Will you retire Shaq's number?

[exkonvict]

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He was ONE reason but not THE reason. That team was stacked with talent and very hungry. It was a total team effort.

Well, there were other advantages to Miami's Championship. They played in the East, took on a beat up Mavs team, and had a few calls going their way.

However, if you replaced Shaq with any other center in the league, Miami wouldn't get past 2nd round. The same can't be said for Wade, Haslem, Mourning.

[HeatSince88]

took on a beat up Mavs team

Revisionism at its finest.

[Lane1974]

well I bet poor Dirk hurt his toe when he kicked that stationary bike

and does hurt pride count as injuries?

[Vertical Limit]

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Well, there were other advantages to Miami's Championship. They played in the East, took on a beat up Mavs team, and had a few calls going their way.

However, if you replaced Shaq with any other center in the league, Miami wouldn't get past 2nd round. The same can't be said for Wade, Haslem, Mourning.

Mavericks had their own BS calls of thier own. They shot themselves on the foot when it mattered. Total choke job.

But anyways, enough of that, because that arguement has been shot down and the Maverick fans has always lost that debate, just like thier team lost against the Heat in the Finals.

By the way, Wade got Shaq a ring, not the other way around. We all know Shaq was owned by "Ericka" in that series, and Wade had one of the best performances in Final's history.

And on this topic, sure I would retire Shaq's number. If we can retire a number from a player who never played in our team, we should retire this Hall of Fame Center as well.

[galeon110]

You have to retire Shaq's number. He's the reason Miami won their first ever championship.

[MiamiHeatFan2004]

You have to retire Shaq's number. He's the reason Miami won their first ever championship.

Again, no he is not the only reason or main reason we won. Wade was our MVP all season and in the playoffs and finals.

Wade, Walker(yes even him), Payton, Posey, Jwill, Haslem and Zo and many others were all responsible for the title. All of them had key plays in the playoffs, many of them outplayed Shaq in many of the playoff games.

You don't retire a players jersey just because he was on a championship team. You retire guys that carried a franchise for a long time.

Shaq was not our leading scorer or best player in our title year. He was not our MVP and he was not even the best center in the title clinching game, Zo was our best C on that day coming up with all the key blocks and plays at C for us.

Shaq deserves respect from all Miami fans, but he is not a career leader in Miami of anything, he was not here long enough, he never carried us on his back or did anything close to that. He was not the best player on our team when he was here in any of the seasons he played for us. He does not deserve his number retired here.

Alonzo Mourning was the best player in Miami for years, he owns some Miami career records and he also was on the title team as well as some of our other best teams that just ran into Michael Jordan or the Knicks. That is the C that will get his number retired down here, not Shaq.

[dflash3]

^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AnTgjW46rM

I'm amazed by Zo's intensity and dominance on the defensive end every time I see that.

[MiamiHeatFan2004]

^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AnTgjW46rM

I'm amazed by Zo's intensity and dominance on the defensive end every time I see that.

Exactly, Zo dominated the whole game for long stretches in crunch time, Shaq didn't when it counted the most.

This is one reason why Shaq is not going to be in our rafters and why Zo will. Hard work on both ends, determination, intensity!!!!

Secondly, Shaq's best season in Miami was his 1st and Zo had 5 straight seasons in Miami at that high of a level from 95-96 to 00-01 and even higher when you factor in defense.

You don't go into the rafters for 1 or 2 season's of good work to me. Shaq's last 2 season here were nothing great, so he only had 2 good years in Miami, not enough for the jersey to be retired.

[Charcoal Filtered]

I disagree that Wade was replacable during your championship run, unless you are talking about Jordan in his prime. Retiring Shaq's number would set the bar fairly low for getting a number retired.

[360]

I disagree that Wade was replacable during your championship run, unless you are talking about Jordan in his prime. Retiring Shaq's number would set the bar fairly low for getting a number retired.

Exactly.

[heat4life]

I think the Miami Heat should introduce a "Ring of Honor" instead of just having to retire jerseys in order to honor a player. Zo changed the face of this franchise, his jersey deserves to be retired. Glen Rice? IMO he deserves to be honored, same with Shaq and his 3yrs with the franchise.

On a side note, I don't think retiring Jordan's #23 was a good move by the franchise but introducing his jersey in the "Ring of Honor" would have been a nice gesture and a more deserving one.

[360]

I think the Miami Heat should introduce a "Ring of Honor" instead of just having to retire jerseys in order to honor a player. Zo changed the face of this franchise, his hersey deserves to be retired. Glen Rice? IMO he deserves to be honored, same with Shaq and his 3yrs in this franchise.

ON a side not, I don't think retiring Jordan's #23 was a good move by the franchise but introducing his jersey in the "Ring of Honor" would have been a nice gesture and a more deserving one.

Yeah that's a good idea. Good post.

[Lane1974]

yeah, a lot of players deserve to be in the Ring of Honor, not necessarily numbers retired. No one would question Seikaly, Grant Long, Steve Smith, PJ Brown, Dan Majerle, Askins, etc in a ring of honor.

[360]

yeah, a lot of players deserve to be in the Ring of Honor, not necessarily numbers retired. No one would question Seikaly, Grant Long, Steve Smith, PJ Brown, Dan Majerle, Askins, etc in a ring of honor.

Now it doesn't sound like such a good idea if you're going to throw nearly every ex-Heat player in there.

[realfung]

I don't think you should.....

[Flash3]

yeah, a lot of players deserve to be in the Ring of Honor, not necessarily numbers retired. No one would question Seikaly, Grant Long, Steve Smith, PJ Brown, Dan Majerle, Askins, etc in a ring of honor.

no baby jordan?

[MiamiHeatFan2004]

Shaq only had 2 all-star years(3 with last year, but he didn't deserve it that was a fan thing) in Miami and he was a huge disappointment the last 2 seasons.

Shaq was not the team's MVP in any of his seasons here. Wade was the best by a good margin the whole time Shaq was in Miami. Wade went wild in the playoffs and Shaq played OK, but was not even the MVP of any of the playoff series or even close.

On many nights he was not even the best player at his position on our team(Zo was many nights).

How much more does it take to explain that while Shaq was a huge help for our title run, he does not deserve a number retired.

Retired numbers go to a guy that was a teams best player and MVP for a few years in a row. Guy's that owns team records for a career or at least many season records. Shaq does not qualify no matter which way you look at it.

Even Seikaly did more overall for Miami than Shaq did. Rony had 5 straight years averaging a solid double-double here and he worked hard and improved every year. Shaq got worse each year and was never a hard worker in Miami.

Does Gary Payton or Toine count more in Miami than Tim Hardaway and Glen Rice just because they helped get us a ring? Well Shaq shouldn't either.

[Lane1974]

Shaq was runner up league MVP his first year here.

[MiamiHeatFan2004]

Shaq was runner up league MVP his first year here.

Yea Shaq got more credit than Wade did that season from people that did not watch every Heat game because he was living off his legend from his Laker days. They saw us improve and gave all the credit to newly acquired Shaq that comes with 3 rings.

Wade was our MVP that year, just that he was so young, he had no chance in the league MVP race. In the playoffs Wade stepped up and Shaqs numbers went down that season too.

Shaq had a nice season 23pts 10rebs 2.7ast and 2.3blks

His playoff numbers were 19pts and 8rebs 1.5 blks

Wade averaged, 24pts 7reb 5ast 1.6stl and 1 block

In the playoffs he had 27pts 6reb and 7asts

If Shaq had played 4-5 years at the level he played in 04-05 then he would qualify for a jersey in the rafters, but that was not close to the case.

[LEIF]

not that his comments post trade should decide whether or not he gets his jersey retired, but I think its interesting all the suddle shots he has taken at our organization, Riley and Wade in the past week.

comments about how we practice, our medical staff, having a player like Nash to get him the ball when Wade looked for Diesal almost to a fault at times......also complaining about shots all season long and then going to PHX and saying I am going to defend, rebound and ignite the break. I understand we needed more then that from him with this sorry excuse for a team around him but if he would have done more of that in the playoffs last year maybe we wouldnt have been embarrassed.

I love Shaq but I do think he is only concerned with his legacy. PERIOD.

and I am all about our team

Heat first
players 2nd

someone asked me the other day if DWade would be my favorite player if he left the Heat and I didnt hesitate to say HELL NO. if Ricky Davis or Antoine Walker was our best player they would be my favorite player, until I committed suicide with a butter knife at that point.