By Kevin Murphy

On November 15 Shaquille O’Neal will be releasing his autobiography, Shaq Uncut: My Story. Presumably the publisher could not decide which generic autobiography title (Shaq Uncut or My Story) was weaker, and decided to combine them both in what can only be called an innovative book sales strategy.

This move from the court to the typewriter is almost expected in this day and age, when every retired athlete with half a mediocre career can get a book deal. Usually they have the courtesy to wait a few of years, until fans get nostalgic for ‘the good old days,’ to put out their book, but that is not ‘The Diesel’s’ style.

Apparently, one of the juiciest points in the book is where Shaq goes into the infamous Kobe Bryant feud, when both superstars shared the court in the early 2000s. From the brief excerpt I read, Shaq basically tears Kobe apart, making him the Lex Luthor to Shaq’s Superman.

He says Kobe was a tattle-tale in his rookie year to then GM Jerry West, he says Kobe didn’t want to have anything to do with his teammates, he says Kobe was invited to Shaq’s wedding and didn’t show up, he says that then Kobe didn’t invite him to his wedding … and the list goes on.

Now, as then, this feud seems to be between jealous kindergarteners. Basically, it seems like the gist of Shaq’s discussion on Kobe is a dissertation on what an awful person and teammate he is. He pulls no punches.

As we all know, there are two sides to every story, and I’m sure Kobe will have his response. Maybe, thanks to this wonderful lockout, he will disappear to play in Italy while the heat from Shaq’s book dies down, only to return with his own tome of juvenile accusations.

One can only hope.