What's Beef?

 I decided to start off writing about something that has been making me ANGRY for a few years now.  People constantly attack Kobe for running Shaq out of Los Angeles, because he wanted to be the man.  First of all, I think it’s bullshit, second of all even if it was true, I could perfectly understand why he might want to. When Shaq came into the league, he was instantly one of my favorite players.  He was breaking backboards left and right and his personality was just as big as his game.  He was fun to watch and clearly he was enjoying life.  He owned Orlando, and then he owned LA.  The thing with Shaq is, he’s a complete freak of nature.  Over 300 pounds, and extremely athletic, like nothing the NBA had ever seen before.  The problem is, the fame was more important to him than the game itself.  With his amazing God-given abilities, he was gonna win championships without having to put his whole heart into it and he did.  He was content to be a great player, but I really think that if he had the work ethic of Kobe, he would have shattered records, and stacked the championship trophies to the ceiling.  Shaq liked to spend his off seasons hanging out at Disney world, and filming shitty movies about genies.  He loves having fun, and he loves the attention that comes with the fame.  I completely understand the way he is, but when you compare him to Kobe it’s obvious why they had issues. 

Shaq was happy, until some “kid,” named Kobe came into the NBA with a mission to be the greatest player of all time.  As soon as Kobe started to steal the spotlight from “SUPER MAN,” the trouble began.  In his first year with the Lakers Shaq started calling Kobe “showboat,” like he was some punk kid at the playground.   Kobe of course, kept his mouth closed and continued putting in work.  One of the big incidents that apparently set Shaq off was when he saw a five-story Lakers billboard that featured Kobe.  It apparently was at that point that he realized he was on the wrong side of a popularity contest with KB.   It just seems silly to me, the origins of the feud seem to have everything to do with the media and the fans, but nothing to do with anything Kobe himself had to say. 

Now, to the Kobe/Laker haters, the other issue that I think seems to get overlooked. Kobe Bean Bryant wants to go down as the greatest basketball player of all time.  Love him or hate him, I can’t wrap my head around why anyone would hate on someone for making that their mission.  I thought Kobe was the next Jordan very early on in his career.  Apparently, a lot of people resented his mission, and were very quick to start figuring out ways to dispel the thought of that ever happening.   Kobe got his first three rings earlier than MJ did, so the haters had to kick it into high gear pretty quickly. So what did they do? They figured out what Kobe had that MJ didn’t. And that, my friends, is Shaquille O’Neal.  I understand, if I was a Kobe hater I would have felt pretty good.  I would have been thinking man, this Kobe guys is probably gonna get 8 rings, but……haha…all I have to is say that Kobe had Shaq and MJ didn’t.  KOBE BRYANT CAN NEVER BE MICHAEL JORDAN BECAUSE KOBE GOT TO PLAY WITH SHAQUILLE O’NEAL! 

I understand that logic to a degree, Shaq is better than Pippen, and Shaq won the 3 finals MVPs, so yeah, it wouldn’t be as hard for Kobe to win a lot of rings.  My personal opinion was that Shaq and Kobe coming together was like divine intervention, somehow two of the top 5 players of all time were able to find their way on to the same team.  I too figured they’d win 8 championships and people would be able to ignore the individual stats and appreciate them for what they did together.  I thought it was still possible for Kobe to become the G.O.A.T. if people could sit back and analyze it the right way.

Unfortunately I think at some point Kobe did realize that the general consensus was that he could never reach Jordan status if he didn’t win without Shaq.  The 2004 loss to the Detroit Pistons in the finals was the last straw. Just before the previous season Shaq decided to delay his toe surgery.  Rather than having it done in the offseason so that he could be ready to go at the start of the season, he waited. Shaq said, “I got hurt on company time, so I'll heal on company time." Now again, if you know anything about Kobe, you know how he would feel about this.  Kobe is known to take 2 weeks off after the season before  he begins his training again.  His workouts start before 5am.  How would you feel if your best teammate had that kind of attitude?  Shaq gained a bunch of weight and missed several games over the next couple of seasons, never really getting it together.  They made it to the finals against the Pistons, but Shaq was slowed down and got killed on the pick and rolls, which led Chauncey Billups to a finals MVP.  It’s painful for me to say this, but I think after that turn of events Kobe was done with Shaq.  Kobe busts his ass 24/7, and Shaq didn’t even seem to give a shit. 

With that said however, I think Kobe was gonna leave the Lakers.  I don’t believe he was gonna push Shaq out, he was gonna go to the Clips or the Suns and start a new dynasty.  Then Jerry Buss decided to get rid of Shaq, and yes Kobe probably didn’t argue, but that’s different than running him out of town.  I think the Lakers knew they had to chose, but I think Kobe was prepared to go elsewhere.  Maybe if Shaq had been 5 or 6 years younger at the time it might have played out differently.   I think it’s obvious that Buss chose correctly, Shaq won a title in Miami, but Kobe’s led the Lake Show to 2 rings and he still has a shot at bringing home a couple more before all is said and done.  At the end of the day I think it all came down to egos and work ethic.  Shaq couldn’t stand not being the center of attention, and Kobe hated being told that he’d never be Jordan.  Kobe worked hard in the offseason and showed up ready to play, while Shaq took the first month of the season off, or used it as a warm-up to get in shape.  While I have no doubt that Kobe had issues with Shaq, I think it’s Shaq that had to make sure he opened his mouth and stirred all of the shit up.  I think if anything it’s sad, I feel deprived of what could have been.  Shaq should have put in some work, and retired a Laker.  Kobe should have ignored the media and the haters. At this point, what’s done is done, I just wanted to share my take on the whole thing. To blame it all on Kobe is ridiculous, and that is that!