Shaq is down to 315 lbs.

[tlongII]

sports.yahoo.com/nba/news...&type=lgns (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aweightyoffseason&prov=tsn&type=lgns)


Shaquille O'Neal. O'Neal's extra pounds limited his effectiveness in his last days in Los Angeles. But, heading to Miami with a chip (or, rather, a rice cake) on his shoulder, O'Neal has used a combination of diet and his most intense offseason exercise regimen to drop serious pounds. He says he finished last season at 355 but is down to 315.

I hope Shaq tears it up so I can see Laker fans whine!

[KoriEllis]

If I was a Laker fan I'd be pissed off.

[exstatic]

He says he finished last season at 355 but is down to 315.

I doubt either of those figures, although the overall loss may be correct. Shaq was so massive that it was probably something more like 385/345. If he really were at 315, he could be a holy terror on defense yet again, something he hasn't been in 3-4 seasons.

If you were unhappy at work, would you bust your ass? The Lakers had been clearly in Kobe's corner. If Shaq does this in LA, do they trade him? Probably not, and he wanted out. Those LA fans may be angry now, but they don't get three rings without Shaq, and maybe don't get any, something that will become clear with this new Showbee-time incarnation of the team.

[tekdragon]

(opening envelope)

"Who will be the 2004-2005 NBA Regular Season MVP?"

[/Carnac the Magnificent]

[tlongII]

I don't get why Laker fans would be pissed off? The Lakers screwed themselves.

[picnroll]

Malone should be pissed off.

[KoriEllis]

I don't get why Laker fans would be pissed off? The Lakers screwed themselves.

Laker fans should be pissed off because Shaq hasn't been in shape in years.

I'm not saying the management treated him right, but if I were a fan, I'd be pissed.

[bigzak25]

he is trying to get an extension.....all those millions are a helluva motivator ya know.....

[tlongII]

Shaq brought the Lakers 3 titles. The fans need to consider how effective their management/coaching was in order to motivate him into getting into shape. They have nothing to be pissed off about.

[Jimcs50]

He had to lose weight, he kept getting mistaken for a whale at South Beach, and he had harpoons shot at his ass on two different occasions.

[ducks]

phil jackson was all over kobe in the media
phil never sayed anythng bad about shaq

sure west was on kobe's corner
but shaq clearly said he wanted to get paid in training camp and HE IS THE ONE THAT TICKED OFF THE OWNER.
so kobe just took advantage of that

[Medvedenko]

Yes, I'm pissed....oh now I'll work hard to lose weight...what an idiot.....
He's a bigger baby than I thought. Whatever, so the dynasty is over, I'm tired of his shit.

[Useruser666]

Shaq is just making room for the Kobe sandwich he will get in the regualr season.

Useruser666 :eyebrow

[iminlakerland]

Yes, I am extremely pissed off. Yes he did help bring the lakers 3 titles. But for years and years the lakers organization has asked him to come into shape. If i am not mistaken the Lakers told him come into shape and we will consider your extension. Did he do that? Absolutely not he gained more weight.

So yes the lakers management did screw up with how they handled things. But in many ways shaq screwed up his extension. Just remember folks when Phil Jackson came to the lakers Shaq finally got into shape. Phil had Shaq motivated. Now Shaq is in shape because he wants payback from the Lakers. Will that motivation last after this season? We will wait and see.

[adidas11]

It's easier to get into shape, when you don't have a bad toe anymore.

Each of the years that Shaq came into camp out of 'shape', he had toe surgery shortly before that.

Last year, he was able to start the season off in much better shape than the previous 2 years.

I'm not angry at Shaq. I thank him for what he did in LA, and I wish him the best in Miami.

[tekdragon]

very classy, adidas...

That's how I imagine I would feel as a Laker fan. I'd be upset about not having him anymore, but to get three rings out of any player, rental or not...you can't beat that. Good years in LA, thanks to Shaq. Can't hate the man that gave you some of the best teams in Laker history. All the great teams have to break up eventually. If the 70-win Bulls can't stay together, I don't think any team can.

Except the Spurs, of course...


Please sign, Tony...please sign this off-season...

[2Cleva]

It's also easier to be in shape when you're eligible for a fat extension.

Both times Shaq has came motivated and fired up fro a full year, there was a 100+ million dollar carrot being waved in front of him.

But he's not at 315...


O'Neal has been criticized for showing up to preseason camp overweight in the past but on Wednesday, he said he was down to 331 pounds -- 24 less than when he met with Heat President Pat Riley in July.

"They want me at 325; when I met with Pat I was at 355," O'Neal said. "A couple more pounds to go, and I think got I've got five-to-six weeks left to go. I'll be at 325 or below when I come into camp."

Link (http://www.2theadvocate.com/stories/090204/spo_shaq001.shtml)

And if he was at 355 after the season, that means in the past 3 years he's been at or over the 400 mark. That stress on a body adds up, even when the weight is gone.

[Kevin Kaster]

I'm not angry, because I won't believe anything Shaq says until I see him on the court. Even if he is leaner, he simply cannot do the things he did in 2000. He's not as agile not just because of his weight, but because of his age, his toe, and the cumulative damage he has done to his body over the years, worsened by the fact that he hasn't been properly conditioning himself for years. The best he can do is get back into 2002 shape, which he was sort of close to last season. He has no endurance either, he's simply not a fit NBA athlete. His stats plummeted this past postseason when he didn't get at least 2 days of rest.


It's easier to get into shape, when you don't have a bad toe anymore.

Each of the years that Shaq came into camp out of 'shape', he had toe surgery shortly before that.


WTF? Shaq came into camp fat and out of shape ("shape"?) in 2002, 2003 and 2004. Three straight years running. The only time he lost any weight was this past season, where he lost maybe 20 lbs in the summer. But he still wasn't in shape for the 2003-2004 season, he simply lost some weight that summer.

Oh, and I'm not sure you realize what kind of toe injury Shaq has; it's toe arthritis, a degenerative disease that is not curable. He can only dull the pain, it will never go away. As his body degenerates (which is happening as we speak, he's 32) he won't be able to produce the necessary T cells to keep his toe pain from being unbearable. Shaq is straight up lying; his toe is not fine, it's merely in limbo, and will probably be in bad bad shape by the time he's 35. He has 2-3 years left, max.

[bigzak25]

so funny to watch you critical laker fans....

one day, when kobe leaves, you guys will talk about what a selfish player he was....:lol

[iminlakerland]

Eh Zak ive already said that about Kobe wont be anything new there.

But seriously the reason Shaq was having that lingering toe problem was because of his excess weight. You mean to tell me he couldnt watch his diet? You mean to tell me he couldnt ride a stationary bike? Give me a damn break.

How bout the fact that Shaq decided he didnt need to have surgery on his big toe until when? Did he not say something along the lines that the offseason is his and he shouldn't need to have surgery then?

[Useruser666]

Shaq is the MLDP.

Most Laziest-Dominant Player. I still rather have that then the MSAP.

The Most Sexually Assaulting Player.

Useruser666 :eyebrow

[bigzak25]

ive already said that about Kobe wont be anything new there.

so you're the ONE. :p

[iminlakerland]

Yea I am what my brother calls a "Kobe Hater". I just call it how i see it. I hate it when in a middle of a game you see Kobe get that look in his game, you can just see it. It's like everyone on the court dosnt exist!

Dont get me wrong Kobe is a terrific player, but sometimes when he tries to take over the game at times its ridiculous. He forgets that he has teammates out there.

But i mean i guess you have to take the bad with the good. I just choose to call out the man about it. If that makes me a hater, then by all means call me a hater.

[iminlakerland]

Ahhh what a coincidence just came across this Kerr article...Thanks for making all my points Kerr :)

Link

The rap on Shaq

by Steve Kerr, Yahoo! Sports
September 14, 2004




"Even with wings you never as fly as me – you remind me of Kobe Bryant trying to be as high as me. But you can't – even if you get me traded – wherever I'm at, I'm Puffy, you Mase and you're still hated."

Pop quiz, basketball fans. The previous quote was rapped by which basketball star in his ongoing quest for hip-hop immortality:

A. Tim Duncan
B. Set Shot Buford from "The Fish that Saved Pittsburgh"
C. Jake Tsakalidis
D. Ben Wallace
E. Shaquille O'Neal


If you said "E," congratulations, you've just won two front-row tickets to Shaq's upcoming concert. (They can't be that expensive, can they?)

Now, I'm no rap aficionado, but I know this – Shaq is no Nelly. And I'm not talking Don Nelson, or even Donn Nelson, for that matter. And am I the only guy to think, "Why isn't that guy in the gym practicing his free throws all summer instead of in the studio blurting out bad, insulting lyrics about his ex-teammate?"

But – his rap talent (or lack thereof) notwithstanding – I love Shaq. And I love that he can't let go of his anger with Kobe. Yes, it drives me crazy that neither player ever realized how much each depended on the other. Yes, it bothers me that together the two of them should have won six NBA titles, not three.

And yes, it bugs me that Shaq has shown up to camp overweight the past few seasons. He should be a better player than he is.

But there's no getting around the fact that he is fun, he's highly entertaining and he's fantastic for the NBA. He's a superstar player and a great guy. He's got personality. He's got a zest for life, a penchant for good quotes and creativity.

Nobody ever worries about reading Shaq's name on the police blotter in the morning paper. He is a great husband and father, a doer of good deeds in the community, and a man with a wonderful heart.

I played with him in Orlando his rookie season in 1992 and I remember him picking up checks for his teammates and leaving hundred-dollar tips for waitresses. Shaq is a good man.

But he drives a lot of basketball purists crazy because he's not as dedicated as he could be.

He has always seemed more interested in his off-the-court activities than his basketball legacy. And his game has suffered as a result.

He's never developed an offensive repertoire down on the block – he simply relies on his power. The next time he uses his left hand will be the first.

And when you think he'll be motivated by a loss or poor play, he never quite "brings it," like Michael Jordan or Larry Bird did. That's why the news that Shaq has lost 25 pounds and is ready to carry the Miami Heat on his shoulders rings somewhat hollow to me.

The guy looked phenomenal on the MTV awards a couple of weeks ago. It certainly appears that he's working out and in great shape and preparing to have a dominant season. Certainly a change of scenery can be the greatest motivator of all for a player, especially late in one's career.

But with Shaq, we just don't know. Is he going to return to his dominant self, defending the lane and drawing double- and triple-teams that lead to easy looks for his teammates?

Or is he going to come up lame with an injury of some sort, miss 20 games and appear disinterested in December and January? Is he going to dedicate himself to helping the Heat dethrone the Pistons, or is he just going to try to drop 50 on the Lakers on Christmas Day in L.A.?

It's a long year in the NBA – you have 82 games and seven months before you even get to try to win the big prize. There's plenty of time to lift weights, build momentum and develop team chemistry.

But there's also plenty of time to write new rap songs. Which is it going to be for Shaq? We'll see.

He can either be the next Bill Russell, or the next Russell Simmons. It's up to him.

Steve Kerr is Yahoo! Sports' NBA analyst. Send him a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.

[sportcamper1]

Shaq spends his 1st summer in years not recovering from injuries...He is not on any anti inflammatory medication...And people are surprised that Shaquille is in pretty good shape? Lakers fans are sounding bitter eh? :lol

img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/ihateshaq/large.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/ihateshaq/large.jpg)

OUCH!

[exstatic]

Shaq will never be the same player he was in that dominant run of 2001. I knew that in the 2002 series against the Spurs. We had a rookie PG, no David until it didn't matter anymore, and the Lakers still had a tough time putting away a team that they had stomped the year before. Although it was 4-1, each game was hotly contested into the 4th, with the Lakers ultimately sagging on Tim to shut off the scoring. Shaq was noticably laboring and hobbled by "the toe". Take heart Laker fans; he's not your problem any more. Miami will probably be stupid and give him a huge deal, based on thier past poor signings, and then THEY will have to deal with his laziness issues.

[adidas11]

Agreed, Shaq will not be able to get to the level that he was at back in 2001. He was 29 back then, and he's 32 now, on the natural downslide of his career.

And Miami would be stupid to give him the max, or anything that closely resembles his current contract.

But I still miss the big guy...