I hope Shaq comes back

[celticsclay]

I know this is about as likely as rooting to see santa clause at my house this christmas, but I think few things would make me less happy than Shaq quietly training all season and during the lockout and for the first half of the season and signing with the Celtics after the trade deadline for the last 15 games and for the playoffs. I know there will be a million people pointing out he would be a complete non factor, he is 40 etc, but I am just saying the story of it, would make me really happy.

From all accounts Shaq was doing this the second half of last year and did everything he possibly could to return to the team. I think him ending his career the way it did, and with how little he was able to contribute to the celtics after how much he seemed to enjoy the group... it leaves a sour taste in everyone's month. I kept waiting for him the whole heat series to just pop off the bench and give a few hard fouls.. or do something and it just never happened. Maybe this post is a bit of that, or just me not being able to let go of guy I've gone through adulthood watching.
Nonetheless, if i was in that position, the idea of training quietly and doing this and coming back and thinking of going out a champion would be such a better story than the way his last few seasons ended... somebody support me.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

I guess we better both wake up from this dream.

[housecall]

Shaq or Shaq's brand...which did we really get the most of?

[bfrombleacher]

If he doesn't play this year, he's probably never going to play again, which is highly probable.

I would really like to see Shaq being a Celtic staff. It can happen if he wants to.

[celticsclay]

Shaq or Shaq's brand...which did we really get the most of?

Oh I hear you, we definitely got more of the brand this year, as fun as that was. However, I don't think many could deny he was effective in limited minutes until he got injured. I just really don't like the way it ended.

[Prof. Clutch]

However unlikely, he'd be a hell of a mid season signing IF he were healthy.

[shyun]

Well he did himself say 'probably not' so you never know. Problem is the achilles is pretty bad with healing. a local football player did his from turning aorund and starting to run (not even that aggresively) and he's out for a year. Hes only 25 and 220lb...

[Marcus13]

I just never thought Shaq would go out like that.  I thought it'd light a fire to get himself in shape for one last run but I guess not

[greenpride32]

During his retirement Shaq said he needed surgery to correct the Achillies and it was a 9 month recovery process.  This is the real reason he is not returning next year.  He cannot fully train during the recovery and will be out of shape when he's fully healed.  And 9 months time basically puts you right at the end stretch run to just start warming up.

[GreenFaith1819]

Shaq is done.

But boy what a ride! Even though his time was short, I loved seeing him in Green.

[celticsclay]

During his retirement Shaq said he needed surgery to correct the Achillies and it was a 9 month recovery process.  This is the real reason he is not returning next year.  He cannot fully train during the recovery and will be out of shape when he's fully healed.  And 9 months time basically puts you right at the end stretch run to just start warming up.

I mean the point about it not being possible is highly debatable, especially if you have a million dollars at your dispoable to aid in your recovery. I am not sure if he will have to get the surgery regardless, but if you had to guess you would think not getting it would lead to him having more chronic pain and issues down the line. Well Shaq is very old for the NBA, at 39 he is still a fairly young man in the real world. So if he is already getting the surgery... you would think he would at least consider doing some rehab. What he can and can't do nobody could probably know, but I would imagine there are some things he can do like swimming, rowing etc that could be done at various points without stressing the leg out (and which he probably needs to do more of anyways). Plus, if had gotten the surgery right after the celtics were eliminated 9 months would be about february.

Finally the whole pipedream scenario would be that he is not sure if he can do this at all, but is going to try. That's why he would have announced his retirement so people wouldn't be watching his every move and he was somehow able to be ready to play basketball by next spring he could finish what he started here... what a good story!

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

I never get why people say the guy wasn't busting his butt to get back... and how you never thought he'd go out like that. He DID try... heck, the man lost 30lbs! You think he didn't try and just accepted (w/o work) going out like that? The man was taking shot after shot even when the doctors said not to. Another thing, money doesn't fix everything, you think if the "million dollars" would fix Shaq that he wouldn't easily spend it to get better? Shaq held up rather well for someone his size (19 seasons)... with all that beating he took, I expect to see the man in a wheelchair in 5 years... or at least walking like C. Barkley!

[SHAQATTACK]

I think he'll be back for a final series agin. He never got a chance to finish hard.

[celticsclay]

I never get why people say the guy wasn't busting his butt to get back... and how you never thought he'd go out like that. He DID try... heck, the man lost 30lbs! You think he didn't try and just accepted (w/o work) going out like that? The man was taking shot after shot even when the doctors said not to. Another thing, money doesn't fix everything, you think if the "million dollars" would fix Shaq that he wouldn't easily spend it to get better? Shaq held up rather well for someone his size (19 seasons)... with all that beating he took, I expect to see the man in a wheelchair in 5 years... or at least walking like C. Barkley!

I think you were misunderstanding my post... or I am misunderstanding yours. I was saying that people shouldn't rule him out from returning. Part of the reason I think he may try and come back is beacuse I know how hard he tried to come back and wasn't able to, so I think he may try again this year. The only thing I was saying with the million dollars, is that he has more resources at his disposal to use in getting in shape than someone else that may have injured their achilles and wanted to play basketball sooner. I want the guy to come back more than anyone and love the dude, that's why i started this whole thread!

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

I never get why people say the guy wasn't busting his butt to get back... and how you never thought he'd go out like that. He DID try... heck, the man lost 30lbs! You think he didn't try and just accepted (w/o work) going out like that? The man was taking shot after shot even when the doctors said not to. Another thing, money doesn't fix everything, you think if the "million dollars" would fix Shaq that he wouldn't easily spend it to get better? Shaq held up rather well for someone his size (19 seasons)... with all that beating he took, I expect to see the man in a wheelchair in 5 years... or at least walking like C. Barkley!

I think you were misunderstanding my post... or I am misunderstanding yours. I was saying that people shouldn't rule him out from returning. Part of the reason I think he may try and come back is beacuse I know how hard he tried to come back and wasn't able to, so I think he may try again this year. The only thing I was saying with the million dollars, is that he has more resources at his disposal to use in getting in shape than someone else that may have injured their achilles and wanted to play basketball sooner. I want the guy to come back more than anyone and love the dude, that's why i started this whole thread!

Okay, just a misunderstanding. I was really talking about a lot of people and pulled from everywhere. TP All's well!