Hyde5: Heat shouldn't retire Shaquille O'Neal's jersey | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Hyde5: Heat shouldn't retire Shaquille O'Neal's jersey

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Pat Riley has retired some unusual jerseys. Michael Jordan's is up in the rafters. Ditto for Dan Marino's.

But the question with Shaq is not only if the Heat want to be the third team in line. It's how forgiving they can be. The paradox of Shaq is he had two great seasons - in 2004-05 he finished second in MVP voting; in 2005-06 he helped this team to a NBA title - before essentially burning almost every bridge on his way out of town.

That's the shame of Shaq. Everywhere he went, the people he worked with both loved to see him come and had a different view as he left. He entered the Heat in a diesel truck shooting a water gun outside AmericanAirlines Arena in as fun a scene as you'll see. He left quitting on the team and then picking on reserve Chris Quinn - Chris Quinn! - and longtime trainer Ron Culp for no reason at all.

He was the front-and-center name on the marquee that made the Heat a show for a couple of years. He also was the main guy who privately undercut Stan Van Gundy and demanded Pat Riley make a choice - Shaq or Van Gundy - in the middle of the 2006 season. Then he sat back and watched Riley take all the Heat for returning to the bench.
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http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/spo...g/2011/06/hyde5_heat_shouldnt_retire_sha.html
 
Lakers are definitley going to retire his jersey but I'll be damned if he gets his jersey retired here, especially before Wade and in a shorter time than it took them to retire Hardaway's. Give him a plaque to say thank you for the 3 years he spent here but thats about it
 
His jersey should be and probably will be retired by the Lakers. Shaq should not have his jersey retired by the Heat, and for that matter take down Jordan's and Marino's numbers down from the rafters. Neither of them played a game for the Heat.
 
In the short time Shaq had his heart into competing here, there's no denying he did a lot to reinvigorate excitement and steer the Heat toward the ultimate glory as DWade's 2nd banana. However, afterwards the way he goldbricked, essentially stealing Mickey Arison's money, created dissension, dissed Wade, only to experience a miraculous physical recovery in the Suns training room, IMO burned too many bridges that 1 relatively short shining light can't compensate for. I was thrilled to see him go, told my buddy in Scottsdale what they were getting (although he didn't then believe me), never missed him an iota and IMO there are other former legitimate Heat players who are more deserving of this distinguished recognition than the "Big Mercenary, " like say Glenn Rice, Jamaal Washburn, Dan Majerle and/or Rony Seikaly.
 
I may be in the minority, but I like Shaq. I'm glad that he spend 2 1/2 years or so in Miami and helped us win a title, but I don't think his number should be retired.

Lakers definitely.
 
When you look at his resume in Miami it wouldn't indicate his # should be retired but he made the Heat a relevant franchise and brought them their 1st title.
 
theres no way the heat should retire shaqs jersey for that pretty much rental time he spent there...but neither should they retire rony seikaly glen rice jamaal mashburn thunder dan majerle zo mourning etc

none of em should be in the rafters...

although i do have a real soft spot for tim hardaway and his killer cross over...i loved that guy growing up when he was with the g state warriors and heat...

the only guys i know of for sure that should be in the rafters on the heat are d wade and lebron when they're done...
 
Vaark said:
In the short time Shaq had his heart into competing here, there's no denying he did a lot to reinvigorate excitement and steer the Heat toward the ultimate glory as DWade's 2nd banana. However, afterwards the way he goldbricked, essentially stealing Mickey Arison's money, created dissension, dissed Wade, only to experience a miraculous physical recovery in the Suns training room, IMO burned too many bridges that 1 relatively short shining light can't compensate for. I was thrilled to see him go, told my buddy in Scottsdale what they were getting (although he didn't then believe me), never missed him an iota and IMO there are other former legitimate Heat players who are more deserving of this distinguished recognition than the "Big Mercenary, " like say Glenn Rice, Jamaal Washburn, Dan Majerle and/or Rony Seikaly.
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Definitley agree with Seikaly. That was our first ever pick. The Spin Doctor was and is still the man down here.
 
hooshoops said:
theres no way the heat should retire shaqs jersey for that pretty much rental time he spent there...but neither should they retire rony seikaly glen rice jamaal mashburn thunder dan majerle zo mourning etc

none of em should be in the rafters...

although i do have a real soft spot for tim hardaway and his killer cross over...i loved that guy growing up when he was with the g state warriors and heat...

the only guys i know of for sure that should be in the rafters on the heat are d wade and lebron when they're done...
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Hardaway's and Zoe's are already retired along with Jordan's. Similarly, I can see Boston retiring Pierce's number but definitely not KG or RA's
 
Vaark said:
In the short time Shaq had his heart into competing here, there's no denying he did a lot to reinvigorate excitement and steer the Heat toward the ultimate glory as DWade's 2nd banana. However, afterwards the way he goldbricked, essentially stealing Mickey Arison's money, created dissension, dissed Wade, only to experience a miraculous physical recovery in the Suns training room, IMO burned too many bridges that 1 relatively short shining light can't compensate for. I was thrilled to see him go, told my buddy in Scottsdale what they were getting (although he didn't then believe me), never missed him an iota and IMO there are other former legitimate Heat players who are more deserving of this distinguished recognition than the "Big Mercenary, " like say Glenn Rice, Jamaal Washburn, Dan Majerle and/or Rony Seikaly.
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Interestingly enough the man who was considered the heat's best player all time before Wade was Mourning and he stole money from not one but TWO franchises before hopping on wade and Sahq's backs to get him a title. Shaq didn't steal Mickey's money, he delivered a championship and made the heat a relevant franchise.
 
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