It doesn't exactly enthrall me to have to open up the Shaq bashing column. After all, the Diesel helped trademark JMPizzle, and said I would be a hell of a rapper. Watch out, Eminem! While I never exactly had a speed dial relationship with Shaq, in my four months of knowing him, he was always friendly and cordial, more so than many of the other players.
That said, Shaq vs. the Heat, in my opinion, emanates from his introductory press conference in Phoenix. Some found it amusing. I thought it was a complete joke. I mean, no matter what happened behind closed doors between Shaq and Riley and the organization, the guy should have been KISSING THE GROUND Pat Riley was walking on, considering the organization got him out of L.A., turned him into a cultural icon, handed him a 100-million contract when O'Neal was way past his prime, built a new chapter to his legacy even when Dwyane Wade was clearly the man on the 2006 team, and then
when Shaq was apparently "praying to leave," the Heat trade him to a CONTENDER!
And yet, what's O'Neal's response? Not acknowledging the Heat for 20 minutes, never mentioning Dwyane Wade by name, but going out of his way to heap praise on his former arch-nemesis in Tinseltown, and demeaning the 06 team by saying its not always the most talented, sometimes its the hottest. I mean, yeah thank you very little?
Then, came Shaq's attempts at starting World War III. I mean, these comments speak for themselves:
"We have professionals who know what to do. No one is asking me to play with Chris Quinn or Ricky Davis. I'm actually on a team again."
Wait a second. You are sitting there ripping CHRIS QUINN? CHRIS FREAKING QUINN? A guy who is only in the league because he's busting his ass, knows what to do when he gets his opportunity, never complains, and is the consummate professional. None of those traits, which resemble the Cactus guy out West, either.
Of course, there was the indirect shot at Riley, and even a dart thrown at the training staff, which is headed by Ron Culp, who will retire after his FORTIETH YEAR IN THE LEAGUE! The same guy who was a trainer for the "Dream Team," remember them?
That said, Shaq vs. the Heat, in my opinion, emanates from his introductory press conference in Phoenix. Some found it amusing. I thought it was a complete joke. I mean, no matter what happened behind closed doors between Shaq and Riley and the organization, the guy should have been KISSING THE GROUND Pat Riley was walking on, considering the organization got him out of L.A., turned him into a cultural icon, handed him a 100-million contract when O'Neal was way past his prime, built a new chapter to his legacy even when Dwyane Wade was clearly the man on the 2006 team, and then
when Shaq was apparently "praying to leave," the Heat trade him to a CONTENDER!And yet, what's O'Neal's response? Not acknowledging the Heat for 20 minutes, never mentioning Dwyane Wade by name, but going out of his way to heap praise on his former arch-nemesis in Tinseltown, and demeaning the 06 team by saying its not always the most talented, sometimes its the hottest. I mean, yeah thank you very little?
Then, came Shaq's attempts at starting World War III. I mean, these comments speak for themselves:
"We have professionals who know what to do. No one is asking me to play with Chris Quinn or Ricky Davis. I'm actually on a team again."Wait a second. You are sitting there ripping CHRIS QUINN? CHRIS FREAKING QUINN? A guy who is only in the league because he's busting his ass, knows what to do when he gets his opportunity, never complains, and is the consummate professional. None of those traits, which resemble the Cactus guy out West, either.
Of course, there was the indirect shot at Riley, and even a dart thrown at the training staff, which is headed by Ron Culp, who will retire after his FORTIETH YEAR IN THE LEAGUE! The same guy who was a trainer for the "Dream Team," remember them?
I could continue to sling mud, but let me get to the two overall points you should deduce from this. First, no matter how vicious things may have gotten behind closed doors, its clear that Pat Riley and the Miami Heat have handled Shaq's lamenting in a total first-class manner. Riley publicly put his kahunas to the wall for Shaq, even ripping the media numerous times for suggesting that the Diesel was finished or anything close to that. He began the Shawn Marion press conference by thanking Shaq, one day after getting the cold shoulder from the Ungrateful One. And even yesterday, through defending his players and the coaching staff, Riles overall message: I wish Shaq the best. So all that's happening hear is Shaq further tarnishing his own legacy by making this a one-sided affair, and causing people like me to look at Penny, Kobe, Phil(a ka Benedict Arnold), and now the Heat, and asking hmmm what's the common denominator?
More importantly, here's the second point to keep in mind. Everyone in South Florida seems to be up in arms over Shaq hustling, and Shaq diving into the crowd for loose balls, and Shaq rebounding. Well of course he's going to do that for a while, he's trying to appease his new employer while flipping off his prior one. But just wait until the Suns lose in the first round of the playoffs this year. Wait until they underachieve. The real Shaquille O'Neal will come out. The one that is not Amare's big brother. The one that doesn't dive for loose balls and works hard. The one that instead will label Steve Nash as too old, and blame Mike D'Antoni for not feeding him the ball enough.
Again, this is not a gleeful post on my part. But its official, we have a new nickname to add to Shaq's collection: The Big Gerber. After all, Big Baby is already taken by Glen Davis. And it won't be too long before Glen Davis becomes a better player than Shaquille O'Neal.
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