Shaq: "I feel a sign of disrespect, I really do."

[Stevan]

It's like the 13 year old playing basketball at the junior level who has hit puberty and started his growth spurt before everyone else; the kid who has to bring his birth certificate to every game just so that he's allowed to play. He's dominating everyone else, but is it because he's so much better than everyone else, or is it because everyone else barely comes up to his shoulder?

That happened to you... didn't it Andrew? It's ok mate... it's OK!

[Andrew]

Not exactly - I wasn't even six foot until I was 14 years old. However, that example is loosely based on an article about Shawn Bradley that I read some time ago.

[Colin]

If I was 6 feet tall when I was 14 I would be happy. Turned 15 in February and I'm 5'7''

[Andrew]

Oh, I wasn't unhappy to be "only" six feet tall when I was 14. I believe Shawn Bradley was 6'6" at age 12 or 13 though.

[Drex]

I believe Shawn Bradley was 6'6" at age 12 or 13 though.

Damn, that's a hell of a "kid" . I'm 15 and only 5'10

[DipSetVC]

LOL, I'm a beast, 6'4 at 17 and 195.

[Amphatoast]

meh im only 6'3" 180lbs 18yrs

[fgrep15]

LOL, I'm a beast, 6'4 at 17 and 195.

Man, you hit the backboard, you can be center, I'm only 5'11

[idiot]

i'm 18.... and i'm 5'5.. or 5'6... wtffff!!!

[Ataraxia]

damn in like 5"4 - 5"5 ....im doin alotta streching routines and eating alot...i wanna end up like 5"8 at minimum....im 17
lucky ppl .....id love to be 6"2....dre miller's height....
but im tiny...im just 42 kg...like 95 lbs
id be happy to reach 5"10 ..... i have a great leap so i might be able to dunk then...cause right now i can graze the middle of the net....with a few more inches on my height...and with some big pumps i could be dunking in no time....

Peace
NJ

[Alcoholic]

Hey I'm not sure about this but couldn't (and didn't) Wilt tip his teammates shots in, giving him the points (like offensive goaltending or whatever)? I'm sure Shaq could do that with all of Kobe's jumpers, once he's in good position.

[Jackal]

What the LA organisation has done with Shaquille O'Neal is utterly disgusting.

This will effect other players decisions to come to LA.

I wouldn't want to play for a guy making promises and not sticking to them.

[matmat8]

What the LA organisation has done with Shaquille O'Neal is utterly disgusting.

This will effect other players decisions to come to LA.

I wouldn't want to play for a guy making promises and not sticking to them.

Poor O'neal, he is winning millions, asked for even more and didn't get it...
Shaq isn't the Lakers GM nor owner. He has to accept the decisions his bosses make, that's the way it works...i admit they could have told him the truth but really "disgusting" isn't the word

[Jackal]

According to my beliefs, disgusting is the correct word.

Fine, he's complaining about wanting more money, why is he wanting more money? Isn't it because the management said they will give him whatever he wants? Isn't it? Tell me it isn't. If I were in his shoes and the management said we'll give you whatever you want if you get us Malone & GP, I too would ask for more money.

Shaq isn't the Lakers GM

That he isn't, he sure does the GM's job though. I don't remember Malone & Payton saying they came for Kobe. I don't. I don't remember both the guys being called up by Shaq asking them to come to LA. I do remember those guys saying they want to play with the most dominating center in the game. I don't remember Kobe recruiting Malone + Payton. No, I don't.

I use the word disgusting because they just lied to him, they told him what he wanted to hear so that they could get their job done. Now that the jobs done, they've gone back on their words. If a person goes back on their words just because their needs are fullfilled, isn't that disgusting? Pff, come teaching me what to find disgusting or not to find disgusting.

In case you have short term memory loss:

"This whole Shaquille O'Neal thing becomes a different situation," Goodwin told Aldridge, "because Shaq was the one who recruited Gary to come there. And Karl [Malone] too, for that matter."

Link.

Going back on your word/lying = disgusting to me. You might have different views on disgust though. Maybe in your book you approve of lying & going back on your words, whatever man, to each their own.

[Andrew]

I agree with Jackal. Even though I'm not usually all that supportive of Shaq and I feel that he should be pretty happy with anything over $25 million a year just for playing basketball, the more I read about the situation the more I believe the Lakers' management is in the wrong.

I think about the way Krause shot himself in the foot when he broke up the team, the way he dealth with players and even the way he dealt with other general managers, and I wonder why other executives don't take notice of the effects. With plenty of money to spend, the Bulls failed to land top free agents some years back. What could have been an ideal partnership never happened, because Krause's reputation made signing with the Bulls a questionable career move for star players.

It just seems to me that other GMs should be wary of their reputation and the way that they deal with players and other executives.

[magius]

like i said in the kobe thread, in the long run building for the future seldom works. You promise someone who has defined your organziation for 7 years something and you deliver. Its that simple.

And it may be just me, but i think shaq influences a high percentage of current players opinions -- he seems to be friends and at least respected by every player in the nba today, yesterday, and tommorow. The lakers seem to have tarnished a reputation of organisational excellence.

on a related note, Chicago couldn't get sign a decent free agent superstar if they threw texas at them after the jordan era, and for one simple reason: nobody wanted to follow in the footsteps of a dynasty and a legend. I dont know if that will be the case with LA, but im definately leaning towards it. Every great player out there who is willing to discard loyalty and leave their original team will undoubtebdly prefer to establish their own legacy on a team without a legacy to call its own. If two teams can offer you same the money, and they both suck equally, which do you pick: the team with 8 championships, or the team with none, waiting for a face or a name to define themselves by.

the way the lakers handled shaq shows where the current managements true colors lie, and that added with the above could hardly help la's case in negotiating with future free agents.

[Jackal]

Thank you.

Can someone bitch slap Mitch Kupchak please?

[Andrew]

on a related note, Chicago couldn't get sign a decent free agent superstar if they threw texas at them after the jordan era, and for one simple reason: nobody wanted to follow in the footsteps of a dynasty and a legend. I dont know if that will be the case with LA, but im definately leaning towards it. Every great player out there who is willing to discard loyalty and leave their original team will undoubtebdly prefer to establish their own legacy on a team without a legacy to call its own. If two teams can offer you same the money, and they both suck equally, which do you pick: the team with 8 championships, or the team with none, waiting for a face or a name to define themselves by.

I agree, but that's not always the case. Krause's reputation certainly hurt the post-championship Bulls as much as the task of filling the shoes of the people that helped Chicago win six titles. I think some players would enjoy being part of a storied franchise as much as they'd enjoy leading one to glory for the first time. Ultimately enough time passes so that a new era with a new star can be welcomed, and while the original stars and era of success won't be forgotten, the new era will be appreciated in its own way.