YahooNews - Sheriff Joe demands Shaq's badges PHOENIX (AP)—
Shaquille O’Neal will lose his special deputy’s badge in Maricopa County because of language he used in a rap video that mocks former teammate
Kobe Bryant.
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said the
Phoenix Suns center’s use of a racially derogatory word and other foul language left him no choice. Arpaio made Shaq a special deputy in 2006 and promoted him to colonel of his largely ceremonial posse later that year.
“I want his two badges back,” Arpaio told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “Because if any one of my deputies did something like this, they’re fired. I don’t condone this type of racial conduct.”
Shaq was seen in a video posted on the celebrity news and gossip Web site TMZ.com rapping that “Kobe couldn’t do without me.” O’Neal skewers the Lakers’ star, with whom he won three straight NBA titles from 2000-2002 while with Los Angeles, for not being able to win a championship without him.
“I was freestyling. That’s all. It was all done in fun. Nothing serious whatsoever,” O’Neal told ESPN.com Monday. A call to the Suns on Tuesday seeking comment from O’Neal was referred to his public relations firm, which didn’t immediately respond.
Arpaio, who describes himself as “America’s Toughest Sheriff” and is best known for feeding jail inmates green bologna, clothing them in pink underwear, and making them work on chain gangs, said he didn’t expect his actions would teach Shaq a lesson. But he hoped he learns that as a role model who wants to someday be a full-time sheriff, he needs to know his words matter.
“Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I don’t think that either conduct should be out there publicly, even if media wasn’t there,” Arpaio said.
O’Neal previously served as a reserve officer with the Miami Beach Police Department while playing for the
Miami Heat. He also volunteered with the Tempe Police Department after being traded to the Suns in February.
I heard the song in question on the radio yesterday - his use of the "N" word, and the repeated phrase "Kobe, tell me how my ass tastes" made me figure his days as a reserve cop were rapidly coming to an end, and seriously, when he's all done w/ basket ball, I doubt any LE agency is going to pick him up as a full timer. Not after this incident - not to mention that he'd be a walking dollar sign to anyone he arrests or stops. He can forget his dream of being a full time cop...
If you're not familiar with the song, head over to TMZ and listen to it. Don't listen to it w/ small children around though.
June 24th 2008 9:04 PM
