[Boots]

Tragic? They are equally hilarious!

[totallackey]

I derive a great deal of pleasure by labeling other people as stupid.

Hey, I boiled all your BS into one concise point.

Why don't you make that your signature?

That way, people can see exactly what kind of jackass they dealing with without actually reading your long-winded crap.

Truth in advertising kinda...

[andruszkow]

Or, maybe you guys just didn't know the character of Shaq really well and jumped the gun on bragging about his support.

I'm fairly familiar with Shaq and this was quite obviously out of character for him. The media (who follow him quite closely) have pointed out this much, too. But hey, something something if it makes your life easier, right?

I'm telling you though, you got played. Period.

Dude, saying "period!!!!" as the be-all-end-all of a conversation is so outdated. You should be saying "*drops mic*" these days. It will make you seem more right, especially if you're just presenting baseless claims.

Haha, what a pointless reply, and you know it.

It's OK. For the FES, his "brand" being "hurt" is the natural explanation for this turnaround. For the rest of us, it's another nail in the coffin.

I have to say, I'm surprised you made the announcement in the first place. First of all, the quotes by Shaq is filled with errors in general. Secondly, it's Shaq. Smells fishy to me all in all.

[Tom Bishop]

It's pretty obvious that this isn't Shaq's type of humor. If this is Shaq's character then show us where he has done anything similar. You can't because he hasn't.

[andruszkow]

It's pretty obvious that this isn't Shaq's type of humor. If this is Shaq's character then show us where he has done anything similar. You can't because he hasn't.

Haha, how is that a proof of anything exactly!? So now prominent flat earthers have no spine? Give me a break, nobody can be this dense. You dispute just about every single argument, proven theory and observable fact about the globe earth, yet you naively assume that Shaq is converted but took back his statements about the shape of the earth because of public pressure.

Are you going to tell me that you didn't for a second think you just got trolled by Shaq?

[Tom Bishop]

It's pretty obvious that this isn't Shaq's type of humor. If this is Shaq's character then show us where he has done anything similar. You can't because he hasn't.

Haha, how is that a proof of anything exactly!?

It is a proof that you are a moron for repeating that we simply don't understand Shaq's character.

[andruszkow]

It's pretty obvious that this isn't Shaq's type of humor. If this is Shaq's character then show us where he has done anything similar. You can't because he hasn't.

Haha, how is that a proof of anything exactly!?

It is a proof that you are a moron for repeating that we simply don't understand Shaq's character.

I didn't repeat that at all, "moron", I'm simply implying you might have misjudged his character, with a very high probability. You're talking about a human being here, not an Oracle. I can only deduct from the tone in your reply that you feel really deceived by Shaq.

From one serious human being to another, I really think you need help. I mean this in the least arrogant and hostile manner, Tom.

[Rama Set]

It's pretty obvious that this isn't Shaq's type of humor. If this is Shaq's character then show us where he has done anything similar. You can't because he hasn't.

It's pretty obvious that this isn't Shaq's worldview. If this is Shaq's worldview then show us where he has expressed anything similar. You can't because he hasn't.

Wow, it was super easy to refute your terrible argument!

[garygreen]

yeah just like kyrie irving

https://solecollector.com/news/2017/03/nike-kyrie-irving-3-best-selling-basketball-sneaker

So?

so i don't really get how you can say that shaq must be protecting his 'brand' from ridicule or whatever.  kyrie irving did the exact same thing like 40 seconds ago and has the best selling sneakers in america.  mostly because all the people who love kyrie and shaq do so for sports reasons and don't care about their personal beliefs basically at all.

i mean, do you think he's gonna get fired from tnt or lose a gold bond endorsement or something?



srsly tho shaq would never do anything silly or goofy or make himself look like a fool just for the lols.

[Pete Svarrior]

I can't quite work out which is the most tragic, insisting that the 7 foot multi millionaire has been bullied into retraction or Sexpest trying to come across as king cool.

Both of these happen on a daily basis, so I would describe neither as "tragic".

[markjo]

It's pretty obvious that this isn't Shaq's type of humor.

Are you sure about that, Tom?  After all, his Ed. D. dissertation was on humor, wasn't it?

[Tom Bishop]

It's pretty obvious that this isn't Shaq's type of humor. If this is Shaq's character then show us where he has done anything similar. You can't because he hasn't.

It's pretty obvious that this isn't Shaq's worldview. If this is Shaq's worldview then show us where he has expressed anything similar. You can't because he hasn't.

Wow, it was super easy to refute your terrible argument!

That is a weak argument. Shaq goes onto pod casts and tells his worldview in a seemingly serious manner all the time. He does not go back and say "just kidding!".

so i don't really get how you can say that shaq must be protecting his 'brand' from ridicule or whatever.  kyrie irving did the exact same thing like 40 seconds ago and has the best selling sneakers in america.  mostly because all the people who love kyrie and shaq do so for sports reasons and don't care about their personal beliefs basically at all.

Yeah, Irving only expressed his Flat Earth opinion 40 seconds ago and you are showing me a link for sales starting from last year. Totally irrelevant. The link even provides a disclaimer that his shoes are only leading in the "performance" basketball shoe market, whatever that is, and that Nike is underpricing the shoes compared to other signature brands.

Are you seriously trying to tell us that Shaq's managers and partners would have thought that world-wide ridicule was a good thing? People would have been screaming at him to retract his statement or his career was over. Do you really think that seeing that irrelevant link would change their minds?

srsly tho shaq would never do anything silly or goofy or make himself look like a fool just for the lols.

That's not really the same type of humor at all here, and Shaq revealed himself at the end. Its not even his own idea, he's an actor in a commercial for Lyft.

[Tom Bishop]

It's pretty obvious that this isn't Shaq's type of humor.

Are you sure about that, Tom?  After all, his Ed. D. dissertation was on humor, wasn't it?

Shaq likes jokes, but all of his jokes tend to cause people to laugh at the end, not leave people thinking that he is a serial killer. The type of humor here is uncharacteristic of everything he has ever done.

[andruszkow]

It's pretty obvious that this isn't Shaq's type of humor.

Are you sure about that, Tom?  After all, his Ed. D. dissertation was on humor, wasn't it?

Shaq like jokes, but all of his jokes tend to cause people to laugh at the end, not leave people thinking that he is a serial killer. The type of humor here is uncharacteristic of everything he has ever done.

Hahaha!

[Rama Set]

That is a weak argument. Shaq goes onto pod casts and tells his worldview in a seemingly serious manner all the time.

"expressed anything similar"

He does not go back and say "just kidding!".

But he did this time.

[markjo]

It's pretty obvious that this isn't Shaq's type of humor.

Are you sure about that, Tom?  After all, his Ed. D. dissertation was on humor, wasn't it?

Shaq like jokes, but all of his jokes tend to cause people to laugh at the end, not leave people thinking that he is a serial killer. The type of humor here is uncharacteristic of everything he has ever done.

Tom, this is nothing more than just one more case of FE'ers unquestioningly accepting any bit of support without the slightest bit of critical though.  You went out of your way to talk up Shaq's Ed. d., yet you never thought to consider just how far out of character it would be for someone with an advanced degree, seemingly out of nowhere, to come out and support FET.  Then, just to make things even worse, you desperately try to hold on to his endorsement even after he publicly admits that he was just trolling everyone. 

Tom, do yourself a favor and just admit that you got played and move on.

[garygreen]

fwiw i'm way more offended by your misunderstanding of sports fandom and sneakers and shaq than anything else.

Yeah, Irving only expressed his Flat Earth opinion 40 seconds ago and you are showing me a link for sales starting from last year. Totally irrelevant. The link even provides a disclaimer that his shoes are only leading in the "performance" basketball shoe market, whatever that is, and that Nike is underpricing the shoes compared to other signature brands.

fair enough, maybe the market hasn't had time to react the career-ending news that kyrie irving believes something weird.

http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2017/03/sales_of_kyrie_irvings_nike_sh.html

"Kyrie Irving has another reason to celebrate on this, his 25th birthday. The latest iteration of his signature basketball shoe by Nike is currently the best-selling pair of basketball kicks out there.

"The Kyrie 3 launched in December and now is the top-selling performance basketball shoe in the marketplace," Nike Brand President Trevor Edwards said in an earnings call."

nike's brand president seems to think that kryie irving's band is just fine.  probably why they keep releasing models.

Are you seriously trying to tell us that Shaq's managers and partners would have thought that world-wide ridicule was a good thing? People would have been screaming at him to retract his statement or his career was over. Do you really think that seeing that irrelevant link would change their minds?

lol "or his career was over."  what are you talking about?  do you think he's gonna get fired from tnt or something?  lose an endorsement?  the folks at icy-hot probably didn't hire shaq because of his intellect.  what's the specific thing that happens when people find out what shaq believes something weird?

That's not really the same type of humor at all here, and Shaq revealed himself at the end. Its not even his own idea, he's an actor in a commercial for Lyft.

  you've missed the point entirely.



i just sorta get the feeling that shaq's 'brand' can withstand people laughing at him.  i mean he got a degree in humor ffs.

[Tom Bishop]

Tom, this is nothing more than just one more case of FE'ers unquestioningly accepting any bit of support without the slightest bit of critical though.  You went out of your way to talk up Shaq's Ed. d., yet you never thought to consider just how far out of character it would be for someone with an advanced degree, seemingly out of nowhere, to come out and support FET.  Then, just to make things even worse, you desperately try to hold on to his endorsement even after he publicly admits that he was just trolling everyone. 

Tom, do yourself a favor and just admit that you got played and move on.

Yeah, no. There is obviously great pressure to retract your statement when you are one of the most famous people in America and the entire world is mocking you.

I would like you to show how everyone believing that he was an idiot was good for his brand and his ego. Would Shaq and his managers and partners think that the situation would benefit them greatly? It is hard to see how everyone around him would have encouraged Shaq to go with it.

Frankly, the only person in denial here is you. If Shaq was making a joke that he was an idiot he would have said JUST KIDDING in the podcast, not leave everyone to think that he is an idiot. What kind of joke is that?

[Boots]

Well, Dr. O'Neal says he was joking and I think we should believe him.

Who am I going to believe, a doctor of education; or you guys, who are not doctors of education?

[Tom Bishop]

Well, Dr. O'Neal says he was joking and I think we should believe him.

Who am I going to believe, a doctor of education; or you guys, who are not doctors of education?

He only said that he was joking after the story went around the world and he was mocked and ridiculed relentlessly. Kind of too late and not really obviously genuine.