Dr. Shaquille O'Neal....yup, dude graduated w/ doctoral degree over the weekend.

[john mayer]

lmao salty nerds itt.

when i think of ivy-league and highly educated folks,

I automatically assume socially awkward or poor social skills.

Ya'll want J. Lin to speak with that James Earl Jones/ Morgan Freeman/ Cornell West Swag????

Dat Salt.

I'm in grad school btw, and I most certianly do not speak "therapist mode" in social situations

 

[kingzarus]

My frat.. good for him

 

[dman14]

you must address him as "doctor o' neal"

 

[freeze]

Shaquille O'Neal is now OFFICIALLY A DOCTOR. He received his doctorate degree from Barry University

And it wasn't one of those ONLINE ONLY courses either. For the past FOUR YEARS, Shaq took 16 courses, completed 54 credit hours and carried a grade point average of 3.813. The 40-year-old’s exact degree is in Organizational Learning and Leadership, with a specialization in human resource development.

But it gets even MORE interesting. Because of Shaq's hectic schedule in recent years (as an NBA player and a commentator), professors had to fly to him for one-on-one classes, some of which took place in Cincinnati, Orlando, Los Angeles and New York. And ALL professors travel was PAID FOR by Shaq.



oh ok.

 

[japanair21]

Maybe I'm just way off with Jeremy Lin, maybe I just don't buy into it like the rest of you do. I just don't believe there's any collegiate player that has a shot in the NBA/NFL that takes his education seriously. A 4.2 in high school? 99%? Really?

I don't mean to offend anyone, but high school is a goddamn joke. I have absolutely zero respect for anyone's high school grades.

SAT/GRE/MCAT scores? That I can get behind. Not no cot damn high school GPA.

I know plenty of people with advanced degrees who are pretty inarticulate. Degrees aren't a direct reflection of someone's ability to speak well.


No, you're right, but there's a difference between being inarticulate and sounding naive, pompous, and overall unintelligent. That's exactly how Shaq comes off every time he opens his mouth.

 

[darthska]

John Mayer:

---

lmao salty nerds itt.

when i think of ivy-league and highly educated folks,

I automatically assume socially awkward or poor social skills.

Ya'll want J. Lin to speak with that James Earl Jones/ Morgan Freeman/ Cornell West Swag????

Dat Salt.

I'm in grad school btw, and I most certianly do not speak "therapist mode" in social situations
You're not seeing everything else, though. There are MULTIPLE reasons to believe Shaq's degrees are 'gifts' at best.

For example, you're in grad school. I don't know you, but knowing that you've already got your BA/BS, I bet I could look at other aspects of your life and tell that you're at least somewhat organized, or that you know what hard work/sacrifice is.

This dude has never been accused of working hard... but he has 5 degrees?

And now a PhD?!

Dude said HIMSELF that it was tough getting back into HS mode... commenting on his PhD!!

C'mon, son.

 

[freeze]

Originally Posted by 23ska909red02

^ You're not seeing everything else, though. There are MULTIPLE reasons to believe Shaq's degrees are 'gifts' at best.

For example, you're in grad school. I don't know you, but knowing that you've already got your BA/BS, I bet I could look at other aspects of your life and tell that you're at least somewhat organized, or that you know what hard work/sacrifice is.

This dude has never been accused of working hard... but he has 5 degrees?

And now a PhD?!

Dude said HIMSELF that it was tough getting back into HS mode... commenting on his PhD!!

C'mon, son.

this.  all of this.

 

[doublejs07]

Originally Posted by JapanAir21

Maybe I'm just way off with Jeremy Lin, maybe I just don't buy into it like the rest of you do. I just don't believe there's any collegiate player that has a shot in the NBA/NFL that takes his education seriously. A 4.2 in high school? 99%? Really?

I don't mean to offend anyone, but high school is a goddamn joke. I have absolutely zero respect for anyone's high school grades.

SAT/GRE/MCAT scores? That I can get behind. Not no cot damn high school GPA.

I know plenty of people with advanced degrees who are pretty inarticulate. Degrees aren't a direct reflection of someone's ability to speak well.

No, you're right, but there's a difference between being inarticulate and sounding naive, pompous, and overall unintelligent. That's exactly how Shaq comes off every time he opens his mouth.


Off the top of my head:

Adonal Foyle
Ronde/Tiki Barber
Robert Griffin III
Emeka Okafor

and you wouldn't play basketball at Georgetown under John Thompson if you didn't take school seriously. 

 

[japanair21]

Like I said, I'm sure there are exceptions. I didn't mean to say that every single scholar-athlete doesn't take his education seriously. I know Foyle and Okafor are definitely few of the exceptions. My point with though was that 4.2 in high school ain't +$*$.

I know plenty of students who got 4.2 cumulative GPA in high school but still didn't get into schools like Cal, or Stanford, or UCLA.

These dudes are brought into their collegiate programs to make their school money, and do some of them take their education seriously? I'm sure some do, but majority of the dudes could care less.

Shaq? I don't buy it.

Someone like Lin? I think he had every intention of trying to make basketball his life. Props to him for persevering and making it. Maybe I'm wrong with Lin, so be it.

 

[ill steelo]

Originally Posted by JapanAir21

Maybe I'm just way off with Jeremy Lin, maybe I just don't buy into it like the rest of you do. I just don't believe there's any collegiate player that has a shot in the NBA/NFL that takes his education seriously. A 4.2 in high school? 99%? Really?

I don't mean to offend anyone, but high school is a goddamn joke. I have absolutely zero respect for anyone's high school grades.

 

[bigmike23]

Originally Posted by GUNNA GET IT

yall sound crazy man

really crazy...

 

[jewseejay]

Originally Posted by Addict4Sneakers

he should go study abroad now so they can take him off of TNT

 

[pharelfor3]

JA needs to just quit. taking shots at LIN for no dang reason. I hate that dude but even i let him cook .

 

[Maximus Meridius]

Kenny called him "The Big Plagiarism"

 

[Clyde Frog]

Originally Posted by DoubleJs07

I believe in the validity of Shaq's doctoral degree over whatever James Franco accomplished at Yale/NYU.

I could have sworn I heard Franco was a genius with English/Writing. Although ive heard this I never really looked into until just now and saw he was taking 62 credits a quarter at UCLA and got his undergraduate with over a 3.5 GPA. He received his Masters Degree at Columbia University and I guess he's also getting his PhD at Yale in English. I know its always iffy with celebrities but I feel James Francos fame is little bit different than Shaqs. Im pretty sure Franco is legit man. To me he just comes off as a dude who is intelligent and takes school seriously unlike some athlete who's just trying to prove a point. Apparently Franco is publishing his first novel soon too.

 

[DownByLaw]

This thread is pure

 

[japanair21]

Originally Posted by Jay02

Originally Posted by DoubleJs07

I believe in the validity of Shaq's doctoral degree over whatever James Franco accomplished at Yale/NYU.

I could have sworn I heard Franco was a genius with English/Writing. Although ive heard this I never really looked into until just now and saw he was taking 62 credits a quarter at UCLA and got his undergraduate with over a 3.5 GPA. He received his Masters Degree at Columbia University and I guess he's also getting his PhD at Yale in English. I know its always iffy with celebrities but I feel James Francos fame is little bit different than Shaqs. Im pretty sure Franco is legit man. To me he just comes off as a dude who is intelligent and takes school seriously unlike some athlete who's just trying to prove a point. Apparently Franco is publishing his first novel soon too.

In an interview with Showbiz411, on September 23, 2010, Franco made the erroneous public announcement that he received a "D" grade in "Acting" class at the NYU Graduate Film School. It was in fact a "Directing the Actor" class. Franco admitted to missing most all of his classes that semester. A professor at New York University alleges that Franco did not earn his grades while attending that school. He states that Franco missed over 80% of his classes and only received high marks and a degree because of his celebrity as an actor.[sup][115][/sup]

 

[darthska]

^ Exaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaactly.














Exactly.

 

[presequel]

Originally Posted by JapanAir21

Like I said, I'm sure there are exceptions. I didn't mean to say that every single scholar-athlete doesn't take his education seriously. I know Foyle and Okafor are definitely few of the exceptions. My point with though was that 4.2 in high school ain't +$*$.

I know plenty of students who got 4.2 cumulative GPA in high school but still didn't get into schools like Cal, or Stanford, or UCLA.

These dudes are brought into their collegiate programs to make their school money, and do some of them take their education seriously? I'm sure some do, but majority of the dudes could care less.

Shaq? I don't buy it.

Someone like Lin? I think he had every intention of trying to make basketball his life. Props to him for persevering and making it. Maybe I'm wrong with Lin, so be it.

I know plenty of people who got 4.2 as well. But plenty is not the norm. Nor is it the average. And across the nation, the amount of people that get above a 4.0 is far less than that, so i'm sure (or i hope) you realize what I am getting at. Im positive that there were more people you know that are quite average than with above 4.0, friends or not. 
And if we're talking about GPA's not mattering in High School, I already said that they don't matter in college, either, which is what you're riding him hard on. GPA's do not matter in life. But they are what the school system we have in place judges you on. And a person in high school with a 4.2 has a much higher chance than someone with a 2.0 average, or 3.0 average in high school does in getting into Harvard. 

I don't think it should be a surprise that some athletes actually take their education seriously. Ones with good family backgrounds and values. Those who want to know more about business. Getting to the NBA is just a game for most, but the smarter ones know its a business, with the proper knowledge, they can turn those millions into much more. You're solely concentrating on the jock mentality and this being a meal ticket. For Shaq, yea he was a beast and pretty obvious he would make it to the NBA. Lin? 

 there was no way people thought he'd make it to the NBA. Alot of players are hoping for an opportunity that he got, but most get a point where they give up the dream because they just simply can't cut it. The smarter ones don't wait 5-10 years trying to make the NBA to realize that, they actually work it through from the start.

and yes, Franco is a joke.

 

[Clyde Frog]

Originally Posted by JapanAir21

Originally Posted by Jay02

Originally Posted by DoubleJs07

I believe in the validity of Shaq's doctoral degree over whatever James Franco accomplished at Yale/NYU.

I could have sworn I heard Franco was a genius with English/Writing. Although ive heard this I never really looked into until just now and saw he was taking 62 credits a quarter at UCLA and got his undergraduate with over a 3.5 GPA. He received his Masters Degree at Columbia University and I guess he's also getting his PhD at Yale in English. I know its always iffy with celebrities but I feel James Francos fame is little bit different than Shaqs. Im pretty sure Franco is legit man. To me he just comes off as a dude who is intelligent and takes school seriously unlike some athlete who's just trying to prove a point. Apparently Franco is publishing his first novel soon too.

In an interview with Showbiz411, on September 23, 2010, Franco made the erroneous public announcement that he received a "D" grade in "Acting" class at the NYU Graduate Film School. It was in fact a "Directing the Actor" class. Franco admitted to missing most all of his classes that semester. A professor at New York University alleges that Franco did not earn his grades while attending that school. He states that Franco missed over 80% of his classes and only received high marks and a degree because of his celebrity as an actor.[sup][115][/sup]

Meh, ironically he does bad in the class that he's already a professional at. He got handed a good grade while missing acting class because he was busy filming an oscar nomitated performance

. 

“I decided to do ’127 Hours’ instead of going to acting class,

 

[hankmoody]

There was a thread in General about Franco. 95% of the posts questioned the story. And for good reasons. I believe he was in "enrolled" in 4 different grad programs in 4 states while still being an active actor.

I just find it hard to believe any active professional athlete player can complete a doctorate in 4 years while still playing. And Shaq was in the NBA for the last 3 years. I'd say the same thing if he was a full-time management consultant, investment banker or a lawyer. We aren't talking about a part-time MBA here. A doctorate is much bigger challenge and commitment.

I appreciate intelligent athletes and know they exist. I made a thread about the 20 or so smartest ones on this very board. Pau Gasol, Adonal Foyle, Matt Birk, Myron Rolle, etc. But, the circumstances surrounding this degree lead me to honestly be skeptical of it.

Inarticulate? Shaq can express his thoughts on the show. It's just that his thoughts are mediocre and often juvenile. It's not an articulation problem from my perspective.

 

[Deleted member 38182]

Originally Posted by Freeze

Originally Posted by rck2sactown

Originally Posted by Freeze

Lin may be smart on paper, but he definitely has inadequacies in the realm of conversation. When he speaks, I hear nothing but community college. That makes me question a lot. Not to say that every intellectual must have a shining vernacular, but come on, there's certain skills to be expected of Ivy League recruits.



With that said about Lin, Shaq is remedial. I dont believe he has 1 'earned' degree, much less 3, with 1 being a Doctoral. Shaq must have the ability to be in multiple places at once. Where, oh where does he find the time to be on tv, and in clubs and driving his Buick and still have the time to dedicate himself to getting that initial 4yr B.A., the 2 more years for the masters and then the 4-6 yrs for the PhD. I'm sorry but just given his track record, (Shaq never even really worked on his skills off the court, which is easy) I have an extremely hard time believing this goofball dedicated himself to this academic program in any real sense. I'd have respected it more if the school just gave him an honorary PhD for whatever reason, instead of trying to front like dude was putting in work. On 2nd thought, no I wouldn't. eff that.

I wonder if I still sound community college

Forget you bro

You're right bro, I'm sorry.  That was a **** thing to say.  I didn't mean it to come off that way.  I just said that to say that clearly the education received at Harvard is vastly different from that of the local college, yet I don't get that feeling listening to him speak.  He doesn't sound as 'fine tuned' as I would expect a Harvard graduate to sound...but like I said, he could be a genius on paper, who knows. 

Actually now that you say that I think I get the point you were trying to make

I concur, you can't just judge a dude by how a person appears, speaks, etc

 

[westcoastsfinest]

Originally Posted by DoubleJs07

Originally Posted by JapanAir21

Maybe I'm just way off with Jeremy Lin, maybe I just don't buy into it like the rest of you do. I just don't believe there's any collegiate player that has a shot in the NBA/NFL that takes his education seriously. A 4.2 in high school? 99%? Really?

I don't mean to offend anyone, but high school is a goddamn joke. I have absolutely zero respect for anyone's high school grades.

SAT/GRE/MCAT scores? That I can get behind. Not no cot damn high school GPA.

I know plenty of people with advanced degrees who are pretty inarticulate. Degrees aren't a direct reflection of someone's ability to speak well.

No, you're right, but there's a difference between being inarticulate and sounding naive, pompous, and overall unintelligent. That's exactly how Shaq comes off every time he opens his mouth.

Off the top of my head:

Adonal Foyle
Ronde/Tiki Barber
Robert Griffin III
Emeka Okafor

and you wouldn't play basketball at Georgetown under John Thompson if you didn't take school seriously. 
Grant Hill, Dikembe Mutombo. 

 

[tsamshox]

I agree with JA about Shaq, but you're showing some real FEMALE TENDENCIES going @ Linsanity tombout 3.1 @ Harvard is average. You need to chill the F out...

 

[dimelo]

JapanAir is salty about his Mavs being swept in the first round