While quite familiar with rivalries himself, it was his idol’s feud that caught Shaquille O’Neal‘s attention. During his time as an athlete, Deion Sanders was the epitome of greatness. Whether football or baseball, Sanders was making strides in both departments. However, with the fame came an equal dosage of detractors. But, there is one in particular that led to a fiery rebuttal from the 2x Super Bowl champion.

A story that even got his mother flummoxed, here’s the beef.

Shaquille O’Neal sides with Deion Sanders

In a resurfaced clip from an interview, Sanders was clear about the motivations behind his actions. Even though his initial response was to refrain, the involvement of his mother made the entire situation personal. As a result, a rebuttal was necessary.

So, he went on. Coming back into the locker room, Deion threw a bucket of water on Tim McCarver. Explaining his choice, Coach Prime was clear. “What am I gonna do? Go knock him out? Go swing on him? Then I’m going to jail. I ain’t gonna do that. I just wanted to bring him down a little bit, cool him off a little bit.”?

Unfortunately for Tim, the New York Yankees legend took the “cool him off” part to heart. As a result, the water-throwing incident took place. Prompting a response from McCarver, “You are a real man, Deion. I’ll say that.”?With a winning smile, the former Atlanta Braves superstar was more than happy to agree. “I am. Cuz I did it to your face. I didn’t do it behind your back. I came straight to the horse. And fed him.”

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The Los Angeles Lakers legend, who’s had his fair share of rivalries, was firmly on Coach Deion’s side. A mother’s son, Shaquille O’Neal could understand where Prime was coming from. Because it was McCarver who started the beef between the two.

Prior to the incident, Tim labeled Deion “selfish” for playing 2 sports at the same time. While most would celebrate such a feat, to the media veteran, it was Deion’s greed. Even though Sanders was ready to let it go, one phone call made the difference. Perhaps that’s where Shaq can find his similarity.

Shaquille O’Neal’s similarity to Coach Prime

As Deion recalled, after the game, he got a call from his mom. “When your Momma call you, after a game, tell you how upset she was. That this man is talking about like a dog…Where I’m from, you handle it. They’re interviewing players in there [the locker room] and I saw McCarver in there. And I said, ‘He the one, huh?'”?

As a result, the incident with the Hall of Fame broadcaster came to be. For a man as committed to his mother as Shaq, he could best understand Sanders’ stance. After all, the 7-footer has long credited his mother as the key reason for his success, even through his days as a “juvenile delinquent”.

Harkening back to his poverty-stricken childhood, Shaq has always been complimentary of the effort and hard work that Lucille put in. After having baby O’Neal at just 18, the two built an empire brick by brick, together. So, with his backstory, for O’Neal to side with Prime isn’t a complete shocker.

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Knowing the full story, with the involvement of his mother, does shine a new light on one of the more controversial acts from a legendary career. Which side are you on? Do you think what Deion did was okay? Let us know in the comments below.