Shaq Retires

[quote name='n8rockerasu']Excellent! Now he can finally do MMA like he's been claiming he would all these years...[/QUOTE]

He can fight Kurt Angle...
 
There are many signs a man is getting old. The fact that I am 6 days older than Shaq and that he is retired sickens me. But I forget why. Where the hell am I? And who took my remote!?!?!?!
 
While his best days were arguably many many years ago, he's still one of the last legit centers in the NBA. They just don't make dominant big men like him anymore. The game has definitely changed.
 
[quote name='kodave']While his best days were arguably many many years ago, he's still one of the last legit centers in the NBA. They just don't make dominant big men like him anymore. The game has definitely changed.[/QUOTE]

Fact...Too bad the NBA is not what it once was...
 
[quote name='crunchb3rry']He was overrated. Height and mass were his only "skills." In other news: fat people win pie eating contests.[/QUOTE]

You've said a lot of stupid shit, but this might be the worst.
 
[quote name='crunchb3rry']He was overrated. Height and mass were his only "skills." In other news: fat people win pie eating contests.[/QUOTE]

Agreed!

[quote name='pbnate88']Yes...but he dominated games which can not be overrated.[/QUOTE]

Indeed. He was 7' and 300+ lbs, he just happened to be coordinated enough to play ball.

But he was a complete hack, especially with the Lakers. He got the calls from the refs, and it was worse than with Jordan. You touch Shaq, and he goes to the free throw. Shaq elbows and thumps you to the ground, no call. Teams would lose because their big guys would foul out, and that was because of the refs. Dwight Howard is a REAL center, and a real athlete...
 
[quote name='crunchb3rry']He was overrated. Height and mass were his only "skills." In other news: fat people win pie eating contests.[/QUOTE]

You have taken the crown from corrosivefrost. You are now the king of the bold opinion.

Also rusty you are on some really good shit. If you think Shaq got calls on touch fouls you must not have seen him play. Dude got fucking mauled constantly.
 
[quote name='rusty']Agreed!



Indeed. He was 7' and 300+ lbs, he just happened to be coordinated enough to play ball.

But he was a complete hack, especially with the Lakers. He got the calls from the refs, and it was worse than with Jordan. You touch Shaq, and he goes to the free throw. Shaq elbows and thumps you to the ground, no call. Teams would lose because their big guys would foul out, and that was because of the refs. Dwight Howard is a REAL center, and a real athlete...[/QUOTE]

Have you seen some of the fouls on shaq? I am in no way defending the NBA became in today's game if you breath too hard on someone you get a foul but Shaq use to get straight slashed/beat down low...Dwight's good but Shaq is my all time favorite..

Sad day for the NBA
 
[quote name='CaseyRyback']Also rusty you are on some really good shit. If you think Shaq got calls on touch fouls you must not have seen him play. Dude got fucking mauled constantly.[/QUOTE]

[quote name='pbnate88']Have you seen some of the fouls on shaq? I am in no way defending the NBA became in today's game if you breath too hard on someone you get a foul but Shaq use to get straight slashed/beat down low...Dwight's good but Shaq is my all time favorite..

Sad day for the NBA[/QUOTE]

I watched just about every game during the playoffs when the LAkers won their 3 championships with Shaq and Kobe. I stand by what I said. The NBA doesn't call fouls correctly in the first place, and with Shaq it was just terrible. He could do anything he wanted, period.
 
I don't understand the concept of Shaq not getting fouled when the term "hack a Shaq" exists. Either, this is a bummer. Hopefully, he'll hit team up tith the TNT guys. Barkley + Shaq can only be magic.
 
Do any of you even watch basketball? He is easily one of the top centers ever and probably one of the top 15 players in NBA history. The last 4 years have been tough to watch but he was an absolute monster for 15 years with Orlando and the Lakers. He used to be super fast and a scoring machine and when you factor in his size it becomes even more amazing.
 
[quote name='perdition(troy']I was expecting this announcement years ago.Javery, you're right, he was good. But super fast? Are you nuts?[/QUOTE]

He was unbelievably quick/agile for a big man. Honest! When he was in his 20s he could really move.
 
Time to see if Shaq follows through on his promise to wrestle The Big Show at Wrestlemania once his NBA career ended. Entertainments will be had.
 
[quote name='Javery']Do any of you even watch basketball? He is easily one of the top centers ever and probably one of the top 15 players in NBA history. The last 4 years have been tough to watch but he was an absolute monster for 15 years with Orlando and the Lakers. He used to be super fast and a scoring machine and when you factor in his size it becomes even more amazing.[/QUOTE]


Fact, could also be in the top 10
 
On the Mt. Rushmore of Centers, he's up there with Wilt, Kareem, and Russell, with maybe a tumor growing out of one of their heads in the shape of Olajuwon.
 
He is one of the top 5 or six centers of all time, my list of the top centers would be: George Mikan, Wilt Chamberlain(GOAT), Bill Russell, Shaq, Kareem, and Hakeem Olajuwon(in my eyes underated). Also, Shaq had more personality than anybody else on this list so he was entertaining off the court, can't wait to see him talk basketball with Charles either like a poster before me said.

edit - I noticed after making this post pitfallharry put a list up while I was making mine, great list btw, great minds think alike. :D
 
Can Shaq beat the Globetrotters? No? Well alright then, they remain the best players of all time. Anyone who gets a ladder onto the court and doesn't get a technical is some straight up basketball warlock shit, son.
 
[quote name='Strell']Can Shaq beat the Globetrotters? No? Well alright then, they remain the best players of all time. Anyone who gets a ladder onto the court and doesn't get a technical is some straight up basketball warlock shit, son.[/QUOTE]
Are those guys good enough to have a pop star named after them? Probably not.

Think about it. Without Shaq, there would be no Shaqira.
 
[quote name='Javery']Yup - that's the list and I'd put Shaq just ahead of Olajuwan as well.[/QUOTE]

I proooooobably agree, although I think anybody can make a case that Hakeem and Shaq could be interchangeable, especially since the Dream used to own Shaq head to head.

But anyone who denies that Shaq was incredibly quick probably dones't know which end of a basketball to pick up. He was amazing in his prime.

You guys are also forgetting about David Robinson. Some of you younger guys likely only remember him as Tim Duncan's sidekick, but he was so damn skilled.

Wilt, Russell, and Kareem (even though I hate Kareem) are easily the top 3 (maybe in that order), but just think of the stars that have played center over the last 30 years:

Moses Malone
Ewing
Kareem
Hakeem
David Robinson
fuck
Alonzo Mourning
Dwight Howard
Gheorge Muresan
Mark Eaton
Olden Polynice
Big Country Reeves

OK, so Alonzo doesn't belong on the list, but everyone else is legit! The first 6 guys could easily be in a top 10 centers of all time list. That's impressive.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Shaq came into the league the year I was born and he's always been one of my favorite players, his personality on and off the court was something I've always admired. You'll be missed big fella.

[youtube]O3aCIGBtUYc[/youtube]

I saw this on Sportscenter one day when they did a story on Shaq's relationship with Biggie. Shaq was almost with him the day he was shot, and he feels partially responsible / that he could have stopped it if he was with him and would have had body guards there. Crazy shit. I actually really like this song though.
 
[quote name='berzirk']I proooooobably agree, although I think anybody can make a case that Hakeem and Shaq could be interchangeable, especially since the Dream used to own Shaq head to head.[/QUOTE]

yeah but Shaq was a baby when Olajuwon was in his prime so he should have owned him. I do think they are almost interchangeable on the all-time list but I give the edge to Shaq for twice as many titles (plus 3 Finals MVPs) and the fact that I think Shaq at his absolute best was a better player than Hakeem at his. Though that might be tainted because when Hakeem was in his prime so was Ewing, Robinson and Alonzo so he didn't seem quite as extraordinary - when Shaq was in his prime there was no one close to him.
 
Yeah, Shaq in Orlando made Dwight Howard look like he has cement blocks for shoes. Even as a Laker, his athleticism was about equal, and he was 350+ pounds.

Had Shaq actually kept his weight at his listed 315-325 pounds during his career, we'd be talking about possibly the greatest player to ever walk on a court.

Love Olajuwon, but really guys? Shaq he ain't. Olajuwon had two seasons that were better than Shaq's average season. Which includes his fall from grace the last five seasons.

The true underrated center of the last 30 years is David Robinson.
 
[quote name='Javery']yeah but Shaq was a baby when Olajuwon was in his prime so he should have owned him. I do think they are almost interchangeable on the all-time list but I give the edge to Shaq for twice as many titles (plus 3 Finals MVPs) and the fact that I think Shaq at his absolute best was a better player than Hakeem at his. Though that might be tainted because when Hakeem was in his prime so was Ewing, Robinson and Alonzo so he didn't seem quite as extraordinary - when Shaq was in his prime there was no one close to him.[/QUOTE]

Agreed. The thing that was always so impressive about Hakeem was that he played Center like a SF, in the sense that he was dropping moves that would break ankles, rather than bull over folks, which is what the traditional centers did. Defensively, I think Olajuwon is second only to Russell.

I sometimes forget about how great Chamberlain was too, since I never saw him play, but those stats? I mean, seriously? Some of Wilt's accomplishments will never be done again. We won't have a player even average 20RPG in a season. Wilt did it 10 times!:

http://www.nba.com/history/players/chamberlain_stats.html

24PPG, 24RPG, and led the league with almost 9asst per game? Get the fuck outta here! Those aren't even videogame numbers. Dude was a freak (double entendre fully intended)!
 
[quote name='Feeding the Abscess']Yeah, Shaq in Orlando made Dwight Howard look like he has cement blocks for shoes. Even as a Laker, his athleticism was about equal, and he was 350+ pounds.

Had Shaq actually kept his weight at his listed 315-325 pounds during his career, we'd be talking about possibly the greatest player to ever walk on a court.

Love Olajuwon, but really guys? Shaq he ain't. Olajuwon had two seasons that were better than Shaq's average season. Which includes his fall from grace the last five seasons.

The true underrated center of the last 30 years is David Robinson.[/QUOTE]

I completely disagree. If you put prime vs. prime of Hakeem vs. Shaq the numbers are very, very close. Shaq has a few more points, Hakeem has a few more blocks and steals and was a much better FT shooter. Both guys faded in their last 4 seasons.

I did mention Robinson as one of the most underrated centers already. I agree there, but saying that Shaq was clearly better than Hakeem doesn't have any statistical foundation. Both were incredible.
 
A lot of Chamberlain's statistical dominance can be explained by two things:

1. Pace. The NBA during his time was like today's game in fast forward. We're talking 15-20+ extra possessions per game.

2. Insane volume. Wilt racked up the following FGA: 32.1, 31.1, 39.5, 34.6, 28.7, 28.5. In consecutive seasons. In all, Wilt was rather inefficient.

Dwight Howard has put up comparable rebound rates to Chamberlain, and Rodman blows him out of the water.

In short, Chamberlain is NOT the Babe Ruth of basketball.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
bread's done
Back
Top