Covering for Shaq
Chris Broussard was struggling to keep his “all-access to Shaq” card today on the Mike and Mike in the Morning Show. He actually said Bill Walton went too far in his, “Shaquille O’Neal’s arrogance is an insult to people who think,” statement about O’Neal. Rather than look at the statement and assess it, Broussard stammered and battled mightily before throwing Walton under the bus. Hey, he can always have a private conversation with Bill and the two can argue away and Broussard can say, “Yeah, you have a point,” but if he says Walton is right - which he is - O’Neal will never forgive him.
Same with ESPN radio jock Eric Kuselias. Kuselias came to O’Neal’s aid by acting as interpretor for “The Big Disinterested Until He Got to Phoenix.” What O’Neal is really saying, according to Kuselias, is that the NBA regular season is just a prelude to the postseason. So, if Miami is stinking it up and is out of the playoff hunt, there’s no reason to play out the string. If you’re injured you just rest and get ready for next season.
Right.
The two also let O’Neal off for slamming Walton with this quote:
“If I’m faking an injury, then (Walton’s) whole injury-plagued career is a fake,” O’Neal said. “We’re talking about someone who only played one or two seasons injury-free. One thing I really hate is a hypocrite.
“Mr. Walton has broken the big man’s ordinance code 225.27 — no big man under should talk about a big man above. It’s just not right and it’s disrespectful.”
Firstly, Bill Walton’s NCAA career at UCLA can only be matched or eclipsed by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Bruins or Bill Russell’s San Francisco teams. O’Neal didn’t have nearly the collegiate success at LSU. Walton’s Portland Trail Blazers won an NBA title in 1977, the center’s third season and was the league’s MVP the following season. After the 1977-78 season, the center battled foot and ankle injuries the remainder of his career. Despite only a brief stint at the top of the game, Walton, like O’Neal was voted as one of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players. Bill Walton can be compared to NFL running back Gale Sayers, who had a meteoric rise and a brilliant career until he was derailed by a knee injury.
Finally, Walton was born with congenital defects in his feet. Even in high school he underwent surgeries for a broken ankle, leg, and several bones in his feet. During his 13-year career Walton underwent dozens more surgeries on his feet and ankles and finished with two NBA championships, the final one coming with the Boston Celtics in 1985-86, the same year he won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Award.
Comments
By Chris Clarke on February 12th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
I’m not sure what your point is, but if you think for a second that Bill Walton was a better player than Shaq, you’re a damn fool. College doesn’t count for anything. Shaq has every right to criticize Walton - and he’s right that he’s a better player than Walton ever was. Walton making the NBA’s 50 Greatest has everything to do with his unfulfilled potential and little to do with his accomplishments on the court.
By austinkent on February 13th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
I disagree Chris, Bill Walton didn’t make his comments towards Shaq from the perspective of a retired big man, he made them as an NBA analyst. In that respect, I think Walton’s comments are completely legit. It’s not a question of who was a better player. Imagine if it was Jon Barry who made those comments, or even Stuart Scott.
By Chris Clarke on February 13th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
I made my comments as a reply to D-Wil, who defended Walton as a player, not as an analyst, so your response should be directed at D-Wil, not me.
Also, Stu Scott can’t make those comments - he does play-by-play. I’d expect that sort of junk from Jon Barry, though, because he’s always trying to say something controversial so people will pay attention to him.