Suns cool Shaq-Riley feud

Posted: Friday March 28, 2008 07:34AM ET

The verbal sparring between center Shaquille O'Neal and Heat coach Pat Riley continued Thursday, with Suns president Steve Kerr jumping into the fray.Riley said Thursday he received a call from Kerr, and they expressed remorse for comments O'Neal made in recent days about his former team. Riley said the team would move forward and no longer address O'Neal's criticism -- but not before he fired one more shot back. Riley's comments were in response to O'Neal criticism that has gone on for more than a week. O'Neal ripped the Heat's medical staff in a Sports Illustrated article last week, when he questioned the treatment he received for his ailing left knee and hip earlier this season. He also reportedly blasted Riley and Heat players in a Boston Globe article on Wednesday.

Miami Herald

Shaquille O'Neal, Steve Nash, AP

Shaquille O'Neal, Steve Nash, AP

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Got to give it to riles alonzo had to step in between shaq and riley during a tussle in practice, good thing he might have been killed

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Well isn't that special !!!

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That's the feel good story of the day!

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Posted in wrong window, ah screw it.

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over the hill player...over the hill coach....over the hill ego's

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Shaq is like a school in the summertime, no class.

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He's like a teacher unemployed.....no class.

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Shaq ruined his image in my eyes with this fiasco. And I am a person who doesn't like RIley.

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He's right about their medical staff. They can't seem to keep Wade healthy at all.. let alone ailing big men Shaq, Alonzo and now Haslem. I think my Dentist could do a better job keeping these guys healthy.

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It's time for Shaq to address the business at hand. Riley doesn't deserve his focus. Shaq told the truth, but sometime the truth is better left unsaid.

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I like Shaquille O'Neal but I think he just proved that he is not the 100% victim of all these trades. When he was traded away from the Lakers he blasted Kobe Bryant, Mitch Kupchak, Jerry Buss and took an indirect shot at Phil Jackson by calling Pat Riley the best coach he has ever played for. At the same time he was singing praises for the Miami Heat.

Now the Heat trade him and we see the same pattern again. He starts taking shots at his old team (Heat) and praises his new team (Suns).

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blah blah blah......so were are all the Heat fans now

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Shaq is a big baby and Riles is a slimy opportunist, they deserve each other.

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The Heat are just another team that Shaq had to insult when he left them, PHX is next when they can't advance far in the playoffs. But of course it won't be Shaq's fault, he will blame everyone else.

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Meanwhile...IT'S STILL LOVELY IN LAKERLAND!!!

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SHAQ IS A BIG BABY !!!

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No Glen Davis is big baby.

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It's no wonder that Phoenix appointed Steve Kerr as an executive. He knows how to mediate issues like this one. In fact, he even looks more like an executive than an actual basketball player. Even as a player, Kerr often mediated heated situations with Michael Jordan.
The NBA league truly is a small world. The Riley-vs-Others (eg Phil Jackson) scenario has played out several times before. Now we have a former Phil Jackson player (Steve Kerr) smoothing things out with his former adversary, Pat Riley.
Maybe Shaq is whining, but many players do that when they are traded from one team to another. Shaq should be careful not to make any personal insults though.
If Shaq is a baby, then so are Charles Barkley, Scottie Pippen, Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone, and some others. All these players have insulted teams that they were traded from, or insulted their own teams when things are rough (ie Kobe Bryant).
- JL

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AREJAYDUB - Please explain the CONFUSION.
The word "Laker" refers to LAKES. Lakes are bodies of water - ie NOT LAND. So, "Lakerland" is a misnomer.
- JL

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VintagePHX, good one! LOL! Jay L, classic! Go Suns, whether it's their fault or not.

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