shaq, shaq, u gotta love shaq...

[superheadcat]

from l.a. daily:

O'Neal knocks Jackson
By Howard Beck
Staff Writer

Saturday, October 18, 2003 - Shaquille O'Neal continues to rest his bruised heel, and the longer he sits, the longer his list of grievances becomes.

O'Neal sat out his third consecutive exhibition game Friday night, watching from the bench the Lakers' 91-84 victory over the Phoenix Suns at Staples Center. He was cheerful and supportive as he sat alongside injured teammates Horace Grant and Brian Cook and joked with Karl Malone.

But he has given no indication when he plans to return and apparently has more on his mind than just good health.

Since training camp opened three weeks ago, O'Neal has grumbled frequently about the Lakers' slow movement on a contract extension, has occasionally acted perturbed by Kobe Bryant's legal troubles and Friday, he took a few ambiguous shots at coach Phil Jackson, for reasons unknown.

Jackson had told reporters he did not expect O'Neal to return in time for Sunday's game in Bakersfield. Relayed that information, O'Neal stared blankly.

"Who?" he said.

Phil Jackson. Your coach.

"I had two Phils in my life. I only got one now," O'Neal said, referring to his stepfather, Phil Harrison.

He did not smile, and he did not elaborate before disappearing into the training room.

A bemused Jackson said later, "Maybe I have another name that's a different type of name."

Jackson, unconcerned, was surprised to hear he might have angered O'Neal: "Oh, did I?"

Friction between O'Neal and Jackson -- sometimes playful, sometimes not -- is a near-annual event, but it never has come this early, and it's unclear what might have sparked the tension now.

Earlier in the day, O'Neal took a swipe at the triangle offense, referring to it as "the B.S. offense that Phil wants to run," and complained about the way Jackson directed the team last season.

Three nights earlier, O'Neal raised eyebrows when he remarked that he wanted to get healthy "for Derek (Fisher), Karl and Gary (Payton)," curiously leaving Bryant out of the equation. He also said the Lakers would be fine this season -- "with or without Kobe."

It appears neither O'Neal nor Bryant will play until the Lakers' final two exhibition games, Thursday and Friday.

Jackson had hoped Bryant might return sooner but said, "He's not ready to play." Bryant reported to training camp out of condition after offseason shoulder and knee surgeries and is slowly working his way into shape. He again attended Friday's game but spent the evening in the weight room and did not join the team on the bench.

"The chances of them playing Sunday are slim and remote," Jackson said. "And yet I want to keep that option open, in case either there's miraculous healing or there's instant conditioning that could happen to either one of them. But that won't probably happen between now and Sunday."

Head games: Grant was lucid enough to find his way to Staples Center, and self-effacing enough to take some ribbing over his woozy state, three days after catching a Fisher pass with his head.

But after a battery of tests Friday, a neurologist told Grant he was not ready to play basketball, and so he sat out his second consecutive game. He will remain benched through the weekend and will be reevaluated Monday.

"I felt I could go through a full practice," he said. "But I never had a concussion before."

The headaches have subsided, and Grant said he's no longer experiencing nausea or blurred vision.

"When I started to forget a few things, I got a little worried then," Grant said. "When somebody had a conversation with me and two minutes later, I forget the conversation, yeah, I was a little worried."

[LRB]

Gotta admint that Shaq is a real team player. He tries to play the whole team including the coach. He is a basket ball force, but his attitude takes a lot away from the potential positives that he could bring.

[Shaq Attack2]

Shaq's attitude has always been crappy, that's nothing new. However, don't put much (if any) stock into all these articles coming out of the L.A. Daily. They are hack jobs that Laker fans have come to expect from writers that have nothing to write about.

[MavsFanatik33]

I Believe it, Shaq is just like this. He is not a team player at all, and that is why Lakers will not be as good as last year, especially if Kobe is out of the picture for awhile.

[Shaq Attack2]

Originally posted by: MavsFanatik33
I Believe it, Shaq is just like this. He is not a team player at all, and that is why Lakers will not be as good as last year, especially if Kobe is out of the picture for awhile.

That makes zero sense.

[one long blue sock]

The Lakers are so unfocused. Shaq is thinking of other things then a ring, Kobe is thinking about his future, Malone is thinking that he can run everyone over NOT THE CASE.

I'm looking forward to the Mavs showing them reality.

[Murphy3]

frankly, when it comes time to putting up or shutting up, we all know what shaq does.

and honestly, i'd rather have my testicles removed with a pair of needle-nosed pliers than to have to spend an evening around pompous ass Phil Jackson..let alone several years.

i don't see shaq taking alot of shots at many of the players..just kobe. Can anyone give me a reason why NOT to take a shot at kobe? from all accounts, kobe has been a selfish baby since joining the lakers. He's always tried to put himself above the team needs. But, never fear..shaq to the rescue.

to hell with kobe and phil. perhaps phil jackzen can go read poetry to kobe while he's rotting in jail in a few months