The Big Needy
June 15th 2009 07:51
This is a seemingly affable photo of Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant from a different lifetime. The former teammates won 3 rings together from 2000-2002 and seemed like the best of friends. Then, when the Lakers lost to the Detroit Pistons in the 2004 NBA Finals, things went bad. Shaq was getting pushed out the door and he blamed Kobe. Kobe wanted to have a team to himself. Coach Phil Jackson sided with Shaq and said Kobe was uncoachable. There was much he-said she-said involved, but regardless of who did what, there was a sizable rift created between the former comrades.
Throughout the last 5 years, Shaq and Kobe have had their inevitable meanings on the court and exchanged awkward and superficial greetings. Shaq repeatedly denied any hard feelings toward Kobe, claiming that he indeed likes his former sidekick and wishes the best for him. Kobe has been less diplomatic than the Diesel/Aristotle/Cactus is, constantly dodging the topic of his relationship with Shaq.
There was no mention of it, but both men raced to be the first to win a title without the other, wanting to bad to prove that neither needs each other to reach the mountaintop. Shaq accomplished his 4th ring first, riding Dwyane Wade and some terrific refs to the 2006 championship. He quietly and passively held this over Kobe's head in the media, knowing that it would eat Kobe alive. Indeed, Kobe stewed for 3 years, driven by his obsession to prove his indepedence from Shaq.
On the EXACT DAY that Kobe was to win his 4th ring, and first without Shaq, guess who just couldn't stay away? Yep, the Big Needy. Just hours before the Lakers took the floor for Game 5 against the Magic, news broke all over the wires that the Cleveland Cavaliers were in talks to trade for Shaq. The timing was all too convenient and should not be ignored. Whether Shaq is responsible for the newsbreaking or not, I think its despicable that he can't ever let Kobe have his moment without Shaq's shadow looming over him. He pops his lovable and humorous easygoing persona up just at the right time so that everyone fixates on him, which is exactly what he purposes to do.
Both Shaquille and Kobe are legends indepedent of each other. We all recognize their talents and merits individually. Now that both have won a 4th title, maybe they'll both finally realize they don't need each other, like the rest of us did long ago.
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