Shaq rips Van Gundy for flop comment

[crc21209]

Shaq rips Van Gundy for flop comment

By Chris Sheridan
ESPN.com
Archive
MIAMI -- The so-called "Hate Shaq" tour took a sharp turn in the opposite direction Wednesday, becoming the "Shaq Hates" tour.

Phoenix Suns center Shaquille O'Neal ripped his former coach, Stan Van Gundy, on Wednesday after Van Gundy complained about O'Neal flopping the previous night in a loss at Orlando, pulling no punches in one of the stronger diatribes of his 17 1/2 year career.

"I heard his comment. Flopping to me is doing it more than one time, and I realized when I tried to take the charge, as I went down, I realized that that play reminded me of his whole coaching career," O'Neal said of Van Gundy. "And one thing I really despise is a frontrunner, so I know for a fact that he's a master of panic, and when it gets time for his team to go in 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."

Van Gundy coached the Heat during his first season in Miami before Pat Riley replaced him 22 games into the 2005-06 championship season. In the Van Gundy camp, O'Neal was blamed for helping engineering the change behind the scenes.

Miami had the East's best record in 2004-05 but lost to the Detroit Pistons in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals, and Van Gundy was replaced after the Heat went 11-10 to start the '05-06 season.

"Like I said, one thing I really hate is a frontrunner, and I despise frontrunners," said O'Neal, who used the word "despise" at least a half dozen times, then repeated his comments for Miami and Phoenix print reporters who were late arriving to his pregame rant.

When finished, he stopped an ESPN.com reporter and said he wanted to make sure one additional quote was printed: "Now I see why everybody who plays for him doesn't like him."

The episode that inspired this latest Shaq rant came after O'Neal took an elbow to the chest from Dwight Howard during a third-quarter Magic possession during Orlando's 111-99 victory and crumbled to the floor looking to draw an offensive foul.

"I was shocked, seriously shocked," Van Gundy said, "and very disappointed because he knows what it's like. Let's stand up and play like men, and I think our guy did that tonight."

O'Neal acknowledged he had flopped, but said it was the first time he had done it in his career. Over the years, O'Neal has been particularly critical of players (most notable Vlade Divac) who had flopped while trying to defend him.

"Flopping is playing like that your whole career. I was trying to take the charge, trying to get a call. It probably was a flop, but flopping is the wrong use of words. Flopping would describe his coaching," O'Neal said, steering the conversation back to Van Gundy. "I'm not going to just sit abound and let nobodies take shots at me, and he is a nobody to me. And if he thinks he can get in a little press conference and take shots at me like I'm not going to [give] something back, he's got another thing coming."

"I said I flopped, but flopping is falling and crying and complaining to the ref. I tried to take a charge. The rules say when a guy comes into your chest and you fall, that's an offensive foul, and that's all I tried to do. I fell, didn't complain, he made a great move, spun and dunked it, but flopping is the wrong choice of words. So that's all I've got to say about that, but again, I despise frontrunners, I despise them. And that's what he is to me."

Chris Sheridan covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.


http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3953133

[PDXSpursFan]

OWNED (http://video.google.com/videosearch?sourceid=navclient&rlz=1T4GPEA_enUS289US289&q=shaq%20flop%20howard&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wv#)

[Red Hawk #21]

Dwight owned Shaq, and Shaq took his anger out on Van Gundy.

[Kai]

What a baby.

[Pelicans78]

Shaq really hasn't showed alot of class throughout his career. He gets very personal and can spew alot of hate. He did it to Yao in his rookie season. He's made comments against Duncan. Seriously, he hates giving positive attention to others. He's a spoiled brat who's actually disappointed deep down in his own career. He probably believed he could have won 5-10 championships with multiple MVPs, but it never happened. With his physical gifts, he could have had a Bill Russell type of career, but now he's a has-been who isn't physical capable to dominate every night. Get over it Shaq, you're classless ass who's time has passed. Go away.

[Spur-Addict]

Shaq rips Van Gundy for flop comment



O'Neal acknowledged he had flopped


http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3953133

That's all that is important here. :lol

[Thompson]

O'Neal acknowledged he had flopped, but said it was the first time he had done it in his career. Over the years, O'Neal has been particularly critical of players (most notable Vlade Divac) who had flopped while trying to defend him.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6mvfKF3B3w

I also remember that Shaquille flopped vs. Tony Parker within the last year, but can't find the video. I remember it because I almost spit out my drink laughing when 350 pound Shaq flopped against a point guard half his size.

And what is the 'frontrunner' insult? I don't get it.

[pawe]

Im getting tired of snaq running his mouth. I cant wait til its summer here in AZ so he can sweat to death.

[resistanze]

And what is the 'frontrunner' insult? I don't get it.
Is he talking about Pat Riley?

[sook]

shaq is a conceited bag of shit

[crc21209]

Shaq, as a good as player as he has been, has never been able to give an ounce of respect to ANYONE. He's dissed people from the likes of David Robinson to Yao to Timmy. I don't see whats so hard about saying a player is good or anything. That other Shaq article the other day claimed that Shaq hasnt been surprised by any big man besides himself. That he has done everything and isnt surprised by D. Howard or anyone. And I thought...really? I'd like to see Shaq dunk on a 12 foot rim.

[anonoftheinternets]

you know for all the people who make excuses for this clown, saying he was jus tongue in cheek, need a reality check, there was need for a personal attack here. Plus for all the talk about others flopping ..... nothing more needs be said.

[Behrooz24]

I wish someone would sew his fat lips shut. Both pairs.

[TheMACHINE]

Howards the real superman!

[crc21209]

Just checked the Miami-Phoenix score and Miami just hung up 40 on the Suns in the 1st quarter. D-Wade with 19 points already!

[jack sommerset]

:lmao Lesson is u don't mess with Shaq

[dirk4mvp]

Shaq, as a good as player as he has been, has never been able to give an ounce of respect to ANYONE. He's dissed people from the likes of David Robinson to Yao to Timmy. I don't see whats so hard about saying a player is good or anything. That other Shaq article the other day claimed that Shaq hasnt been surprised by any big man besides himself. That he has done everything and isnt surprised by D. Howard or anyone. And I thought...really? I'd like to see Shaq dunk on a 12 foot rim.

A 23 year old Shaq would dunk 12 just as easy as Howard did.

[Darthkiller]

Dwight owned Shaq, and Shaq took his anger out on Van Gundy.

how did dwight own shaq ? shaq in between the legs pass owned dwight.

[Banzai]

http://www.forumammo.com/cpg/albums/Upload/dont%20care/Care-Fascinating_%28Basketball%29.jpg (http://www.forumammo.com/cpg/albums/Upload/dont%20care/Care-Fascinating_%28Basketball%29.jpg)

[BlackSwordsMan]

a new superman was born

[Red Hawk #21]

how did dwight own shaq ? shaq in between the legs pass owned dwight.

Did you not see how silly Shaq looked when he tried to flop, and Dwight threw it down on him? Ownage.

[tomtom]

shaq sucks

[21_Blessings]

I think the real question here is who's fatter Shaq or Stan?

[der Kaiser]

a new superman was born

Bullshit. Once howard dominates the league like Shaq dominated the league then we could have this conversation. When Howard cows opposing big man the way the diesel cowed Robinson, Ewing, Olajuwon etc... Then there will be a new Superman.

[BeeGee]

Who cares about this. Howard could never own Shaq like Shaq owned him in the ASG - now THAT was embarrassin' and funny as hell.

As for this stuff, this aint the first time Shaq has tried to draw a charge. Van Gundy deserved to get bombed on with his "Let's stand up and PLAY LIKE MEN" comment...when he bitches and moans like somebody wife ALL GAME EVERY GAME.

Besides, like Dirk4mvp said, Shaq at Howards age, didn't bother with spin moves, cuz he was physically abusing all centers, young and old, and trying to break the rim every time. Who would you take? 23 yr-old D Howard or 23 yr-old Shaq.

No contest.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

:lol

same old Shaq. You can sing praises on him for being a clown, and all, and the 'nicest guy off the court, "

but don't call him classy, or very bright.

He's such a drama-queen and stunted emotionally.
Then again, I don't fault him for dishing it back at Stan if he's being honest and forthcoming, it's just stupid to air out your personal beefs on someone in public.

There were more quotes to the rant that ESPN didn't report though that were more enjoyable.

From
http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/PaulCoro/47655


Don't get in a war of words with Shaquille O'Neal. He's undefeated in verbal warfare.

Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy took at a shot at O'Neal after the Magic's Tuesday night win against the Suns, criticizing O'Neal for "flopping." O'Neal had gone to the floor while defending Dwight Howard on one play and admitted after the game that it was a flop, "like everyone else does to me."

But O'Neal unleashed on Van Gundy before tonight's game in Miami. He rarely speaks before games but did so to a group of reporters and then again to the Republic to send his message tonight.

First, here's what Van Gundy said, "“I was shocked, seriously, shocked. 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.”

Now, here is O'Neal with some more profane moments retracted:
"He (Howard) came with the same old, stale Patrick Ewing move so I tried to stand there and take the charge. The new rules say if you come through, you fall. But as I fell, I realized that it was a flop and it reminded me of Coach Van Gundy’s whole coaching career. The one thing I despise is a frontrunner. First of all, none of his players like him. When it gets tough, he will become the master of panic like he did before and he will quit like he did before. The one thing I despise is frontrunners. Yeah, he’s got a young team playing good but don’t be a frontrunner. Him and his brother and even the legend on the bench ain’t done what I’ve done in my whole career. So flopping would be the wrong choice of words."

"I just tried to take a charge. The (expletive) rules say you can’t stand there and get hit. You’ve got to fall. The (expletive) got the same old stinking move that Patrick Ewing has been doing his whole career. I went down, got up and didn’t complain. I see him and Stan complaining the whole game because they’ve got to. Remember, I’ve done more than him, his brother and Patrick Ewing."

"Stan Van Gundy reminds me of a broke navigational system. He knows everything about everything but ain’t never been nowhere. Think about that. If I’m right here and I type in the address of where you’re going, I know where it’s at but I’m not going there."


"When a bum says some (stuff) about it and I respond, you can (expletive) cancel that cuz I know how he is in real life. We’ll see when the playoffs start and he (expletive) panics and quits like he did when he was here (in Miami). And you (expletive) print it just like that. Do I look soft to you like you can say something and I’m not going to say something?"

"Notice they didn’t play me straight up. We’ll see how far they go cuz I know Stan. I said this a long time ago but I was actually talking about him: 'When the general panics, the troops will panic. Like in business, when the head panics and takes out all his stock, what happens?"
"All the players hate him. The players don’t even like him. I hate frontrunners. I really do. I don’t like any frontrunners. There’s a pecking order involved. I’ve been there six times."

"I ain’t going to let no bum like him rip me and not say anything back. You can cancel that (expletive) all the way. Usually, I let (expletive) go. Not that. Not him. Hell no."

"The rules say when a guy goes through your chest you’ve got to fall to get the call. It was a flop. You’ve watched me play for 17 years. I don’t play like that."

"I’m not going to sit around and let nobodies take a shot at me and he is a nobody to me. And if he thinks he can get in a little press conference and take shots at me like I’m not going to (say) something back, he’s got another thing coming."

Guess so.

:wow
time will tell if Shaq really exposed Stan Van Gundy. I wonder how Jeff will comment on Shaq games now, after he went after the family :lmao

[der Kaiser]

LMAO at Ewing. Cant blame Shaq everything he said was spot on.

[resistanze]

LOL wtf did Ewing and Jeff Van Gundy have to do with this?

[Manu-of-steel]

fuck shaq

[Manu-of-steel]

shaq's talent is undeniable, especially when he was younger. But the thing is, he hasn't aged gracefully.

[jonnybravo]

Shaq is the absolute mother fucken epitome of a front-runner.

Lord have fucken mercy on that nonsense because that's the most hypocritical piece of bile I've read in ages.

Front-runner? Really? Fucken maggot has made a career of teabagging cities and teammates when the going has gotten god damn fucken tough. Give me that shit again.

FAggot.

Prepared for the Shaq nut-hugging crew, aka "Laker fan since omg 96" or whatever crew to come gobble his nuts to perpetrate. Like usual.

[Spurtacus]

Van Gundy just wants to know how Shaq's ass tastes!

[gmanrulz]

"Flopping is playing like that your whole career. I was trying to take the charge, trying to get a call. It probably was a flop, but flopping is the wrong use of words."

So it was or wasnt a flop?

[BeeGee]

Shaq is the absolute mother fucken epitome of a front-runner.

Lord have fucken mercy on that nonsense because that's the most hypocritical piece of bile I've read in ages.

Front-runner? Really? Fucken maggot has made a career of teabagging cities and teammates when the going has gotten god damn fucken tough. Give me that shit again.

FAggot.

Prepared for the Shaq nut-hugging crew, aka "Laker fan since omg 96" or whatever crew to come gobble his nuts to perpetrate. Like usual.

Lmao... or how about the pissed off ex-Shaq fan crew, that used to worship him in the purple & gold but now puke at every mention of his name. Oh that's you - mah bad.

j/k man, but you kinda walked right into that one. Shaq is, in a nutshell, a sound byte. And he'll always dance like bojangles in blackface for the media cameras. Gotta pull the entertainment value outta what he says and throw the rest of that bullshit away.

[flipcritic]

LMAO at Ewing. Cant blame Shaq everything he said was spot on.

It was? How so?

[der Kaiser]

^^^ Shaq is a winner compared to the Van Gundys, Howard and ewing. Besides Van Gundy broke the big man pecking order code ordinance 2257 which means his resume isnt quite good enough to speak on what shaq has done.

That and Van Gundy fucked Miami in 2005.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

^^^ Shaq is a winner compared to the Van Gundys, Howard and ewing. Besides Van Gundy broke the big man pecking order code ordinance 2257 which means his resume isnt quite good enough to speak on what shaq has done.

That and Van Gundy fucked Miami in 2005.

:lol @ big man pecking order code ordinance 2257 "

I agree

Shaq usually isn't always serious, but I believe him with his beef against Van Gundy. I actually respected Shaq wanting Riley to coach the team to a championship and no less, Shaq wants Rings. I don't care if it appears shady, do what you gotta do to be serious about a championship run.

If what Shaq says is true about Van Gundy panicking, more props to him.

[mystargtr34]

:lol thats hilarious but @ the same time Shaq is a disrespectful piece of shit.

[ginobili's bald spot]

What former team or former coach hasn't Shaq ripped?

[DrHouse]

It's sad that Shaq is choosing to end his career on this note.

He used to be funny but now he's just bitter and angry. It makes him look pathetic.

[urunobili]

LMAO at Ewing. Cant blame Shaq everything he said was spot on.

:tu

[mogrovejo]

Shaq goes over the top, but SVG remarks were absolutely unnecessary. He wasn't even questioned about the play and went on and on about it. He was teasing and provoking Shaq, so now take the blowback up like a man.

Anwyay, about this:


I just tried to take a charge. The (expletive) rules say you can’t stand there and get hit. You’ve got to fall.(...)

The rules say when a guy goes through your chest you’ve got to fall to get the call.

Shaq is absolutely right. It's bizarre how NBA refs don't call charges if the players don't fall. That's why there's so many "flopping" going on, the refs don't call legit offensive fouls and force the players to exagerate the contact to sell it.

On the other hand, I still remember how the dislodging rule basically ceased to exist once Shaq entered the league, so whatever.

[ambchang]

Bullshit. Once howard dominates the league like Shaq dominated the league then we could have this conversation. When Howard cows opposing big man the way the diesel cowed Robinson, Ewing, Olajuwon etc... Then there will be a new Superman.

Excuse me?

[der Kaiser]

It's sad that Shaq is choosing to end his career on this note.

He used to be funny but now he's just bitter and angry. It makes him look pathetic.

If some dude basically called you a woman, you wouldn't get offended? Add to it that he called him a woman in a press conference. I could see why shaq would get pissed.

I know Shaq called Bosh a transvestite but that was after bosh was a pussy and complained about being eaten alive by the diesel.

[der Kaiser]

Excuse me?

The End (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI85iVU3xkE)

Even Dudley showed more nads than the admiral. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3LxYJKazAM&feature=related)

[JamStone]

"I heard his comment. Flopping to me is doing it more than one time"

That's like saying a man isn't gay if he's only sucked dick once.

[ambchang]

The End (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI85iVU3xkE)

Even Dudley showed more nads than the admiral. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3LxYJKazAM&feature=related)

Dunking on = cowed.

Dwight Howard just cowed Shaq in their last game.

[Borosai]

That's like saying a man isn't gay if he's only sucked dick once.

I'm not gay.



And Shaq flopped.

[Indazone]

Now all we gotta get is Shaq's take on Yao's statement. Lets turn this into a free-for-all to drive up fan interest in the next Phoenix/Houston game.

[Agloco]

A 23 year old Shaq would dunk 12 just as easy as Howard did.

No way he gets that fat ass off the ground that high.

[duncan228]

Van Gundy shrugs off barbs, calls Shaq ‘sensitive’ (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-shaq-vangundyfeud&prov=ap&type=lgns)


Stan Van Gundy walked into the Orlando Magic locker room Thursday morning, and before he could even prepare for practice, his players had a message.

“You better leave Shaq alone,” forward Rashard Lewis told him.

And with that, the Flop-Flap continued.

[dirk4mvp]

No way he gets that fat ass off the ground that high.

What? He was very similar to Howard when he was about the same age. He was probably just as athletic as one point until we turned into a blob.


http://116.img.pp.sohu.com/images/blog/2007/7/7/18/17/114393ac6b5.jpg

[MarHill]

it's sad that shaq is choosing to end his career on this note.

He used to be funny but now he's just bitter and angry. It makes him look pathetic.

+1

[lefty]

Shaq and SVG are alone on an island........

[peskypesky]

I wish someone would sew his fat lips shut. Both pairs.

:lmao

[The Franchise]

Bullshit. Once howard dominates the league like Shaq dominated the league then we could have this conversation. When Howard cows opposing big man the way the diesel cowed Robinson, Ewing, Olajuwon etc... Then there will be a new Superman. Get that shit right fool!! :lol

[The Franchise]

What? He was very similar to Howard when he was about the same age. He was probably just as athletic as one point until we turned into a blob.


http://116.img.pp.sohu.com/images/blog/2007/7/7/18/17/114393ac6b5.jpg

He was never as athletic as Dwight.

[dirk4mvp]

oh my bad, i forgot when The Franchise speaks, it's some form of truth :rolleyes


fuck you, faggot.

[duncan228]

Shaq to Van Gundy: ‘Don’t play with me’ (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-shaq-vangundyfeud&prov=ap&type=lgns)


Shaquille O’Neal is still seething about Stan Van Gundy criticizing him for allegedly flopping, even after the Orlando coach apologized.


Van Gundy said he was sorry Thursday and jokingly called Shaq “a very sensitive guy.” But O’Neal wasn’t laughing about it in Houston on Friday morning, where the Suns were preparing to play Yao Ming and the Rockets in the evening.

“Don’t play with me,” O’Neal said. “Seriously, don’t play with me. Like I said earlier, I don’t like frontrunners. I think he used the wrong choice of words. Flopping means that, hey, Shaq does that all the time. The rules say, you take it in the middle, you’ve got to fall back. And that’s what I did.”


“It was a cheap shot,” O’Neal said of Van Gundy’s original barb. “They won the game, move on. My thing is, I don’t ask for a lot, but I demand my respect, especially from a guy like that.

“It’s over now. He said what he had to say, I said what I had to say. Don’t play with me.”

[BUMP]

If some dude basically called you a woman, you wouldn't get offended? Add to it that he called him a woman in a press conference. I could see why shaq would get pissed.

I know Shaq called Bosh a transvestite but that was after bosh was a pussy and complained about being eaten alive by the diesel.

:lmao:lmao:lmao