Shaq on Stephen A. Smith

[Stone Cold is Bout It, Bout It]

GRAY: What was your reaction to Shaq saying the Lakers are his team, and everybody knows it?

BRYANT: It doesn't matter whose team it is. Nobody cares. I don't, Karl [Malone] doesn't, Gary [Payton] doesn't, and our teammates and the fans don't either. There's more to life than whose team this is. But this is his team, so it's time for him to act like it. That means no more coming into camp fat and out of shape, when your team is relying on your leadership on and off the court. It also means no more blaming others for our team's failure, or blaming staff members for not overdramatizing your injuries so that you avoid blame for your lack of conditioning. Also, "my team" doesn't mean only when we win; it means carrying the burden of defeat just as gracefully as you carry a championship trophy.

GRAY: Do you consider Shaq to be a leader?

BRYANT: Leaders don't beg for a contract extension and negotiate some 30 million [dollars] plus per year deal in the media when we have two future Hall of Famers playing here pretty much for free. A leader would not demand the ball every time down the floor when you have the three of us [Malone, Payton, Bryant] playing beside you, not to mention the teammates you have gone to war with for years -- and, by the way, then threaten not to play defense and rebound if you don't get the ball every time down the floor.

GRAY: Shaq says that you have not been a team player. Is he right?

BRYANT: That's ridiculous. I have been successfully sacrificing my game for years for Shaq. That's what Phil [Jackson] wanted me to do, so I did it. Last year Phil told me Shaq was not in physical condition to carry the trust of our offense, so he asked me to do it. But then he saw Shaq was getting upset that the team wasn't running through him, so Phil asked me to pull back and I did. This year is no different; my role is whatever Phil wants it to be. Period.

GRAY: Through out the preseason, your leg and conditioning has been lagging. Are you in the proper shape to start the season?

BRYANT: My knee is not strong enough to play yet. I know it. When it is I will play.

GRAY: Does that mean you will miss the opener [Tuesday] night and other games?

BRYANT: I probably won't play tomorrow night or until I'm ready. But I don't need Shaq's advice on how to play hurt. I've played with IVs before, during and after games. I've played with a broken hand, a sprained ankle, a torn shoulder, a fractured tooth, a severed lip, and a knee the size of a softball. I don't miss 15 games because of a toe injury that everybody knows wasn't that serious in the first place.

GRAY: Kobe, Shaq said if you didn't like what he had to say you can opt out and leave next season. Will you leave the Lakers?

BRYANT: I won't make that decision until the end of the season. I told Shaq last year that I was planning on opting out. He knew before anyone. I told him out of respect for what we have been through together. I thought he should be the first to know. The fact that he acts like this is such a big shock is a mystery to me. If leaving the Lakers at the end of the season is what I decide, a major reason for that will be Shaq's childlike selfishness and jealousy.

GRAY: Do you feel Shaq has been supportive in regards to your legal situation?

BRYANT: He is not my quote unquote "big brother." A big brother would have called to lend his support this summer. I heard absolutely nothing from him. I spoke to Devean [George], Rick [Fox], Mitch [Kupchak], Phil, and our owner Jerry Buss. And Shaq's own Uncle Jerome called and left three messages. Other teammates like Derek [Fisher], Mark [Madsen], and [Stanislav Medvedenko] left messages as well. Opponents called like [Chris] Webber, [Mike] Bibby, and many others. So did a lot of coaches. Michael Jordan, who didn't have my home phone, tracked it down to lend his support. So did Tiger Woods. But yet from my so-called big brother, I heard nothing.

GRAY: Why not resolve this behind closed doors? Why is this so public?

BRYANT: I asked Phil on Sunday [yesterday] to say something to calm this situation down before it boiled over. But he backed away, so now here we are. I have been a bigger person every time something happened with Shaq, and I don't expect this to be any different. But somebody in this organization had to speak up, because his unprofessionalism hurt us last year, and I don't want it to hurt us this year.

[Citizen-Y]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A4769-2004Dec16.html

Meanwhile, Bryant said yesterday during interviews on ESPN's "Pardon the Interruption" and "NBA Shootaround" that he wants to apologize to O'Neal for mentioning O'Neal's name during a police interview last year. After Bryant was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in Eagle, Colo., in June 2003, he told police that O'Neal paid hush money to women he was involved with.

Stop snitchin

[Black_Smoke]

GRAY: What was your reaction to Shaq saying the Lakers are his team, and everybody knows it?

BRYANT: It doesn't matter whose team it is. Nobody cares. I don't, Karl [Malone] doesn't, Gary [Payton] doesn't, and our teammates and the fans don't either. There's more to life than whose team this is. But this is his team, so it's time for him to act like it. That means no more coming into camp fat and out of shape, when your team is relying on your leadership on and off the court. It also means no more blaming others for our team's failure, or blaming staff members for not overdramatizing your injuries so that you avoid blame for your lack of conditioning. Also, "my team" doesn't mean only when we win; it means carrying the burden of defeat just as gracefully as you carry a championship trophy.

GRAY: Do you consider Shaq to be a leader?

BRYANT: Leaders don't beg for a contract extension and negotiate some 30 million [dollars] plus per year deal in the media when we have two future Hall of Famers playing here pretty much for free. A leader would not demand the ball every time down the floor when you have the three of us [Malone, Payton, Bryant] playing beside you, not to mention the teammates you have gone to war with for years -- and, by the way, then threaten not to play defense and rebound if you don't get the ball every time down the floor.

GRAY: Shaq says that you have not been a team player. Is he right?

BRYANT: That's ridiculous. I have been successfully sacrificing my game for years for Shaq. That's what Phil [Jackson] wanted me to do, so I did it. Last year Phil told me Shaq was not in physical condition to carry the trust of our offense, so he asked me to do it. But then he saw Shaq was getting upset that the team wasn't running through him, so Phil asked me to pull back and I did. This year is no different; my role is whatever Phil wants it to be. Period.

GRAY: Through out the preseason, your leg and conditioning has been lagging. Are you in the proper shape to start the season?

BRYANT: My knee is not strong enough to play yet. I know it. When it is I will play.

GRAY: Does that mean you will miss the opener [Tuesday] night and other games?

BRYANT: I probably won't play tomorrow night or until I'm ready. But I don't need Shaq's advice on how to play hurt. I've played with IVs before, during and after games. I've played with a broken hand, a sprained ankle, a torn shoulder, a fractured tooth, a severed lip, and a knee the size of a softball. I don't miss 15 games because of a toe injury that everybody knows wasn't that serious in the first place.

GRAY: Kobe, Shaq said if you didn't like what he had to say you can opt out and leave next season. Will you leave the Lakers?

BRYANT: I won't make that decision until the end of the season. I told Shaq last year that I was planning on opting out. He knew before anyone. I told him out of respect for what we have been through together. I thought he should be the first to know. The fact that he acts like this is such a big shock is a mystery to me. If leaving the Lakers at the end of the season is what I decide, a major reason for that will be Shaq's childlike selfishness and jealousy.

GRAY: Do you feel Shaq has been supportive in regards to your legal situation?

BRYANT: He is not my quote unquote "big brother." A big brother would have called to lend his support this summer. I heard absolutely nothing from him. I spoke to Devean [George], Rick [Fox], Mitch [Kupchak], Phil, and our owner Jerry Buss. And Shaq's own Uncle Jerome called and left three messages. Other teammates like Derek [Fisher], Mark [Madsen], and [Stanislav Medvedenko] left messages as well. Opponents called like [Chris] Webber, [Mike] Bibby, and many others. So did a lot of coaches. Michael Jordan, who didn't have my home phone, tracked it down to lend his support. So did Tiger Woods. But yet from my so-called big brother, I heard nothing.

GRAY: Why not resolve this behind closed doors? Why is this so public?

BRYANT: I asked Phil on Sunday [yesterday] to say something to calm this situation down before it boiled over. But he backed away, so now here we are. I have been a bigger person every time something happened with Shaq, and I don't expect this to be any different. But somebody in this organization had to speak up, because his unprofessionalism hurt us last year, and I don't want it to hurt us this year.

lol good read

[Stone Cold is Bout It, Bout It]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A4769-2004Dec16.html

Meanwhile, Bryant said yesterday during interviews on ESPN's "Pardon the Interruption" and "NBA Shootaround" that he wants to apologize to O'Neal for mentioning O'Neal's name during a police interview last year. After Bryant was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in Eagle, Colo., in June 2003, he told police that O'Neal paid hush money to women he was involved with.

Stop snitchin

Shaq's A Bitch for going along with that story..Kobe told shaq during training camp not to believe the bullshit that was going to come out of Eagle.CO.

Shaq got Butthurt that someone said "no" to him and he started shiting on everyone on the Lakers...including going along with that Story..lol @ the dumbasses that actually believe those dirty ass cops in Eagle,CO.

[Don Jacob]

again.....just ask dennis scott, scott skiles, nick anderson, anthony  bowie, d george, derek fisher, rick fox, glen rice, mitch richmond, tyron lue, gary payton, alonzo mourning, eddie jones, nick van exel, jeff foster, eldin cambell, horace grant, lindsey hunter, brian shaw, karl malone, ac green, robert horry, ron harper, antione walker, james, posey, dwayne wade, jayson williams, udonis haslm , pat riley, brian hill, phil jackson, del harris , they've all said he is.

[Citizen-Y]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A4769-2004Dec16.html

Meanwhile, Bryant said yesterday during interviews on ESPN's "Pardon the Interruption" and "NBA Shootaround" that he wants to apologize to O'Neal for mentioning O'Neal's name during a police interview last year. After Bryant was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in Eagle, Colo., in June 2003, he told police that O'Neal paid hush money to women he was involved with.

Stop snitchin

Shaq's A Bitch for going along with that story..Kobe told shaq during training camp not to believe the bullshit that was going to come out of Eagle.CO.

Shaq got Butthurt that someone said "no" to him and he started shiting on everyone on the Lakers...including going along with that Story..lol @ the dumbasses that actually believe those dirty ass cops in Eagle,CO.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/1004044shaq1.html

[7even]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A4769-2004Dec16.html

Meanwhile, Bryant said yesterday during interviews on ESPN's "Pardon the Interruption" and "NBA Shootaround" that he wants to apologize to O'Neal for mentioning O'Neal's name during a police interview last year. After Bryant was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in Eagle, Colo., in June 2003, he told police that O'Neal paid hush money to women he was involved with.

Stop snitchin

that's just fucked up

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Just wanted to say LMFAO@Big Jake for naming Eddie Jones as someone to ask if Shaq is a team player...People know what I think about Shaq. Dude is a big child who wants all the spotlight on him and has a lot of jealousy issues...You can't argue that, and you can't argue that Kobe showed a lot of patience and maturity beyond his years with Shaq when Shaq was acting like a little kid...PeACe

[Citizen-Y]

Just wanted to say LMFAO@Big Jake for naming Eddie Jones as someone to ask if Shaq is a team player...People know what I think about Shaq. Dude is a big child who wants all the spotlight on him and has a lot of jealousy issues...You can't argue that, and you can't argue that Kobe showed a lot of patience and maturity beyond his years with Shaq when Shaq was acting like a little kid...PeACe

Quote a time where Eddie Jones had beef with Shaq.  For all us non Laker fans, the only time I heard Eddie Jones had beef was with Kobe.

[GangstaBoogy]

^when exactly did eddie jones have "beef" with kobe

shaq has had problems with: penny hardaway, nick van excel, kobe, dennis rodman, text winters, and those are just the teammates he's had problems with. let's not forget barkley, vlade, and e.dampier.

[Don Jacob]

^when exactly did eddie jones have "beef" with kobe

shaq has had problems with: penny hardaway, nick van excel, kobe, dennis rodman, text winters, and those are just the teammates he's had problems with. let's not forget barkley, vlade, and e.dampier.

wow someone who claims to be a laker fan and can't even spell van exel or tex winter right....anything you say will hold less weight now.

like shaq said in the interview he views his relationships with penny, kobe, and wade like the godfather. penny was fredo, kobe was sonny, and wade was michael. he had beef with penny because he wasn't living up to what he could be but was trying to be a superstar, that's why he left for the lakers , he couldn't see himself winning a championship with him. nick van exel had beef with a lot if not all the lakers when he got traded, but with that said him and shaq always got along more so than not before and after he got traded.  before rodman went to the lakers him and shaq didn't like each other but when he joined the lakers they got along fine.

-and so what about barkley he was never a team mate....but now that's all barkley does is kiss shaq's ass
-vlade, again so what he was never a teamate of his he was the rival on the kings....that one should go without saying, also in a playoff game when kobe got fouled hard by vlade shaq stood up for kobe
-e. dampier, lol again is he a teammate of shaq's?

[Don Jacob]

Just wanted to say LMFAO@Big Jake for naming Eddie Jones as someone to ask if Shaq is a team player...People know what I think about Shaq. Dude is a big child who wants all the spotlight on him and has a lot of jealousy issues...You can't argue that, and you can't argue that Kobe showed a lot of patience and maturity beyond his years with Shaq when Shaq was acting like a little kid...PeACe

when did eddie jones become a shaq hater, last time i checked he said his best years were in los angeles playing with shaq and when four of the lakers made the all star team

[Citizen-Y]

Just wanted to say LMFAO@Big Jake for naming Eddie Jones as someone to ask if Shaq is a team player...People know what I think about Shaq. Dude is a big child who wants all the spotlight on him and has a lot of jealousy issues...You can't argue that, and you can't argue that Kobe showed a lot of patience and maturity beyond his years with Shaq when Shaq was acting like a little kid...PeACe

when did eddie jones become a shaq hater, last time i checked he said his best years were in los angeles playing with shaq and when four of the lakers made the all star team

I think the smog is getting to these Laker fans heads.

[jeromechickenbone]

LOL, remember when Kobe got busted for flossin that hotel janitor's buttcrack, and then snitched on Shaq?  He could score 150 points in one game and it'll never erase that.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Just wanted to say LMFAO@Big Jake for naming Eddie Jones as someone to ask if Shaq is a team player...People know what I think about Shaq. Dude is a big child who wants all the spotlight on him and has a lot of jealousy issues...You can't argue that, and you can't argue that Kobe showed a lot of patience and maturity beyond his years with Shaq when Shaq was acting like a little kid...PeACe

when did eddie jones become a shaq hater, last time i checked he said his best years were in los angeles playing with shaq and when four of the lakers made the all star team

LMAO! Boy, you're informed, aren't you? Shaq got Eddie traded not once, but TWICE.