<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Now what is this league going to do on Christmas? Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant embraced before Monday night's game, ending the NBA's pet blood feud or, at least, making it less likely that they'll come to blows on your TV set on Christmas Day 2006. Oops, this just in. We're back in business with Shaq and ? Andrew Bynum! The Lakers beat the Heat, 100-92, in a game that will be little noted nor long remembered in the replays of O'Neal and Bryant embracing ? Shaq steamrolling Bynum to dunk an offensive rebound ? Shaq looking over to the bench as if asking Phil Jackson what he's doing, putting a kid on him ? Bynum proceeding to scorch Shaq with a spin move and dunking right back over him ? Bynum prancing all the way down the floor ? Bynum daring to bump Shaq? Somebody tell him that if he wants to live to see 19, he'd better watch where he dances and whom he bumps. "He banged me, I thought it was a foul," Bynum said. "He kind of pogo-sticked on me. It was really a little embarrassing, a little ugly, so I just had to go back at him?. I'm growing. I played against one of my favorite players, and I had to go back at him." It wasn't an ordinary night in Staples Center. The Lakers looked great. O'Neal, who was received politely here last season, was booed progressively louder as the game went on. Bryant went for the now-traditional 37. O'Neal had 18 as the Lakers discovered the joy of hacking Shaq at the end, seven free throws worth in the fourth quarter, of which he missed five. O'Neal, who had refused to even mention Bryant's name since he left, ended the feud he created before the game, walking up to Bryant, who was on the floor stretching, and shaking hands. They exchanged handshakes and embraces at the captains' meeting, and reenacted it to cheers at the center jump. This came as a distinct surprise. Bryant and O'Neal arrived in the garage area in Staples at the same time before the game. Neither looked at the other ? leading to speculation that Pat Riley suggested to O'Neal that it was time for this to be over. It was past time. It no longer matters what Bryant and O'Neal think about each other. They each have their own problems to worry about.</div> Source
I hate to bring up the past but it popped into my head when I heard that the feud was over. Does anybody remember when Kobe said that Shaq had supposedly paid women up to $1 million to keep their mouth shut about having sex with him? To me, that would be unforgivable. I could forgive someone for being a bad teammate, or even getting me traded because the NBA is a business. But I couldn't forgive someone who accused me of cheating on my wife. This leads me to believe that Kobe was lying about that. It doesn't really matter at this point, but it says something about his character. Just something to think about. Then again maybe Shaq is more forgiving than I would be in that situation. Or maybe what Kobe said about Shaq was true. Haha, we know way too much about the lives of the players.
Someone close this thread- that's def. a real negative thing to bring up whether it's true or not. We these guys to play baskeetball, as athletes. Whether they are mr. nice guy isn't our business. What they do in their free time, right or wrong, isn't our business nor should it be our concern.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting ilive4ball:</div><div class="quote_post">Someone close this thread- that's def. a real negative thing to bring up whether it's true or not.</div> The fact of the matter is that the media is going to do the same thing, and bring up a lot of the past. I wasn't trying to start a flame war, I simply said that it's something to think about.
I imagine this was the main reason Shaq & Kobe had a falling out. I'm sure there is more to this story than anyone knows, because there had to be a valid reason why Shaq forgave Kobe about this. I remember reading what Kobe said was just an allegation made up by one of the officers interrogating him. There wasn't any evidence or tape recording of it, but the media ran with it anyways. Maybe Shaq forgave him because he empathized with the situation and Kobe spoke without thinking. In the end it's for them to work out and hopefully they can build up their friendship again. But for basketball fans it's good they squashed their beef and are moving on. Now the media needs to move on.
Its good for the game. Not for advertising. It brings pride back into the game. Exactly what Shaq said Bill Russell said to him. He never had a grudge against no one. It was all business for him. He would shake the hand at the start of the game, of someone like Wilt who he was a major "enemy" against as projected in the media, and once the game was finished, he would shake his hand again. These two just wanted to win in basketball. Nothing else. The game of basketball should be projected as that. A game. It isnt as if they are going to battle on the plains of Iraq! These men are playing a game they are good at. All that media hype just shouldnt be there. This should just be projected as a battle of the superstars. Not as a battle of the Enemys. Kobe V Shaq. We just want to see the basketball. Which is why this game was the best out of the 4 they have played. No Media hype, No Big Advertisements, Nothing. Which is what games usually have. Ok advertise the battle of the superstars, but not about the personal life. What happens on the court is basketball, anything else is worth it! To be quite honest im sick of the media hype. Ok it advertises the game, but we dont wana know the whole behind the scenes story, if theyre may be one. The game the other day had good scores, close to the buzzer finish, and was a fantastic game. Its not like Kobe and Shaq are going to do a DetroitVIndiana. Its been over a year and a half. Theyve dropped it. They shook hands and wished each other the best. Thats what we want to see. The Integrity of the game that Wilt and Bill built back in the day is still here, and for the sake of the game, I hope it remains and Instead of fists being thrown, high scores, because a Kobe 60 pointers V a Shaq 60 points would be much more entertaining from a basketball stand point! Thanks to Bill Russells words, that will now have a chance of happening, though i doubt Shaq lol. He aint that Dominant scoring but he makes his whole team better! Thats all i gota say. Keep the Game Real!
