Now I'm convinced it's hogwash

At the end of game 3, Shaq extends as far as he can, catches Jason Kidd's shot of his three right fingertips, crashes to the ground from the effort, injuring his little finger. This was not a controlled block, but rather a super effort by a great player to reach as far as he could to try to block the shot.


"Shades of Bill Russell, keeping it on the court," says Bill Walton.


I agree! It stayed on the court by accident, not aimed at anyone to start a Cousyesque fast break. This is how the apocryphal Russell story probably started. He did it a few times and every time it happenened, it was "by design."


Hogwash I say. And I am neither anti-Russell nor anti-Shaq; I think if anything they are UNDER-rated in NBA history.


And, on another note, why can't any NBA coach figure out that they shouldn't use up their time-outs when they're behind? New Jersey gets a much better chance to get off a makeable 3-pointer if they don't have to go all the way down the court in 3.5 seconds. Not that it's going to make any difference. . .

Andy,


Did you catch Shaq in the post-game press conference? In typical whinning fashion, another superstar attacks the press for perceived or real slights. "You guys criticised me early in my career for making movies and doing rap albums." Huh?


Well, Shaq, here's another jab: Please, take some of your money and hire Antoine Walker as a fashion consultant. Please.


John

As a long time Laker fan and a huge Shaq fan I have to wholeheartedly agree that that was the absolute ugliest outfit I have ever seen. My eyes were burning and my optometrist wife had to do an emergency check-up for me after I watched the clip on ESPN.

I'll make no defense of Shaq's taste in clothing... /images/smile.gif


To this day, however, I hear people insist that the only reason Shaq signed with LA was to help further his rap/acting career...this despite the fact that he hasn't made a movie in years (thank god...did anyone actually see Steel?).


I wouldn't call it whining for him to complain about people criticizing him. Early in his career especially, he received an inordinate amount of criticism...the acting thing, "he'll never win the big one," etc. People don't seem to remember Space Jam, or the fact that Shaq and Jordan both won their first championships in their 7th seasons.