Kids, Don’t Try This at Home

Nobody roots for Goliath, Wilt Chamberlain once said. Unless, of course, Goliath is loading his slingshot for your team, leaving you with no choice but to give poor little David the thumbs down. If the Lakers somehow lose to the Indiana Pacers (and California tumbles into the ocean), nobody can pin it on Shaquille O’Neal.

The pressure is all on Shaq’s teammates and on Phil Jackson not to mess up the parade plans.

What Shaq can be blamed for is ruining a game that is supposed to be pleasing to the eye.

The foul he has committed is unintentional. It’s not Shaq’s fault. It’s his genetics. He can’t help it if his DNA spit out a 7-foot-1, 340-pound beast who is nimble enough to take the beauty out of the sport.