Comments on: Author: Shaquille O’Neal’s father abused him as a child

By: amazonfan0007

amazonfan0007 — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 05:07:23 +0000

Are you serious? When is it okay to be punched in the face by a parent? When it comes to physical abuse, it’s not a question of different parenting methods, it’s a question of right and wrong.

There is NO rage where it’s not that big of a deal to be punched in the face by your Dad, and if you believe that, you shouldn’t be allowed to be a parent!

By: 1historian

1historian — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 12:51:51 +0000

When my dad was 84 he looked at me and said “I know that the reason that you have no confidence in yourself as a man is because I beat it out of you when you were a boy.”

By: The Prophet

The Prophet — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:46:41 +0000

The only person who can call this abuse is Shaq. If he was fine how his father disciplined than who is anybody else to judge how a parent deals with the child. Getting punched in the face by your Dad is not that big of a deal depending on how old the child is. Ten years old is one thing, but this article doesn’t mention age which leads me to believe this was won Shaq was teenaged. And just because Shaq isn’t doing the same thing to his kids doesn’t mean what was done to him was wrong. I do a lot of things different with my kids and its not because I feel i was wronged by my parents. It’s just a choice and a preference of methods or styles of parenting. Get off your high horse jackie.

By: florida727

florida727 — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 14:04:20 +0000

I agree with “vikesfansteve”. Nothing but a ploy to sell books. Just lost all respect for JackieMac. The guy was like 7 foot and 280 in freaking high school. He’d have kicked his old man’s @$$ even then. My dad beat the crap out of me when a kid in the neighborhood got hit in the head with a baseball bat and my dad thought I did it. I didn’t go running to Child Protective Services.

Definitely won’t be running to Barnes & Noble any time soon for this piece of literary trash.

By: madisonave99

madisonave99 — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 05:26:52 +0000

Wow, had no idea that Shaq had to endure that, no child ever should have to deal with that. when Shaq first came to prominence in the NBA, I always wondered why his biological dad was such a distant figure in his life–now I see why

By: david8726

david8726 — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 04:59:25 +0000

Your version of the “truth” is very selective. You’re singling out all the negatives while ignoring the positives. That’s what bothers me.

Was Shaq perfect? No, of course not. But the positives about Shaq far outweigh the negativies.

Not being in shape and having a huge ego are small personal problems compared to the overwhelmingly good acts of helping kids and the community in every city he’s ever played in. Everything that happens in the NBA and in the media just doesn’t matter that much. That’s the entertainment industry.

Touching lives and doing real work to help people is whats important in life, and Shaq has done a lot of that.

By: goforthanddie

goforthanddie — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 04:15:52 +0000

Does speaking the truth bother you that much?
He should still be playing, but he couldn’t bother to stay in shape, when staying in shape is basically what he was paid to do. And plenty of people do plenty of good things w/o throwing former teammates/bosses under various buses.

By: david8726

david8726 — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 03:57:39 +0000

You’re a douche.

How about you mention all the good things Shaq does, like doing tons of charitable events for kids and the community? Or promoting police work?

I doubt you’re a perfect person. Don’t be so quick to stand in judgement of other people’s character flaws.

By: iamdanabnormal

iamdanabnormal — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 03:47:09 +0000

clown.

By: vikesfansteve

vikesfansteve — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 02:39:48 +0000

Total B.S.

By: totallydisgusted

totallydisgusted — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 02:16:45 +0000

punching in the face is crazy. the belt ain’t so bad. the belt has always been a reliable tool of discipline when applied at the right time and circumstances. you just can’t go overboard with it. I bet Shaq is more upset about getting punched the getting the belt

By: Amadeus

Amadeus — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 01:08:58 +0000

BFD…anything to sell a book. This is the best MacMullen can come up with? Pathetic.

By: charlutes

charlutes — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:24:03 +0000

Disturbing, oddly refreshing, nostalgic…great story.

By: goforthanddie

goforthanddie — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:18:37 +0000

Shaq says his father made him the man he became

Is that the man who was too lazy to stay in shape, and incapable of accepting blame for anything?