Lakers 'Had Too Many Europeans' Says Brilliant Boston Columnist Shaughnessy

Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe, please share with us why you think the Celtics won the championship.

"Kobe Bryant scored 22 for the losers, but ultimately LA just had too many Europeans."

Calling a team soft is one thing. Asserting certain players aren't big or tough enough to bang with heavyweights, that's a common practice and perfect sensible as a critique if the facts back it up. Indicting the ethnic lineage of a group of players in generalist sense? That's racial profiling, buddy.

Pau Gasol might be an example of one of these "soft" players; it's easy to see Kevin Garnett dominated Pau physically repeatedly, including in a few memorable possessions in Game 6. If we're talking about Pau and Pau only, I'll buy it: Pau's lack of ability to adapt to a physical matchup hurt the Lakers. And hey, include Vladimir Radmanovic all you want. Dude's built like a Bourne villain and averaged 3 rebounds this season. (You'll get no agreement here that Sasha Vujacic and Ronny Turiaf are softer than the average NBA player. Turiaf watched his chest get split open three years ago, for corn's sake.)

Does the so-called soft nature of Pau or Vlad have an iota to do with their ancestry? Of course not. Pau's skinny for the center spot, and has always had the skills suited to a finesse offensive game. Same with Vlad. Same with Peja. All Serbs and Spaniards are not the same, just as all Southies and gremlins are not the same. You'd think we'd get past stereotypes lazy and offensive at some point this eon.

And I mean, seriously Shaughnessy: the San Antonio Spurs have won three titles this decade featuring a roster full of Euro-born (Tony Parker, Rasho Nesterovic) and Euro-bred athletes (Manu Ginobili, Fabricio Oberto). The argument that the Lakers lost because the racial makeup of their roster isn't just stupidly offensive; it's offensively stupid. (Of course, this is expected with this particular writer.)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

6-18-2008 @ 7:15PM

carl said...

That's racial profiling, buddy.

Works for Israel

6-18-2008 @ 7:21PM

jakebarnes said...

very sour grapes, Mr. Ziller....your team lost, get over it.

6-18-2008 @ 7:30PM

the cooker said...

The real problem with the Laker's was that they had Kobe on the team. The player of his generation, what did he shot?? Somewhere around 30% from the field, makes me a believer! We all know he will be crying again this summer to either get traded or get him better teammates.

6-18-2008 @ 7:35PM

and, I guess part of your anger, is because so many of your celebrity friends were let down by the Lakers....life is just not fair, is it? after all, the Lakers were ordained to win it all this year, right?....makes you want to slap a European, doesn't it, Mr. Ziller....

6-18-2008 @ 8:21PM

Jaz said...

If "too many Europeans" is racial profiling, does that mean he was really saying "too many whites"?

That's funny coming from Boston.

6-18-2008 @ 8:39PM

Martin said...

Congratulations to Boston, which was the best team in the regular season and the best team in the playoffs. However, Garnett and company better enjoy this championship because it will be their last. When Bynum returns at center and Gasol is allowed to play his natural position at power forward, rather than center, the Lakers will be much better defensively and offensively. No one can predict injuries, but it looks to me like the young Lakers have the makings of a dynasty through 2012.

6-18-2008 @ 8:49PM

Gary said...

This guy interviewed my friends and I during the Cubs/Red Sox series at Wrigley a couple years ago. He cut out the amusing parts of my Johnny Damon sighting story, and got my name wrong.

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2005/06/13/in_concert_the_teams_fans_had_a_great_time/

The amusing bit about Damon is that I didn't even notice him because I was too busy checking out his trophy wife. A White Sox fan happened by and asked if we saw him, that's when it hit us. And I don't recall being nearly as enthusiastic as he describes.

6-18-2008 @ 8:58PM

nckd said...

Is he Don Cherry in disguise, perhaps?

6-18-2008 @ 9:09PM

sacshecky said...

First, to jakebarnes: Tom Ziller is an unabashed Kings fan, which means he couldn't be anything further than a Lakers fan (I am also a Kings fan and enjoyed every minute of Boston's success).

Second, replace the word "Europeans" with "African Americans" or "Hispanics" and there would be hell to pay. There is just no need for this type of commentary.

6-19-2008 @ 9:10AM

larry said...

I live in Boston and have the displeasure of reading/seeing Dan S. on a daily basis. The man's a self-congratulating boob. That said, I think he might have been joking. It's a throwaway comment in a recap of the game and series. This is the problem with a lot of Fanhouse writers: no sense of humor. Also, no idea how to use punctuation properly. But mostly, no sense of humor.

6-18-2008 @ 9:46PM

... said...

Yeah the Lakers had too many Europeans. So, is that why Lamar Odom had a horrible series? Is that why Jordan Farmar and Luke Walton were invisible at times? Is that why Kobe Bryant was a shell of his dominant self against Boston? I mean, it couldn't have been the stifling defense of the Celtics, it had to have been the weak-minded Euros spreading bad mojo. Yep, just another reason why Boston exudes class.

6-18-2008 @ 10:23PM

wcbosox04 said...

Kobe is a spoiled PUNK!!!Oh he's also another pro athlete that got away with RAPE!!! The Celtics showed what a true TEAM can achieve when they drop their egos and do whatever it takes to help the team succeed. I applaud Doc Rivers and the front office for sticking with him.

6-18-2008 @ 10:29PM

A.C said...

I'm a Boston sports fan, neither the fans nor the players have any time or respect for Shaughnessy. Please don't hold all of Boston liable for one stupid writer. He actually hates all the New England teams, I'm surprised his comments weren't more insulting to the Celtics.

6-18-2008 @ 10:46PM

manny said...

Celtics got lucky to win this series. Lakers had them on the ropes, but being passive with the exception of KOBE they let the Celtic get up and the rest is history. All the sport leaches are targeting the Lakers with more adjectives than can find. Shame on them. KOBE is ten times better than JORDAN and MAJIC. If KOBE wa not playing in this series even ABC would not have broadcast the game. I am happy that KEVIN got the ring he is a nice person. He and KOBE helped the Katrina victims. Especially Kevin, and God rewarded him for his big heart. The rest of the Celtics just enjoy your win and respect your apponent.

6-18-2008 @ 11:08PM

tressasnbt said...

the celtics should be glad they had home court had it not been for that they would not have gotten pass the 1st round or the 2nd, they had to come back home to beat the hawks and cavs.

6-18-2008 @ 11:43PM

Bob said...

Congratulations to the Celtics. As Laker fans, we just need to hold on until next year at this time when the results are reversed. With Bynum back, the Lakers should finish in the 60 + win column next season.

6-18-2008 @ 11:41PM

jeff smith said...

boston has class.what a joke.they won because they played better .period . Lakers will be there next year and hopefuly play better

6-18-2008 @ 11:53PM

sue said...

kobe eats and sleep everything MJ he tries to talk, walk, he even patterened putting his hand over is mouth when talking to the refs, he wists his mouth like Jordon but one thing he can't perfect his PLAYING like Jordon. Kobe is a FAKER, jordon made others better, MJ didn't need others to make him win or look better. Kobe will never win another championship. By the way Chris Paul is this seasons MVP. Who make MVP signs and give their kids to beg for votes!!. He walks around with his kids as though he is the only player in sport with a wife and kids egocentric piece of SHIT. When you look at his wife you can see not even she likes him. I was so happy when the Celtics won. I don't care who the FAKER was playing I would have been cheering for the other team. KOBE is a loser all around.

6-19-2008 @ 12:34AM

caborn said...

Sasha Vujacic, soft? Far from it. He's THE Machine.

Dirk blew this stereotype open a while ago. Europeans are not soft, the correct definition is 'skilled'. I would take a skilled European over a super-duper-athletic piece of potential any day.

jakebarnes - Hehe, gave me a good laugh.

6-19-2008 @ 2:09AM

bill rennie said...

my goodness--if ever a team was exposed it was the lakers this year--no emotion--no sense of urgency--no drives to the rim=no taking a hard foul--no
guts whatsoever!! The lakers just rolled over and hoped kobe would average about 45 a game. He didn't and they were shellacked by a much, much better team that played with heart and desire and took the ball to the rim whenever possible. The Lakers weren't just beaten-they were exposed and embarrassed--we
will not see them in the finals next year unless they have a major transfusion of heart and a trade
or two wouldn't hurt either. A very, very bad series for the L.A. Lakers.