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Some not so subtle digs at his former teammate.. Kinda explains a little. Quote:
Shaquille O'Neal talks about LeBron James and Mike Brown in new book
Shaquille O'Neal has never been one to hold his tongue, and it appears he doesn't hold much back in his upcoming book "Shaq Uncut: My Story."
In an excerpt obtained by HoopsWorld.com, O'Neal talks about his experience playing with James in Cleveland. O'Neal compared LeBron's disappearing act in the 2011 NBA Finals to his infamous disappearing act in the 2010 playoffs against the Boston Celtics.
“There’s no question in Game 5 LeBron was kind of out of it. . . . I always believed he could turn it on at any moment, but for some reason he didn’t. Not against the Celtics in 2010 and not against the Mavericks in 2011. It was weird. It’s one thing to be a passer, but you are supposed to be the One.
“I’m watching him play against Dallas, and they’re swinging the ball and they get him a perfect open look -- and he’s kicking it to Mario Chalmers. Makes no sense. I told people, ‘It’s like Michael Jordan told me. Before you succeed, you must first fail.' "
O'Neal also had a few things to say about coach Mike Brown, and on how Brown treated LeBron one way, and the other players another way.
“I remember one day in a film session LeBron didn’t get back on defense after a missed shot. Mike Brown didn’t say anything about it. He went to the next clip and it was Mo Williams not getting back and Mike was saying, ‘Yo, Mo, we can’t have that. You’ve got to hustle a little more.’ So Delonte West is sitting there and he’s seen enough and he stands up and says, ‘Hold up, now. You can’t be pussyfooting around like that. Everyone has to be accountable for what they do, not just some us.’ Mike Brown said, ‘I know, Delonte. I know.’ Mike knew Delonte was right.
O'Neal also said he wasn't sure if Kobe Bryant is going to listen to Brown who is now the coach of the Lakers, because James never really did.
#GMSTRONG
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.”
Daniel Patrick Moynahan
"Alternative facts hurt us all. Think before you blindly believe."
Damanshot
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I'm liking West more and more.
I want the Cleveland Browns to be my pallbearers so they can let me down for the last time.
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Legend
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I don't think James was always like that with Brown, I think that 2009 series with Orlando changed everything. I truly believe he stopped believing in the philosophy that Mike Brown had.
The beginning of the end was that infamous second half in game 1.
The Cavs could never adjust. Maybe they didn't have the pieces to make those adjustments, but it really seems like that was probably the end of it.
Who knows though. I just remember always hearing in the early Cavs years and even the year before we got LBJ that he wanted to be coached. You know Paul Silas wasn't going to "pussyfoot" around anyone. Probably part of the reason why he was gone.
Mike got the raw end of that deal. I'm no Laker lover, but I absolutely hope he does well in LA. I think he will too.
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I've been waiting for this to happen for a while. About time, I hope he doesn't hold back about LeQuitter.Also hope he talks about the rumors of him throwing LBJ into a locker during the series against Boston.
"The medium for the bad news was ESPN, which figured. The network represents much of what is loud, obnoxious and empty in sports today."
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The whole time I was reading that I heard it in Shaq's voice...weird.
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Legend
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Quote:
The whole time I was reading that I heard it in Shaq's voice...weird.
So do you need someone to re-read the parts that were mumbled?
Am I the only one that pronounces hyperbole "Hyper-bowl" instead of "hy-per-bo-le"?
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Mike Brown was in way over his head to be coaching Lebron and Shaq. You're only going to get those guys attention with championship rings. Brown had none, so the end result isn't surprising.
You can't blame brown for coddling James. It was standard way of doing things. Who ever stood up to that guy in the whole organization, including Gilbert. James had absolute power with that franchise, and nobody dared to cross him. You can't blame anyone, James was the best thing to ever happen to that franchise.
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Legend
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Quote:
Mike Brown was in way over his head to be coaching Lebron and Shaq. You're only going to get those guys attention with championship rings. Brown had none, so the end result isn't surprising.
Phil Jackson had coached in the CBA and Puerto Rico and was turned down for a bunch of NBA coaching and assistant coaching gigs, then served as the assistant coach in Chicago a couple years before taking over and had won nothing of note... He still managed to "control" Jordan, who was already the biggest star in the league and in his prime... in Jackson's 2nd year he won the first of 3 consecutive championships.
The difference isn't about the rings on the coaches hand, the difference is the players... Jordan had been cut from his freshman basketball team and overcome it, then he played 3 years for Dean Smith and for some of that time, Jordan was a highly rated contributor with players like James Worthy and Sam Perkins and other great players. Jordan developed a burning desire to be the best and did whatever it took to get there and he had developed the ability to be coached because Dean Smith wouldn't have put up with his crap....
LeBron was just spoiled and labeled the King and the Chosen One from about the age of 14... and nobody had ever dared tell him he was wrong or that he needed to work harder or do something different...... THAT is the difference.
yebat' Putin
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Legend
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The Laker team that played Detroit was the most dysfunctional team in sports history.
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Legend
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great post DC.
See, the media made a bunch out of Lebron losing in Cleveland, and they always pointed the finger at the team. He didn't have enough around him, nobody wants to go play there. Yes, that's partly true, but it didn't eat him alive like it ate Jordan alive.
Michael went through the exact same thing, except with him it was pretty much against the Pistons (he never actually did beat those great Celtic teams, they just got old and broken up by the time the Bulls arrived)
I think in the back of his head, Lebron didn't have that drive because of that built-in excuse that they didn't put enough around him.
They even had that excuse last year if you think about it. While they were losing with 2 hall of famers and an all star caliber player, it was about what they didn't have. Every local beat writer and national writer annihiliates lbj, but espn just builds in that excuse. I actually heard Jalen Rose say it was a successful season because it was only their first year and they made the finals.
I have a feeling if you said that to Jordan the first time he got his ass kicked by the Pistons he would have taken you out out back and beat you.
If you really think about it, Lebron didn't make the finals because he joined the Heat, he made the finals because the eastern conference around him got worse. The Celtics were worse, the Magic became a mess, and the Bulls were better but not that much better. You can make the argument the Cavs could have gotten to the finals just the same had Lebron stayed and the Cavs made a small move or two. The Cavs weren't perfect, but they also were never a first round exit, lost in less than 6 games of a series just once (Spurs) and back to back 60-win seasons is hard to discount.
There were a lot of things about that guy that I was wrong about. I thought he was a great leader, I thought he had the drive to win games at all costs. And I never thought he'd just give up/quit on a team in the middle of a series. I don't hate the guy anymore, those are just facts. In fact I'm pretty much over the whole thing with him, the only thing that gets me is the way Cleveland was treated before, during, and after the decision by Lebron himself and ESPN.
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Legend
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I think the best(IMO) thing that could happen, would be for them to not even make the Finals next year(or whenever that is)
They failed in the Finals, and then if they fail to even MAKE the Finals? Oh, that's great TV...
If that happens, watch the "Escape Clause" buzz they have in their contracts skyrocket...
Side Note:Is trading Lebron for Dwight Howard REALLY that crazy? You'd give Bosh someone behind him to let him do what he does (aka not play defense) and the team overall makes more sense...
Plus maybe that'd be the thing that FINALLY implants that "killer" instinct into LBJ, "You traded, ME?"
Just sayin'
Am I the only one that pronounces hyperbole "Hyper-bowl" instead of "hy-per-bo-le"?
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Quote:
Quote:
The whole time I was reading that I heard it in Shaq's voice...weird.
So do you need someone to re-read the parts that were mumbled?
Just the first line, the last line and that stuff in the middle there.
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Quote:
Note:Is trading Lebron for Dwight Howard REALLY that crazy?
Nope. It would put Miami over the top. Dwight is pretty much one-dimensional on offense, but with him in the post teams wouldn't be able to collapse on him because Bosh can knock down the 17 footer with ease and Wade can pretty much do it all. Last year Miami had absolutely no inside presence. Nothing to account for. Their best post player was Wade, and he's 6'3" on a good day.
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That kinda move would have to come from Wade. I honestly couldn't see them pull that without him. Man that would be ice cold.
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Legend
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if Dwight is willing to give them an extension with the trade, then it makes sense. gives them the inside presense and makes their defense even better (under-rated portion of that team last year was they were great at on-ball defense).
you open up the short and long jumpers for both Wade and Bosh, dominate the boards (Dwight almost singlehandedly), and have better ball movement on offense (as Wade is the only ball-dominant player).
#gmstrong
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What I love about the excerpt is it finally brings light as to what was going on in the locker room that season and shows why the cameraderie broke down. I'm sure Mo played the good soldier, given his personality, but Delonte had been here for two years was probably growing weary of having to eat slop while LeBron got off with no repremand. Once that domino fell into place, how long until the rest of the team grew a set and stood along with Delonte? Is this why they looked so out of sync and fractured after April?
"If you need two yards, I'll get you two yards. If you need four yards, I'll get you two yards!" Ron Wolfley, Special Teams Madman
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Legend
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if there's going to be a showdown, then I'm always gonna be on the side of the crazy redhead that packs major heat when driving excessive speeds in DC on his motorcycle.
#gmstrong
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Quote:
Jordan had been cut from his freshman basketball team and overcome it,
Thats something that is always said that is a misrepresentation of the facts, Jordan was cut from the varsity team as a freshman, most freshmen are, but it doesnt sound as good to say it that way.
KING
You may be in the drivers seat but God is holding the map. #GMSTRONG
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Legend
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Quote:
Quote:
Jordan had been cut from his freshman basketball team and overcome it,
Thats something that is always said that is a misrepresentation of the facts, Jordan was cut from the varsity team as a freshman, most freshmen are, but it doesnt sound as good to say it that way.
KING
Yeah, honestly if you think about it, had he actually been cut from his high school team, he would have never gone to UNC.
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Legend
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Quote:
Quote:
Jordan had been cut from his freshman basketball team and overcome it,
Thats something that is always said that is a misrepresentation of the facts, Jordan was cut from the varsity team as a freshman, most freshmen are, but it doesnt sound as good to say it that way.
KING
Actually - I believe he was cut from the varsity team as a sophomore.
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Hall of Famer
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Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Jordan had been cut from his freshman basketball team and overcome it,
Thats something that is always said that is a misrepresentation of the facts, Jordan was cut from the varsity team as a freshman, most freshmen are, but it doesnt sound as good to say it that way.
KING
Actually - I believe he was cut from the varsity team as a sophomore.
Right, but he still played basketball, just on the JV squad, dont most sophmores? He wasnt cut from the high school team, he just didnt make varsity.
KING
You may be in the drivers seat but God is holding the map. #GMSTRONG
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Legend
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Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Jordan had been cut from his freshman basketball team and overcome it,
Thats something that is always said that is a misrepresentation of the facts, Jordan was cut from the varsity team as a freshman, most freshmen are, but it doesnt sound as good to say it that way.
KING
Actually - I believe he was cut from the varsity team as a sophomore.
Right, but he still played basketball, just on the JV squad, dont most sophmores? He wasnt cut from the high school team, he just didnt make varsity.
KING
Yup - 100% correct.
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It's incredibly difficult to get recruited to a school like North Carolina unless you start on varsity very early in high school and dominate.
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Quote:
It's incredibly difficult to get recruited to a school like North Carolina unless you start on varsity very early in high school and dominate.
This.
Don't discredit MJ for what he overcame and what he accomplished.
To play big time D1 basketball, you better be playing varsity as a Freshman, sure as hell by the time you're a Sophomore.
He worked hard to overcome. Give him credit where it's due.
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Legend
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Quote:
Right, but he still played basketball, just on the JV squad, dont most sophmores? He wasnt cut from the high school team, he just didnt make varsity.
KING
Ok, my fault for getting that fact slighly wrong.. but then if you have ever driven by the rinky dink high school outside of Castle Hayne, NC where MJ went to high school, to think that the greatest basketball player in history couldn't play varsity there as a sophomore is still fairly amazing.
yebat' Putin
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Growing 6-8" in height in a year's time can work wonders for a basketball player.
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Quote:
Quote:
Right, but he still played basketball, just on the JV squad, dont most sophmores? He wasnt cut from the high school team, he just didnt make varsity.
KING
Ok, my fault for getting that fact slighly wrong.. but then if you have ever driven by the rinky dink high school outside of Castle Hayne, NC where MJ went to high school, to think that the greatest basketball player in history couldn't play varsity there as a sophomore is still fairly amazing.
I wasn't referring to just you, I was just referring to many others who tell the tale of MJ that embellish the legend. He wasn't cut from the basketball team. He just didn't make the varsity. He played JV ball, had a nice growth spurt and had two good years and got a scholarship to a great program, I guess just doesn't sound so amazing if it is said like that.
King
You may be in the drivers seat but God is holding the map. #GMSTRONG
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Shaq also said how Pat Riley tried to throw him out of basketball practice and Shaq said make me and he threw Haslem out of the way like a crouton and got in Rileys face.
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