Antagonizing Shaq comes with the job

[jepeh21]

By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports
When Stan Van Gundy called out Shaquille O'Neal for flopping,he understood the consequences. Perhaps, he welcomed them. Shaq would rip him and rip him hard. He'd get personal. The Orlando Magic coach knew Shaq would eviscerate him and leave him looking likethe fool.

So yes, O'Neal responded on Wednesday, calling Van Gundy a "nobody," a "frontrunner" and a "master of panic" in theplayoffs. Yes, Stan Van Gundy knew how Shaquille O'Neal felt about him and he still leaned into a high inside fastball.

"He definitely knew that Shaq doesn't care for him," said a coach who has worked with Van Gundy. "He also knows that Shaq does this toevery coach he's ever played for. At least Shaq did it out in the open this time and not behind Stan's back. That's what he did when he played inMiami for him.

"I mean, Shaq ripped Pat Riley and Phil Jackson after he was done playing for them. That's what he does."

As Van Gundy volunteered his critique of Shaq's flopping after the Magic's victory over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, the source of his motivation wasn't his oldMiami Heat center. It was Dwight Howard, his guy.

Van Gundy had listened to Shaq's relentless ripping of his young center, and decided to make himself the easy target for O'Neal. He'd take thehit. Shaq has been obsessed with Howard. He hates that Howard's a young center in the city where O'Neal started out in the league, and hates thatHoward wears a Superman cape, and hates that, well, Howard's the next big thing.

So, yes, O'Neal's been cruel in his dismissals of Howard. Perhaps Van Gundy started to see that it wore on Howard, that it had gone beyond comicalto uncomfortable. Howard's a nice kid and he won't fight back.

"I respect my elders," Howard said Tuesday, refusing again to return fire on O'Neal. He was half-joking, but make no mistake: Howard has neverbeen sure what to do with Shaq's animus. He isn't sure what he did to make O'Neal so angry with him.

Howard's a hard kid to dislike, but Shaq has gone to needless lengths with his criticisms. Van Gundy had to stand up for Howard. That's his job toprotect his young star and he did it. Now, it's no longer Shaq vs. Howard. It's Shaq vs. Van Gundy.

"One thing I really despise is a frontrunner," O'Neal said Wednesday. "I know for a fact he's a master of panic and when it gets timefor his team to go into the postseason and do certain things, he will let them down because of his panic. I've been there before. I've played forhim."

Van Gundy did a terrific job in Miami, but his authority was compromised the moment Riley made that move for O'Neal. Riles wanted to coach again, andVan Gundy knew it. The Heat emperor made it clear to O'Neal that he reported to him, never Van Gundy. Shaq has always sold himself as the dutiful son of amilitary man, but he's seldom respected authority. Eventually, he undermines everyone.

This isn't about Shaq and Van Gundy, as much as it's about Van Gundy and Howard. Under Van Gundy, the Magic's young center has madeextraordinary progress as a defender, a rebounder, a presence. Too many coaches spend too much time over-praising their young stars, fearful that publicchallenges and rebukes will cost them favor with the player and, ultimately, their job.

In Orlando, Van Gundy has had management's backing and that's meant everything to the way he has been able to coach Howard. He's been hard onhim. Nothing's ever been enough for Van Gundy and it's driven Howard to become better and better.

Shaq keeps saying that Howard hasn't done anything, that he doesn't deserve his respect and maybe that's so. Deep down, Shaq knows that Howardis a far more athletic specimen at 23 years old. Howard will win titles, and he'll do it without tearing apart the accomplishments, the character, of thosewho'll play with him and played before him.

"There's no winning this war for [Van Gundy] with Shaq," the coaching source said Wednesday night. "For the people covering Shaq, this ishim being funny. Stan can't win this one."

Where it matters most, he already has. Maybe everyone else is laughing at Stan Van Gundy, but he still did something that no one could do for the Magic: Hestood up to Shaq, and stood behind Dwight Howard.

 

[bjamez20]

shaq's a punk, but we all already knew that

 

[jello b afro]

Shaquille's verbal attack on Van Gundy was way overboard. In the last week alone he's managed to get at 3 different people. And for what? Attention?Leverage? Insecurity?

 

[frankie valentino]

It says a lot when a player who can be so dominant is somehow on his fourth team, the same number as Artest and Rasheed Wallace. Especially since a greatcenter is one of the hardest positions to fill.

 

[CP1708]

Originally Posted by Frankie Valentino

It says a lot when a player who can be so dominant is somehow on his fourth team, the same number as Artest and Rasheed Wallace. Especially since a great center is one of the hardest positions to fill.

100% correct.

 

[jepeh21]

[h1]
[/h1]

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)-Stan Van Gundy walked into the Orlando Magiclocker room Thursday morning, and before he could even prepare for practice, his players had a message.

"You better leave Shaq alone," forward Rashard Lewistold him.

And with that, the Flop-Flap continued.

A day after Shaquille O'Neal called his former coach with theMiami Heat "a master of panic" and "a frontrunner,"Van Gundy responded by jokingly calling O'Neal a "very sensitive guy." He said everyone needs to "consider the source" before takingthe comments too seriously.

The Magic coach said he didn't take O'Neal's remarks personal, but admitted O'Neal may have gone too far-even for his usual jokes.

"That's not his normal comments," Van Gundy said after Orlando's practice Thursday. "Obviously I struck a nerve and hurt hisfeelings. Shaq's a very sensitive guy. If I hurt his feelings, I'm sorry."

The feud started after the Magic's 111-99 win over O'Neal's Phoenix Suns on Tuesday.

O'Neal was guarding Magic center Dwight Howard with about 4minutes left in the third quarter. Howard made a spin move, O'Neal fell in an apparent flop trying to get an offensive foul called, and Howard easilydunked with two hands.

Afterward, Van Gundy said he was surprised by O'Neal's move. "I was shocked and very disappointed cause he knows what it's like. You know,let's stand up and play like men, and I think our guy did that."

And of course, O'Neal responded.

"One thing I really despise is a frontrunner," O'Neal said Wednesday before the Suns' game in Miami. "I know for a fact he's amaster of panic and when it gets time for his team to go into the postseason and do certain things, he will let them down because of his panic. I've beenthere before. I've played for him."

The relationship between Van Gundy and O'Neal has been rocky for years.

O'Neal arrived in Miami for the 2004-05 season, helped the Heat win 59 games that season playing alongside Dwyane Wade and with Van Gundy on the sideline. But that season ended with aloss to the Detroit Pistons, a game where Miami squandered a six-pointlead over the final 7 minutes. After the game, O'Neal said he didn't get the ball enough.

Van Gundy resigned 21 games into the next season, Pat Riley returned to the bench and the Heat won a championship, O'Neal's fourth title.

"I'm pretty sure that every player who's ever played for me doesn't hate me," Van Gundy said Thursday. "Now we'd have to do asurvey, but I've coached a lot of guys, and I'm pretty sure there's one or two that don't hate me. I don't know that any liked me. ButI'm pretty sure there's one or two who don't hate me. So I don't worry about that because, quite honestly, I don't think it'strue."

Magic players defended their coach but refused to take a jab back at O'Neal.

"We like him," Lewis said of Van Gundy. "I mean, sometimes we don't because he screams and yells all the time, but that's just a partof him being the coach. As long as we continue to win games, you can't complain too much."

Howard has long been ridiculed by the O'Neal for his use of the Superman nickname-one they have both claimed. O'Neal has also called out Howard,saying he hasn't done anything in Orlando he hadn't done before.

On Thursday, Howard again sidestepped any barbs at O'Neal. But when asked if he tries to take charges or has ever attempted a flop, Howard saidthat's not a center's role.

"They've been trying to get me to take charges, and I just can't do it," Howard said. "When we do charge drills in practice, Idon't like them. Like I tell my guys, I'm not taking a charge. If I'm 7 feet, I'm supposed to be blocking a shot."

Van Gundy said he was joking when he made the comments and didn't lose any sleep when O'Neal responded. He considers the feud over, but realizedO'Neal may again fire back.

"I started it. I made my comment," Van Gundy said. "If you're going to dish it out, you've got to be able to take it. And I can takeit."

 

[tmoney85]

Originally Posted by Frankie Valentino

It says a lot when a player who can be so dominant is somehow on his fourth team, the same number as Artest and Rasheed Wallace. Especially since a great center is one of the hardest positions to fill.

wow, i hope you didnt copyright that post because i am going to be using this a lot. 200% correct. BRAVO BRAVO

especially with how he ripped kobe and the whole lakers team/city of LA.... i mean it kind of put a lot of hate in peoples heart for kobe but now i hope we canall see 80% of it was probably Shaq. I mean please dont mistake me for a kobe homer but seriously, the whole world was looking for an excuse to bash/blamesomeone in that divorce, but because Kobe had the trial and Shaq has the words and media, it was obvious who's side the world was gonna be on. dontbelieve me? go ask D.Wade...he'll tell you as he said "i will never forget what shaq said about me/us"

 

[255forlife]

see signature.

 

[abeautifulhaze]

Originally Posted by bjamez20

shaq's a punk, but we all already knew that

People will say anything behind the safety of the internet.

 

[kidskillz858]

Originally Posted by tmoney85

Originally Posted by Frankie Valentino

It says a lot when a player who can be so dominant is somehow on his fourth team, the same number as Artest and Rasheed Wallace. Especially since a great center is one of the hardest positions to fill.

wow, i hope you didnt copyright that post because i am going to be using this a lot. 200% correct. BRAVO BRAVO

especially with how he ripped kobe and the whole lakers team/city of LA.... i mean it kind of put a lot of hate in peoples heart for kobe but now i hope we can all see 80% of it was probably Shaq. I mean please dont mistake me for a kobe homer but seriously, the whole world was looking for an excuse to bash/blame someone in that divorce, but because Kobe had the trial and Shaq has the words and media, it was obvious who's side the world was gonna be on. dont believe me? go ask D.Wade...he'll tell you as he said "i will never forget what shaq said about me/us"

I agree with you on everything you said here.

A lot of Laker fans and Shaq only fans like Shaqrules always seem to forget about Shaq's wrong doing when he was a Laker and the Lakers had their 3 peat. Imean after the 2002 championship Shaq became lazy and was fat & out of shape. Dude put off off season toe surgery before the 2002-2003 season and came intotraining camp saying how he felt he should be able to take company time off because he got injured during company time. The next season he showed up totraining camp in a little better shape and was demanding a $30 million a year contract extension from Dr. Buss and was yelling at him in the stands during apre season game in Hawaii saying "Now will you F*ing pay me" . The year we got GP & Mailman to play for the Lakers for 1 year for cheap contractsShaq was going off in the media saying he was the only reason why GP & Mailman came to play for the Lakers and that he was the real GM of the Lakers.

 

[black entourage inc]

Originally Posted by Frankie Valentino

It says a lot when a player who can be so dominant is somehow on his fourth team, the same number as Artest and Rasheed Wallace. Especially since a great center is one of the hardest positions to fill.

wow....on point

 

[tmoney85]

Originally Posted by Kidskillz858

Originally Posted by tmoney85

Originally Posted by Frankie Valentino

It says a lot when a player who can be so dominant is somehow on his fourth team, the same number as Artest and Rasheed Wallace. Especially since a great center is one of the hardest positions to fill.

wow, i hope you didnt copyright that post because i am going to be using this a lot. 200% correct. BRAVO BRAVO

especially with how he ripped kobe and the whole lakers team/city of LA.... i mean it kind of put a lot of hate in peoples heart for kobe but now i hope we can all see 80% of it was probably Shaq. I mean please dont mistake me for a kobe homer but seriously, the whole world was looking for an excuse to bash/blame someone in that divorce, but because Kobe had the trial and Shaq has the words and media, it was obvious who's side the world was gonna be on. dont believe me? go ask D.Wade...he'll tell you as he said "i will never forget what shaq said about me/us"

I agree with you on everything you said here.

A lot of Laker fans and Shaq only fans like Shaqrules always seem to forget about Shaq's wrong doing when he was a Laker and the Lakers had their 3 peat. I mean after the 2002 championship Shaq became lazy and was fat & out of shape. Dude put off off season toe surgery before the 2002-2003 season and came into training camp saying how he felt he should be able to take company time off because he got injured during company time. The next season he showed up to training camp in a little better shape and was demanding a $30 million a year contract extension from Dr. Buss and was yelling at him in the stands during a pre season game in Hawaii saying "Now will you F*ing pay me" . The year we got GP & Mailman to play for the Lakers for 1 year for cheap contracts Shaq was going off in the media saying he was the only reason why GP & Mailman came to play for the Lakers and that he was the real GM of the Lakers.

yea man, not to mention how as soon as he got to MIAMI he lost all that weight and could suddenly play again... after gaining 1000 pounds in LAtwo seasons before that. Then, once that got boring for him and he got his guarenteed contract from the Heat... he decided he didnt want to play anymore andgot "injured". Then when he got traded to the Suns, he magically got "uninjured" again and was ready to run a fast break offense.

I mean c'mon how could you not see how wrong that is. I mean he is a genius for being able to do what he did. pure GENIUS. I cant wait till he comes outand bashes everything about phoenix, from Kerr down to the last cactus... its all going to come out sooner then later. sadly.

 

[tmoney85]

Originally Posted by abeautifulhaze

Originally Posted by bjamez20

shaq's a punk, but we all already knew that

People will say anything behind the safety of the internet.

duh.. why in the world would anyone say that in front of shaq... its called "common sense" 7 feet 300 pounds.. i dont care howbig/gangsta you are, you dont call him a punk in his face LOL ... Now if this guy that says he's a punk kisses his #$% when he sees him, then its anotherstory... but we can only assume he wont and will stick true to his "shaq is a punk mentality" and just keep it moving, which i admire.

 

[mw2889]

Originally Posted by Frankie Valentino

It says a lot when a player who can be so dominant is somehow on his fourth team, the same number as Artest and Rasheed Wallace. Especially since a great center is one of the hardest positions to fill.

SHAQ decided to leave Orlando
SHAQ demanded a trade from LA
In Miami he was putting up 14 ppg and still had a large contract. The move for Marion seemed smart.

Make no mistake about it, if a player like Shaq in his prime leaves a team, it's because he wanted to. Artest and Sheed have never really been untouchable.

 

[tmoney85]

Originally Posted by Mw2889

Originally Posted by Frankie Valentino

It says a lot when a player who can be so dominant is somehow on his fourth team, the same number as Artest and Rasheed Wallace. Especially since a great center is one of the hardest positions to fill.

SHAQ decided to leave Orlando
SHAQ demanded a trade from LA
In Miami he was putting up 14 ppg and still had a large contract. The move for Marion seemed smart.

Make no mistake about it, if a player like Shaq in his prime leaves a team, it's because he wanted to. Artest and Sheed have never really been untouchable.

When he left Orlando: bashed Penny
When he left LA: bashed Kobe, Mitch and Buss
When he left Miami: bashed everything HEAT

why he wanted out of LA? $$$$$$$ and drama that HE had a lot to do with.
why Miami traded him? because he quit on them.

How he might bashed his days in Phx? "...they dont play defense.... Nash should be deported.... Barbosa looks likeUsher....Porter had a crooked face....Kerr, whos that?"

so no matter how you spin it, and as GREAT as he is and how much an impact he can make, you cannot spin it for his favor. sorry.

 

[eight2one]

im not feeling his antics.

 

[jaypesoz]

I don't like Shaqtus neither. I don't buy into his whole "charisma"

 

[elderwatsondiggs]

Shaq seems to be a hypocritical type of guy. He does a lot of good though in the community and people love him. Hmm, andhe seems like he's a cool guy to hang around. But if he can call Chris Bosh the RuPaul of big men and pretty much belittle anyone who has the balls tospeak out against him then I wonder what kind of guy Shaq REALLY is. I don't know, I don't know him personally. Also didn't he say something aboutthe Shaq/Kobe fued being about marketing...after rapping about asking Kobe how his **$ taste when the LAkers lost last year? I'd say he's probably abit immature...but of course not to his face and yes I'm admitting that behind this computer screen

.

 

[tmoney85]

Originally Posted by tmoney85

Originally Posted by Mw2889

Originally Posted by Frankie Valentino

It says a lot when a player who can be so dominant is somehow on his fourth team, the same number as Artest and Rasheed Wallace. Especially since a great center is one of the hardest positions to fill.

SHAQ decided to leave Orlando
SHAQ demanded a trade from LA
In Miami he was putting up 14 ppg and still had a large contract. The move for Marion seemed smart.

Make no mistake about it, if a player like Shaq in his prime leaves a team, it's because he wanted to. Artest and Sheed have never really been untouchable.

When he left Orlando: bashed Penny
When he left LA: bashed Kobe, Mitch and Buss
When he left Miami: bashed everything HEAT

why he wanted out of LA? $$$$$$$ and drama that HE had a lot to do with.
why Miami traded him? because he quit on them.

How he might bashed his days in Phx? "...they dont play defense.... Nash should be deported.... Barbosa looks like Usher....Porter had a crooked face....Kerr, whos that?"

so no matter how you spin it, and as GREAT as he is and how much an impact he can make, you cannot spin it for his favor. sorry.

might i add... the suns tried everything they could to try and get rid of shaq before the trade deadline.

Also, anyone feel this recent shaq to be like the big fat bully in elementary school that doesnt know how to read so he takes his anger out on the other kidsbecause he's bigger. i was watching some videos of shaq during the games this year and he really does act like that bully this year. I dont think hetakes calling him old very lightly. I will be so damn happy if the suns dont make the playoffs.

 

[jepeh21]

if the suns don't make the playoffs then he might start bashing everybody from the owner to the gm and then to the players except himself coz he had an allstar year etc.

 

[holdenmichael]

The year we got GP & Mailman to play for the Lakers for 1 year for cheap contracts Shaq was going off in the media saying he was the only reason why GP & Mailman came to play for the Lakers and that he was the real GM of the Lakers.


A year later they had the opportunity to follow Shaq to Miami, sign elsewhere or remain with the Lakers, both GP and the Mailman chose to stay with the Lakers,but Kobe was still catching flack for breaking apart the team and driving everyone away.


Shaq is as insecure as they come.

 

[mw2889]

Originally Posted by holdenmichael

The year we got GP & Mailman to play for the Lakers for 1 year for cheap contracts Shaq was going off in the media saying he was the only reason why GP & Mailman came to play for the Lakers and that he was the real GM of the Lakers.

A year later they had the opportunity to follow Shaq to Miami, sign elsewhere or remain with the Lakers, both GP and the Mailman chose to stay with the Lakers, but Kobe was still catching flack for breaking apart the team and driving everyone away.


Shaq is as insecure as they come.
Payton was still under contract. When he became a free agent, he followed Shaq to Miami.

 

[255forlife]

and karl was hunting little mexican girls.

 

[youngtriz]

what did he say about wade.. i know he said things like why does he have to play with quinn and ricky davis....

 

[shaqrules]

Originally Posted by tmoney85

I agree with you on everything you said here.

A lot of Laker fans and Shaq only fans like Shaqrules always seem to forget about Shaq's wrong doing when he was a Laker and the Lakers had their 3 peat. I mean after the 2002 championship Shaq became lazy and was fat & out of shape. Dude put off off season toe surgery before the 2002-2003 season and came into training camp saying how he felt he should be able to take company time off because he got injured during company time. The next season he showed up to training camp in a little better shape and was demanding a $30 million a year contract extension from Dr. Buss and was yelling at him in the stands during a pre season game in Hawaii saying "Now will you F*ing pay me" . The year we got GP & Mailman to play for the Lakers for 1 year for cheap contracts Shaq was going off in the media saying he was the only reason why GP & Mailman came to play for the Lakers and that he was the real GM of the Lakers.

i haven't fogotten anything...i was right here. i saw and read everything that came out in the news or espn. when it comes down to it, it iswhat it is. no one can control what a player says or what a player does. whether shaq came in out of shape or not, the lakers should've won that 4thconsecutive title. they had all the players needed to win, but it didn't happen. now was that shaq's fault? you're goin to tell me that becauseshaq came in out of shape or him yelling at management caused the lakers not to win against the pistons? now i'm not goin to condone that shaq was okay tocome in out of shape or anything like that, but again that didn't cause the lakers not to win. even fat shaq was still killin the oposition; his endurancewasn't there, but he was still jobbin. and for the record, gp and malone coming to LA was a lot of shaq's doing; not 100%, but a majority ofshaq's contacts.

now...i'm not a fan of what's goin on between shaq and van gundy and/or howard...but it is what it is. everyone has their pride or ego problems. somecan control issues or comments better than others. true, shaq is a sensitive guy and maybe he can be insecure, but what can any of us do about it? postopinions on nt?