Shaq rips Van Gundy for flop comment
By Chris Sheridan
ESPN.com
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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
Dwight owned Shaq, and Shaq took his anger out on Van Gundy.
What a baby.
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.
That's all that is important here.
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.
Im getting tired of snaq running his mouth. I cant wait til its summer here in AZ so he can sweat to death.
Is he talking about Pat Riley?
shaq is a conceited bag of
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.
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.
I wish someone would sew his fat lips shut. Both pairs.
Howards the real superman!
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!
Lesson is u don't mess with Shaq
A 23 year old Shaq would dunk 12 just as easy as Howard did.
how did dwight own shaq ? shaq in between the legs pass owned dwight.
a new superman was born
Did you not see how silly Shaq looked when he tried to flop, and Dwight threw it down on him? Ownage.
shaq sucks
I think the real question here is who's fatter Shaq or Stan?
Bull . 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.
Who cares about this. Howard could never own Shaq like Shaq owned him in the ASG - now THAT was embarrassin' and funny as .
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 es 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.
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