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Denver Native (Carol)
06-01-2011, 10:04 PM
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Shaquille O'Neal, the man with four rings, 28,596 career points and scores of nicknames, has finally decided to call it quits, ending one of the most colorful careers in NBA history that will surely culminate with a Hall of Fame induction.

"I'm going to miss the competition. I'm going to miss, you know, the chase for the ring. You know, I'm actually going to miss everything," O'Neal said on "SportsCenter" on Wednesday.

He added: "Father Time has caught up with Shaquille O'Neal."

http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/nba/news/story?id=6615886

Denver Native (Carol)
06-01-2011, 10:06 PM
LOS ANGELES -- Some time in the future, fans attending a game at the Staples Center will be able to say, "Look up in the rafters! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Superman's retired jersey!"

The Los Angeles Lakers plan to honor their former self-proclaimed Superman, Shaquille O'Neal, by raising his No. 34 jersey to the rafters.

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/news/story?id=6617095

Benetto
06-01-2011, 10:54 PM
Classy move Lakes...Im glad they know who really brought them back into contention, and won that 3-peat...3-time finals MVP!

Damn shame forcible entry dude, had to ruin everything in 2004-05.

BeefStew25
06-01-2011, 11:02 PM
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atwater27
06-02-2011, 01:25 AM
Shaq is overrated. Sure he was a dominating force, but only because of his size. He was blessed with height and strength. yet he was a horrible free throw shooter; and as much as he got fouled, he fouled others and rarely got called for it on both sides of the floor.

I can hear the arguments already; it's just my opinion, the biggest factor being there was nobody of his size and strength in the league to stop him, so IMO his success came more because of that fact than any exceptional skill.

I used to Marvel at how the refs would call a foul on anyone that sneezed in his general direction, yet he could charge all day on people and hack the hell out of them on defense and the refs would ignore it.

BroncoWave
06-02-2011, 07:50 AM
A HUGE LOL at calling Shaq overrated. Wow. His numbers, rings, and all-star games speak for themselves. You don't become the 5th leading scorer in NBA history by having no skill. You sound like a disgruntled fan of some team Shaq destroyed in his career.

Dzone
06-02-2011, 08:17 AM
In his prime he was totally dominating. I hated watching the guy when he came up because nobody could play against him. He just killed everyone. Dude was so huge.
I loved that TV show he had. Remember the time Shaq went to that neighborhood where this kid was being bullied and he walked up to the bully with this kid and told him to stop being a bully to his friend and told him to let his friend start playing football with them...LOL
The dude has such amazing charisma. Funny as hell. I remember david loetterman asked him how he is so huge, he said "Do you lift weights ?" and Shaq says "Superman doesnt lift weights"

atwater27
06-02-2011, 08:35 AM
A HUGE LOL at calling Shaq overrated. Wow. His numbers, rings, and all-star games speak for themselves. You don't become the 5th leading scorer in NBA history by having no skill. That has to be one of the dumbest things I have ever read. You sound like a disgruntled fan of some team Shaq destroyed in his career.

I knew you'd sound off on this. You didn't even take into consideration my argument... Let's talk about his numbers and scoring. The dude was 7'1" and 325 pounds. This is one of the most undeniable physical advantages ever seen in the sports world. 5th leading scorer in history. biggest and strongest player in nba history. Do the math. All he did was dunk. The guy gets out of the paint and it's brick city. Yeah, that's talent. It is equivalent to a goalie in soccer that is half the size of the goal, yet gets accolades for stopping more shots than the other guys when it was more his size that did it than skill. All he did was back his big ass up and knock the smaller guys over and then dunk. Ooooooooh. mad skills. Dude used his elbows, charged fouled all day and all night.

Yeah, Shaq won tons of rings in Orlando. LMAO. It took Phil and Kobe for him to be able to win championships. Oh yeah, and Wade, you know, the same guy Lebron and Bosh have hitched their wagons to.

Disgruntled fan my ass. my Spurs did just fine against him. Sure, he got his victories against them too, but I'm happy with 4 world championships and watching 2 centers with ACTUAL ball and shooting skills dominate the league over the years.

winning.

MasterShake
06-02-2011, 08:50 AM
I never liked Shaq early on, but my opinion changed when he was the 2000 Finals MVP. The dude averaged 38 points a game and something like 15-16 rebounds. Thats pretty impressive. He's easily in the top 10 of centers all time.

atwater27
06-02-2011, 06:24 PM
Apparently I am not alone on my assessment of Shaq-fu

Some excerpts... rest can be found here...http://espn.go.com/page2/s/webb/020612.html
First off, and with all due respect, Big Mug, your game is U-G-L-Y, you ain't got no alibi.


Stumbling, bumbling, fumbling, rumbling, ramming, banging, bruising, elbowing, shouldering, bouldering … and that's just on your free throws. Your brutal game in the box is even harder on the eyes.

Second, and I mean this only in the kindest way possible, your skillz are wack, Shaq.


But let's keep it real, Shaq. If you were 6-1, you'd be a point guard.

Can you imagine yourself as an NBA point guard?

Can you imagine a 6-foot NBA point guard who:


couldn't shoot from beyond 10 feet?
had hit one 3-pointer in 10 years?
had no handle?
had a negative assist-turnover ratio?
averaged less than a steal a game?
shot 53 percent from the line for his career?
missed five free throws per game?
couldn't make a spin in traffic?
couldn't shoot a left-handed layup?
couldn't play defense 15 feet from the basket?


In just about any sport, there is a basic advantage to being tall, and that's fine, because there is also an advantage to being short. But in basketball, there is a second advantage to being tall, which is that basketball is played up high, where the basket is. And, Shaq, when you're 7-1, there is a third advantage, which is why it's so hard to admire your game -- when you can play above the rim practically without leaping, how is that fair? Sure, you're unstoppable, but where's the challenge? You know, I do pretty well on 8-foot baskets against 12-year-old kids -- but what fun is that?


Fourth, Big Thumper, and I mean this as constructive criticism, it would be nice if you could find a way to get to the basket against a defender without fouling him. It's quite a bag of tricks you've developed down there -- the swim stroke, the hook with the elbow, the sledgehammer shoulder in the chest, the innocent elbow to the chops, the head-on charge -- and I would hate to cast aspersions on such a finely tuned repertoire, but perhaps a refresher on the rulebook would help:

"A dribbler shall not charge into an opponent who has established a legal guarding position.… If a defender is able to establish a legal position in the straight line path of the dribbler, the dribbler must avoid contact by changing direction or ending his dribble…. If illegal contact occurs, the responsibility is on the dribbler."


Fifth, Shaq, you've got a traveling jones. As much as I admire your, ahem, footwork and creativity, every kid knows it's not legal to pick up your dribble and then stumble-step-hop-jumpstop your way to the hoop. (No wonder you're "unguardable.") And, Big Bunny, that's not to mention the cute little shuffles and hops you take as you start your dribble.


Maybe when the other Phil, your coach, gives out books to the team next season, he should put the NBA rulebook in your locker and dog-ear the page that explains traveling.

To sum up, I don't know how to break it to you, Big Guy, but you represent everything that people hate about the NBA game today. The players are too tall. Being big and strong is more important than being skilled and athletic. The refs never call traveling. They let the big guys camp out in the lane. The game is too rough down low, and post players bang and barge their way to the basket. And superstars get the calls.

But until then, it's on you, Big Onus -- if you want to accomplish something that's even bigger than you are, shape up ... or, better yet, ship out.

atwater27
06-02-2011, 06:38 PM
And the dude at his colossal size only averaged 11 rebounds a game which puts him 28th on the all time list. At his size he shoulda been #1. And 2 blocks a game puts him at 14th all time. At his size he shoulda been at LEAST top 5.

And don't get me started on his lame ass rap albums, Shaq fu or Kazzaam.

atwater27
06-02-2011, 06:43 PM
An example of Shaq travelling badly..of course uncalled...

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