Article on Shaq & Dwight

Adrian Wojnarowski's written an interesting piece on the rather one-sided war of words between Shaquille O'Neal and Dwight Howard.

As Howard grows in stature, Shaq shrinks

Some highlights (and the basic sentiment of the article):

So why does Shaq get such glee out of belittling and ridiculing those centers who came before and after him?

“Sometimes I wonder about his maturity,” Kareem Abdul-Jabbar told Yahoo! Sports on Friday. “He doesn’t need to do that. He’s achieved so much.

“I don’t know why he stoops to that.”

Abdul-Jabbar doesn’t need Shaq’s approval, but Howard is 23 years old and Shaq owes it to the league, to common decency, to be civil with this kid. His treatment of Howard has been kind of sad, especially considering that Howard grew up wanting to be him.

“I can’t tell you why he’s said a lot of discouraging things,” Howard said Friday at the Staples Center. “I wish he wouldn’t say it because he’s one of the few guys that we all look up to.”

For most, O’Neal’s motives are transparent. Somehow, Shaq thinks it diminishes his own legacy if Howard achieves something significant sooner than he did.

It’s funny, but Jordan never takes offense that Bryant and LeBron James and Dwyane Wade emulate him. To Michael, it was an honor. He embraces it. He always believed that was his responsibility to pass wisdom and encouragement to the next generation’s icons. Julius Erving did it for him. And Michael does it for them.

Lost in that rap was the line, “That’s like Kareem saying to himself that he’s better than me.” Well, remember this: Abdul-Jabbar averaged 22 points and eight rebounds on a Laker championship team when he was 37 years old. When I asked him how that lyric made him feel, Abdul-Jabbar said, “The gratuitous insult? I considered the source and I slept very well that night.”

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar doesn’t need Shaq’s approval, nor his validation. Yet all Dwight Howard ever wanted was to be the next Shaquille O’Neal, and when did that become a crime for a young basketball player? Michael Jordan always had been secure enough in his legacy, his greatness, to embrace Kobe and LeBron.

So, yes, you have to wonder: Will Shaq ever be?

Now, I certainly respect all that Shaq has done as a professional basketball player. I'm sure that to his friends and family, he's a top guy. He's also done some very admirable things as far as charity is concerned. He's hardly one of your classic sports "villains" and while he sometimes comes off as abrasive, he's also shown great character and has been one of the league's most entertaining personalities since he made his debut in 1992. I wholeheartedly agree with Wojnarowski's opening paragraph that lauds his greatness and like all greats, his name remains bound to the NBA Finals even when he's not involved.

But this stuff with Dwight Howard is Shaq at his worst. It's embarrassingly childish, petty and without class. At 37 and being one of the league's "elder statesmen", he really should carry himself with a bit more dignity but instead it's Howard who's showing maturity in the whole affair. Also, if Shaq is that insecure about his legacy then that's kind of sad because he is unquestionably one of the greatest and there's no harm in giving credit where credit is due. The fact that Shaq has become the yardstick for dominant big men is a compliment, not a knock on his greatness and if he sees it as the latter then that's a shame. I think Wojnarowski - and Kareem, for that matter - have hit the nail on the head here.

for sure, I've been just brushing these comments off because I dont care to hear Shaq try to bring Dwight down to his near retired level

There is no good in what Shaq has been doing to Dwight, there is no lesson there, it's just immaturity and jealousy.

we are all kids pretending to be adults. I hate it when people act high and mighty and condenm others for feelings they have themselves.

Kareem is the G.O.A.T.C.

I think shaq is just J.E.L.O.U.S

we are all kids pretending to be adults. I hate it when people act high and mighty and condenm others for feelings they have themselves.

I can't speak for everyone but I don't go around belittling people or telling everyone that I'm better than them. And if I encounter someone like that, my impression of them is that they're a bit of a tool. That's what Shaq's doing, so I'm calling it as I see it. I'm not saying that makes him an evil person but I think it's beneath him to do that and I don't think it's high and mighty to suggest someone's acting like a jerk when they are clearly acting like a jerk.

It's not about pretending to be an adult, it's about having a bit of dignity and humility. I happen to think those are admirable traits, I'm sure not everyone sees them as being as important as I do though. That doesn't make me right, but like I said I'm just calling it how I see it.

Andrew is keeping it realz.

guess you are less of a kid then I am then. which is weird as all people are the same. lol.

I wouldn't say that. It doesn't make me right, it doesn't make me less of a kid or you more of a kid. It's just something about human nature that bothers me, that's all. One might say I'm getting too precious about it, but I stand by it all the same.

nice words, but it doesn't change anything. you either are something or you aren't.

I'm sorry, I don't follow.

lol. nevermind them. I didn't realise I was confusing.

I don't get what you're referring to when you say "you either are something or you aren't" as it pertains to this particular topic. If it's about being a kid or not, I don't think it has anything to do with that. It's something that irks me, obviously it doesn't bother you. Not much more to it than that when it comes to us being on opposite sides of the fence on this one.

I can admit something. you chose not to. doesn't make me lose sleep.

And what exactly am I not admitting to?

you are the cornerstone of this forum. I didn't mean to go against you. we just have different views on humanity. that's cool right?

Absolutely, nothing wrong with that.

Getting back to the article, the other noteworthy subject it touches upon is the possibility that Shaq is angling for a return to the Lakers. Stranger things have happened but I'd be really surprised to see that happen with everything that's happened. Easier said than done in the short term too, as I don't see the Lakers giving up the kind of players they'd need to in order to match Shaq's salary. It would have to wait a year at which time he'll be a free agent and able to take a paycut if both sides were interested in a reunion. Still seems like a longshot, if indeed that's what Shaq's doing by downplaying the feud and suggesting it was simply an elaborate Phil Jackson mindgame.

seeing as how I'm acually enjoying the lakers against the magic, I'd be all for it. even it if means shaq coming of the bench. dominance is what it's all about in the nba right?

I think Shaq was only challenging Dwight .
Maybe Shaq thinks that all his bragging and mocking will awaken up Dwight and bring his career to newer heights , maybe he thinks this is the best way .

Last edited by MikeMan™ on Wed Jun 10, 2009 2:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Shaq has been showing this lack of class for a while. Ever notice how, when he goes to a new team, he always gives an interview in which he trashes his old one? It was easy to ignore when he was at the apex of his skills, but now that he's on the wane he's only hurting himself. People want to see their heroes age with dignity, not degenerate into bitter ass-clowns.

Shaq is just being Shaq. Let he say what he wants to say. He's got only maybe 2-3 good years left in the NBA. He said he was going to retire soon anyway, did he?

Is anyone else confused at what kind of point Joe is attempting to get at?

Nevermind that, even he realized he was confusing.

Is anyone else confused at what kind of point Joe is attempting to get at?

I am. I'm concentrating hard to read his posts and I'm failing so far.

I think Shaq was only challenging Dwight .
Maybe Shaq thinks that all his bragging and mocking will awaken up Dwight and bring his career to newer heights , maybe he thinks this is the best way .

I guess anything's possible but I highly doubt it.

Shaq has been showing this lack of class for a while. Ever notice how, when he goes to a new team, he always gives an interview in which he trashes his old one? It was easy to ignore when he was at the apex of his skills, but now that he's on the wane he's only hurting himself. People want to see their heroes age with dignity, not degenerate into bitter ass-clowns.

No question. I think some of that (trashing his old team, making bold declarations about his new one) is part of the "hired gun" aspect of the modern professional athlete, a way of moving on and declaring loyalty to the new club and that's not necessarily a bad thing but Shaq does tend to go that extra step in severing the ties. I think your last sentence just about sums up my feelings on matters like this. The jaded legend taking potshots at the younger generation and letting their ego run wild definitely lacks dignity and can be irksome to watch.