Shaquille O’Neal is worth the wait
He always keeps you waiting after the game. And if there’s a big crowd around him it’s impossible to hear him, because of all his constant mumbling. But he’s often worth waiting for, like he was last night.
Asked what he thought about Greg Oden, Shaq said, “I don’t.” In other words, he doesn’t think about him. “I’m the Shogun. I don’t think about low-level ninjas. I’ve got Yao Ming, Dwight Howard and Tim Duncan to worry about. Don’t ask me about low-level ninjas.”
He flat-out admitted that after a collision with Joel Pryzbilla, an offensive foul on O’Neal, that he threw the ball in Przybilla’s face. “I said to him, yes, that’s what I did. Do something about it.”
I asked him if he was worried he’d be fined for that and he quickly changed the story. “I didn’t throw it, I dropped it,” he said.
Shaq doesn’t like flopping centers any more than I do. “Not at all,” he said. “The game is different now. Guys don’t like to bang and fight. But it’s OK with me, I don’t go through people. I’ll go over them or around them.”
Sure.
O’Neal sang the praises of the Trail Blazers. “Those guys are good,” he said. “They’re going to grow up together. What do they need? Nothing. I think they have it all. They’re young, but they play together.”
Can they win a playoff series?
“Yes,” he said. “No reason they can’t.”
NBA, Trail Blazers | Dwight Jaynes | March 27, 2009
Dwight Jaynes, Joel Przybilla, Portland Trail Blazers, Shaquille O'Neal
I didn’t realize it was possible, but as his career has moved along I find it impossible not to like him. Not only his his great one liners after the game, but he was as fun to watch play last night as he ever has been. I have great admiration for a guy his age and his stature in the league that continues to work on his game as he obviously does. His ability to find the open man when being double teamed, his free throw shooting, just his over all offensive game has improved by leaps and bounds since he was a Laker. Just a joy to watch, and even a lot more fun when the Blazers win!
What Shaq doesn’t like is that now the refs actually call him for charging, unlike the first 10+ years of his career when he could lower his shoulder, bully his way to the hoop for a dunk, send the defender sprawling and get the “and 1″
(If only Greg Oden would get this same advantage, but I sure haven’t seen it, yet)
There were some brutal calls on charges last night, Roy goes baseline and Grant Hill stands underneath the basket and the ref calls an offensive foul? What is this, the NCAA?
I love watching Joel get in Shaq’s face. Love Joel to death!
I see he got away with throwing the ball close range at Joel’s face again last night. That’s reason 100 why I can’t stand this guy.
Yah we just love a guy who throws a ball in our centers face…and this is not the first time it has happened…If this wasn’t a playoff race, Joe should have decked that bloated wonderboy
Yah we just love a guy who when he seperates from his wife calls her that ‘lil elf whore’
Oh yah we just love a guy who last summer embarrassed himself and the NBA with his latest I am so jealous Kobe song “hey kobe how’s my ass taste?”…Yah that Shaq is all class
Then this season Throw Phil Jackson, one of the most successful coaches in NBA under the bus, and claim it was his fault he had to leave LA
I could go on and on, but I guess all you press boys care about is he is entertaining. He makes all your jobs easier, so why call him oh his histrionics…
He’s an overpriced big baby who if doesn’t have the spotlight on him will throw a tantrum to get it…Sorry not buying what a joy he is