Shaq: tallest petty little man

[MMacOH]

Just go you guys have a good hypothetical to compare this with.  This would be like Kevin Durant having the nickname 'The Truth.'  Tell me that wouldn't tick off Paul Pierce.

Ironically, a name Shaq gave to Pierce.

Honestly, when was the last time Shaq looked like a "superman"? The big Shactus? Sure. I dunno what they'd call him in Cleveland....

"The Big Burning River"? "The Big Unemployment"? "The Big At Least We're Not Detroit"?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZzgAjjuqZM

Ha!  We actually just call him Shaq

[twinbree]

Shaq picking on Howard and Bosh is spiteful and petty. Just makes him look like someone who can't age gracefully and allow the next generation to have their moment in the spotlight. His resentment and attention seeking little controversies are just tedious for me now but I confess against Van Gundy I'm firmly team Shaq.

[indeedproceed]

I'm also very pro Shaq. These little mishaps (infidelities, law suits, stupid comments) I just generally ignore unless I see a random thread about them. THe guy is easily the most charismatic person in the NBA.

I think a good person to contrast him (not as a player mind you, but as a celebrity) against is LeBron James and/or Kobe Bryant.

Where both the 'King' and 'The Mamba' are wear a kind of phony public face constructed by hype machines (both Nike incidentally), Shaq is original, he's funny, and usually he doesn't take himself too seriously (present thread excluded). Shaq seems to be 98% bonafide, unlike other NBA mega personalities who seem to be marketing a person that really isn't them.

[Who]

I'm also very pro Shaq. These little mishaps (infidelities, law suits, stupid comments) I just generally ignore unless I see a random thread about them. THe guy is easily the most charismatic person in the NBA.

I think a good person to contrast him (not as a player mind you, but as a celebrity) against is LeBron James and/or Kobe Bryant.

Where both the 'King' and 'The Mamba' are wear a kind of phony public face constructed by hype machines (both Nike incidentally), Shaq is original, he's funny, and usually he doesn't take himself too seriously (present thread excluded). Shaq seems to be 98% bonafide, unlike other NBA mega personalities who seem to be marketing a person that really isn't them.

Fully agree -- it'll be a sad day when the NBA loses Shaq's personality and flair.

[Jon]

I'm also very pro Shaq. These little mishaps (infidelities, law suits, stupid comments) I just generally ignore unless I see a random thread about them. THe guy is easily the most charismatic person in the NBA.

I think a good person to contrast him (not as a player mind you, but as a celebrity) against is LeBron James and/or Kobe Bryant.

Where both the 'King' and 'The Mamba' are wear a kind of phony public face constructed by hype machines (both Nike incidentally), Shaq is original, he's funny, and usually he doesn't take himself too seriously (present thread excluded). Shaq seems to be 98% bonafide, unlike other NBA mega personalities who seem to be marketing a person that really isn't them.

Fully agree -- it'll be a sad day when the NBA loses Shaq's personality and flair.

And hasn't Shaq, a top 10 player of all time and a 4 time NBA Champion, earned the right to talk some trash to a guy who has won nothing at this point? 

[Donoghus]

I'm also very pro Shaq. These little mishaps (infidelities, law suits, stupid comments) I just generally ignore unless I see a random thread about them. THe guy is easily the most charismatic person in the NBA.

I think a good person to contrast him (not as a player mind you, but as a celebrity) against is LeBron James and/or Kobe Bryant.

Where both the 'King' and 'The Mamba' are wear a kind of phony public face constructed by hype machines (both Nike incidentally), Shaq is original, he's funny, and usually he doesn't take himself too seriously (present thread excluded). Shaq seems to be 98% bonafide, unlike other NBA mega personalities who seem to be marketing a person that really isn't them.

Fully agree -- it'll be a sad day when the NBA loses Shaq's personality and flair.

And hasn't Shaq, a top 10 player of all time and a 4 time NBA Champion, earned the right to talk some trash to a guy who has won nothing at this point? 

Sure, he's earned that right but it doesn't make him right this time around.

[guava_wrench]

Just go you guys have a good hypothetical to compare this with.  This would be like Kevin Durant having the nickname 'The Truth.'  Tell me that wouldn't tick off Paul Pierce.

How does this make sense unless players give themselves nicknames? These things happen organically. Can't blame players for that, except maybe in the case of Black Mamba.

As if Superman is in any way original? I'm pretty sure Shaq didn't create the name Superman. I don't see how anybody putting on a Superman outfit should be an affront to some guy who gives himself 300 nicknames. It isn't Howard's fault if the press picked up on it.

Look at the KMart nickname. It is an obvious nickname for both Kevin and Kenyon Martin growing up. It is pretty silly when fans start complaining about stealing nicknames when it happened organically.

[guava_wrench]

Shaq picking on Howard and Bosh is spiteful and petty. Just makes him look like someone who can't age gracefully and allow the next generation to have their moment in the spotlight. His resentment and attention seeking little controversies are just tedious for me now but I confess against Van Gundy I'm firmly team Shaq.

Shaq is really thin skinned. Mr sensitive who likes to lash out when he feels cheated. I have a hard respecting anyone who always thinks they are the victim.

[Chris]

I'm with Shaq on this.  He was Superman first, and Howard has not come anywhere near as good as Shaq was in his prime.

Howard needs to come up with his own nickname. 

[indeedproceed]

Dwight the De-light Howard. done.

[housecall]

I'm with Shaq on this.  He was Superman first, and Howard has not come anywhere near as good as Shaq was in his prime.

Howard needs to come up with his own nickname. 

For the record MJ was given that title back in the day.He just didn't make a big deal about it.

[Drucci]

Shaq has been doing this for years and he's doing an excellent job. He likes to play mind games with his competition, to try and get into their heads, to intimidate them.

And it's working, Shaq is clearly bothering Dwight.

Or simply motivating him. Last game Dwight abused little Shaqi.

You mean the game the Cavs won? 

The fact that the Cavs won doesn't change the fact that Howard dominated Shaq.

[PosImpos]

I really hope Dwight doesn't try to become like Shaq.  He's already a "better person" than Shaq and I'd be sad to see him become more like Shaq in that sense.  

I also think Dwight should focus on becoming more agile and crafty as opposed to more of a smasher like Shaq.  If he could just add some post moves and hooks to his game, perhaps a consistent close range jump shot, he'd be unstoppable.

[Lucky17]

I dunno what they'd call him in Cleveland....

"The Big Burning River"? "The Big Unemployment"? "The Big At Least We're Not Detroit"?

I dubbed him "The Big Expiring" in a thread a few months back.

I don't think it stuck.

[MF Doom]

All of this talk is talk about a nickname isn't important because Dwight will never be as nearly as good of a player as Shaq once was. I mean Shaq was almost unstopable at a point in his career. Dwight will never reach that point, no matter how likable he is.