<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Shaquille O'Neal was so frustrated with the officiating during the Lakers' 84-83 victory Sunday that he twice used profanities on live television and later said NBA commissioner David Stern should hire better officials. In a postgame interview with Los Angeles-based KCAL-TV, O'Neal said the fans came to watch the players, not the officials, then used one profanity while complaining that officials "want to take over the game."</div> Full Story.
lol shaq went off i saw a replay of it today i thought it was pretty funny. I can understand him being frustrated with bad calls cause i know what thats like but I wonder how much money hes gonna get fined.
I found it to be funny too. He used that foul word, and one of the reporters said, Shaq, we're live, and then Shaq replied by saying I don't give a *bleep.* Shaq is one funny guy with a funny character.
Shaq will not only be fined for this, but also SUSPENDED! Gimme a F%$#$% break! The NBA making a huge mistake here, not only is this going to essentially kill the Laker's chances tonight against Indy, but it also cheats the fans who paid to see Shaq. What a joke, I'm disgusted. Fine the guy, but suspending him for a game? That was some of the poorest officiating I've seen in recent history, and because someone speaks their mind about it they get suspended?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting OgShowtime:</div><div class="quote_post">Shaq will not only be fined for this, but also SUSPENDED! Gimme a F%$#$% break! The NBA making a huge mistake here, not only is this going to essentially kill the Laker's chances tonight against Indy, but it also cheats the fans who paid to see Shaq. What a joke, I'm disgusted. Fine the guy, but suspending him for a game? That was some of the poorest officiating I've seen in recent history, and because someone speaks their mind about it they get suspended?</div> He's getting suspended? What happened to freedom of speech?
First of all, freedom of speech hasn't existed since...can't remember when. Second, speaking out about officiating has never accomplished anything, whether the complaint is justified or not. All it ever does is get you a fine or suspension.
I do not agree with the NBA suspending Shaq, especially in such an important game. The fine is justified, but other players have said far worse without a suspension. If anything, it should have been left up to the Lakers to enforce any additional punishment for Shaq's comments. David Stern is slowly losing credibility with these type of moves with the players and player union. He already avoided Rasheed's comments a few months back, and now he has dealt a stiff punishment to Shaq. No player is above the NBA, but David Stern needs to start listening to the player's concerns or we may see another NBA strike in the not so near future.
One thing with Shaq is he never thinks when he says something to the media, that was how he started the Shaq n Kobe feud
WTF? This is a damn joke! How are you going to suspend Shaq like this? Yes, we all knew he was going to be fined, but suspended? That is a horrible call by Stern, I mean horrible. Especially after a game like that, and how much we need him. Great, Kobe puts his hand through a glass window out a week, and Shaq gets fined for saying a couple cuss words on TV. We really should have Shaq/Kobe at the same time right now. Bullsh*t
I'm sure if Artest did this, he'd be castrated (and I'm sure Laker fans would approve) but this is fair, in-fact when I saw it I thought 2 game suspension would be fair. Free speech? Cursing on LIVE TV is free speech? Guess you guys haven't read the rules lately... that's not allowed. That's why TNT screws up good movies by putting bleeps and changing words into stuff like "butt" and "dang". It's just something we learn to live with... it's supposed to be for our kids and bible thumpers or something. I'm all for cursing and free speech, but I also believe in rules, and one of those rules is you can't do those on TV. The first one was okay, but when he was TOLD they were live and cursed AGAIN... that deserves 2 games! But I guess 1 curse, 1 game (again, the 1st word is forgiven). Remember when Bob Ryan said he wanted to slap Jumana Kidd, then was told to take it back, and when he didn't he was suspended from the Boston Globe for a MONTH WITHOUT PAY!?!?!? All he did was said "slap", Shaq did plenty more and got 1/30 of Bob Ryan's penalty. NBA players aren't above the rules and laws... I know Laker fans aren't going to appriciate Shaq being out, but I know you'd agree if this was Rasheed Wallace or something... and if you don't, then you're for NBA players being above the rules and laws, which is ridiculous -- all they do is play a kid's game, and get overpaid for doing it, how's that make them above the rules/law? It's not like they cure diseases or provide us with food... they play a freakin' game for God's sake!! 1 game is more than fair concidering others would have gotten plenty worse, and also concidering if this WASN'T an NBA player, he'd probably have been fired and never appeared on TV again.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">I do not agree with the NBA suspending Shaq, especially in such an important game. The fine is justified, but other players have said far worse without a suspension. If anything, it should have been left up to the Lakers to enforce any additional punishment for Shaq's comments. David Stern is slowly losing credibility with these type of moves with the players and player union. He already avoided Rasheed's comments a few months back, and now he has dealt a stiff punishment to Shaq. No player is above the NBA, but David Stern needs to start listening to the player's concerns or we may see another NBA strike in the not so near future.</div> Very succint SC. I would have had no problem with Shaq being fined, but to keep him out of an important game like this one is definitely a bad PR move. I may have been incorrect about the fine, but by suspending Shaq, the league has essentially taken over $300,000 of out his pocket. Rasheed Wallace can make a libelous statement about the league and Stern personally, and no action is taken. Shaq complains about the terrible officiating (which isn't even arguable) and he gets slapped with a suspension. I don't know if the penalty was mandated by Stern, or if Stu Jackson simply decided upon it himself, but either way it was completely uncalled for.
lmao this is b/s I just found out...I understand shaq..I mean sometimes I just wish anybody says something about officials when a game and stuff..I dont think he shoulda been suspended tho..oh well..I really wanted to see him tonight
Yeah what B.S. -- maybe Kobe should rape 30 women and Shaq can then kill them and both get away with that too... why not have Phil Jackson bet on NBA games and then you guys can complain how unfair it is that these guys each get 1 game suspension. It's 1 game for something that deserves more... anyway continue on with what a rip this is. NBA players are God and can do no wrong... especially if they are your favorite player
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting scorbutic:</div><div class="quote_post">Yeah what B.S. -- maybe Kobe should rape 30 women and Shaq can then kill them and both get away with that too... why not have Phil Jackson bet on NBA games and then you guys can complain how unfair it is that these guys each get 1 game suspension. It's 1 game for something that deserves more... anyway continue on with what a rip this is. NBA players are God and can do no wrong... especially if they are your favorite player </div> Actually, your just a Laker hater. I thought you were going to stay out of here?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting scorbutic:</div><div class="quote_post">Yeah what B.S. -- maybe Kobe should rape 30 women and Shaq can then kill them and both get away with that too... why not have Phil Jackson bet on NBA games and then you guys can complain how unfair it is that these guys each get 1 game suspension. It's 1 game for something that deserves more... anyway continue on with what a rip this is. NBA players are God and can do no wrong... especially if they are your favorite player </div> VERY mature. You're taking this thing WAY TOO FAR....Your comments are not only ridiculous, but very irresponsible. Please think about what you're saying before you decide to put it in writing. "maybe Kobe should rape 30 women and Shaq can then kill them and both get away with that too" - What? How does this in ANY WAY relate to what Shaq said about the poor officiating? You're way overboard here, ever heard the expression about : better to be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt? I don't care what your opinions are about Shaq, Kobe or Phil on a personal level, making statements like that are in very poor taste.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting scorbutic:</div><div class="quote_post">Yeah what B.S. -- maybe Kobe should rape 30 women and Shaq can then kill them and both get away with that too... why not have Phil Jackson bet on NBA games and then you guys can complain how unfair it is that these guys each get 1 game suspension. It's 1 game for something that deserves more... anyway continue on with what a rip this is. NBA players are God and can do no wrong... especially if they are your favorite player </div> There are going to be two sides to this argument whether you are a Laker fan or not. As a fan, of course we are going to defend our player's and side with them. The Kobe situation has nothing to do with this, and he has not even been found guilty yet for rape, so that exaggerated point you made is meaningless. No one is saying Shaq should get away with the comments he made, but we are arguing the penalty did not fit the crime. Your Bob Ryan situation is irrelevant as well. He was suspended by the paper, not the Phoenix Suns or the NBA. The NBA should not be responsible for suspending Shaq in this situation. They can fine him, but they do not employ Shaq. The Laker ownership should have the right to suspend Shaq or not. He is a representative of the Laker franchise, and if they felt what he did was inappropriate then they should be the ones to punish Shaq. Also take into account this was said right after an intense game. Emotions were high and Shaq vented out of frustration. The NBA made the decision to have these interviews taped Live, so they should realize profanities are going to slip out every once in awhile. Shaq was caught up in the heat of the moment, and David Stern, Stu Jackson, or whoever made the knee jerk decision for his statements should take it into account. At the very least they should allow Shaq ample time to appeal both the fine and suspension.
