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Classy move...i still don't like him, though.
Classy move...i still don't like him, though.
Hope they don't make a big deal about it. Shaq paying for a funeral is equivalent to me giving 50 cents to a homeless.
Oh please.
Shut up.
Bill Gates Giving 1 billion is nothing... yadda yadda.
Stop hating.
The fact remains he offered and will give the money.
I dont care who you are, 50 cents is still 50 cents and several thousand dollars is still several thousand dollars.
this was already covered in another thread.
My take on it? On the surface it was a nice offer but doing it through the national media like he did it was blatantly self serving. Mikans plight has been well do ented within the sports world for years. If Shaq really gave a about Mikan he had plenty of time to help him out when he really needed it...while he was still alive and having to liquidate all his NBA memorabilia etc. just to pay medical bills and put food on the table. Good people do good things quietly and because they want to do them...they don't do them just to get good press.
What would be even better is if Shaq and every other past and present player make it there priority in the current contract negotions to make some provisions for the 60 or pre-65 players still alive.
That way more of them won't have to sell off their NBA memorablia and houses to be able ot afford medical treatment that isn;t even the best but just what they can get.
Amen brother.
It was a nice gesture on the part of Shaq and because the news came of Mikan's death the same day, I'm sure Shaq had not had time to get with his people to offer this to Mikan's family....with that said, Shaq and other NBA'ers/former NBA'ers should be well aware of George Mikan's on-going diabetes treatment expenses. These have been well-chronicled by ESPN and others in the pension/medical benefits issues and the need for this to be addressed by the NBA and the Players Association.
George's death may cause a much-needed reaction from both en ies, but it's a shame it had to come to this - "Mr. Basketball's" death - before something is set aside.
We don't know if Shaq helped to pay for any of the Mikan's mounting medical bills, but if he didn't, then Shaq offering to pay for George's funeral on national TV is nice but perhaps too little, too late.
Amen. I watched that Outside the Line special and both the NBA and the Players Union won't do crap. The players should. From what Mikan said there were only about 100 of the pre-1965 players left...it wouldn't cost that much for the players to pitch in.What would be even better is if Shaq and every other past and present player make it there priority in the current contract negotions to make some provisions for the 60 or pre-65 players still alive.
At least he acknowledge he past away.
Unlike for Chick Hearn's funeral. He didn't even show up. Made some sorry excuse he had a stomach ache and couldn't fly in.
I agree with Cosmic Cowboy, all Shaq is after is the press.
Maybe the best reply I have ever read.
You guys will look for any reason to hate on Shaq. So it was done with the knowledge of the press. So what? He's still taking on the financial burden of the family, who is struggling from what I understand. Whether or not it's in the news, he's still helping out a family in need. The press can, and will, get a hold of any news. There's absolutely no way that would've been kept under wraps.
Dennis Rodman offered to (and did pay, I believe) for the funeral of James Byrd, the handicapped guy who was dragged to his death somewhere in Texas. That was all over the news, but it was still a damn nice thing to do.
Even if it is relative to you give 50 cents to a homeless person, or an occassional dollar to charity, how many of you do that? I'm sure you'll all step up and say "well, I give this, and I do that" but I'd also venture a guess that so many of you are full of .
If Tim Duncan funded Iceman's funeral, it would be all over the news here, and you guys would be calling Tim Duncan a saint, and you know that.
It's different because you hate Shaq, and it just blows my mind that you'll dissect this nice gesture so far that you turn him into a self-serving prick.
Please explain to me the difference in the Spurs donating that huge check to the Carver Academy, and this. News was all over the story about that check, and everyone talked about it. Or how is it different than David taking his own money to open up that school? That's been locally and nationally covered ad nauseum.
If the Spurs were really a bunch of good guys, they would've sent that check anonymously, right?
If David were really such a good guy, he would've opened that school anonymously, right?
It's really not such a bad thing to acknowledge that Shaq did a damn nice thing, that he really didn't have to do. Magic didn't step up. Kobe didn't. Kareem didn't. Jerry West didn't. Shaq did, and he's the bad guy.
Um...here is my above post.
Please tell me where I said I hate Shaq.Amen. I watched that Outside the Line special and both the NBA and the Players Union won't do crap. The players should. From what Mikan said there were only about 100 of the pre-1965 players left...it wouldn't cost that much for the players to pitch in.
it's not hate, because it's not all together a bad thing what he did. It's actually very good, but it's just an example of snaq's weakness of character. When doing a good deed he want's to make sure it doesn't go unnoticed. The only reason we know of very few of David's good deeds is because the media publicized them, not David. I don't think anyone is hating on snaq though. I still think it's honorable for him to pick up the tab.
I donate hundreds of hours a year and thousands of dollars in goods/services/money to charitable causes and feel totally qualified to state my opinion without it being misconstrued as shaq hate.I'm sure you'll all step up and say "well, I give this, and I do that" but I'd also venture a guess that so many of you are full of .
you can kiss my ass.
I think its a great thing he did, regardless of whether or not he said it publicly or not. If he did do it for just for the publicity (which NONE of us know accurately) then it would be ty but still, a good thing would come out of it.
Who cares if he did it publicly instead of privately!? Who else stepped up in the NBA and made the offer? There's 300+ players in the league -- so why didn't someone else offer? Why didn't David Robinson or another retired player offer?
They didn't and Shaq did.
Doing it public brings more attention to it and maybe will get other younger players to step up and make sure that some of the other older players from their organizations are taken care of.
exactly. Hopefully TD and others will follow his example and get together and fix this.
First, did the Media "find out" that Shaq offered to pay for funeral expenses? Or did Shaq announce it?
In any case, here is the difference: The Carver Academy, and other charities the Spurs give to, need the publicity of those check ceremonies. I mean, yes, the Spurs benefit from the exposure, but it's a two way street. It helps both organizations.
Now, you could argue that Shaq gave the money to highlight Mikan's death. But as it's been mentioned, it sounds like Mikan has been struggling for awhile. Without knowing more, I'm not going to draw judgement, because for all we know Shaq could have been privately helping Mikan's family before this.
Wait a minute, you're not flaunting it, are you? Cause, the fact that you're publicizing it could be misconstrued as somewhat self-serving.
Dude, I'm not singling out who does what, or who doesn't do what. If you do, good for you. It just blows my mind that people will try to tear down a gesture like this, instead of just taking it for what it is. A damn nice thing.
You're free to give your opinion on the situation, and I'm free to give mine. From the looks of things, we're both doing that, no?
Doing it privately is more honorable because you receive nothing in return for your good deed. Nevertheless, I'm happy he offered to do something.
I hope others have made private donations.
How do you know someone else didn't offer?
Seriously Kori, if you believe he did this just because he wanted to help, where was he when Mikan was in real need, and very much alive? I think Shaq is just taking advantage of the situation. Mikan was a popular guy and funding his funeral can only do wonders for his image. Remember the guy that offered to pay for Van Gundy's 100,000 dollar fine??? THIS IS THE SAME ! Don't tell me you really believe the guy just offered out of the kindness of his heart?
Manumania, you do know that Shaq and Mikan were friends, right? And I seriously doubt that Mikan would have wanted a handout from a friend, as most proud men would deny such a request.
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