Shaquille O'Neal's Retirement: Who's The Biggest Character In The NFL?

by David Fucillo on Jun 1, 2011 7:38 PM PDT in San Francisco 49ers News

Earlier today, Shaquille O'Neal tweeted out a link to video at a social media website to announce that he was "about to retire." Most everybody assumes that means he's finished and calling it a day. Of course, given how Shaq can be sometimes, does anybody really know whether this is 100% legit? If you watch the brief Shaq announcement, check out the video that immediately follows with Shaq singing some Prince. It's awesome.

Although Shaquille O'Neal's "relevancy" has waned in recent years, he will go down as one of the fairly colorful characters in NBA and sports history. Although he might have grown a little lazy at times, Shaq at one point was one of the most dominant big men in NBA history.

However, upon retirement, it's entirely possible he'll be remembered as much for his quirky personality as he will be for his dominant years with the Magic and Lakers. After all, this is a guy who upon joining the Boston Celtics went out to Harvard Square and sat perfectly still as a statute and let people just take pictures around him. Oh and he sent out a tweet about it to get people out for it. Random stuff like that made him an amusing character.

At this point is Chad Ochocinco the closest follow-up character to Shaq? He has never really had Shaq's immense upside so he might not qualify for the strongest mix of superior talent and quirky personality. Or maybe he does. Is Ochocinco the successor to the man with a thousand nicknames? And thanks to Arrowhead Pride for posting about this earlier, thus giving me a post idea to steal.

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Shaq made millions

but his shadow has been playing the last 4 years.

by oldfoggy on Jun 1, 2011 8:38 PM PDT reply actions

Currently playing it has to be Chad Ochocinco

he’s built up a brand name that’s huge outside of football and will be a media personality for years to come.

However the winner has to be Deion Sanders himself. Everything Chad Ochocinco is doing he learned from Prime Time. Shaq didn’t have anybody to learn it from—he invented the cult of personality in the NBA.

by smileyman on Jun 1, 2011 9:50 PM PDT reply actions

WILDCARD

Rex Ryan anyone?

49er fanhood up in the air with Kaepernick aboard and there not being an QB worth rooting for on the niner roster

by supraman on Jun 1, 2011 10:48 PM PDT reply actions

Ray Lewis

by Jesse Reed on Jun 1, 2011 11:46 PM PDT reply actions

What about

Tim Tebow? He’s not a character in the traditional sense, but damned if he doesn’t have an identity that a lot of people can relate to.

Don't stop believin'. And never forget where you came from.

by OnDeck_Matt on Jun 2, 2011 5:49 AM PDT reply actions

I don't know that there is a Shaq in the NFL

Shaq has always been sort of unique. He was a physical freak and star from the moment he steps onto a pro court, and quickly expanded his name brand early in his career through the movie and music industries, even if much of it was questionable quality. He was a high profile star that dominated for many years while winning multiple championships in one of the biggest media markets in the country.

Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson may have some similarities in personality, but even with the TV show and all the other things he does to get out there he couldn’t begin to touch Shaq’s profile. He has been stuck in small-market Cincy, he was never as dominant as Shaq was in their respective sports, he didn’t dominate over as long a period as Shaq did, and he hasn’t won a championship.

by TheRaven on Jun 2, 2011 5:40 PM PDT reply actions