Seeing as I love watching NBA basketball and occasionally patronizing Fatburger after 3am, I must say I’m going to miss seeing and hearing The Big Judas when he finally calls it quits on his teammates like in Miami last season.
(This is in no way a portrayal of Shaquille O’Neal yes it is)
Goodness knows the world would be a much more boring place if it wasn’t for Shaq’s post-practice comments today out of Phoenix. The comments in which The Big Deceiver called 4-time NBA Champion Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich a “coward.” Oh yeah, he also called out his teammates in the same sitting for blowing defensive assignments in the club’s playoff loss to the Spurs last year - since of course, he deserved none of the blame.
Transcript of his comments and audio link after the jump.
The Big Crispy on “Hack-a-Shaq” tactics: “It doesn’t work. It may work a series but it’s not going to get you to a championship. San Antonio tried it but they went home a couple weeks after we went home. I just have to go to the line and hit them (free throws) and make them pay. And I will.
“The only thing I call cowardly is when you’re up by 10 and do it. That’s a coward move. And I didn’t say that last year, but that’s a coward move. It’s cool, but they (the league) should really do something about that.
“When you’re down, I can see using that as a strategy. But when you’re up 10-15 points, there’s no need for that. That’s a coward move, and he (Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich) knows that and I’ll make him pay for it.”
Right, just like The Big Charlatan has been doing to coaches his whole career.
The Big Phoney was then asked about the Suns’ defensive rotation. A rotation that failed to adjust as Tim Duncan drained a stunning 3-pointer to send the initial game of the Suns-Spurs series into overtime (which the Suns lost): “If I pick up (Tony) Parker somebody has to pick up (Tim) Duncan. No rotation, no nothing. Like the last play of the game. We said ’switch’, and then when I switched, nobody took Tim (Duncan) and he hit a f—ing three.”
A reporter then interjected on the player who failed to “switch”: “He who shall remain nameless?”
Then amongst laughs, The Big Crispy replied: “Yeah.”
That nameless player? Most likely Amare Stoudemire.
Audio link courtesy KTAR-AM in Phoenix and hoops blog BRIGHT SIDE OF THE SUN.
10:46 am on October 15th, 2008
First Steve Nash vs. Robert Horry, then Steve Nash vs. Brucee Bowen, and now this. The Suns & Spurs are developing a nice heated rivalry.
11:12 am on October 15th, 2008
If O'Neal learned to make free throws, there would be no need for the Hack-A-Shaq technique.
11:44 am on October 15th, 2008
Well, it did work because the Suns went home sooner than the Spurs.
12:20 pm on October 15th, 2008
Nice to see Shaq enjoying his afternoon snack.
4:33 pm on October 15th, 2008
Shaq is a crybaby. Always has been since his days at Cole High School in San Antonio. Phoenix should prepare for Hack A Shaq this year.
6:59 pm on October 15th, 2008
Anyone seen Popovich's new beard? Makes him look like Jim Henson.
11:53 am on October 16th, 2008
another uniformed sports fan that the internet has confused into thinking he's an expert. most of us who follow sports long for the day when uniformed, washed-up high school (middle school perhaps?) athletes like you didn't have a soapbox. among the many errors of your ridiculous "article," amar'e stoudemire wasn't even on the floor during duncan's game-tying three in that game. keep trying, though. maybe if you photoshop enough pictures, no one will read what you write–it would be best for all of us that way.