# Shaq Hates the New NBA Ball



## The Dark Wolf (Oct 3, 2006)

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Sports/532140.html

I didn't even know there was going to be a new NBA ball. Doesn't sound promising, despite what the NBA talking heads and their corporate buddies Spalding say.


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## Mykie (Oct 3, 2006)

He's the wrong person to piss off...


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## Leon (Oct 3, 2006)

have you ever seen a Shaq free throw? i don't think he liked the old ones either


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## giannifive (Oct 3, 2006)

Leon said:


> have you ever seen a Shaq free throw? i don't think he liked the old ones either


 

My favorite quote: "...whoever that person is needs his college degree revoked." Classic! As if a college degree were a license...


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## Rick (Oct 3, 2006)

Shaq is hilarious. Sometimes.


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## rummy (Oct 3, 2006)

I played with the new ball, and it's not at all different. It's easier to line up, imo.


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## Shannon (Oct 3, 2006)

Leon said:


> have you ever seen a Shaq free throw? i don't think he liked the old ones either


Damn, you beat me to it.


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## The Dark Wolf (Oct 3, 2006)

His free throws stink, but that never stopped him from being the King of Slam-a-lot.


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## Chris (Oct 4, 2006)

They could make that ball out of metal, and make the backboard the most powerful magnet in the universe and he'd still suck at free throws.


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## Vince (Oct 4, 2006)

FWIW, Steve Nash came out today in the Phoenix media saying the ball sucks too.


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## The Dark Wolf (Oct 4, 2006)

Thank you! Finally, back on track. 

Steve Nash, FTW.


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## Vince (Oct 5, 2006)

http://www.nba.com/news/blackbox_060628.html

Strangely enough, this reminds me of a testicle. I don't like it either.


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## Sebastian (Oct 5, 2006)

It looks similar to the european balls.. i dont like it...


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## Chris (Oct 5, 2006)

With 12 foot tall people dunking all the time, they should either make them play with a fucking football and have to dribble it, or raise the nets another two feet.


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## zimbloth (Oct 5, 2006)

There really arent as many dunks as you think. Defenses have become so much better over the last few years because of the new rules and the ridiculous atheletic ability of the new crop of players. If anything I'd like to see scoring go up more, it has in the last 2 seasons but for the previous 5 years it was pretty awful... tons of 82-78 games.


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## Rick (Oct 6, 2006)

The scoring and shooting have been awful.


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## Cancer (Oct 6, 2006)

Hehehehh, Shaq is complaining about balls ...hehehehhh.


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## noodles (Oct 6, 2006)

Shaq said:


> Feels like one of those cheap balls that you buy at the toy store, indoor-outdoor balls.



You mean like one of these?


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## The Dark Wolf (Oct 6, 2006)

zimbloth said:


> There really arent as many dunks as you think. Defenses have become so much better over the last few years because of the new rules and the ridiculous atheletic ability of the new crop of players. If anything I'd like to see scoring go up more, it has in the last 2 seasons but for the previous 5 years it was pretty awful... tons of 82-78 games.


Zone defenses, FTW.

I actually like this. I grew up in the 80's and early 90's, when the NBA was a non-stop all-star game. Great for the marketing brainiacs, so that every year there's a new MJ, 'Blue Chip' er, advertising ploy-er, er... player, so that we can buy the hype and go out and get so-and-ao scoring monster's new shoes.

Bleah.

My Pistons showed that great defense and team basketball can beat the superstar mentality that was so prevalent in the NBA. College ball was so much more competitive for years, compared to the NBA, for precisely those reasons.


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## jacksonplayer (Oct 10, 2006)

They don't teach basketball fundamentals anymore, and it really shows in the NBA. The new basketball is really ugly and I see no reason for a switch, other than marketing.


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## The Dark Wolf (Oct 11, 2006)

jacksonplayer said:


> They don't teach basketball fundamentals anymore, and it really shows in the NBA. The new basketball is really ugly and I see no reason for a switch, other than marketing.


With the exception of the Pistons. San Antonio is a pretty fundamentally sound team, too, IMO.

Agreed, other than that.


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## jacksonplayer (Oct 11, 2006)

The Dark Wolf said:


> With the exception of the Pistons. San Antonio is a pretty fundamentally sound team, too, IMO.



Forgot about them. You're absolutely right. And Steve Nash and many of the European players have the fundamentals down. Problem is, NBA teams should be made up of nothing but guys who can at least pass effectively, hit a basic jump shot and nail their free throws. It ain't rocket science. The free throw thing kills me. When I was 12 years old, I could make my fucking free throws, and you're telling me some guy who gets paid a zillion dollars a year doesn't have to?


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## The Dark Wolf (Oct 11, 2006)

Steve Nash, undoubtedly. One of my favorite players. And Euro guys, yep. Dirk Nowitzki, a terrific example. Spot-on, Jacks.

As for what else you said... 2004 US "Dream Team", anyone?


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## jacksonplayer (Oct 11, 2006)

The Dark Wolf said:


> As for what else you said... 2004 US "Dream Team", anyone?



To be fair, a lot of the recent problems with the U.S. national team have been because they aren't really a 'team'--they're a hastily thrown-together collection of guys. They don't have the time to develop the necessary team chemistry to compete with other national teams that play and practice together more often. Now put any of the NBA teams made up of Americans (excludes the Spurs, Suns, and Mavs, who have foreign stars) into the Olympics or World Championships, and you've got a different ballgame.


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## The Dark Wolf (Oct 11, 2006)

That's a good take, You always seem to think of interesting angles I don't. 

Still, I have to admit, I was rooting steadfastly against the US Olymipic team on '04. Collection of rich, egotistical, lazy millionaires who thought the gold should handed to them on a... well, silver platter, I guess. 

I laughed when they lost. Uproariously.


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## jacksonplayer (Oct 11, 2006)

It is fun to watch their egos get busted.


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## The Dark Wolf (Dec 12, 2006)

Well, that didn't take long.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/basketball/nba/12/11/bc.bkn.nba.newball.ap/index.html?cnn=yes

Bye bye, new ball. Hello old ball, as of January 1st!  Another brilliant corporate decision.


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## Jason (Dec 12, 2006)

Funny..steve nash is complaing now there switching back saying "there is no adjustment time"


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## The Dark Wolf (Dec 12, 2006)

For the record, I'm in total agreement with the players. A real asshat move by Stern and the corporate ninnies in the NBA toeven introduce a new ball inb the first place, without even real player consultation.

But! I remember when I'd be glad just to have a damn ball with air in it!


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## Azyiu (Dec 13, 2006)

Talk about not having time to adjust back to the old leather ball, I guess it sucks ball to be the Celtics. They are the _*ONLY*_ team that plays on _*BOTH*_ Dec.31st (the last official day of use of the current game ball) and Jan.1st (the first official day of use of the leather game ball). Then again, I guess the Celtics would not mind if the season is cancelled altogether either.


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## playstopause (Dec 13, 2006)

zimbloth said:


> There really arent as many dunks as you think. Defenses have become so much better over the last few years because of the new rules and the ridiculous atheletic ability of the new crop of players. If anything I'd like to see scoring go up more, it has in the last 2 seasons but for the previous 5 years it was pretty awful... tons of 82-78 games.



 True.
(sigh... the Malone/Stockton vs Jordan/Pippen years...)


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## Azyiu (Dec 13, 2006)

zimbloth said:


> If anything I'd like to see scoring go up more, it has in the last 2 seasons but for the previous 5 years it was pretty awful... tons of 82-78 games.



You obviously didn't watch the Suns/Nets 2OT classic last week.


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## Shannon (Dec 14, 2006)

Who cares what Shaq thinks of a ball? He's an overgrown retard who can't even land a freethrow. 

When you start to feel like Shaq's opinion really means anything, remember this image. KAZAAM!


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## Vince (Dec 14, 2006)

David Stern to NBA Players:

_"I'm sorry you don't like my balls this year. I'll bring back the old leathery balls you love to play with."_


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## Leon (Dec 14, 2006)

desertdweller said:


> David Stern to NBA Players:
> 
> _"I'm sorry you don't like my balls this year. I'll bring back the old leathery balls you love to play with."_





how did this thread manage over two months without a balls reference?



Shannon said:


> When you start to feel like Shaq's opinion really means anything, remember this image. KAZAAM!



shame he can't use his powers to get the ball in the net without standing right under it.


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