Chris Konopka Makes Solid Spot Start in Goal for the New York Red Bulls

Chris Konopka, a 26-year-old alumnus of Toms River High School East (Toms River, NJ) and Providence College, got the opportunity of a lifetime Saturday night. After spending three years in Ireland, the six-foot-five-inch goalkeeper made his first ever MLS start for his hometown New York Red Bulls in front of a sold-out crowd of 25,177.

“I grew up watching the MetroStars. I grew up watching Tony Meola, Tim Howard,” Konopka told the media. “They were the guys that I watched.”

The only other thing he could’ve asked for was a win.

Konopka made three saves as the Red Bulls came from behind to earn a point in a 2-2 draw against the Chicago Fire.

He was a surprise start to begin with. Konopka is an MLS pool goalkeeper, a resource available to teams in the league to bring in goalies in case of emergency. New York starter Frank Rost was ruled out earlier in the week due to a quadriceps injury. Former starter Bouna Coundoul was thought to be the logical replacement, but his flight back to the States after playing for the Senegalese National Team was late and didn’t arrive until late Friday night.

So it was down to Konopka, who had been training with the club, and Alex Horwath, who had made one start earlier in the season and didn’t surrender a goal in a 0-0 draw. Even though Horwath had the edge in “experience” and had been with the club longer, Konopka did enough to become the fifth goalie used by the Red Bulls this season and earn his first MLS start (Konopka spent 2007 with the then-Kansas City Wizards—now Sporting Kansas City—but did not make a regular season appearance with the team).

“Konopka has been outstanding this week,” head coach Hans Backe said. “He’s looked very sharp. That’s why we have him over Alex Horwath.”

Konopka didn’t do terribly. There were two goals allowed, but the team’s defensive effort was subpar and he was put in a difficult spot on both goals as the Fire’s speedy forwards beat the Red Bull’s backline multiple times.

On the first goal, Patrick Nyarko got free on the left side and sent in a cross in front of the net to former-Red Bull Dominic Oduro, who had gotten between the two centerbacks—who seemed to not notice Oduro made a cut to goal and was open. Konopka got a piece of the shot, but it trickled underneath him and into the back of the net.

The second goal came on a fast break. Once again, Nyarko got behind the defensive thanks to a through ball from Marco Poppa. Nyarko attempted to chip the ball over Konopka but the tall keeper was able to knock the shot down. The ball fell in front of Fire midfielder Sebastian Grazzini, however, who then put the rebound away.

“It’s a little bit unfortunate about it but it is what it is,” Konopka told reporters after the game. “I just had to turn and keep my head up and play the rest of the match.”

Konopka did make a nice save in the second half to preserve the tie. With some good passing from the Fire, Orr Barrouch slipped behind the defense after receiving a through ball (a recurring motif for the night) and dribbled in one-on-one with the goalie. Konopka came out, stayed low, cut off the angle and made a point-blank save.

While it was a story-book setting for Konopka, the total result probably wasn’t the kind that Konopka dreamed of in his ideal situation, especially when the Red Bulls could’ve really used a win as they make a push for the playoffs. Still he may have done enough to earn another chance.

Rost is out for a month. Coundoul is inconsistent and has fallen out of favor with club management. Greg Sutton was loaned out to the Montreal Impact. So, for at least one more week, if Konopka can continue his strong practice sessions, he may be given at least one more opportunity to start between the posts ahead of Horwath.

“You just gotta’ try and stay positive,” Konopka told the media after the game. “There’s nine games left till the end of this season. I’m a part of this team through and through till the end.”

Given the revolving door that has been the Red Bulls goalkeeper position this year, it certainly isn’t far-fetched to think that the big and athletic keeper will be seen again.

Photo credits.
Chris Konopka: photo from Waterford United, waterford-united.ie

Jürgen Klinsmann and the German feel of the United States Men's National Team

The United States Men’s National Team is going through an identity crisis. All that’s left is changing the flag from red, white and blue to the black, red and gold of Germany.

The signing of Jürgen Klinsmann as head coach of the senior team gives this team an increasingly strong German presence, one that had already begun to develop prior to the new skipper’s arrival.

Klinsmann is a former World Cup winner for Die Mannschaft, as well as a player for a European Championship winning team and a German Footballer of the Year award winner in 1994. He is one of the most famous and well-respected players in Germany’s soccer history. And as a manager he revamped the nation’s playing style and helped them finish third in the 2006 World Cup, when they hosted the tournament.

As he writes in his manifesto, Klinsmann transformed the German National Team into an offensive minded squad; attacking, being aggressive and “proactive”. To help the senior team accomplish this transformation, Klinsmann reached out to many of the German Bundesliga coaches to help implement that style of play throughout the country, creating a national identity through style of play.

It’s a style many USMNT supporters have wished their country would adopt and it seems that Klinsmann plans to implement. And he’s relying on players with strong ties to the German game to introduce it to the rest of the USA.

The team already has midfielder Jermaine Jones. He grew up in Frankfurt-Bonames with his mother and his father was an African-American soldier stationed in Germany. He played professionally in Germany from 2000-2011 before being loaned to EPL side Blackburn Rovers. Jones even made three appearances for the German National Team (under Klinsmann’s assistant-turned head coach Joachim Löw) before using a FIFA rule change to allow him to switch eligibility to the USMNT.

There is also the tantalizing prospect, Timothy Chandler. He was born in Frankfurt—also to an African-American soldier and German mother—lived in Germany his entire life and has played professionally only in Germany. He plays right fullback, but can also play on the wing.

Fans want to see more of Chandler, already labeling him the next starter at right fullback, but he was not named to the Gold Cup roster (left off due to concerns from his club team) and was an injury scratch for the Mexico friendly. Still, he figures to play a large role on the team moving forward.

Also, Steve Cherundolo and Michael Bradley, while they are not German citizens, have played in the Bundesliga during the time of Klinsmann’s influence on the club level.

Don't forget that Klinsmann was also the coach of Bayern Munich when American star Landon Donovan was on loan there in 2009.

All five players were named to Klinsmann’s first roster as head coach of the USMNT, but there’s even more ties to his German background lurking on the team, and they are with some surprising players.

DaMarcus Beasley, Ricardo Clark and Edson Buddle have all thought to be completely out of the National Team picture after the 2010 World Cup. All three, to the shock of many USMNT supporters, have been placed on the 22-man roster for the Mexico friendly, earning a chance to prove their worth to the new coach.

What do all three have in common, other than thought to be finished with the USMNT? They all have played club ball recently in Germany.

Clark has played both midfield and center fullback for Bundesliga 2 side Eintracht Frankfurt and Edson Buddle has scored three goals in 17 league appearances since joining fellow Bundesliga 2 team FC Ingolstadt 04 last summer. Beasley, though he just joined Mexican –side Puebla this summer, was a member of Bundesliga club Hannover 96 the past two seasons.



One would imagine all three are in an “Impress now or forever hold your peace” situation with the USMNT, but it isn’t far-fetched to imagine that their experiences in German soccer have earned them all one last chance.

Don’t expect the parade of German-Americans (or those playing professionally in Germany) to end soon either. Some other options still exist.

Goalkeeper David Yelldell, a German-American who has made one career appearance for the USMNT, signed with Bundesliga club Bayern Leverkusen this summer. He was briefly named the team’s starting goalkeeper in July, although he did not play in the team’s first game of the season. He could emerge as a No. 2 keeper behind incumbent starter Tim Howard.

Alfredo Morales is a 21-year-old German-American defender for Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin. Young players on top-tier teams usually get a good amount of hype from the American soccer media (think Eric Lichaj), so Morales’ name could get mentioned frequently in the upcoming years.

Luis Robles is another goalkeeper who plays in Germany. He plays for Bundesliga 2 team Karlsruher (previously with FC Kaiserslautern) and has made one appearance for the USMNT in the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

So Klinsmann (and USMNT fans) wants the team to play more offensive-mindedly, more aggressive and with more technical skill. He wants them to play more like the German National Team. So to do that he’s bringing in players with ties to Germany who have experienced the style of play Germany plays, a style Kilnsmann influenced onto German teams with support from their soccer federation in 2004.

And how bad a model could the German National team be for the United States? Historically they are one of the most successful nations to participate in the FIFA World Cup and have finished third in two straight editions of the tournament (not to mention a second-place finish in 2002, pre-Klinsmann).

The Mexico friendly will usher in a new era for the American team, the “German era”. Now it’s time to see if Klinsmann can replicate that success of Die Mannschaft in the “land of the free and the home of the brave.”

Photo Credits.
Jürgen Klinsmann: AP Photo/Mary Altaffer
Jermaine Jones: AP Photo/Stephan Savoia

Pieces of Jürgen Klinsmann's introduction as USMNT head coach. Video from YouTube.

Hunter Pence Should Be the Top Trade Target for the Philadelphia Phillies

While the Philadelphia Phillies will be looking for bullpen help at this summer’s MLB trade deadline, as they do most seasons, but their biggest weakness is their offense.

After being a feared lineup before last season the team’s offense has sputtered. They went missing in the NLCS against the San Francisco Giants and this season are 18th in all of baseball in home runs (81, a shame in their supposedly hitter’s ballpark), 19th in OPS (.700), 21st in batting average (.248) and 22nd in slugging percentage (.379).

The man they should target is Hunter Pence, an outfielder with the Houston Astros.

Outfield is the position that the Phils could upgrade and Pence is a righty, which will help balance their lefty-heavy middle of the order (Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez).

Pence is enjoying a great year. He has 11 home runs this year and 61 RBI and those totals would be third and second-best on the Phillies right now. His .318 average would lead the team and he’d also be in the top few in on-base percentage (.359) and OPS (.843).

This season the Phillies have mostly used a right-field platoon of Dominic Brown and Ben Francisco. Combined those two have hit 11 home runs and only 47 RBI. Add John Mayberry Jr.’s 24 RBI and that total just eclipses Pence’s total by 11. And none of those three are hitting above .243.

It isn’t just his hitting that makes Pence the perfect fit in Philly though. He’s a good fielder who has never committed more than six errors in a season, has a career fielding percentage of .986 when playing right field (he spent some of his rookie season in center field) and has a good arm. Pence also has good speed and runs the bases well (he would be fourth on the Phillies with seven steals and he hasn’t been caught stealing yet).

His contract situation is also suitable. He’s making a manageable $6.9 million this season and, more importantly, is signed through 2013. He won’t just be a rental player.

Having Pence would also let Brown develop on his own pace better this year with less pressure, as the rookie looks has struggled this year after missing the beginning of the season due to an injury.

The Astros should be sellers at the trade market, owners of the worst record in MLB (30-63). Word from Houston’s management is that they aren’t terribly interested in trading Pence, but that’s not to say the Phils don’t still have a chance to swing a deal.



Philadelphia and Houston are familiar trade partners. Astros General Manager Ed Wade previously held the same position with the Phillies, and he has swung some nice deals with his old employer. Before the 2008 season he sent Brad Lidge and Eric Bruntlett to the Phillies and both played big roles in helping the Phillies win the World Series that year. Last season Wade shipped long-time Astro-ace Roy Oswalt to Philly.

It’s not like the Astros haven’t received anything in return either. The Lidge trade netted them Michael Bourn, a speedy centerfielder who is enjoying a career year with a .287 batting average, 60 runs, seven triples and 35 stolen bases. In exchange for Oswalt Houston received J.A. Happ, a solid middle of the rotation guy.

And while the Phillies farm system has been depleted over the past few years with trades for Joe Blanton, Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay and Oswalt they still do have some young talent that would be available to move.

Brown came in the season as the Phillies top-ranked prospect. He would be a major-league ready prospect that the Astros could slide into the lineup immediately. Another young player on the Phillies major league roster that could interest the Astros is starting pitcher Vance Worley. He is 5-0 this season with a 2.15 ERA filling in for injuries on the pitching staff. When Oswalt and Blanton come back off the DL however he will most likely be the odd-man-out.

Other prospects that interest teams are first baseman/outfielder and slugger Jonathan Singleton (currently blocked at first base by Ryan Howard), catcher Sebastian Valle and pitchers Brody Colvin, Jarred Cosart, Jesse Biddle, Trevor May and Phillippe Aumont.

Pence may cost the Phillies more than some of the other available outfielders on the market—Josh Willingham, Ryan Ludwick and Jeff Francoeur—would. But look at those names. None of them have been more consistent throughout their careers than Pence. Francoeur leads those three in career batting average (.267) but doesn’t come close to Pence’s (.292). Their power numbers this year aren’t even that much different from Pence. Willingham and Francoeur have 12 home runs while Ludwick has 11 and all three have fewer RBIs.

Also, are any of those three really that much better than Dominic Brown? Pence is a significant upgrade, but the other three don’t improve the position that much more to merit making a trade.

The Phillies championship window is getting smaller and smaller with guys like Howard, Utley, Rollins, Halladay and Lee all in their 30’s. Now is the time to take advantage of their talents by adding equally talented players to the roster to complement them.

Pence fits the bill. All other options are just cheap substitutes.

Photo Credits.
Hunter Pence: AP Photo/Dave Einsel
Dominic Brown: AP Photo/Tom Mihalek

Hunter Pence video diary. Video from YouTube.

MLS All-American Starting XI

AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

Independence Day is the USA’s birthday and a great opportunity to celebrate being an American.

Not all the best American soccer players play in MLS, and not all the best players in MLS are American. So in honor of this great nation here is a starting XI of the best American players in MLS so far in the 2011 season.

The list features one goalie, three defenders, five midfielders and two forwards. To be eligible for this list the player has to be eligible to play for the United States Men’s National Team.

Goalie

Nick Rimando, Real Salt Lake

Goalie is a position of strength for Americans, and MLS has its share of talented American keepers. Rimando is at the top of the class.

Compared to other goalies that have played in 10 or more games, the 5’8” net minder is third in winning percentage (43%), second in save percentage (79%), second in goals against average (0.64) and second in shutouts.

He missed a few games due to his inclusion with the USMNT in the Gold Cup, but with Rimando in net RSL is one of the stingiest defensive teams in the league. They currently have allowed only nine goals all season.

Defense

Omar Gonzalez, Los Angeles Galaxy

At 6’4”, Gonzalez towers over the opposition and he uses his size and strength to his advantage. He is the defensive centerpiece for the Western Conference-leading Galaxy. The team has allowed only 15 goals against—second in MLS—and is first with a plus-10 goal differential.

Because of his height Gonzalez can also be used in set pieces in front of the goal, registering one so far this season.

Jay DeMerit, Vancouver Whitecaps

He was the high-profile signing for the Whitecaps for their inaugural season and, when healthy, provides great leadership for one of two expansion teams.

The captain, as he has his whole career, is aggressive and a fighter and that rubs off on his teammates. The key for him is to just stay healthy, playing in only 10 games due to a groin injury. Still, when he plays he makes an obvious impact on the game.

Tim Ream, New York Red Bulls

National team duty is the only way the Red Bulls can get this promising prospect off the field.

Since joining the team as a second-round draft pick last year, Ream has played every single minute of every possible game he was active for. No injuries, no substitutions and no suspensions; the only reason Ream has missed time this year is because he was taken away to play with the USMNT in the Gold Cup.

Durability is not his only special trait. Ream has a great calmness on the ball and plays with much poise out of the back. He is a crisp passer and his ability to successfully begin the transition from defense to offense is not only perfect for the possession-obsessed New York Red Bulls, it is rare amongst most American centerbacks.

Midfield

Benny Feilhaber, New England Revolution

The 26-year-old made a huge splash in the league when he was signed by the Revolution in April. Attendance at New England games has increased thanks to Feilhaber’s presence, but that is the only thing that has improved about this club.

In the seven games he’s played in he has played every single minute. He has two assists this season, his first coming within his first 12 minutes of his debut. He’s an offensive-minded player and he has helped the struggling Revolution do a much better job of moving the ball around and push the ball up the field.

Brad Davis, Houston Dynamo

Brad Davis may be the best-player you haven’t heard of. The midfielder is a master of setting his teammates up. He has tallied 12 assists the past two years, finishing third in MLS last season, and already has nine this season, first in the league. He has two goals of his own this season as well.

He doesn’t get the headlines, he doesn’t get the individual accolades but Davis is very good on the wing and does a lot to help his team get a victory. The number of assists he produces on a yearly basis is quite impressive.

Jack Jewsbury, Portland Timbers

The 30-year-old midfielder is having a career year. As captain of the expansion Portland Timbers, Jewsbury has already tallied six assists (tied for fourth in the league, second-highest total of his career) and four goals (tied for a career-high).

Portland is not high in the standings, but they are a competitive team—especially at home—and it has to do with Jewsbury’s emergence from role player to the main man in the middle of the field.

Kyle Beckerman, Real Salt Lake

The dreadlocked one has been a mainstay in the Real Salt Lake lineup now for the past four years. He serves as the team’s captain and is tenacious on the defensive end of the field.

It’s hard to imagine there being a 50-50 ball or a tough tackle that Beckerman has ever shied away from. He maintains a positive attitude and has a strong will to win. He is the heart and soul of Real Salt Lake and a big reason for their transformation into one of, if not the most well-rounded team in MLS.

He hasn’t lost a step this season.

Brek Shea, FC Dallas

Always recognizable for his long blonde hair, Shea’s play has been just as noteworthy this season. He has a tremendous amount of talent and this year he is doing a good job showcasing it.

Currently he is one of four players tied for the league lead in goals scored (8). He has four goals in his past four games and is taking up the slack left behind by injured 2010 MVP David Ferreira. He also leads the league with four game-winning goals. He also puts a lot of pressure on opposing defenses, taking 42 shots this season, sixth in the league.

Shea’s dominance on the field has helped FC Dallas climb the standings to second place in the Western Conference, sitting only one point behind the Galaxy. He’s an early candidate for league MVP.

Forwards

Charlie Davies, D.C. United

Every American soccer fan’s favorite story, someone it seems like everyone is rooting for, Charlie Davies is making a remarkable comeback for his first action on the pitch since that heavily-publicized car accident in October of 2009.

He is tied for the league lead in goals (8), even though he has only started eight games and played in 14. While his speed still may not be at the same level it was pre-injury, Davies is fast enough to get behind defenses and really cause trouble on the offensive end of the field.

For most, it has been fun to watch Davies resurgence. A number of his goals have come from the penalty spot rather than in the run of play and he still is not quite ready to make his return to the USMNT, but Davies is taking advantage of every opportunity he gets for D.C. and is enjoying a very good first season in MLS.

Landon Donovan, Los Angeles Galaxy

Donovan is not only the face of the Galaxy, not only the face of MLS, but he is also the face of American soccer. His play on the field this year is once again top-notch and the perennial MVP-candidate is making another run for the trophy this season.

In only 11 games (missing time with the USMNT in the Gold Cup) he has eight goals, also one of four players tied for the league lead. He is the team’s captain, longest tenured player, and its leader. His team has the most points in the entire league and with no National Team matches coming up he should be on the field for the remainder of the Galaxy games, creating goals.

He’s a versatile player, which allows him to slide up as a forward in this starting lineup. He only has one assist this season, which is unusual for Donovan, but with more games and more time to get acclimated with his teammates he should improve on his assist number.

Bench

Kasey Keller, GK, Seattle Sounders; Todd Dunivant, D, Los Angeles Galaxy; Chad Marshall, D, Columbus Crew; Robbie Rogers, M, Columbus Crew; Jeff Larentowicz, M, Colorado Rapids; Teal Bunbury, F, Sporting Kansas City; Chris Wondolowski, F, San Jose Earthquakes

Is Oguchi Onyewu No Longer a First-Team Choice for the United States?

AP Photo/Elise Amdendola

When the United States took on Canada in their opening match in the Gold Cup on Tuesday, the U.S. put their A-team on the field.

That is, their A-team minus one usual starter: Oguchi Onyewu. The mainstay in the Yanks starting lineup since 2005 was benched for Tuesday’s match.

Onyewu has had Gold Cup success before, scoring an extra time winner in the semifinal match in 2005 and being named to that tournament’s Best XI. However the past two years have not gone smoothly for the mammoth defender, and now his time with the National Team may have come to an end.

Once the cornerstone of the defensive back line, Onyewu’s career has taken a turn for the worse since 2009. He signed with AC Milan, one of the top teams in Italy, in July and has made zero Serie A appearances with the club and only one (brief) Champions League appearance. Much of that lack of playing time stems from an injury suffered with the USMNT.

In an October World Cup Qualifying match against Costa Rica, Onyewu leapt up for a header only to fall in a heap, suffering a patellar tendon rupture in his left knee. He recovered, rehabbed and came back in time for the 2010 World Cup, but with so much time off it was obvious to the media, fans and coach Bob Bradley that “Gooch” was extremely rusty. He started the first game of the group stage, was subbed out of the second one and was benched for the remainder of the tournament.

After the World Cup there were some bright spots that some thought meant he was returning to form. In an October friendly against Poland, wearing the captain’s armband, he scored a goal to put the team ahead 2-1 (they would eventually settle for a draw, 2-2).

In November he got into a skirmish during practice with teammate and world-superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic, which if nothing else, suggested that the big man still had some fight left in him.

Then in January he was loaned to Dutch club FC Twente, where he was a regular in the starting lineup, albeit at left fullback rather than his normal central defense position. Still, the playing time was what everyone thought he needed.

However after he started the recent team’s friendly against Spain (when they were thrashed, 4-0) Onyewu was benched for the first game of a very important Gold Cup.

People have been highly critical of Onyewu in the past two years. He has looked slow, out of sync with the rest of his team and unfit. He has had opportunities with the National Team to prove to the coaching staff that he has recovered but he has not looked comfortable on the field in the majority of games.

Finally Bradley has benched him, and his status with the National Team does not look good. In a game featuring the USMNT’s top lineup, Onyewu was benched in favor of Clarence Goodson and Tim Ream.

Goodson is a tall defender who is very good in the air, gets forward on set pieces and scores as well as Onyewu did in his prime and is a key player for his club team.

Ream is considered to be the next big thing for the U.S. defense. He is very calm and poised on the ball. His best skill is his passing ability out of the backfield. This allows for the team to actually obtain possession and gets the transition going the other way going much faster and smoother. Thos two things are instrumental in the USMNT’s scheme and helping the team improve against some of the better teams in the world.

Also on the depth chart is Jay DeMerit, a tenacious defender with a very good work ethic (currently recovering from an injury) and prospects Omar Gonzalez and Ike Opara. Maurice Edu played the position in the 2008 Olympics, Jonathan Spector can play any position along the back line and other players with National Team experience (Ricardo Clark, Heath Pearce and Marvelle Wynne) have moved positions and are playing centerback for their clubs. There is also the possibility that other young fullbacks that we haven’t heard of yet get hot, much like how Edson Buddle and Herzulez Gomez did before the previous World Cup.

Bob Bradley was patient with Onyewu’s recovery, but now it seems, with other options becoming available, that his patience has worn thin.

There was a time where an average or hurt Onyewu was still head and shoulders the best defender in the U.S. player pool.

If the game against Canada is any indication, those days, as well as his days playing with the first-choice team, are over.

Athletes Tweeting About Shaq

AP Photo/John Raoux

Shaquille O'Neal is the reason why I fell in love with basketball. He was incredibly talented, charismatic, humble, personable and entertaining. I saw "Kazaam" and "Steel" and I cried when he left my favorite team--the Orlando Magic (simply because he played for them)-- for the Los Angeles Lakers. I always remained in awe when he would throw down an amazing slam dunk. I laughed during almost all of his press conferences and was impressed when he danced at the All-Star game with the Jabbawockeez.

I will have so many fond memories of The Diesel and will thank him for them and for getting me excited about basketball.

However, I am not the only one to appreciate The Big Shaqtus/Shamrock. So many others respected him, especially fellow professional athletes. Here's how some of them paid tribute to The Big Aristotle (@SHAQ) on their Twitter pages.

Scottie Pippin, Hall-of-Fame NBA player, most notably with the Chicago Bulls: @ScottiePippin "Congrats to @SHAQ on a Hall of Fame career. He is truly one of the game's most dominant big men to ever play."

LeBron James, NBA, Miami Heat: @KingJames "What a career for Shaq Diesel!! The most dominating force to ever play the game. Great person to be around as well. Comedy all the time!!"

Dwyane Wade, NBA, Miami Heat: @dwadeofficial "I'm honored and truly humbled to have been a teammate of the GREAT @SHAQ..this game will not be the same without him..respect"

Steve Nash, NBA, Phoenix Suns: @SteveNash "Congratulations @SHAQ on your quadruple platinum hall of fame career. I know you're not riding off into the sunset...what's next?"

Grant Hill, NBA, Phoenix Suns: @realgranthill33 (2 tweets) "Congrats to my former teammate, friend and neighbor @SHAQ on a Hall Of Fame career. 1 of the best ever. Also, 1 of the only rappers to" "to have a song with both JayZ and Biggie Smalls. #respecttweet"

Tracy McGrady, NBA, Detroit Pistons: @TheReal_TMAC "#salute to the big fella from LSU... dominant, charming, funny, and a true NBA legend.. i will miss shaquille o'neal... #retiring"

Andy Roddick, tennis player: @andyroddick "i will miss shaq.... he is the best quote in sports"

Paul Rabil, professional lacrosse player, Boston Cannons and Washington Stealth: @PaulRabil "This Shaq retirement conference is the most entertainment I've seen associated with the NBA since MJ was playing. #MadRespect #BigAARP"

Chad Ochocinco, NFL, Cincinnati Bengals: @ochocinco "#OCNN - All the best to my good friend @SHAQ. Truly one of the greatest of all time!!!"

Michael Strahan, former NFL player, New York Giants: @michaelstrahan "Congratulations to @SHAQ on retiring after 19 years in the game. Dominant force....."

Jozy Altidore, professional soccer player, Bursaspor (Turkey) & USA @JozyAltidore17 "@SHAQ u the man"

Giuseppe Rossi, profesonal soccer player, Villarreal (Spain) & Italy: @GiuseppeRossi22 "Who agrees with me that @SHAQ is one of the best all time? #dominance #power #champion"

John Cena, professionoal wrestler, WWE: @JohnCena "CeNation. Watching Shaq's retirement address. Class act. He has great personality and relationship with media. Truly one of the greatest."

Shaquille O'Neal Retires, Leaves Behind Larger Than Life Legacy

AP Photo/Chris O'Meara

While the stats are impressive, it’s almost a shame they commanded so much attention during Shaquille O’Neal’s retirement press conference. Because Shaq was so much more than just the 28,596 points he scored, the 13,099 rebounds he grabbed, or the 2,732 shots he blocked.

Even the various MVP awards and, yes, the four NBA Championships he won are only a small part of the giant man’s career.

There were many other things that set Shaq apart from the rest of the players in the NBA.

The first thing that fans noticed about Shaq, the first thing that drew me to the sport of basketball, was of course his unique skill set. He was, in the first half of his career, a beautiful blend of power and finesse. Power dominates the equation, for sure, but Shaq Fu could run the court and was fairly athletic, especially for his immense size.

But really, who was able to stop Shaq? He would bowl over anybody in the post that tried to stop him. His size and strength made him a sheer force. It became so hard to stop him that teams began employing the “Hack-a-Shaq” tactic, fouling him deliberately in the hope (and often times the likely outcome) that he would miss his free throws.

It wasn’t just his opponents O’Neal would go after with tenacity either; he attacked the basket with an unseen amount of power.

After Darryl Dawkins ripped the rim off the backboard a few too many times, the way the basket was built was changed. So Shaq he couldn’t take the rim down the court with him? No problem, he just took the entire basket down to the court.

Another O’Neal staple was his smile, one that stretched across his entire face and sparkled like something out of a toothpaste commercial. Shaq appreciated the opportunities he had thanks to basketball and he enjoyed every single one of them. While he came up with an incredible amount of nicknames for himself, another that would seem fitting for him is “The Big Kid”. He celebrated big plays with a memorable candor. He joked around with teammates and played pranks on them.

He also was cooperative and playful with the media. He was always good for a sound bite and really enjoyed the attention. Shaq even mentioned that one reason he wanted to have his press conference at his house was so he could host the media and feed them, thanking them for a 19-year relationship.

Most importantly though, Shaq was one of the most accessible players to the fans—the ones who helped make him as big a superstar as he was—and was one of the most charitable players in the league.

Shaq was one of the first athletes to really use Twitter to connect with his fans, offering contests to meet him and win tickets to games.

His charity efforts often get overlooked. He helped supply and distribute necessities to victims of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. He gets involved in countless charity events and his “Shaq-A-Claus” routine, delivering toys to less fortunate children on Christmas, is a huge hit.

O’Neal doesn’t isn’t charitable because it’s good for his image, he does it—often times without any fanfare—because, it seems, that he honestly thinks it’s the right thing to do. Fitting that such a large man would also have such a large heart.

Sure Shaq had his moody moments or questionable comments, but he was a true role model. He was never in trouble with the league or the law. He valued education and went back to school, finishing his undergrad degree, obtaining his Master’s and beginning the process of earning a PhD. He is a family man and, backed by his examples of charity and forays into law enforcement, always looks out for the good of others.

After 19 seasons in the NBA there are many fond memories of The Diesel. It’s hard to imagine someone that will capture the attention and entertain the fans as well as O’Neal did, and he will be terribly missed.

That being said, it’s also hard to believe that this will be the last we hear of him. Because once an entertainer, always an entertainer.

Clips from Shaq's retirement press conference. Video from ESPN.