Kareem Lays The Smackdown On Shaquille

[RJM]

http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wireta ... _maturity/

Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar doesn't understand why Shaquille O'Neal says some of the things he does.

O'Neal has spent a considerable amount of time this season belittling Dwight Howard and other young centers in the game.

"Sometimes I wonder about his maturity," Abdul-Jabbar told Yahoo! Sports. "He doesn't need to do that. He's achieved so much.

"I don't know why he stoops to that."

Howard idolized O'Neal as a kid, but the elder center hasn't exactly been cordial. Shaq has called Howard an "impostor" and insisted that, "Everything he's done, I've invented."

Howard doesn't understand why O'Neal continues to knock him.

"I can't tell you why he's said a lot of discouraging things," Howard said Friday. "I wish he wouldn't say it because he's one of the few guys that we all look up to."

I think we all remember what happened when Bill Walton went after Shaq. I DARE him to try to shoot back at Kareem. This time he'll have nothing on him. 5 MVPs to his one, 5 Championships to his four, etc.

[Sedale Threatt]

I couldn't have said it any better.

I always have been, and remain, a huge Shaq fan. But even though he's been doing it for the better part of 20 years, it still boggles my mind why he continually says the stuff he does.

Kareem was spot-on. He's achieved so much, there's no need for him to stoop to that level. All it does is make him look petty and small. You're pushing 40, and you're seriously upset that somebody half your age is aping your comic-book hero persona? Grow up...

[semi-sentient]

Shaq is and always has been an immature prick. This guy is one of the most dominant centers ever. He doesn't need to resort to 3rd grade insults, yet he does.

I think my first memory of Shaq being an inconsiderate ass clown was when the Lakers came to San Antonio to play the Spurs in 99. I don't remember exactly what was said because my memory sucks, but he said something to the effect of Robinson and Duncan were a bunch of weak little children compared to him and that he was going to humiliate them. They aired his comments on the radio (KTFM?) and it got everyone amped up about the series. We ended up getting swept and I didn't hear the end of it from my mom and sister, both huge Spurs fans. Anyway, you just don't talk trash like that. As much as I hated the Spurs, Robinson was always a class act and is Shaq's senior. You just don't disrespect people like that.

He said some similar crap about Yao Ming, a guy that totally idolized Shaq and even said he loved him. What an ass.

[Sofa King]

He's bored. What else is Shaq going to do all off season besides bitch and moan...

[snaquille oatmeal]

For most, O’Neal’s motives are transparent. Somehow, Shaq thinks it diminishes his own legacy if Howard achieves something significant sooner than he did.

“That’s why Shaq wants [Howard] to get swept in the Finals,” a league source close with Howard and O’Neal said Friday. “He doesn’t want Dwight to win a game because he didn’t win a game in the Finals when he got there at a young age with Orlando.”

if this is true it is beyond imature of Shaq.

[lakersfanatic]

jealousy and envy is written all over shaq the way it appears. I mean the kid just wants to be like you. That should be a compliment. It's time to pass the torch ole buddy.

who wants a kobe and shaq reunion!???? (notice the orders were purposely said that way lol).

[Jajwanda]

Ever since the 04 Finals he's been a complete douchebag. His sense of entitlement in that series over how he didn't give up and kept them in it has gone too far. I went back and watched game 5 of that series and I think it all truly stems from there because he hadn't quit on the Lakers up until that point.

Note: You have to realize something else by the way that I don't think many did in that year that changed Shaq from pissed off guy to unapproachable and then complete ****. The Pistons were better, much better. I don't think Shaq understood that and he took it to mean the rest of his team was garbage. He'll carry this attitude forever I think. When you watch that game tell me if you don't get the feeling that Kobe believed that if Shaq were to be guarded straight up it meant field goal on one play, miss with a heavy double, on another and then a foul. So over three plays three points and then Shaq gets out of the game or doesn't get the ball and it averages out to maybe five points over five plays let's say. Dumbo Shaq didn't get it. His inability to hit FTs was a major part of what finally killed them in 2004. If he hit FTs, they would have easily pushed the series back to L.A. and regrouped despite being outclassed at the 1, 3, and 4 positions. His lazy, inexcusable FT shooting was horrendous.

[The Laker Kid]

The guy won't shut up. He just won't.

[Slava]

You just can't take anything Shaq says seriously. Shaq is what he is, a giant goof ball. Basketball will be a boring sport without guys like Bill Walton, Shaq and Artest running their mouth.

[CX44]

those pictures ar awesome!

[Joe Kleazy]

For most, O’Neal’s motives are transparent. Somehow, Shaq thinks it diminishes his own legacy if Howard achieves something significant sooner than he did.

“That’s why Shaq wants [Howard] to get swept in the Finals,” a league source close with Howard and O’Neal said Friday. “He doesn’t want Dwight to win a game because he didn’t win a game in the Finals when he got there at a young age with Orlando.”

if this is true it is beyond imature of Shaq.

It would not surprise me one bit snaq. This is shaq to a tee. I also LOVE that people are able to see his true side and I agree with people saying he is just a goof ball and could be joking, but he uses the fact that he is funny to hide his selfish ways when needed. This should allow alot of haters to see that the majority of the Kobe / Shaq beef was not where it was initally blamed.