OT - SEC Storied piece on ESPN on Shaq

[bellairehusky]

Anyone see the SEC Storied piece featuring Shaquille O'Neal? I always thought Shaq to be a baffoon, but if the story is even half true, its tough not to like the guy. I should know better than to think I know someone based on public/press presentation (other than Laettner - got it right about that ass ).

What struck me was (i) how long players stayed in school Shaq didnt leave until after his junior year and even then, it was a tough decision for him), (ii) how important going to [real] classes and keeping up with school work was (his Coach Dale Brown, punished him by running him ragged around a track after he missed a day of classes - he never missed class again after that) and (iii) just how important it is to have a coach that really cares about the person and not the trophies. Also, I was amazed hearing Shaq in interviews when he was at LSU - pretty articulate for a 19-20 YO superstar college bball player.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Anyone see the SEC Storied piece featuring Shaquille O'Neal? I always thought Shaq to be a baffoon, but if the story is even half true, its tough not to like the guy. I should know better than to think I know someone based on public/press presentation (other than Laettner - got it right about that ass ).

What struck me was (i) how long players stayed in school Shaq didnt leave until after his junior year and even then, it was a tough decision for him), (ii) how important going to [real] classes and keeping up with school work was (his Coach Dale Brown, punished him by running him ragged around a track after he missed a day of classes - he never missed class again after that) and (iii) just how important it is to have a coach that really cares about the person and not the trophies. Also, I was amazed hearing Shaq in interviews when he was at LSU - pretty articulate for a 19-20 YO superstar college bball player.

I think he has a M.B.A and PhD.

 

[intlzncster]

One thing Shaq is not is an idiot/buffoon. He's just a massive and a goofball, so it might come off that way. But the guy is very savvy.

 

[7774]

One thing Shaq is not is an idiot/buffoon. He's just a massive and a goofball, so it might come off that way. But the guy is very savvy.

Yep, always seemed to be a decent guy as well for the most part. Not many guys with tens of millions would become a reserve police officer just because they enjoy doing it.

 

[Kitaman]

One thing Shaq is not is an idiot/buffoon. He's just a massive and a goofball, so it might come off that way. But the guy is very savvy.

Agree. Shaq is also very smart, and an astute investor. He can act (TNT is also an 'act' for him), wants to actually be a policeman, wrestles, etc...

The guy is admirable and never does anything negative, just good wholesome, fun stuff. The guy is rich also not just on basketball money, he put a lot of his earnings in annuities so as not to be broke when he retires.

Good role model, and good guy. He's worth defending or at least setting the record straight.

 

[Jaker]

the shaq is awesome

and beating him and LSU in 92 was even better

 

[Husky1964]

Like the storied Ray Allen he grew up in a military family. Still remember Jaker, how OUR 1-3-1 zone defense turned the game into a laugher.

 

[Jax Husky]

Dale Brown is a great man and fabulous recruiter, but was a bad coach. How a team with Chris Jackson (Mahmoud Abdul Raouf), Stanley Roberts, and Shaq can't get to an Elite8, I'll never understand.

Bobby Knight had the classic quote about Brown. He said, "I was really worried about that team on the floor, until I looked down the sideline and saw Dale Brown coaching them"