Shaq Bashes Howard - Says He's Going To A "Little Town"

[Mr KLC]

By Mark Long

The Associated Press

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Shaquille O’Neal says the Los Angeles spotlight was too bright for Dwight Howard.

Speaking at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, Shaq hammered his former colleague as if they were battling in the post.

O’Neal opened his mouth agape when asked about Howard, who chose to leave the Lakers for the Houston Rockets late Friday, and joked about cheering on Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Danica Patrick in Saturday’s race.

A few seconds later, he threw an elbow Howard’s way.

“It was expected,” Shaq said. “We’ve all been in LA, and not a whole lot of people can handle being under the bright lights. Everybody wants to do it, but when you get there, there are certain pressures. I think it was a safe move for him to go to a little town like Houston. That’s right, little town. I said it.”

[bjb7223]

small town? The 4th largest city in America.

[Reign Man]

small town? The 4th largest city in America.

which is strange considering the Rockets were 18th in attendance

[bjb7223]

which is strange considering the Rockets were 18th in attendance

frontrunners like every sports city.

[bjb7223]

I guarantee you they're top 5 in attendance this season.

[boeing power]

Shaq is right,

nobody gives a shit about the rockets.

[Menses]

LOL......hahahha....Shaq is still angry about what Hakeem did to him during the 95 nba finals....

[TheAntFather]

Fk that fat ape Shaq and all Houston haters. Shaq is still mad his daddy The Dream lives in Houston.

[YouHave2outs]

BJB just drunk/wrong/rockets fan ITT

[YouHave2outs]

shaq illiterate/poorlyspoken/shouldn't be on tv/correct

[R.P. McMurphy]

The little town comment was moronic but that was just a jab. He is right tho there is much more of a spotlight on you when wearing the purple and gold. Dwight does not have the heart to be " the man" in that franchise.

[EaglesPhan36]

Lakers should be thankful every day that he left. Guy will probably work his way out of Houston in the next three years.

[Chi_archie]

4th largest "town"

shaq isn't real smart. Remember he said he was like the the Pythagorean theory and no one could solve him?

he thought that was deep stuff. A squared + B squared = C sqsquared

I think 6th graders learn that stuff

[lakerboy]

Shaq succeeded in la. Howard didn't. No big man runs from the lakers. Howard is a bum. 3rd team in three seasons. Signs of a pussy.

[Git Lo]

Clippers just keep making moves Clippers > Houston atm

[MoneyLineDawg]

Why should players (and Howard) bow down to the Lakers or any other particular team?? I commend Howard for saying fukk that and doing what he wants, not what others expect or want him to do.....Howard went to a better situation for winning a championship, and took less money to do so.......Nothing wrong with that

[Ballerholic]

Howard made the right move. Kobe is an asshole, and Dwight doesn't like Kobe. Its Kobe's team and will be until he retires. Lakers suck now anyway, and without Kobe they are not making the playoffs. Dwight would be the only superstar. And he knows he needs help. He will go to Houston with James HardON and bring what the rockets lack, defensive presence. Just wait, they will contend

[EaglesPhan36]

He'll be bitching about touches or the pick and roll before his 1st season is over. They should lock him in a room with Olajuwon and let Dream depussify him.

[icancount2one]

Houston? 4th largest city in the US?

Do they just count their suburbs as part of the city or something?

[bjb7223]

Houston? 4th largest city in the US?

Do they just count their suburbs as part of the city or something?

Do you live in America?

[TheAntFather]

Why should players (and Howard) bow down to the Lakers or any other particular team?? I commend Howard for saying fukk that and doing what he wants, not what others expect or want him to do.....Howard went to a better situation for winning a championship, and took less money to do so.......Nothing wrong with that

Exactly, he went to a much better situation. Nash is 60 and Kobe is coming off a bad injury.

[jsmithj88]

shaq is stupid as shit
so howard is supposed to stay with
1) an aging team
2) whose best player is coming off a career altering injury
3) a coach that doesnt know how to coach big men
4) a team style that is polar opposite of his strong suit

[InTheDrink]

Shaq succeeded in la. Howard didn't. No big man runs from the lakers. Howard is a bum. 3rd team in three seasons. Signs of a pussy.

ironically shaq ran from the lakers

[William Walters]

Houston is a shithole. One of the true armpits of this great country.

[ramones951]

People this isnt geography class.. we understand that Houston really is a big city by population.

What Shaq is saying is the pressure of winning championships in Houston is next to nothing compared to LA, and he is right, Dwight prefers the small market rather than the enorumous pressure of the LA media.. especially in the NBA with the Lakers history... Think on it

[greenhippo]

why does houston have morr fortune 500 companies than la?

[frugalgambler]

Rockets made a big mistake. There is a limit to this sabermetrics shit they are trying to do in Houston. They are not winning anything in playoffs with dudes like Howard and Lin. Good riddance. Lakers should just waive Kobe, trade Gasol/Nash and start rebuilding.

[tony_come]

Never fukkin heard of Houston

[tony_come]

It's the shoes

It's about the kids

[hotelis]

dumb azz athletes..

[oldscho0led]

Nothing wrong w/ what Shaq said. Dwight thinks he's hollywood so he wanted a big market team. After feeling the pressure from the fans because of losing, he realized he cannot do it under the bright lights of LA.

[mighty maron]

Planet Houston.....

I would take Hardin over Kobe right now in terms of where the franchise will be in four years.

If the NBA is all about the night life, endorsement deals, and everything else like that then LA was the place to stay is the point Shaq is coming to...

[Wilfred]

Come on guys you know what he meant. Shaq is smarter than most people on here.

[Big Bear]

By Mark Long

The Associated Press

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Shaquille O’Neal says the Los Angeles spotlight was too bright for Dwight Howard.

Speaking at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, Shaq hammered his former colleague as if they were battling in the post.

O’Neal opened his mouth agape when asked about Howard, who chose to leave the Lakers for the Houston Rockets late Friday, and joked about cheering on Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Danica Patrick in Saturday’s race.

A few seconds later, he threw an elbow Howard’s way.

“It was expected,” Shaq said. “We’ve all been in LA, and not a whole lot of people can handle being under the bright lights. Everybody wants to do it, but when you get there, there are certain pressures. I think it was a safe move for him to go to a little town like Houston. That’s right, little town. I said it.”

If Dwight Howard wanted a little town he should have signed with the Bobcats... then he could have lived in a podunk country bumpkin corn field with fans that say YEEE HAWW

[Mac4Lyfe]

You guys need to get out more from your momma's basement. I moved from LA to Houston for the same reason thousands of other people are leaving LaLa land and all the glitz and bullshit. LA has nothing on Houston.

Houston voted the coolest city to live in byForges.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/morganbrennan/2012/07/26/houston-tops-our-list-of-americas-coolest-cities-to-live/

Number 1 city by Kiplinger...

http://www.kiplinger.com/article/real-estate/T006-C000-S001-no-1-houston-texas.html

Money magazine calls Houston the #1 most undervalued city in the US, which means you get more for your money.

http://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/slideshows/americas-best-undervalued-places-to-live

Business inside says Houston is #1

http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2013/jun/03/business-insider-says-houston-best-city-america/

Houston #1 city people are relocating to...

http://houston.culturemap.com/news/city_life/03-27-12-everyone-wants-to-live-in-houston-no-1-city-in-the-country-for-relocation/

Fastest growing cities in the US... Austin, TX, Houston, TX, Dallas, TX is 1, 2 and 3.

LA is so yesterday. Been there done that. You have to ride the wave and see the trends. There is so much money in Houston right now it's ridiculous. Companies from California, NY and DC are coming here in droves. Construction is everywhere, business is everywhere, people are everywhere. This place fueled by Oil is the modern day gold rush.

Houston is a shithole. One of the true armpits of this great country.

Never fukkin heard of Houston