Shaq AWOL from Lakers post-season team meetings

[JackDee]

LOS ANGELES, California, May 18 (AFP) - Superstar centre Shaquille O'Neal did not attend the end of the season meetings with Los Angeles Lakers coaching staff, the Los Angeles Times reported on Sunday.
"I am upset," said Lakers coach Phil Jackson. "He's not the only one who didn't show up but it is disrespectful to us as a staff.
"It is important as a team. It's important for closure. And it is adult responsibility."
The Lakers string of National Basketball Championships ended at three straight on Thursday when they were beaten 4-2 in the best-of-seven Western Conference semi-finals by the San Antonio Spurs.
It was a troubling season for O'Neal who missed the beginning of the year after delaying surgery on his toe. He was also forced to apologize after making disparaging remarks toward Chinese centre Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets.
Lakers foward Kobe Bryant said O'Neal told him after the season that he was heading to his off-season home in Orlando, Florida.
"With the circumstances (O'Neal) couldn't really come in in the shape he wanted. Shaquille's going to be fine," said Bryant.
Jackson told the newspaper that O'Neal needs to work out more and change his lifestyle.
"When he was 25 he could stay up all night, come play a game and still get 25 points and 10 or 15 rebounds and five blocks. It just doesn't happen anymore," said Jackson.
"Our team needs the infusion of his energy back at full force, full throttle, similar to what he had the first year I came here."
Jackson, who underwent angioplasty surgery last week, said he is going to start fitness classes and take O'Neal along with him.
"When I get my trainer I am going to take Shaq to my trainer and together we are going to attend training classes to physically get there," he said.
Asked if he had talked to O'Neal about the plan, Jackson said would do it soon.
"I am as serious as rain," he shot back.

 

[TheGeneral+]

I seen this.

Pathetic like Iverson being late for the last game.

Shame on them

 

[tatehill2000]

General,,,,
be honest,,, You and everyone else knew the Lakers probably wouldnt make it to the final game,,,,, Thats why Stern UPD the ammount of playoff games,,,, (which, In my opinion was the worst thign he could do for the NBA) Over exposure,,,, UGH,,,, Kills Everything,,,

and well,, as far as "Im too sexy for my team" Iverson,,,, well,,, thats jsut how he is,,,,,
whatever,,,,
all the best,,,,
Tater

 

[JackDee]

You and everyone else knew the Lakers probably wouldnt make it to the final game,,,,, Thats why Stern UPD the ammount of playoff games

sorry tate, but that's a non sequitor.

 

[max1234]

"Closure"???? The f*cking season's over, they lost and that's that. Jackson gets a little too carried away with himself sometimes, IMO.

 

[tatehill2000]

Good Point Jack,,,
I wasnt clear,,,, My point being we all knew their were bigger problems in the Laker Organization,,,,, Egos,,,, the End of an Era,,,(possibly, If Shaq cant rehabilitate his TOE)
I was trying to TIE it all into the STERN BONEHEADED Move of increasing the playoff games,,,,,
I wasent clear,,,, sorry,,,

you dont have to repeat my words either if you dont want too,,, I can reread what I said,,,

all the best
Tater

 

[J2]

Shaq will show up even more overweight in next seasons training camp than he did in this years.

 

[JackDee]

a'aight.

 

[lander]

If Phil wants to rant and rave ... maybe he should look at his inability to actually call a timely timeout & setup a play ... of course, jumping from best team to best team allows such lack of coaching ..


... and oh yeah, i'd rather have shaq (who busted his ass in the series) skip that meeting and know he's coming back then bother meeting with annual achilles heels Fox, George, Fisher ... and now Horry.

 

[HacheMan]

lander, the Lakers never would of won those titles without Robert Horry.He bailed them out time and time again throughout the year, and almost did once again the other night, but the magic is finally gone. Horry also was a factor when Houston won it, I've always considered him to be one of the most underrated players in NBA history. When Shaq was with Orlando, with the lineup being Shaq, Penny, Nick Anderson, and Horace Grant, I always thought the team would be awesome if they could of grabbed Horry if they had a chance, but never happened.

 

[lander]

Hache,
Horry is the Phil Jackson of players ...

an average insignificant player that jumps from great team to great team.

0-24 ??? and how many of these were defended?? 1? maybe 2?

Yeah, he's made some big shots, but so did John Paxon - didn't mean he was great.

 

[HacheMan]

Maybe we do disagree on the Horry issue, but I definitely agree with you on Phil Jackson "jumping on the bandwagon" Lets see him go turn the Cavs around......Oh wait!....They may be landing Lebron James soon, Jackson might consider it after all!........

 

[lander]

I'm glad you brought up Lebron ..

I know the fan would lynch whom ever passed him up with #1 ... but I'd take Carmelo ..

.. he's the real deal & proven!

 

[HacheMan]

In my opinion lander is all just a flip of the coin, or a toss up. Nobody knows yet who will be the better pro player. Lebron has dominated high school players, and could still make the jump and be as dominate as T~mac or Kobe, or be a flop like Tyson Chandler is so far. Carmelo turned it up this year and outplayed college counterparts, and could be something special in the NBA, or end up, well, just another Danny Manning. Nobody knows, just the luck of the draw.

 

[lander]

Good break down ... if people passed up on MJ then it just goes to show the unpredictability of the science.

If anything else - LeBron should sell more tix?? Sad, but that might come into play.

 

[HacheMan]

Nice conversation lander, Im out for the night......later.....

 

[bigd0gg]

The referees will determine if the players make it or break it. It seems the NBA dictates that kind of stuff. So Lebron James will either get some major slack or he'll get nothing but I don't think it will be anywhere in between.

 

[VOLTITAN]

I like Shaq as a player but...I cannot support someone who gets paid millions of $$$ to do THEIR JOB which in and of itself is a GAME which doesn't even require year round work and they still can't make it to a stupid meeting for ONE day after the season ends. Let one of us on this board miss a meeting at work and see what happens. He may get fined a "few thousand dollars" but what is that to him. $$$ and success create people like Shaq, Iverson and hollywood movie stars who have lost all conception of duty and actually EARNING their pay. BOTTOM LINE: IF YOUR EMPLOYER WHO WRITES YOUR PAYCHECK SAYS BE AT A MEETING...YOU BETTER BE THERE.(excluding deaths,real sickness,scheduled vacations etc..) If you own you own company and write your own check...you can do whatever the hell you want then!