# Watching Shaq's decline...



## Elton (May 26, 2007)

...has given me a deeper appreciation for Arvydas Sabonis. I was always a big fan of Sabonis, but watching the "Big Aristotle" stink up the joint these days has really highlighted (in my mind) the differences between the two great centers. 

As Shaq has slowed and gained weight, there's very little for him to fall back upon, other than brute force, which thankfully isn't as useful to him as it once was. By contrast, Sabonis could do amazing things basically as a broken-down shell of his former self: the shooting, incredible passing and rebounding. With his lack of mobility he was still incredibly good at lots of things and made his teammates better. 

Shaq? What's he got left that isn't wince inducing? He should be much more effective than he is these days and somehow I think he's got a little bit of bad karma on his plate right now. In the future I hope Oden doesn't trash talk him the way Shaq did to the media about Sabonis.


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## KingSpeed (Oct 30, 2003)

Umm.. Shaq did have 20 pts and 11 rebounds last night and he a big steal in the third quarter, I think. Those numbers aren't horrible.


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## Elton (May 26, 2007)

Good point, and I guess last night was better than most this season for Shaq...but he's really declined fast. I've watched a fair amount of Heat games here and there on League Pass (morbid fascination, I guess) and his stinkage (compared to his old self) has been quite evident.

I'm really not trying to full-on bash the guy, but I do remember his lack of class/respect towards Arvydas and I think he's getting a bit of a come-uppance in a way.


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## KingSpeed (Oct 30, 2003)

Well, I don't know if you read my blog or not, but here's a little tidbit about last night at American Airlines Arena:

When I was cheering for the Blazers during warmups, ther was an 11 year old kid in front of me who was surprised and said "You like them?" And I said "Yep." I looked over at the Heat and I was amazed at just how giant Shaq is. I told the kid "I have no idea why you guys are losing. Shaq is HUGE" and he said "Shaq sucks." Then I said "And you have Wade too" and he said "He'll probably get hurt tonight. We need Kobe and LeBron." 

LOL!!!


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## Elton (May 26, 2007)

Heh, I do remember you posting that on another thread. 

I never thought I'd hear "Shaq sucks" from a Heat fan so soon. Funny how honest kids are.


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## SheedSoNasty (Dec 31, 2002)

Elton said:


> Heh, I do remember you posting that on another thread.
> 
> I never thought I'd hear "Shaq sucks" from a Heat fan so soon. Funny how honest kids are.


He did bring them a Championship, though. Something Heat fans may not have been able to say for possibly another decade. No offense to Dwyane Wade or anything.


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## Xericx (Oct 29, 2004)

I'm a Shaq fan (except when he was on the lakers, where I despised him). However, I hope Oden retires shaq with extreme prejuidice next season. Make Shaq cry.


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## BeaverMaz (Jan 6, 2003)

I have always liked Shaq as well. Not so much when he was a Laker but he was so dominant it was hard not to respect his abilities.

What I noticed from watching him last night was, while he did have a few dunks, a lot of his rebounds and put backs he just layed up off of the backboard rather than hammer it down with a dunk. He is not as physically powerful as he used to be. But I think any player who dished out as much punishment and took a lot of hard fouls plus was 350 pounds for most of his career would be in the same condition. I think he has just grown old quickly due to all of the pounding his body has taken.

He is still capable of taking over games I am sure.


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## IbizaXL (Sep 21, 2005)

BeaverMaz said:


> He is still capable of taking over games I am sure.


actually quite the opposite. he's capable of ruining it.


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## BiggaAdams (Nov 10, 2006)

Shaq just doesn't get the ball anymore. He's very capable of 20/10.


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## alext42083 (Nov 7, 2003)

I said it in the game thread, but in Shaq's younger years, there would be no way we would be able to get away with putting LaMarcus on him in the fourth quarter.
When Shaq was in LA, he'd eat up our guys like Sabas, Brian Grant, Jermaine, Dudley, whomever, and get them into early foul trouble by the first quarter.
Right now, he just disappears completely down the stretch in games. It's sad, but he should be happy with his career.


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## KingSpeed (Oct 30, 2003)

It's crazy to see a team with Shaq on it to have a record like 8-31 and it's really 8-32 but one loss got swiped by that desperate protest.


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## Schilly (Dec 30, 2002)

Shaq doesn't get the ball anymore because he lacks the physical quickness he used to have and now really relies on bulling through people. He is really really slowed way down.


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## KingSpeed (Oct 30, 2003)

He's still so big though. Watching him play in person the other night I could imagine how incredibly intimidating it must have been to go up against him in his prime. Of COURSE he won 4 titles. I'm surprised he didn't win more. The guy is a giant and took three different teams to the Finals.


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## Hector (Nov 15, 2004)

1) When does Pat Riley get some blame for how Shaq is not used? I've always thought he underused Kareem in the 1980s. The Lakers should have remained Kareem's team instead of becoming Magic's team.

2) When does Shaq get some blame for relying on physical talent and never developing his moves, which catches up with you in old age, a la Shawn Kemp?

3) Why does ZackEddy look like Matthew Broderick in Ferris Bueller? Is that the look casting agents look for?


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## Resume (Jul 17, 2007)

ZackAddy said:


> he said "Shaq sucks." Then I said "And you have Wade too" and he said "He'll probably get hurt tonight. We need Kobe and LeBron."
> 
> LOL!!!


That is funny!!!!! Damn kids lol


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