It Was O’Neal’s Reputation That Took a Slap in the Face

Shaquille O’Neal’s private record label is called TWIM: This World Is Mine. Well, this world may be his, but two things in it are not: 1. a championship ring at either the college or pro level, and 2. some dignity, humility and class.

If I understand how God operates, he will never have No. 1 until he has No. 2.

MARC CHESLER, Needles

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Ah, to be young and stupid. Shaq confronts Greg Ostertag for saying he has no class and then proves it by hitting him. Maybe about a 30-game suspension might teach Shaq what he obviously didn’t learn at home.

FRED NITZ, Winnetka

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I know nothing about basketball, but I assume Jerry West does. After he finally signed O’Neal last year, he confessed to being so drained from the pressure of the process [he needed] to contemplate retirement. I think what really happened was, he realized the mistake he’d made.

TIM BURNS, Los Angeles

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Bill Plaschke, the scuffle between Shaquille O’Neal and Greg Ostertag was something that we all knew was coming. Maybe your memory doesn’t serve you that well any more, but most of us can remember the things that Ostertag said after the Laker-Jazz series last year.

Why don’t we just put this issue to rest now and say that Ostertag got what was coming to him.

GEORGE VELAZQUEZ, San Diego

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So Mike Downey is complaining that there is no more class in the NBA while calling Shaq a punk and asking, “Where have you gone, Julius Erving?” The same Julius Erving who grabbed Larry Bird’s neck and tried to choke him? Pretty classy.

STEVE CASTRO, Alhambra

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The Lakers might be looking at a championship season if Shaq could learn to shoot free throws with the same skill that he throws the face slap.

RICH VARENCHIK, Santa Clarita

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I’m a longtime admirer of Jerry West, from his college days. Everyone is entitled to a mistake, but I’m sorry that Jerry’s had to be 7 feet 1 and 350 pounds or whatever Shaq “the Heel” O’Neal is. All this guy can do is move fast for a big man. He can’t shoot. Most eighth-graders are better foul shooters. He isn’t one-tenth the player that Hakeem Olajuwon--a gentleman--is. He is a thoroughly arrogant, movie star-rap star, unmarried father and violent punk. Slapping a man down because of a verbal insult. Trade him, and Elden “Mr. Inconsistency” Campbell and that other nut case, Van Exel, with them.

JAMES ELLIS, Thousand Oaks

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Given what little class the Lakers have, the biggest slap on the face now would be to trade Eddie Jones.

RON OVADIA, Newport Beach

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First the Lakers traded Vlade Divac. That was hard to take. When they traded Cedric Ceballos, I thought to myself, “Well, Jerry West always gets it right, so I’ll trust him on this one.” Then there was the Anthony Peeler and George Lynch trade. Again I told myself that Jerry knew best, but with the thought of trading Eddie Jones to Sacramento for Mitch Richmond, I have to finally say, “Jerry, you’re losing your marbles.”

The deal to swap Eddie, and possibly Sean Rooks or Corie Blount, is ridiculous! For the first time in my fanship, I must question Jerry’s judgment. Please keep Eddie and maintain the youth, cohesiveness and love that Laker fans have grown for Eddie in Los Angeles.

RAFAEL LARIN, Glendale