To: Apollo who wrote (14957 ) 6/13/2001 9:33:16 PM From: Eric L Read Replies (3) | Respond to of 22706 ca, << Your gracious and balanced comments are unbefitting the Mudge thread. >> My most sincere apologies to the thread. << Kobe is playing pretty well, for a 22 year old. >> Kobe is playing great for an any year old. << Philly looks like it's just too banged up. >> They are woefully banged up but we can't use that for an excuse. The banged up guys ... Snow and McKie are contributing more to back up banged up Allen than the turkeys on the bench, and if one or two of them turkeys don't show up tonight the series might not go back to LA. We need something out of Tyrone Hill or Jumaine Jones. Lakers outplaying these guys big time and that is the real difference. Banged up Lynch may be back tonight, but I suspect he won't be able to contribute much, despite the desire to. Geiger couldn't play with pain and he can't play without pain evidently. A real Mutt. << For those who criticize Shaq and his purported offensive fouls >> Purported my ***. Shaq thinks he has an inalienable right to play offense his way. If he dips his shoulder before he plows into Dikembe he is potentially subject to a call. I'm not about to criticize Shaq, except for his recent whining - he's a force - but he is playing one of the best defenders of recent times, and the man he's whining about happens to be one of the games current great gentleman who shows up to play every single game. Not quite a match for Shaq, but playing him pretty darned well, and better than the Admiral did. Shaq right now, reminds me a tad of Wilt Chamberlain, when Wilt used to run into Bill Russell and Bill would get into Wilt's head six ways from Sunday, on court and off. Now speaking of matchups, if I could pick just one, it would be Shaq and Wilt in a championship series. Shaq is physical. Wilt was PHYSICAL! Game time. - Eric -