More embarrassing: Dream in Toronto or Shaq in Cleveland?

[Bob Lanier]

Shaquille O'Neal, age 37: 11.1 PPG (51% FG, 44% FT), 6.9 RPG, 1.5 APG, 2.0 TOPG, 1.4 BPG, 3.4 FPG in 23 MPG

Hakeem Olajuwon, age 39: 7.1 PPG (46% FG, 56% FT), 6.0 RPG, 1.1 APG, 1.6 TOPG, 1.2 SPG, 1.5 BPG, 2.4 FPG in 22 MPG

Confounding factors:
O'Neal claims he will "win a ring for the king;" Olajuwon did not make similar boasts about his ability to help Vince Carter
Toronto is the third-best city in North America; Cleveland is "The Mistake By the Lake"
One is Hakeem Olajuwon; the other, Shaquille O'Neal

[ChrisRichards]

the dream easily. a lot of people he played for the raptors. that was an obscurity for a former champ at its finest

[Greg Oden]

more embarrassing - Bob Lanier's posts or Culburn's lifestyle?

[Many PackYao]

I would say Shaq because the dumb fatass keeps jumping from team to team desperately trying to one up Duncan.

[baseline bum]

Olajuwon. Shaq has accepted his decline way more gracefully than Hakeem did. Olajuwon hated deferring to his teammates; before any Rocket fan comes in and gives me crap, I lived in Houston at the end of Olajuwon's career and watched most of their games, and I vividly remember the selfishness between Olajuwon and Barkley whenever either player touched the ball. It was an embarrassing end to both of their careers. I do agree with you on Toronto though; amazing city (in the summer).

[jag]

Lanier is an underrated poster.

[Toronto Olajuwon]

I'm guessing you never saw me play in Toronto.

[picc84]

Gotta be kidding.

More appropriate would be Dream in Toronto or Pat Ewing in Orlando?

Mistake by the Lake. :lol

[baseline bum]

Gotta be kidding.

More appropriate would be Dream in Toronto or Pat Ewing in Orlando?

Mistake by the Lake. :lol

Ouch. I think only Iverson belongs in the Ewing class.

[ezau]

Shaquille O'Neal, age 37: 11.1 PPG (51% FG, 44% FT), 6.9 RPG, 1.5 APG, 2.0 TOPG, 1.4 BPG, 3.4 FPG in 23 MPG

Hakeem Olajuwon, age 39: 7.1 PPG (46% FG, 56% FT), 6.0 RPG, 1.1 APG, 1.6 TOPG, 1.2 SPG, 1.5 BPG, 2.4 FPG in 22 MPG

Confounding factors:

O'Neal claims he will "win a ring for the king;" Olajuwon did not make similar boasts about his ability to help Vince Carter
Toronto is the third-best city in North America; Cleveland is "The Mistake By the Lake"
One is Hakeem Olajuwon; the other, Shaquille O'Neal



Jesus, your avatar. Have some respect for that dead woman for crying out loud

[MiamiHeat]

dumb comparison

Shaq actually has a title shot

[picc84]

Ouch. I think only Iverson belongs in the Ewing class.

AI can still jack shots up at 38% with the best of them, just like earlier in his career. Ewing at that point could barely even get out of bed. His knees had the strength of jello pudding.

Shaq can still dunk and make comical childlike statements to distract people from a loss, so he's not useless. Dream and Ewing were just decomposing out there and it was sad to watch.

[Culburn369]

Hakeem. You couldn't even look after the initial blanch. It was a tragedy.

[duhoh]

dumb comparison

Shaq actually has a title shot

uhh that's news to me.

boston and orlando run the PnR too well for the man in question, especially boston

but yeah, Hakeem by far.

[Bukefal]

Give Shaq some props, I mean, he is one of the oldest, his career is nearing it's end. Instead of retiring and sitting in tv shows doing commentary he still plays, he actually found a team where to play in his last days. Isn't that awesome when you are such an old player? I think it is, plus he isn't bad either and he has a shot at the title with LeBron, although I think that would be very hard seeing how cleveland plays this season.

[Culburn369]

Retirement won't be kind to Daddy. And you know what else? He knows it.

[Capt Bringdown]

I vividly remember the selfishness between Olajuwon and Barkley whenever either player touched the ball. It was an embarrassing end to both of their careers.

I think Olajuwon was reacting to Barkley's ball-hogging ways and undoubtedly big mouth in the locker room. Barkley was terrible as a Rocket, and in general not a winner.

[Double-Up]

more embarrassing - Bob Lanier's posts or Culburn's lifestyle?

[Culburn369]

Good morning, honeybun.

[Indazone]

Get off the stove, the buns are hot crossed enough already

[panic giraffe]

watching the dream is like watching the movie the wrestler.

dude should just give it up and go home to his fam already.

but at least he's hanging in their, its sad that shaq boasted like he did and the cav's are still the c's bitch.

but how the fuck is toronto the third best city in North fucking america? just because its the biggest city in the third biggest country in north america doesn't qualify it. its still in fucking canada, so that was lame. but the city of cleveland is just a nicer abeit smaller detroit, so it can't compare to toronto...

[Indazone]

haha Cleveland gets no pass at all. It's the Hood in the Middle of America.

[JoeTait75]

haha Cleveland gets no pass at all. It's the Hood in the Middle of America.

Cleveland isn't even the worst city in northern Ohio, not by a long shot. Youngstown and Toledo are total shitholes. Canton is worse too, like it's not even in Ohio; the people there literally have southern accents. There are parts of Cleveland that are pretty damned nice.

Plus, if you're an athlete in Cleveland you get treated very well. There just isn't that much else going on here.

As for Shaq, at least he has the good sense to know he can't do the things he used to do. He's a role player here and he seems to be okay with that.

[mogrovejo]

How long it will take for Ferry to move one of the glaciers, JoeTait? Plus, would it be wiser to trade D.West as well? He keeps missing games randomly due to his health injuries.

[JoeTait75]

How long it will take for Ferry to move one of the glaciers, JoeTait?

I think that depends on when Leon Powe gets back and how he plays when he does get back. He's supposed to come back before the trading deadline. If they move Shaq or Z now, they're left with Varejao and Hickson as their only other semi-viable frontcourt players. That isn't enough.


Plus, would it be wiser to trade D.West as well? He keeps missing games randomly due to his health injuries.

I think they're going to be as patient with Delonte as they possibly can be. He really is huge to this team when he's feeling and playing well. I also think the guy they really wanted was Captain Jack, but that ship has sailed. To be honest, I don't know what big guards are out there to be had.

[resistanze]

:lmao @ Toronto Olajuwon. I remember when they signed him to that absurd contract (3 years/$18 million?), sports analysts here were hyping that shit up.

[MiamiHeat]

Give Shaq some props, I mean, he is one of the oldest, his career is nearing it's end. Instead of retiring and sitting in tv shows doing commentary he still plays, he actually found a team where to play in his last days. Isn't that awesome when you are such an old player? I think it is, plus he isn't bad either and he has a shot at the title with LeBron, although I think that would be very hard seeing how cleveland plays this season.

dude

Shaq does not give a fuck about the regular season

See : LA, Miami

heck, Miami was HORRIBLE in 2006 regular season vs the good teams.

I think the stat waqs 2-12 record vs best teams of the NBA including Mavericks, Pistons, etc....

then the Heat suddenly "turned it on" in the playoffs and beat everyone in 6 games or less and won a title.


Don't ever doubt Shaq. With LeBron, they are my favorites at the title.

[Bob Lanier]

but how the fuck is toronto the third best city in North fucking america?
New York and Chicago are nicer.

[picc84]

New York is a piece of shit.

[Culburn369]

New York and Chicago are nicer.

I remember "Old Town" in Chicago back in the '60s visiting my aunt. It was hippy city. Is that still there is some form, Bob?

[mogrovejo]

I think that depends on when Leon Powe gets back and how he plays when he does get back. He's supposed to come back before the trading deadline. If they move Shaq or Z now, they're left with Varejao and Hickson as their only other semi-viable frontcourt players. That isn't enough.

LeBron as the 4th big or trade them for a stretch, athletic 4. I think you have to do it, waiting for Powe is too risky and he's not the kind of big that could help much anyway.



I think they're going to be as patient with Delonte as they possibly can be. He really is huge to this team when he's feeling and playing well. I also think the guy they really wanted was Captain Jack, but that ship has sailed. To be honest, I don't know what big guards are out there to be had.

Yeah, they can give him some more time, but I'd start looking for alternatives.

Thanks for the answers.

[JoeTait75]

LeBron as the 4th big or trade them for a stretch, athletic 4. I think you have to do it, waiting for Powe is too risky and he's not the kind of big that could help much anyway.

LeBron is a wing player. He has the size to be a big but not the commitment or the post game. He'll play the 4 in stretches but that's it.

But I'd love to have a guy like Steve Novak or Linas Kleiza on this team, that's for sure. Or Rasheed, for that matter.

[panic giraffe]

New York and Chicago are nicer.


LA? Mexico DF? Jalisco? Miami? just about anywhere in the US besides small towns with a pop less than 1 million excluding detroit would probably beat toronto, as nice as it maybe, it's still canada.

[jacobdrj]

Why is Shaq in CLE embarrassing? Why was Dream in Toronto embarrassing? Nobody expected Dream to be great there. Just an Oakley type mentor. Shaq is still effective, and he is playing hard. If anyone should be embarrassed, its Moron Brown for not figuring out what to do with LeBron+Shaq.

[Bob Lanier]

it's still canada.
Which you counter with four hellish Mexican slums.

[panic giraffe]

Which you counter with four hellish Mexican slums.


LA and Miami are in the US. poor reading comprehension or just dislike for anything south of the great lakes?

say what you want about Jalisco, but DF's only rival in the northern part of the western hemisphere would be NYC, when it comes to population, what it has to offer, culture, etc....any large city will have its slums, but wouldn't call the whole city a slum.

[Bob Lanier]

Perhaps I should have said "Mexican-infested slums."

[Double-Up]

I remember "Old Town" in Chicago back in the '60s visiting my aunt. It was hippy city. Is that still there is some form, Bob?

Did you fuck her too?

[Culburn369]

....like trout meat.

[panic giraffe]

Perhaps I should have said "Mexican-infested slums."


at least get your brown people hatred correct. Miami is a "cuban/dominican/pr-infested slum, LA is just about infested with everything, including culture. something that skips the great lakes.

either way, move on and lets all go back to talking basketball.

[mogrovejo]

LeBron is a wing player. He has the size to be a big but not the commitment or the post game. He'll play the 4 in stretches but that's it.

But I'd love to have a guy like Steve Novak or Linas Kleiza on this team, that's for sure. Or Rasheed, for that matter.

If you like Rasheed, then you can easily get someone like Troy Murphy (who has the advantage of being a good rebounder) for Z and a pick, I think. The problem is that you'd still have too much slowness and bad pick'n'roll defence in the big man rotation.

I'd like to see Cleveland doing one of these:
a) get a legit starting 4, able to change ends fast, defend the ballscreen and stretch the floor a bit. Is there a guy like this available out there? Not sure. I'd probably settle for Al Harrington, even overpaying, than someone like Novak, Murphy or Sheed.

b) get another shot-creator wing. Then I'd keep starting Hickson playing him 20 minutes or so per game while hoping his defence+rebounding improves throughout the season. Rotate Shaq and Varejão at the 5. Play LBJ at the PF spot 25% of his playing time or so (I wholeheartedly agree that his best position by far is as a wing and ideally he wouldn't play anywhere else) in a 4 out, 1 in set, with the newly acquired wing on the floor. That would minimize the amount of time you're playing Shaq and AV together and diminish the frontcourt slowness to acceptable levels, while forcing other teams to deal with different looks all the time.