Shaq in Miami

[healer677]

With a new team, and a new city -


do you think Shaq will actually show up in camp in shape? Or will he apply the same work ethic in Miami as in LA the last couple of years? Will he ever shoot better than 50% off the charity stripe during the season? and maybe better than 40% in the playoffs - assuming they make it?

 

[zydeco]

I think Shaq will have a stellar year in Miami. New surroundings - away from Kobe and his nonsense - watchout for a rejuvenated Shaq! I also actually think Shaq has a good work ethic. He's improved almost every aspect of his game significantly since he entered the league.

 

[Breeze]

I agree. I think Shaq will do really well this year. Also playing with Wade he'll get a lot more touches with the ball, because Wade doesn't mind sharing the ball.

The last couple of seasons Kobe dominated the ball and that's where a lot of the tensions came from. Now Shaq is away from Kobe, I think he's motivated and anxious to prove he is as unstoppable as he used to be.

 

[Romantica]

I also live in LA and I had season passes for the Lakers this year. I went to almost every home game minus the playoffs. I don't know if it was just me, but I could see the lack of chemestry between Shaq and Kobe on there faces. It was sad to watch.

 

[zydeco]

I don't think that it was just you. Seemed obvious to me as well. Unfortunately, I was only watching on TV!

 

[nato75]

This goes against my gut instinct but I think Shaq is up for a dominating year. He is pissed off. This is on par with Jordan's performance during the entire '96 season (a direct response to the whole Nick Anderson and the Orlando Magic thing in the '95 playoffs). To put it another way, this is as close to off the charts on the Vengeance Scale as we have seen in sports in years.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/040720

Yes, I read about sports too much...

 

[zydeco]

nato - You can't read about sports too much!

 

[shinjitsu]

As long as Shaq stays in shape, he should dominate the East. The likes of Eddy Curry, Ilgauskas and Ben Wallace won't be able to stop him.

If anything, the rest of the roster looks a little weak ... starting 5 could be ...

C - Shaquille O'Neill
F - Udonis Haslem
F - Rasual Butler
G - Dwayne Wade
G - Eddie Jones

off the bench ... Keyon Dooling, Michael Doleac

They better hope one of the rooks ... Dorell Wright or Albert Miralles does something.

 

[healer677]

One on one - no, Big Ben can't stop Shaq....but; Rasheed is a Piston, and I don't think Shaq can handle them both.

 

[zydeco]

We saw the result of that during the finals.

 

[Hey Mr]

I was in LA just last week and people are very anti Shaq right now. They seem to feel betrayed.

 

[healer677]

That's because most fans are idiots.

I hope they're smart enough to realize that neither the athlete nor the organization holds ANY obligation to the other.

The athlete is there to play - if he or she is good enough, they can dictate certain terms, but.....management is there to make money for the owners...thats it. They try to put on the best product for the best price (cheapest price) they can get away with. Simple.

So to a sore fan I say - "don't hate the player - hate the game"