NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal made some waves lately for his flat-Earther comments. Over All-Star weekend, Cleveland Cavaliers superstar Kyrie Irving revealed that he believes the Earth is flat. To make matters worse, we also learned that Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green isn’t convinced the Earth is round. Green said even doubts the authenticity of satellite photos which convey the Earth’s shape.
The week reminded us of a few years ago when we learned L.A. Clippers superstar Blake Griffin is a creationist. So there you go- not one, but three big name NBA players who don’t believe in basic, pure science.
I really hate the expression “stick to sports,” but when you’re dealing with people who decided to accept facts, well…..
Anyway, facts are not something you “believe in.” Whether you accept the law of gravity or not, your ass is going to fall when you’re off the ground. Getting back to Shaquille O’Neal, do we have to put him in the same category as these guys? Where we’ll never be able to look at them in the same way ever again?
Please tell me we don’t!
Below is an excerpt from the TheArtOfCharm.com podcast, with Jordan Harbinger, in which Shaq explains his comments.
On Claiming the Earth is Flat:
Shaquille O’Neal: “Would you like to hear my theory?”
Jordan Harbinger: “Yeah, tell me about it.”
Shaquille O’Neal: “The first part of the theory is, I’m joking you idiots! That’s the first part of the theory. The second part is, I said jokingly, that when I’m in my bus and I drive from Florida to California, which I do every summer, it seems to be flat. When I’m in my plane, and we’re getting ready to land, and I open up the window, and I’m looking at all the land that we’re flying over, it seems to be flat. But this world we live in, people take things way too seriously.
But I’m going to give the people answers to my test. Knowing that I’m a funny guy, if something seems controversial or boom, boom, boom, I’ve got to have my funny points on, right? So now, once I have my funny points on, you should eradicate and get rid of all your negative thoughts, right? That’s what you should do when you hear a Shaquille O’Neal statement, okay?
…When I want you to take me seriously, you will know by the tone of my voice that I’m being serious. So, we live in a world today – and Denzel Washington said it best – there’s too much information right now. There’s too much going on…People actually believed I was really serious when I said that.
We actually had people call into the office…No, I don’t think that. It was a joke, okay? So know that when Shaquille O’Neal says something, 80% of the time, I’m being humorous, and it is a joke. And 20% of the time, I’m being serious, but when I’m being serious, you’ll know. You want to see me, seriously?
See me and Charles Barkley going back and forth on TNT. That’s when I’m mad and when I’m serious…I was just joking people. The Earth is not round, it’s flat. I mean, the Earth is not flat, it’s round.”
So there you go, as Shaq Diesel explains himself, he only made the comments as a means to be controversial and attract media attention.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times and NBC Chicago.com, contributes to Chicago Tribune.com, Bold, WGN CLTV and KOZN.
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