ORLANDO, Fla. -- Shaquille O'Neal, the man with four rings, 28,596 career points and scores of nicknames, has finally decided to call it quits, ending one of the most colorful careers in NBA history that will surely culminate with a Hall of Fame induction. O'Neal, 39, officially announced his retirement Wednesday using the new social media tool Tout, a real-time video messaging service to announce to fans: "We did it. Nineteen years baby. I want to thank you very much, that's why I'm telling you first, I'm about to retire. Love you, talk to you soon." "Once a businesman, always a businessman," O'Neal said with a smile later on Wednesday. "I am the emperor of the social media network." O'Neal said he wasn't prepared yet to reminisce about his long and prolific career, which produced three championships with the Lakers and one with the Heat. "Let's save that for the press conference on Friday," said O'Neal, who will hold that media event at his Isleworth home.Fuck Shaq. I mean that. I don't know if I've ever hated a Celtic player more than him. He did absolutely nothing for us this year. All he could fucking do was make noise in the media about his return from injury and blah, blah, blah, and then somehow we felt it was safe to hedge our bets on him and ship away Perk. There's just nothing genuine about the guy. He's all about the glitter and staying relevant. Fuck him. Shaq doesn't come to Boston then we don't trade Perkins and we're playing for the title right now. That's how I see it and nothing will change my mind. It's all his fault. Fuck him. I hope Magic Johnson can transfer his HIV to him.
