<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Reporters questioned the work ethic of Kobe Bryant to Phil Jackson and the Lakers' head coach gave an unsolicited reply about one of his former players. ''The only person I ever had that hasn't been a worker the fortunate time I've been coaching is probably Shaq,'' Jackson said. ``He's the one guy that didn't like to work. I know Pat [Riley]got him working in Miami, but we had a hard time getting him to work. All the other players, Michael [Jordan], Scottie [Pippen], Dennis Rodman, all those guys that we had, Horace Grant, they were all hard workers in practice. And I've had some more players. I think Kobe has just picked up from that type of energy we like to demonstrate as a team. He wants to lead.''-</div>Look at the context. Some of you will probably read this and say that Phil needs to grow up and let it go. But what he was actually doing is deflecting another dumb question about Kobe so the media could hype the new Wade vs. Kobe marketing trend. Phil's not going to feed the vultures. What does he do? He goes right back at them by using Shaq's laziness. (Remember, Shaq's on the east coast now. He's returned to that part of the country that matters in terms of the media) I thought it was pretty genius move by Phil there. I love it.
Here is what Shaq said back to him: <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>"How can Benedict Arnold be reliable in what he says?" the Big Aristotle was quoted as saying in Tuesday's edition of The Los Angeles Times. O'Neal declined to elaborate on his statement and, since he was in street clothes for the game, was not required to give a formal post-game interview.</div>He is basically calling him a traitor when in reality Shaq is the traitor for demanding the trade. So F*ck him.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (LakersFan247 @ Dec 26 2006, 04:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>"How can Benedict Arnold be reliable in what he says?"</div>Finally Shaq is admitting his flaws. It's still a little tacky to refer to himself in the third person though.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Lakaboy42 @ Dec 26 2006, 08:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Finally Shaq is admitting his flaws. It's still a little tacky to refer to himself in the third person though.</div>
