The concept of rivalry in professional sports is a significant cog in maintaining the sanctity of the multitude of games that we all cherish and indulge in. You’ve got Yankees-Red Sox, Dodgers-Giants, Vikings-Packers, Ohio State-Michigan, UCLA-USC and of course, Lakers-Celtics.
To any die-hard sports fan, the notion of crossing the battle line to play for the enemy is no different than pulling a good old fashioned Benedict Arnold, a man whose name has become synonymous with betrayal.
From the rivalries listed above, a couple examples of Mr. Arnold are Johnny Damon leaving the comforts of Fenway for the bright lights of the Bronx, and Jeff Kent leaving the feud with Barry Bonds for the Giants’ most hated team, the Dodgers.
Most recently and perhaps most offensively, we’ve witnessed Brett Favre quarterback his way to the Packers’ arch nemesis, the Minnesota Vikings, with a slice of the Jets in between. That particular transition was such that to many Packer fans, donning a purple and yellow jersey was enough to erase him from the Lambeau history books, their minds, and most painfully, their hearts.
Now, the Lakers former greatest immovable force of all-time, Shaquille “(feel free to use any of his one million nicknames)” O’Neal, will begin the 2010-2011 NBA season as…wait for it…a…Boston Celtic.
Wait, come again? You mean we’re going to see real Shaq and (Big) Baby Shaq play together?!
Yes ladies and gentlemen, The Diesel is hoping to play The Black Mamba in the NBA Finals. Looks like the rivalry that was already gushing with an abundance of intrigue and embittered history just got juiced with anabolic whatever.
By joining the C’s, Shaq has voluntarily shifted the focus from when he should expect to get his jersey retired within the prestigious confines of The Elite Lakers Legends Club (as I like to call it) to if he will ever be awarded that honor at all.
Before we make any hasty and irrational decision based on our impulsive reaction to the news, I’d say that it’s only fair to at least perform our due diligence and review the years when number 34 was adored and beloved by the Laker faithful and yes, that includes you and me.
NEXT: Shaq’s Golden Laker Years Regardless of what has transpired within the last week, as Laker fans, it would be just as much of an atrocity if we completely denied the three championships and Finals MVP campaigns that The Diesel led for the city of L.A.
Granted, things did not initially pan out the way that we had all envisioned with Shaq as the centerpiece of our team in the late 1990’s, especially on the heels of back to back sweep exits from the postseason in 1998 (to Utah) and 1999 (to San Antonio). However, no one can say that Del Harris was by any means, a championship caliber coach.
Enter Phil Jackson. Phil, as has been the case throughout his 11 title winning seasons, still remains as the only head coach who has ever been able to successfully manage Shaq’s excessive ego, and during his prime at that.
Obviously, Pat Riley won a championship as his coach too, but if there is anyone who would say he was the primary figure during that postseason, is out of his or her mind.
Flash. Enough said.
The point is that Phil got the very best out of Shaq when it was the ripest for picking. It’s no coincidence that in Phil’s first season (1999-2000), Shaq was able to capture his first and only league MVP trophy while averaging 29.7 ppg, 13.6 rpg and 3.0 bpg. Without question , the most important trophy attained that year was the one named after Larry O’Brien. How much of the Lakers dynasty that followed had to do with The Diesel?
Everything.
Don’t get me wrong now, I’ve been a proponent of Kobe Bryant from day one, and while it’s ultimately true that neither could have won those three rings together without the other by their side, we’re talking about Shaq in his prime here. Mamba was still coming up.
Shaq was so dominant that nearly every team in the league resorted to implementing the Hack-a-Shaq technique in the waning moments of close games – a cheap tactic devised by then Portland coach, Mike Dunleavy.
Sure, The Diesel’s playing shape became a problem and one of the seeds that sprouted the mega feud between him and Kobe, but at that time, he was the most important player on the squad and Mamba was not quite ready to be the central figure on a championship team. As much of a super Kobe fan I am, I also have no problem acknowledging his growing pains.
In eight seasons wearing the purple and gold, Shaq led the Lakers to four NBA Finals appearances, three consecutive championships, won his only league MVP and simply put, eclipsed the league’s other big men without remorse.
The Diesel undoubtedly punched his ticket into the Basketball Hall of Fame a long time ago and his Laker credentials, on paper, qualify him for the honor of having his number 34 jersey hang next to legendary purple and gold knights: Magic, Kareem, Wilt, Jerry, Gail, Elgin and James.
Right?
On paper, sure, but this is sports. It’s not only about what you’ve done on the court, field, or ice. There are certain acts of treason that can effectively overshadow and for the most part, negate everything you’ve ever accomplished as a player for whatever team. While playing for the arch rival may not exactly be as much of an abomination as placing bets for and against your own team, or using performance enhancing drugs, in Lakerland, the crime is punishable by death.
Not literally, just to be clear. Death in our Laker hearts.
NEXT: The Verdict Before I continue. I’d like to firmly state that I did my best to take a considerable step back from the circus reaction to the news of Shaq going to Boston and really give him a fair chance at winning this argument. Like I said, the man did have the hugest hand on the court in bringing three more NBA titles to L.A. during a time when the league itself was looking for something magical to lean on during the post-Bulls era and also, the lockout that shortened the 1998-1999 season.
Despite all of the obvious evidence that solidifies Shaq’s place as one of the greatest and most unstoppable Lakers to ever wear the purple and gold, there are a couple of undeniable reasons that do nothing to mitigate the shocking act he has just signed and sealed on the dotted line.
The first has to do with Shaq’s erroneous behavior upon leaving the Lakers that created a gradual rift between him and Lakerland. He went from being the a player that we were all incredibly heartbroken to see go to Kobe’s number one nemesis. We all remember, “Kobe, tell me how my a** tastes”.
One of the biggest reasons why I respect Kobe so much is the fact that regardless of whatever was unraveling off the court and whatever was being said by critics, coaches and Shaq himself, Mamba always kept his mouth sealed and only worked that much harder to intensify his dedication to the game.
The aforementioned infamous performance by Shaq, ironically enough, came not too long after his now Boston Celtics had destroyed the Lakers in the 2008 NBA Finals. The Diesel can front all he wants and claim that he was “joking”, but it doesn’t take a genius to figure out the true intent behind his antics. My point is, by mocking the Laker leader and 2008 MVP Kobe, Shaq insulted the franchise as a whole when the pain and anguish of that year’s Finals loss was more than any of us could bear.
Throwing salt on our wounds? -100 right there.
The single most compelling factor against Shaq though, has nothing to do with the epic beef with Kobe. Does it have to do with him going to the Celtics? Absolutely. Does it have anything to do with fan reaction? Not quite.
Think about each and every single player whose jersey hangs from the Staples Center rafters. Collectively, they have two main elements in common. They were all irreplaceable players for the Lakers and to this day, they all share the same undying hatred for the Boston Celtics.
And I do mean hate in every sense of the word – loathe, despise, detest, spurn, take your pick.
Can you honestly say that someone like the great Jerry West could accept having a Boston Celtic player’s former Lakers jersey resting next to his, regardless of the player’s achievements during his tenure with this team?
While I’m certain that all of the legends are classy enough to take the diplomatic approach and welcome Shaq to the club, I have no doubt that their sincerity will be infinitely questionable. To be straight forward, once the sight of Shaq wearing a Celtics jersey with a cheesy smile on his face was laced all over ESPN.com, I made up my mind right then and there that…
There’s absolutely no way I can feel nostalgia over his years as a Lakers star ever again, championships or not. Like I said, this is sports and rivalries such as Lakers-Celtics burn deep enough that once you lace up your kicks for those dudes in Beantown, don’t expect acknowledgment or acceptance as one of our great players. In my mind at least, he is no longer worthy of having his jersey side by side with the likes of Big Game James.
It’s one thing if Shaq had at least shown some sort of understanding and respect towards the rivalry from L.A.’s perspective when Jimmy Kimmel asked, “Would you feel weird putting on a Celtics uniform after playing for the Lakers?”
His response? A staunch “No”. Should the Lakers retire Shaq’s number?
No.
It’s not about what The Diesel’s Laker legacy means to us anymore. At this point, I question whether or not it means anything to him.
See you in June, Shaq. I can’t wait.