In some corners of Lakerdom today there is bitterness that Shaquille O’Neal went on to win a title in Miami, and to do it before Kobe got his. Not in my heart, however. I’m happy he cemented a well-deserved legacy as one of the games all-time great centers.
What he did in Miami does not diminish or tarnish the three titles in LA, nor does it diminish Kobe or his role in them. Only small minds who don’t love the game think that way. Those were different Shaqs on different teams. He brought me many joyous memories, and I’m not bitter that he’s doing well 3,000 miles away.
Yes, I have had my frustrations and disappointments with Shaq. I wish he and Kobe could have figured out how to coexist in the same locker room. I wish Shaq had shown the dedication to conditioning he had under Riley the last couple years he was in Los Angeles. I wish I could have seen him jump out and show on the pick-and-roll at Staples Center like he did in Dallas.
Father time was telling Shaq it was time to be more like Kareem to Magic rather than the big dog, but maybe he needed a change of scenery to see that. So be it. Like after a relationship had crumbled with a long-time girlfriend, I have moved on. And I’m happy to see he’s done well.
Xavier says
i moved on too, but im not sure if i has done it so… he still talk in bad ways about the lakers and that’s not what i spect about one of the greatest all-time centers and cornerstone of that franchise for a big part of his career and with the one he has become what he is.
the way shaq was during his last years as a laker didnt like me at all. he prefered not to waste his summertime in foot operations or in gymm, he didnt help at all with his relationship with kobe neither helped him with all the colorado stuff (the only one in the team who didnt support him)
then when he asked for a contract extenssion for more than $100 milion in 4 years….
then he became a heat, with a huge hate for the lakers organisation (not the lakers fans) and he started to do all those small things he didnt do in last years Lakers…
like working in summertime, lose weight, accept wade as the heats leader and take a paycut on what he was suposed to ask…. “just” 100 milions in 4 years
when i think in the 2000 shaq, the one who loved the lakers, man i gotta be happy for him.
but when i think about the shaq who hitted bynum, the one who did all the things i said before, i just can say this has grown the winning desire for next year
i dont think shaq will never accept not being an all-star player, and if it ever happens he will think about his retirement ( if his knees dont make him leave it before)
now its time to think about next season, and i think if the lakers play like the playoff lakers the 6th seed is our minumum to ask, lets do some minor changes and lets see what happen
lakers go! i see a 2006-2007 MVP flying to LA in the horizon….
kwame a. says
the only positive thing i can honestly admit is that i am happy shaq (at the moment) has more titles than duncan. shaq has been the most accomplished and dominant player of his era and for duncan to be next to shaq (when one of his titles was in the lockout year and another was because kupchaks only upgrade was samaki walker) would be wrong. shaq, for everything that has gone down, deserves the moniker of being the best of his time, and now, hopefully, his time is over and the new laker dynasty can get crackin.
p.s. if the finals didnt show that a) the mavs (looking at you dirk) are soft and will never-ever win a title and b) no matter how much mark cuban trys, david stern is a lawyer and will never be outwitted by a tech-geek.
Daniel Myers says
I am happy for Wade. He is a great player and i think Shaq got lucky going to Miami with him. Shaq said he could win without Kobe and this year I don’t think he could have done it without Wade. Zo was assume and I am glad he got a championship. The only reason I’m bitter about Shaq winning is that I know the Laker comments will follow. I mean give it up! You won a championship and you’re still gonna talk about 2 years ago and how this is a REAL team!
Wade carried him this whole season just like Kobe did when he was in LA.
Thats one reason why i like Kobe so much. No matter what happens, no matter how the Lakers play, no matter what people say about him, he never points fingures or bad mouths anyone. He is always professional.
If the way this season ended didn’t light a fire under Kobe and Laker, watching Shaq win a championship has to.
I can’t wait to see what the Lakers do in the off season, let alone how they play next season.
GO LAKERS!!
D
Kurt says
The guy I’m really happy for is Haslem, home town guy winning it for his city. Plus, I counted him as 6 of 6 on 12-15 footers, if he can do that regularly he becomes a much better player.
And kwame a., don’t count out the Mavs next year. They may have learned their lesson about getting to the basket, that or they go get a slasher via trade.
Dan says
The only Heat player I like is Haslem. I was sad when he got injured. You could see the frustration in his eyes.
While I cherish Shaq’s accomplishments as a Laker, I still don’t like him and don’t have much respect for him as a person. He could have and should have done better in his last couple years as a Laker and his continuing comments about the Lakers are petty and past tiresome. I’ll congrulate him on winning a title, but I’m not happy for him.
ian says
Its interesting how Wade is now the best player on the planet. Yes he was phenomenal, but how can you be considered the best player around for dominating one team? The best conclusion you could draw is that he is the best player in the series.
I mean if it had been a team with a lock down perimeter defender would he still have been the best player in the world?
It seems to me it was more Nowitzki and Howard choking than Wade winning the series.
Robert says
I too am happy for Shaq. I am most happy that this is being stuck in the face of Laker mgmt. Dr. Buss do something! I still want to know why Shaq was the only prominent Laker missing from Chick’s funeral. He never explained.
reiko says
i’m sure that what bothers kobe more than Shaq winning has to do with all the attention and praise being heaped upon D-wade…MVP, the next Jordan…etc.
I bet he even denied watching, but did in secret.
then, no doubt, he either called or went in person after the Heat win, and demanded to Laker Brass that they GET HIM A SUPPORTING CAST SO THEY CAN WIN IT NEXT YEAR!
…supporting cast…sound familiar?
altemawa says
you guys are making stories bout Kobe being a jerk. he never got envious of anyone in the league. he’s the top player in the league, and he can do so much for the Lakers.
just wait and see what Kobe can really do.
and to Shaq, its obvious that he has lost his moves… nyanyanya
Cee Cee says
First of all, I would like to say that I am happy for the Heat winning the title. Shaq, Wade, and Payton along with the rest of the team deserved it. However, I am sad the laker team couldn’t somehow stick together to possibly win another title. I agree with Steve Harvey when after Shaq was no longer part of the team, he would greet the listeners on his radio show every day by saying,”Good morning Los Angeles! Home of the NBA’s dumbest trade ever!!!”
Yes!, Kobe is a GREAT player. Regradless as to what you might think, he needed Shaq in order to win. The lakers are going to have to do alot better in order to win another title, PERIOD!!
There is alot of competition in the West. The Lakers can’t forget about the Suns, Mavericks, Spurs, and YES even the Clippers (I’m so proud of them). The lakers need to get past them before they can even think about the Eastern teams.
Bottom line, I don’t see the Lakers making it past the first round of the playoffs.
As far as the Heat is concerned, I think we are just beginning to see Wade’s potential and I am looking forward to seeing him play next season.
Also, I glad to see that people in this town are finally beginning to recognize that there is another team here as well. GO CLIPPERS!! This is a team that truly seems to enjoy playing the game. No egos or drama there.
AARON FU says
AS A LONG TIME LAKER FAN NOTHING BROUGHT ME MORE JOY THAN WATCHING ONE OF THE GREATEST LAKERS AND CENTERS OF ALL TIME WIN THE TROPHY. ONEAL ABILITY TO PLAY SECOND FIDDLE TO WADE SHOWED IF YOU ARE A MAN SHAQ WILL REPECT YOU AND HELP YOU. IT HAS BEEN PROVEN THREE TEAMS FOUR TITLE IN SIX TRIPS. ONLY THING THAT ALL THESE TEAMS HAD IN COMMON WAS A CENTER NAMED ONEAL OR BETTER YET A CHAMPION NAMED ONEAL FORGET ABOUT HIS POINT OUT PUT REMMEBER HOW MUCH ATTENTION EVERY TEAM HAS TO PAY HIME AND THE COUNTLESS OPEN SHOTS HIS TEAMATES WERE ABLE TO TAKE.