Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
The Big Hypocrite
()
After accepting a mere $100 million contract from the Miami Heat, Shaq is being praised for his generosity. Shaq's willingness to take less money allowed the Heat to add some much needed depth, by using their capspace to acquire Antoine Walker, Jason Williams, and James Posey."I'm very excited about my new agreement with the Heat," O'Neal said. "This contract allows me to address all of my family's long-term financial goals while allowing the Heat the ability to acquire those players that we need to win a championship."
LAist wants to know why Shaq wasn't saying these things over a year ago, when our beloved Lakers were trying to lock him up while still being able to afford decent role players under the cap. You may remember his famous "pay me" stunt in front of Jerry Buss at an exhibition game in Hawaii. Or his comments during the 2004 Western Conference against the Timberwolves.
"I won't be devalued, never ever devalued," O'Neal said back then. "I'm the one that's bringing in the players anyway. I can bring the players in for no money. I've done that before. I've been the general manager of this team for the last two years. I don't want to hear that about blah-blah-blah because I'm the one that's bringing them in. I'm the one that's making the phone calls to them. Seriously."
Support for LAist comes from
Yeah, we guess Antoine Walker wasn't exactly willing to take "no money," Shaq, when he signed a $53 million deal with the Heat. Remember the Lakers and Shaq were $9 million apart on an extension a year and half ago. Had the two parties agreed on an extension, Shaq would have never been traded. But Shaq was going off saying he refused to be "devalued." The Lakers needed Shaq to take just a little less, so that they could bring in some athletic depth under the salary cap. Their slim bench cost them the NBA Finals against Detroit in 2004. But Shaq insisted he could bring in players for free, which is silly. What a hypocrite.
"Shaquille can name his price," Shaq's agent Perry Rogers said yesterday. "And the price he named was winning ... You get paid the most, but you do it in a way that's not detrimental to what the team wants to accomplish."
The Lakers wanted to win with both Shaq and Kobe, but the big man demanded a trade with his outrageous contract demands not met a year ago. LAist supposes he didn't care about winning when he was on the Lakers, and certainly had no interest in what they were trying to accomplish. It's amazing how the times change.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity. -
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
-
The drug dealer, the last of five defendants to plead guilty to federal charges linked to the 'Friends' actor’s death, will face a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison.
-
The weather’s been a little different lately, with humidity, isolated rain and wind gusts throughout much of Southern California. What’s causing the late-summer bout of gray?
Best of LAist