Ever onward said:
And NOBODY will EVER be like MIKE
Yeah, for real man. No one will ever be Mike. My mom got me the Bulls championship DVDs for Christmas, and I can't even watch them. I popped them in one night and it didn't rejuvenate any good memories for me. It was just tough to watch because things used to be so great in the NBA and with the Bulls.
As for Shaq, you're right. David Robinson and Karl Malone managed to be productive into their late 30s because they stayed in shape and were peak physical specimens. I've seen both of them recently on TV and they are still athletic looking. Robinson still looked like he could come off the bench for a team and be productive.
Shaq, on the other hand, didn't spend his summers staying in shape and working out. Instead, he made bad music and bad movies and opted to use the regular season to get back into shape. That works when you're in your late 20s and early 30s, but not when you're approaching 35 and aging in dog years. The fact that the guy has been an abomination from the free-throw line for 16+ years should also be an indication of his work ethic.
I enjoy his personality, and what you say about him is right. In college I dated a girl whose older brother was an executive with the Hawks. I've never met Shaq, but I've heard that what you say is true. Real down to Earth, friendly and engaging guy, but a lazy fat ass when it comes to staying in shape. Though, I guess Shaq cheated on his wife every time the team traveled. He had a different girl in each city. That's probably why he and his wife are divorced now.
Though, his infidelities hardly deviate from the norm in the NBA. From what I was told and what I saw when I was with my ex-girlfriend, nearly every NBA player who is mildly recognizable cheats on his significant other. Jason Kidd is notorious for it. Kobe does it or at least did it, and he has quite the track record for hooking up with the opposing team's dancers and cheerleaders. About the only dudes who are faithful are Kevin Garnett, Grant Hill, Dwyane Wade, Mark Jackson (old-school Pacer/Knick) and maybe a couple others.
Anyway, I have a crap load of NBA gossip stories that I heard and saw over the years that I dated her. I also witnessed some entertaining sh!t when we'd get to sit court-side at games. You'd be surprised how much you can observe from sitting that close. You quickly realize that the vast majority of NBA players do not give a sh!t about the game that is going on in front of them while they sit on the bench.
If you're interested in hearing some of them, PM me. I'm not going to get too in-depth about them here for obvious reasons. But I know how much fans of the NBA enjoy NBA gossip.
God, writing this thread is bringing out the AFC in me. :crackup: I wish I still dated this girl, and I'm thinking about calling her again.