Shaq Appreciation Thread
Goto page Previous  1, 2
 
Post new topic    LakersGround.net Forum Index -> LA Lakers Lounge Reply to topic
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
jonnybravo
Retired Number
Retired Number


Joined: 21 Sep 2007
Posts: 30621

PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 12:47 am    Post subject:

1. We had a 53 win team that a year prior rolled a 60+ win Seattle team in a first round series. Yeah, that happened...oh, I was there in the closeout game!!! Rolled motha-(bleep)!

2. Orlando newspaper (Sentinel at the time?...they showed graphics of it at the time on NBA on NBC other news outlets) took a poll. 90%+ (I don't remember the exact figure) said Shaq wasn't worth the money. His insensitive ass was butthurt.

3. We did everything possible to free up money. Lynch and Peeler were given away to free up the last bit of money. He was adamant about getting the most money at that point after Zo got the monster offer from Miami. Look up the quote on BMW's and Mercedes'. Yeah...that went down. And yes, that quote exists. The sequence of events was as I recall (with some missteps I'm sure) we gave him a huge offer at the time (in the 90s or so). Zo got his deal that had him the top dog. We had to make the last deal for Lynch for noting to make sure that he got the 100+ deal.

Those are the facts as it went down. History lesson to a lot of ya fellas.

I do thank him for the 3 rings for sure. But that doesn't change the facts of the summer of 1996. How well do I remember it? I remember driving to my summer job and flipping through the stations and hearing on Kiis102.7 playing Love Shack after the signing. Yeah...I remember it alright.

In any event, I don't want to throw the wet blanket but here it is. It's nothing like this crazy jump to a neophyte team like we're trying imagine.

No, we gave him the most money. He joined a 53 win team. Orlando papers were ripping him a new one. Orlando fans gave him the finger.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
KobeButler
Franchise Player
Franchise Player


Joined: 14 Nov 2004
Posts: 10179

PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 2:11 am    Post subject:

Back in the day when teams could offer equal money with the team who drafted him. This new cba really doesnt help us...and. to think dan gilbert was complaining this new cba would help big market teams yet his team is about to have the biggest payroll in nba history
_________________
Pain is temporary, at the end of pain is success...
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
x75274
Starting Rotation
Starting Rotation


Joined: 03 Nov 2010
Posts: 674

PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 2:25 am    Post subject:

jonnybravo wrote:
1. We had a 53 win team that a year prior rolled a 60+ win Seattle team in a first round series. Yeah, that happened...oh, I was there in the closeout game!!! Rolled motha-(bleep)!

2. Orlando newspaper (Sentinel at the time?...they showed graphics of it at the time on NBA on NBC other news outlets) took a poll. 90%+ (I don't remember the exact figure) said Shaq wasn't worth the money. His insensitive ass was butthurt.

3. We did everything possible to free up money. Lynch and Peeler were given away to free up the last bit of money. He was adamant about getting the most money at that point after Zo got the monster offer from Miami. Look up the quote on BMW's and Mercedes'. Yeah...that went down. And yes, that quote exists. The sequence of events was as I recall (with some missteps I'm sure) we gave him a huge offer at the time (in the 90s or so). Zo got his deal that had him the top dog. We had to make the last deal for Lynch for noting to make sure that he got the 100+ deal.

Those are the facts as it went down. History lesson to a lot of ya fellas.

I do thank him for the 3 rings for sure. But that doesn't change the facts of the summer of 1996. How well do I remember it? I remember driving to my summer job and flipping through the stations and hearing on Kiis102.7 playing Love Shack after the signing. Yeah...I remember it alright.

In any event, I don't want to throw the wet blanket but here it is. It's nothing like this crazy jump to a neophyte team like we're trying imagine.

No, we gave him the most money. He joined a 53 win team. Orlando papers were ripping him a new one. Orlando fans gave him the finger.


Almost spot on with everything except the Seattle Sonics part. Im positive they didn't win 60+ games in 94-95 (only the Spurs that year - "Van Exel for the win" won over 60 games), that would be the year after when they won 64 and beat Richmond's Kings, swept Houston (team that beat us), beat the Jazz, and made the finals. In 95, we faced them as the 5 seed playing the 4 seed but I want to say they won 57 games while we won 48....Huge Mismatch except Van Exel loved playing Payton
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Runway8
Franchise Player
Franchise Player


Joined: 19 Apr 2003
Posts: 22734
Location: La Jolla, San Diego

PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 3:09 am    Post subject:

The Sonics in 1994 were the #1 seed that got knocked out by the #8 Mutombo Nuggets. In 95, they had trouble with us all year long. We swept them in regular season, and then they unluckily drew us in the first round, and we swept them. 8-0 against Sonics that year.

Sonics were up and down but they eventually got their act together and went to the finals in 96. Anyway, it's kind of ironic that the best point guard we'll have since Nick is actually left handed just like Nick. I have a feeling, our new core will remind us of the 95 Lakers.

Correction... 7-1 against Sonics in 95. I remember we beat them in 4, but realize it was a 5 game series back then, so it was 3-1.


Last edited by Runway8 on Thu Jul 02, 2015 6:05 am; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Sting
Starting Rotation
Starting Rotation


Joined: 04 Dec 2014
Posts: 846

PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 5:50 am    Post subject:

Here comes the Shaq haters. don't like Shaq??? Umm..... ok, cool
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Peoples Hernandez
Star Player
Star Player


Joined: 11 Apr 2009
Posts: 3727

PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 4:13 pm    Post subject:

In all fairness to Shaq, He saw an exact mirror image of his Orlando team in those Lakers... Some might not fully remember it at the time but:

Penny:Van Exel
Anderson:Jones
Scott:Ceballos
Grant:Elden

Kobe wasn't even an X-Factor then but an afterthought that was Jerry West's pet project.

Shaq didn't make a sacrifice, Shaq made a smart move leaving from Orlando to L.A...

That was just the stars aligning just right. Anyone that followed the NBA back then will tell you the same. Let's stop with the revisionist B.S.
_________________
Whenever the Lakers benefit all of a sudden rules need to be changed and trades need to be blocked.

"It's all entertainment" -Rasheed Wallace
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Sting
Starting Rotation
Starting Rotation


Joined: 04 Dec 2014
Posts: 846

PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 4:20 pm    Post subject:

Peoples Hernandez wrote:
In all fairness to Shaq, He saw an exact mirror image of his Orlando team in those Lakers... Some might not fully remember it at the time but:

Penny:Van Exel
Anderson:Jones
Scott:Ceballos
Grant:Elden

Kobe wasn't even an X-Factor then but an afterthought that was Jerry West's pet project.

Shaq didn't make a sacrifice, Shaq made a smart move leaving from Orlando to L.A...

That was just the stars aligning just right. Anyone that followed the NBA back then will tell you the same. Let's stop with the revisionist B.S.
penny was a superstar at the time too. No one could forecast penny falling off and kobe being the star he became. Shaq left his boys D Scott B Shaw among others too... To have fans never truly appreciate him being a laker legend. It's a shame people still hold a grudge against Shaq because off the court action. Those same people turn the cheek when it's involving KoBes early off the court action. Just my 2 cents
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Peoples Hernandez
Star Player
Star Player


Joined: 11 Apr 2009
Posts: 3727

PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 4:22 pm    Post subject:

Of course there will be someone that will talk some revisionist horse dung that was born between 87-97 that only read old articles from the media from back then saying otherwise but Shaq knew what he was doing saw a team that was only missing him and capitalized on that.... That's the true story of where Shaq and the Lakers began and only those that actually followed the team before Shaq know it.
_________________
Whenever the Lakers benefit all of a sudden rules need to be changed and trades need to be blocked.

"It's all entertainment" -Rasheed Wallace
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Peoples Hernandez
Star Player
Star Player


Joined: 11 Apr 2009
Posts: 3727

PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 4:27 pm    Post subject:

PS Too-Jordan was a direct product of marketing from the media (Sports Illustrated ran sports before ESPN), Nike, and David Stern himself. Again, revisionist history is some B.S.
_________________
Whenever the Lakers benefit all of a sudden rules need to be changed and trades need to be blocked.

"It's all entertainment" -Rasheed Wallace
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
non-player zealot
Franchise Player
Franchise Player


Joined: 05 Nov 2007
Posts: 21365

PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 4:32 pm    Post subject:

LandsbergerRules wrote:
lakers4life78 wrote:
Revisionist history.

Shaq came to a quality Laker team coming off a 53 win season with a lot of young talent. He wanted to come to LA to be in movies. On top of that, the Lakers offered him more money than Orlando.

Doubt Shaq comes in '96 if we're a 21-61 team and he has to leave money on the table.


Just saying.


The 96 Lakers were pretty lousy outside of the 30 gms with Magic. Even at that, they lost in Round 1 with HCA. Those Lakers had done significantly less than Shaq's Orlando teams. Just saying, just saying.
_________________
GOAT MAGIC REEL
SEDALE TRIBUTE
EDDIE DONX!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
lakersken80
Retired Number
Retired Number


Joined: 12 Aug 2009
Posts: 38751

PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 4:33 pm    Post subject:

Big deal, 53 win team that couldn't make it out of the 2nd round. His team got to the NBA Finals. And yes, I did watch the entire series. BTW, even with Shaq that team didn't make it to the Finals until the 1999-2000 season. So its not like it was a Finals ready team.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Peoples Hernandez
Star Player
Star Player


Joined: 11 Apr 2009
Posts: 3727

PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 4:37 pm    Post subject:

lakersken80 wrote:
Big deal, 53 win team that couldn't make it out of the 2nd round. His team got to the NBA Finals. And yes, I did watch the entire series. BTW, even with Shaq that team didn't make it to the Finals until the 1999-2000 season. So its not like it was a Finals ready team.


Two words: Del. Harris.


You could put Del Harris in the same category as Brian Hill or Bob Hill... They all were the same coach skill-wise. There's a reason Dr. Buss said the hell with it and hired Phil first chance he got.
_________________
Whenever the Lakers benefit all of a sudden rules need to be changed and trades need to be blocked.

"It's all entertainment" -Rasheed Wallace
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
LandsbergerRules
Franchise Player
Franchise Player


Joined: 29 Aug 2004
Posts: 11197
Location: The Other Perspective

PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 4:40 pm    Post subject:

LOL without Shaq, mid-90s Orlando and the Lakers were at similar levels. Lakers were slightly better imo. Once Diesel left the Magic, they went from 60 win conference finalist to a 45 win 1st round exit team.
_________________
"Chick lived and breathed Lakers basketball…but he was also fair and objective and called every game the way it was played."
-from Chick: His Unpublished Memoirs and the Memories of Those Who Knew Him
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
SuperboyReformed
Star Player
Star Player


Joined: 07 Oct 2012
Posts: 4083

PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 4:43 pm    Post subject:

shaq. such a polarizing guy for me. he made a lot of mistakes while on the lakers, and i side with kobe on most of them. But he was a once ina lifetime talent, so it's hard to complain. But as a fan, it does feel like he left 2-3 championships on the table. He definitely should have worked harder in his latter years with the team, which was the bulk of kobe's infamous rant against him. But recently, kobe defended him saying it's hard for a man his size and agility to keep up with the consequences of aging. still, it does feel like the lakers could have had 2-3 more rings if he had done some things differently.

Also, he made a big stink about the cancun thing with nick van exel, who was a favorite of mine. he shouldn't have done that. i think he was jealous that nick was in some ways more popular to fans than he was (it's true). mid 90s, nick was the man for the lakers. we loved him, dont act like you didn't!

so it goes with big men. there is a lot of luck involved. kobe is right, it's not easy to sustain greatness with that kind of size. wilt was a really rare type of player who was crazy about working out and competitive as hell. shaq was not like that, a little more of a clown. then there are guys like walton, who unfortunately broke down before their prime. walton could have been the greatest big man of all time in the nba. instead, he is probably the greatest big man of college. it takes a really special cocktail of circumstances for a big man to be successful in the nba.

overall, i'm very glad that shaq was a laker and was born. size, strength, and agility not seen since wilt. good times. 1999-2000 shaq was a one man wrecking machine, so dominant. btw, to this day, i still can't figure out how portland was able to contain him in that series. that's got to be some of the best defensive schemes ever figured out...let alone pippen who was amazing in that series.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
lakersken80
Retired Number
Retired Number


Joined: 12 Aug 2009
Posts: 38751

PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 4:43 pm    Post subject:

Peoples Hernandez wrote:
lakersken80 wrote:
Big deal, 53 win team that couldn't make it out of the 2nd round. His team got to the NBA Finals. And yes, I did watch the entire series. BTW, even with Shaq that team didn't make it to the Finals until the 1999-2000 season. So its not like it was a Finals ready team.


Two words: Del. Harris.


You could put Del Harris in the same category as Brian Hill or Bob Hill... They all were the same coach skill-wise. There's a reason Dr. Buss said the hell with it and hired Phil first chance he got.


They also had to trade guys that didn't fit either......Ceballos, Elden, Nick, Eddie, etc.....so its not like it was just the coach. Who can remember those early 1st round exits.....lost to Houston in 1st round in 1996, lost to Utah in 2nd round in 1997, lost to Utah in the 1st round in 1997, made it to the WCF only to get swept by Utah in 1998, swept by the Spurs in the 2nd round in 1999....
Sure on paper, it was an impressive roster of individual players, but when it came to the playoffs these guys crapped the bed.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Peoples Hernandez
Star Player
Star Player


Joined: 11 Apr 2009
Posts: 3727

PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 4:45 pm    Post subject:

LandsbergerRules wrote:
LOL without Shaq, mid-90s Orlando and the Lakers were at similar levels. Lakers were slightly better imo. Once Diesel left the Magic, they went from 60 win conference finalist to a 45 win 1st round exit team.


THANK YOU!!! That team routinely ran circles around George Karl's Sonics... Anyone that says otherwise clearly is too young to remember or read B.S. articles from the media from back then via Google.
_________________
Whenever the Lakers benefit all of a sudden rules need to be changed and trades need to be blocked.

"It's all entertainment" -Rasheed Wallace
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Peoples Hernandez
Star Player
Star Player


Joined: 11 Apr 2009
Posts: 3727

PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 4:49 pm    Post subject:

lakersken80 wrote:
Peoples Hernandez wrote:
lakersken80 wrote:
Big deal, 53 win team that couldn't make it out of the 2nd round. His team got to the NBA Finals. And yes, I did watch the entire series. BTW, even with Shaq that team didn't make it to the Finals until the 1999-2000 season. So its not like it was a Finals ready team.


Two words: Del. Harris.


You could put Del Harris in the same category as Brian Hill or Bob Hill... They all were the same coach skill-wise. There's a reason Dr. Buss said the hell with it and hired Phil first chance he got.


They also had to trade guys that didn't fit either......Ceballos, Elden, Nick, Eddie, etc.....so its not like it was just the coach. Who can remember those early 1st round exits.....lost to Houston in 1st round in 1996, lost to Utah in 2nd round in 1997, lost to Utah in the 1st round in 1997, made it to the WCF only to get swept by Utah in 1998, swept by the Spurs in the 2nd round in 1999....
Sure on paper, it was an impressive roster of individual players, but when it came to the playoffs these guys crapped the bed.


...And Phil needed Luke Walton during Kobe's dominance and Glen Rice during Shaq's dominance to fit his system... Price we paid for Phil at the end of the day.
_________________
Whenever the Lakers benefit all of a sudden rules need to be changed and trades need to be blocked.

"It's all entertainment" -Rasheed Wallace
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
lakersken80
Retired Number
Retired Number


Joined: 12 Aug 2009
Posts: 38751

PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 4:53 pm    Post subject:

Peoples Hernandez wrote:
LandsbergerRules wrote:
LOL without Shaq, mid-90s Orlando and the Lakers were at similar levels. Lakers were slightly better imo. Once Diesel left the Magic, they went from 60 win conference finalist to a 45 win 1st round exit team.


THANK YOU!!! That team routinely ran circles around George Karl's Sonics... Anyone that says otherwise clearly is too young to remember or read B.S. articles from the media from back then via Google.


You mean the same Sonics team that lost to Denver in the 1st round the previous year? The first #1 seeded NBA team to lose to an #8 in the playoffs? That Sonics team constantly underachieved. As much as I loved those mid-90's Lakers team (pre-Shaq), they basically peaked by going as far as the 2nd round.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Peoples Hernandez
Star Player
Star Player


Joined: 11 Apr 2009
Posts: 3727

PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 4:56 pm    Post subject:

lakersken80 wrote:
Peoples Hernandez wrote:
LandsbergerRules wrote:
LOL without Shaq, mid-90s Orlando and the Lakers were at similar levels. Lakers were slightly better imo. Once Diesel left the Magic, they went from 60 win conference finalist to a 45 win 1st round exit team.


THANK YOU!!! That team routinely ran circles around George Karl's Sonics... Anyone that says otherwise clearly is too young to remember or read B.S. articles from the media from back then via Google.


You mean the same Sonics team that lost to Denver in the 1st round the previous year? The first #1 seeded NBA team to lose to an #8 in the playoffs? That Sonics team constantly underachieved. As much as I loved those mid-90's Lakers team (pre-Shaq), they basically peaked by going as far as the 2nd round.


Which is exactly my point... The Magic without Shaq went just as far. All Shaq did was go to the much, much, muuuch better city at the the end of the day.
_________________
Whenever the Lakers benefit all of a sudden rules need to be changed and trades need to be blocked.

"It's all entertainment" -Rasheed Wallace
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
hoopschick29
Franchise Player
Franchise Player


Joined: 23 Jul 2004
Posts: 12898
Location: Los Angeles

PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 6:04 pm    Post subject:

Shaq would have NEVER left Orlando under today's CBA restrictions. Up until about 3 CBAs ago, a team could crunch numbers and nab a top flight FA matching or closely matching what the home team was offering. Most importantly, every team could offer the same number of years. Orlando offered Shaq 7 years, the Lakers were able to offer him the same. Now...any player that wants to jump ship free and clear has to leave a year's guaranteed bread on the table. We just need to keep in mind that the BUSINESS side of basketball was way different in 1996 than it is now. Shaq, at 24 years old, was able to walk away from a team offering him $120 mil to sign with us for $121 million. That type of mobility without sacrifice has been CBA'd out of existence.
_________________
So glad we gave you your flowers while you were here, Kobe.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic    LakersGround.net Forum Index -> LA Lakers Lounge All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Goto page Previous  1, 2
Page 2 of 2
Jump to:  

 
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum






Graphics by uberzev
© 1995-2018 LakersGround.net. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Terms of Use.
LakersGround is an unofficial news source serving the fan community since 1995.
We are in no way associated with the Los Angeles Lakers or the National Basketball Association.


Powered by phpBB