Lakers Just Refuse to Make It Easy

So Shaq feels he is being disrespected by Phil Jackson?

News flash to Shaquille O’Neal:

Total lifetime Shaq championships pre-Phil Jackson: 0.

Total with Phil: 2.

I can’t believe after two championships and a 7-0 start to a new season we have to hear the crybaby rantings of yet another pampered athlete.

Grow up Shaq!

Sad that “Bling-Bling” is being replaced with “Me-Me.”

Don Fulton

San Pedro

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I don’t think anyone who has watched these guys throughout their careers is operating under any illusions here. Shaquille has always been an overly sensitive baby, especially when it comes to criticism, and Phil has always had a big mouth and a seemingly insatiable appetite for shoe leather.

You’d like to believe that Shaq--as has been his history--will get over this and that, with the team’s continued fortunes, will come a more tolerant perspective and attitude, just as you’d like to believe that Phil will learn to be more discreet and not so free with his words, especially near the media.

You can probably expect a little of both and, as time goes by, the occasional lapses, ruffled feathers and dented egos. Let’s face it, nature abhors a vacuum, every silver lining has its cloud and the Lakers have a long and storied history of making things tougher on themselves than they need to be. Anything--even winning--gets boring after a while.

Jon Cutler

Los Angeles