As Basketbawful points out, Shaquille O'Neal has finally joined the flopternity after years of making fun of opposing big men flopping. Magic coach Stan Van Gundy, who coached Shaq during their time together in Miami, didn't let The Big Hypocrite's sudden loss of balance go unnoticed in his post-game comments.
``I was shocked, seriously, shocked,'' Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said of O'Neal's flopping. ``And very disappointed cause he knows what it's like. Lets stand up and play like men, and I think our guy did that tonight.''As fun-loving and hilarious as Shaq may be, he's never let criticism go unchecked. Just like always does (see: Bosh, Chris), he responded by lobbing demeaning insults:
"One thing I really despise is a frontrunner," O'Neal said before the Suns played the Heat, Shaq's first time back in Miami since last season's trade. "I know for a fact he's a master 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 been there before. I've played for him."There's definitely two sides to Shaq: the happy, funny, increasingly accessible side that the fans eat up, and the overly sensitive and ego driven side that opposing players face on the court. And that's fine -- NBA players are real people, they're supposed to be complex -- but it's also kind of annoying.
[...] "Flopping is playing like that your whole career," O'Neal said. "I was trying to take a charge, trying to get a call. Yeah, it probably was a flop, but flopping is wrong. Flopping would describe his coaching."
He flopped, everyone saw it, and he even admitted it -- so why make it personal by taking irrelevant pot shots? (How is calling a flop a flop being a frontrunner? What does it have to do with Van Gundy's playoff record?) It's petty and unnecessary.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-04-2009 @ 10:35PM
rotags47 said...
Shaquille Oneal is a big, dumb, stupid idiot of a human imitation.
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3-04-2009 @ 10:47PM
Nate Jones said...
Shaq is a fan of the ad hominem attack.
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3-04-2009 @ 11:32PM
grover said...
Van Gundy tried to reply, but was distracted by Shaq flying to the floor & throwing up his hands in agony.
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3-05-2009 @ 1:06AM
DR L.W. ELLIS said...
Has Van Gundy won anything? Will he ever win anything. Shaq is a HOF...Enought said
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3-05-2009 @ 7:26AM
krmagley said...
as charming as shaq comes off most the time, there are times he just seems to be an insufferable prick, unwilling to admit that anyone in the nba has a modicum of talent except for himself and whatever guard (wade, vince carter) he is playing with or would like to play with.
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3-05-2009 @ 7:56AM
demzrdopes said...
shaq is a dope, he should be seen but not heard, just like 98% of all athletes..
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3-05-2009 @ 7:59AM
demzrdopes said...
shaq is at the stage where he can beat up on tomato cans, but great players, like Howard, take him to school. get out while you're close to the top shaq, it's going to get willie mays as a met ugly from here..
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3-05-2009 @ 12:50PM
FRANK said...
Shaq has 4 rings, plus,plus.
What about Howard and Van Gundy ?= 0
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3-05-2009 @ 2:58PM
sh91767 said...
The writer asks the question why did Shaq take it personal, the better question is why did Van Gundy have to comment on one flop in 17 years? Shaq has consistently and continuously been the victim of this manuever, Vlade Divac was celebrated for this manuever, Shaq does it one time and Van Gundy finds the need to take pot shots at him. That's the question that should be asked. Everyone is always demanding that Shaq take the high road, well some other drivers need to be on the road as well.
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3-11-2009 @ 2:41AM
callmepooter said...
Shaq is Shaq, love him and/or hate him. He's not going to take a punch and not hit back, whether he's right or wrong. Alot of players get away with the "flop." Look at Reggie Miller. We all saw how dramatical he could be and he got alot of calls that way. Shaq took a shot and lost. Doesnt take away from who he is as a player. Check the stats. Gundy needs to shut his old loser face up and stop trying to highlight.
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