TORONTO (ESPN.com news services) -- Shaquille O'Neal ripped the officiating in a profane post-game tirade Sunday after scoring 36 points in the Lakers' 84-83 victory over the Raptors.

Shaq went to the line 15 times Sunday, but he believes that was not nearly enough.Shaq told KCAL-TV that the fans came to watch the players, not the officials, then used the f-bomb while complaining that officials were "taking over the game.''

"My message to [commissioner] David Stern is get some people in there that understand the game and don't try to take over the game because people pay good money to see good athletes play,'' O'Neal said. "Let us play, don't be trying to take over the game."

O'Neal twice used profanities on live television in the postgame interview with KCAL-TV. When informed he was on live, O'Neal replied with a vulgarity.

He later sympathized with Vince Carter, who had a chance to win the game in the final seconds but did not get a foul call. Rick Fox and Gary Payton converged on Carter as he drove to the basket. Carter threw up the ball, thinking he had been fouled but official Luis Grillo did not call one.

Payton then ran out the clock.

"I thought the last five times I shot the ball was a foul too," O'Neal said. "He got fouled, I got fouled, and they didn't call it."

O'Neal said official Scott Foster has it in for him.

"Don't be calling bull because you don't like a guy," O'Neal said. "That guy has a clear understanding over the years that he don't like me. If you don't like a person, you can't do your job with them."

O'Neal went 13-for-20 from the field and 10-for-15 from the free-throw line.

Carter called the non-call "unreal" but would not say more.

Toronto coach Kevin O'Neill didn't want to talk about it either, but said it was a tough game to officiate.

"You have two guys, Vince and Shaq, that both think they should be fouled every time or called every time," O'Neill said.



OK fellas, thoughts?

I imagine that Shaq will be fined. And he knows this, too. Having said that, he feels comfortable making his comments for the $5000 (or whatever) it will cost him.

When a person is settled with the reprecussions of their actions, especially so shortly after the event, it begs a serious look at the situation.

I would love to be a fly on the wall if the NBA Observer at that game talked with the officials after the game. (Anyone know who that is?)

I did not see the game, but did she a highlight or two and I think a foul call on someone defending Vince at the end of the game is not unreasonable.

Both star players complained, as did the coach of the Raptors. I think it deserves some consideration. (Coach O'Neill, I've found, is very good as answering a question without answering it. I try to read man of his comments because I feel he's a good communicator in that regard.)

Shaq - what ARe you thinking
 

ESPN did a great breakdown of the stats on this. The Lakers are the league leaders in fouls against them and FTs attempted. Shaq is numero uno in the entire league in FT attempts per game - and he averages 10.8 if memory serves me right. The Lakers are number 15 in fouls called against them - middle of the pack. So they are clearly winning the foul battle and getting to the line more than anybody.

And even though Shaq was 4-5 FTs above his average attempts per game, the ref was cheating him. Now I know that it all depends on the specific game, and you can't just look at foul counts to know what is going on (we had THAT discussion!), but the ubers don't seem to back a pattern of abuse against Shaq or the Lakers.

This says it all. Shaq thinks he's some sort of basketball god, and that everyone else owes it to him to pay homage. And then, all the little wannabe teenagers act just like him. Sheez...

Shaq Fouls
 

From where I sit, Shaq is a crybaby. By the book, he fouls more without getting called than anyone else in the league. How many times a game does he displace with his backside? The pushing he does against defenders in LGP is tolerated as part of the game even though it would be called in the open court all day long. He is allowed to do his thing, but then whines when smaller opponents don't get called for trying to make things a little more even. I have a real hard time developing any sympathy for the guy.

How do people think coaches contribute to the diatribes that players seem more and more prone to get into about officiating? Coaches always seem to tell their players that they have to "prove themselves", or "earn the respect" before calls will go their way. Do you think this adds to the problem?

Isn't this the same board where some people complain about the pro game and the way it is officiated? If the pro game was called the way we call our game Shaq would shoot about 40 free throws a game. I know some would say he would foul out due to offensive fouls but the other center would foul out before it ever got to that point. Have you ever looked at what happens before he gets the ball? Do you remember in the finals against Philly when Mutombo was at a 45 degree angle leaning against him? These are still the best refs in the world IMHO. They have their game and they call it the way they call it. We have our game and we call it a different way. If you look at it from our perspective it would be skewed. These are the best players in the world and there isn't one defensive player in the league that could stop the 12th man on any NBA team if the game was called the way we call it. They are just too good for that. Jordan was on many all-defensive teams and he was one of the dirtiest players in the league on defense according to the way the game is officiated in college or high school. Shaq will get fined and the beat will go on.

Tomegun, yes you are correct it is a different game. With that in mind they call it the way they are taught. Shaq would fould out very early in a game called with high school rules, yep he gets fouled also, but what he does has nothing to do with being a basketball player. As far as the best defender not being able to guard the 12th man, at the level below these guys it happens, yes they are younger but it does happen. If you call it like a high school game it can't just be the defenders that you call it for, take away the traveling, the palming the whole works and, hey wait that would make it more like basketball again...what a concept

Some complain. Not me. I think that they have the best players and the refs know how to manage the game extremely well. There is probably a little bit of politics in how games are called because refs know the players better. And despite Shaq's complaint, the system usually works to the benefit of established stars.

But all in all, I like the way they work things. And really, at all levels, how well you look like you play the game in part shapes how the game is called. No different here.

Well..
 

the league really don't care. Just look at their image anyway.

But, as for Shaq, the league would listen more if it were Phil Jackson complaining than if it were Shaq.

He's a player and they all want the calls to go their way, but when Coach like Jackson speaks, the league starts to listen.

The problem is that more and more the coaches won't say anything in public because of the heavy fines that are laid on them etc.,

Thanks
David

Was it just the voices in my head, or did I really hear Phil Jackson call the league "childish" for suspending Shaq for dropping the f-bomb on television? I don't want my kids watching the NBA if these people are going to become their role models.

Ho Hum!
 

Great athletes but I have no interest in the game. Most of the athletes are in it for themselves and think they are bigger than the game. Give me a NCAA or high school game. Ticket prices are way over priced and players are way overpayed. Sorry but Shaq can complain all he wants because I really don't care.

Have you ever gone to an NBA game. Every other word that you hear on the court is profanity. If they are going to suspend for that, then they should do something to clean up the language on the court during the game.

Professional sports is all about the money. People who make a living playing a game really ought not to be too critical of the system that makes them millionaires. It sounds like crocodile tears to me.