534: 194: We might be even more outrageous (asking for monthly votes!)_2 534: 194: We might be even more outrageous (asking for monthly votes!)_2 He waved his hand, “Shaq, co to my office.”
Jerry West’s office was very neat, with only a few photos of the team and family.
Most people of Logo’s stature would have their honors displayed in their office.
But Jerry West didn’t do that.
Because even today, he considers that the only NBA Finals MVP from the losing side is a disgrace, not an honor.
It was more like a consolation prize given to West by the league.
After Shaquille sat down, he got straight to the point, “I can’t stand Kobe anymore, not one bit!”
Jerry West was silent for a few seconds; he felt so weary.
He had great expectations for the O’Neal-Kobe duo, but they had only played one official ga together and things had already co to this.
Indeed, who would have thought, just one ga in, and Shaquille and Kobe’s honeymoon was over, and they started experiencing troubles?
A few seconds later, West nodded, “I will trade him away.”
“That’s great,” Shaquille’s face instantly lit up with a bright sumry smile.
“Um, if I trade him for Roger, would you be willing?”
“What?” The sunny day instantly turned overcast.
“Look, you wouldn’t want another guy like Roger on the team either.
Shaq, didn’t you want to stand out on your own?
Didn’t you want to lead a team to success by yourself?
Yet now, you still want a partner like Roger, and just breeze through gas to victory, is that what you want?”
Rember Shaq, you are leading a team now!
In this process, you’ll encounter all sorts of difficulties, and this is just one of them.
But now, you co running to over a little adversity, asking to get rid of soone?
Is that how you lead a team?”
Logo gave Shaquille a taphorical slap in the face, but as a top general manager, he knew how to handle players.
Now was the ti to give Shaq a sugarcoated pill.
“Skyhook’s biggest weakness was his inability to deal with people, which just happens to be your strength.
Everyone likes you; you’re a born leader, your tolerant and magnanimous nature is your most powerful weapon for ruling the team.
That kid is only 19.
If you work well together, show a little patience, you could win at least five championships together.
But what are you doing?
What are you thinking?
You actually rallied your teammates to attack him?
To attack soone who could beco your strongest ally?”
Be smart, Shaq, you can do better!
You’re a natural leader, and I’ve always believed in that!
As for Kobe, I will talk to him.”
West’s words made Shaquille feel a bit better, but one fact remained unchanged—Shaquille’s locker room control plan had utterly failed.
He had neither subdued Kobe nor managed to drive him away.
He didn’t understand why he was easily handled by Roger, yet he couldn’t even take care of a little kid.
Shaq walked out of Logo’s office and, seeing Kobe returning to training, he sighed.
Leading a team on his own didn’t seem as simple as he had imagined.
In the end, he would still have to put up with Kobe.
The first ga’s defeat and the failure to control the locker room left Shaq utterly humiliated.
That was humiliating enough, but Shaq knew this was only the beginning.
If he lost more gas later, or, say, if Roger won a championship before he did…
He really would beco the next Michael Jordan, completely sidelined!
This was the first ti since joining the league that Shaquille felt such a sense of crisis.
He looked seriously at Kobe on the court, lost in thought.
Jerry West watched Shaquille’s solemn expression and smiled with relief.
He actually thought that pressure might not be a bad thing for Shaquille.
At least it might improve his professional attitude to so extent.
After such a bitter defeat, Shaquille should really change completely.
The next day, Jerry West took out the “Los Angeles Tis” that had been delivered to his mailbox.
But the sports page news left him speechless.
“Shaq, with his anger from the loss still fresh, erged from the nightclub at four in the morning with three won in his arms, and left in a large SUV.”
What else could West say?
Shaquille O’Neal was an athlete who knew how to manage his own stress!
—————–
Shaquille’s embarrassing situation highlighted Roger’s greatness, resulting in increasingly positive dia reviews for Roger.
After watching the Hawks’ season-opening thrashing of the Lakers, Atlanta fans were looking forward to the start of the three-peat era.
The Hawks didn’t disappoint their fans, winning three more gas after the opener.
In the second ga, the Hawks faced Roger’s previous team, the Orlando Magic.
Although Roger had transferred away, because he hadn’t completely fallen out with the Magic’s managent, they still held a championship ring ceremony for him.
The Magic simply mailed Shaquille’s to him.
They made it clear that even if he returned to play in Orlando, there would be no ceremony.
Now, the only familiar faces from Roger’s ti in the Magic were Harper and McKey, even head coach Brian Hill had been replaced with Chuck Daly because Brian Hill felt entitled, with three rings, to ask the owner for more control over player recruitnt and personnel managent.
Then John Gabriel let him know what real personnel authority was.
And, the Magic believed Chuck Daly was the coach who knew how to develop young players, which was now the pressing matter for the Magic since their priority was to develop T-Mac.
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