Shaq Disses Ex-Heat Teammates

[ex carrabba fan]

NEW YORK (AP)-Pat Riley can't understand why Shaquille O'Neal keeps talking about the Miami Heat.

Riley responded to O'Neal's criticisms Wednesday with some of his own, saying his former center was wrong to disparage some of his old teammates and trainers in a Boston Globe story.

"It's sad that he says those things. We shared so much here, together, for three years, good and bad, 3 1/2 years," Riley said, referring specifically to the Heat's 2006 NBA title. "I just think it's sad that he's got to do that."

Riley dealt O'Neal to Phoenix before the trade deadline, allowing the 36-year-old center the chance to compete for another title instead of sticking around Miami for a last-place finish. O'Neal made it clear how much he prefers his new teammates.

"I love playing for this coach and I love playing with these guys," O'Neal told the Globe. "We have professionals who know what to do. No one is asking me to play with Chris Quinn or Ricky Davis. I'm actually on a team again."

Riley said he doesn't have "anything but good feelings for Shaq" and wasn't bothered by any criticism leveled at him. But he said O'Neal has no reason to blame anyone else in the organization for his unhappiness.

"When you're 9-40, we're all frustrated. I mean everybody's at fault, we all were. Everybody was feeling bad and nobody wants that," Riley said.

"He didn't want to be there, he didn't want to play for that kind of situation, 35 years old. He wanted to go to a contender and we sent him there. We sent him to Utopia and we're left here with the carnage and I don't know why he's not happy."

Riley also defended the work of veteran trainer Ron Culp and the team's medical staff, saying O'Neal was out of line to speak poorly of them.

"It's really a shame that he would insult those people like that because they gave him care. They cared," Riley said. "They didn't kiss his butt. They cared about him.

"He can do whatever he wants to do to me. That's OK, I don't care. But those men, they tried. … That upsets me more than anything."

[DIESEL]

Stay classy, Shaq!

[The 24th Letter]

wow Riley makes him look bad taking the high road lol

[Whaaaazuuuuup]

it times like this that makes me question Shaq's character. it's understandable with Kobe, but not these players. i love Shaq but he's only got himself to blame for his poor development as a ball player, that's why Miami was so bad...

[Court_vision]

Wow...what a low %^&* thing to say.

Why the hell would he say "i'm not made to play with Chris Quinn"...a small guy whose been busting his nuts to make it in this league...?????

Shaq just lacks any class at all.

Shaq is a quitter.

Throwing a hard working guy like Quinn under the bus is gutless.

[23]

Yeah Riles, you didnt want to lose so bad you decided to get up and attend the college tourney smack dab in the middle of your teams season.

[Court_vision]

Quote: Originally Posted by KDRE_OS

Yeah Riles, you didnt want to lose so bad you decided to get up and attend the college tourney smack dab in the middle of your teams season.

Let's stay on Shaq's comments bro...there's no excuse to dump on a guy like Chris Quinn like that.

That's the ultimate act of betrayal from a team mate.

Shaq quit on that team...and now he's throwing the smallest guy, who works the hardest, under the bus to cover up his own failings.

Gutless in the extreme...

[Vince]

Quote: Originally Posted by KDRE_OS

Yeah Riles, you didnt want to lose so bad you decided to get up and attend the college tourney smack dab in the middle of your teams season.

Has nothing to do with the thread man.

Just pathetic move by Shaq. He has no respect.