It’s tough to beat a good Shaquille O’Neal story. It really is. Even having covered the guy a number of times before, I’ve learned if Shaq is going to talk, then you better be around to listen.
After Portland put the hurt on Phoenix last night at the Rose Garden and on TNT, Shaq held court with a handful of us around in the Suns locker room.
He waxed poetic – in his signature mumbling fashion – and comical about the game for a few minutes and Portland center Joel Przybilla, whom he has history with. They’ve mixed it up before. Plenty. (check out HOOPSWORLD for his take on Joel and “flopping”.)
Somewhere in the middle, I asked what he thought of Greg Oden.
The kid’s been playing nice of late – the last two games that is.
Now, I knew Shaq would be Shaq with the reply. But you have to ask, just for the sake of getting the response from Mr. Quotatious himself. I mean, we are after all talking about Shaq here.
“I don’t,” he said when asked what he thinks of the Blazers young center.
Shaq didn’t even look my way, at least until he repeated himself first.
“I don’t.”
“I’m a Shogun. You can’t ask me about a low level ninja. I still have to worry about Yao Ming, Dwight Howard.”
Classic.
Minutes later Shaq wraps up the postgame interview and we all disperse. As I’m heading out of the Suns locker room, I hear this low, deep, mumbling voice right behind me.
“You can’t be asking me about no ninjas.”
Didn’t think he was talking to me until I turned around and there’s Shaq smiling. I turn around letting Shaq know I had to ask, even though I know full well the routine.
“Don’t be asking me about no ninjas,” Shaq said driving home the point, again with a smile.
Okay, I get it. But I had to ask. Now I know.
Don’t ask about no ninjas – and never miss the chance to speak with the Shogun.
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The Latest: With all the playoff talk floating around Portland, you have to think the Blazers could be one of those teams prepared to pull an upset once they do reach the postseason.
pic via: takegreatpics.com
beyond the beat 