etc. without Kobe, wouldn't have gotten out of the second round of the playoffs in 2000. In 2001, the fat man would have been playing with Fox, Fisher, Devean George and Mark Madsen.......once again out in the second round. In 2002, Fat Boys stats fell way off of previous years and the stiffs added to the roster included such walking dead as Mitch richmond, Samaki Walker and Slava Medvedenko. The truth is and always has been (oops another reference to the Fat Baby), no championship would have been won by the Lakers without both Shaq and Kobe...or a Heat title without Wade and the Big Baby.
3 months ago
Nice article. I am clueless as to why Shaq chose to say that.
3 months ago
i cant believe i use to be a fan of this guy.. iono is it just me.. or does shaq think? i mean i know the guy went to college, but i really do think hes missin a few screws.. damn he really needs to grow up. did he honestly think the media was gonna let him slide for rappin on kobe? and he even hated on patrick ewing! Shaq is the type of guy who would get into a fist fight wit a 12 year old if dey called him "fat" or "slow".. a complete moron whos ego is way too huge to manage. and wat the hell was his old ass doin in the club anyway? should be home takin care of dem 5.6,7,8 kids he got.
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