“Shut the F**k Up”: Shaquille O’Neal Thrashes 64YO ESPN Veteran Over Possession of Elite Badge

Chris Russo has landed a multi-year contract extension with ESPN and more awards in the past month. But there’s one thing he’s not got – A ‘G-14 classification.’ Once again, Shaquille O’Neal has sounded off on Mad Dog, holding back his made-up credential from the sports analyst.

“A lot of dudes who have no G14 classification like Mad Dog… like what the [expletive] do you know about quarterbacks?… so shut the f*** up Mad Dog! ” O’Neal declared on The Big Podcast. While hosting NFL pro-turned-sportscaster, Cam Newton, the TNT analyst once again ripped off Chris Tucker’s iconic line from Rush Hour to highlight why former pro athletes like himself and Newton make better media personalities than his nemesis, Chris “Mad Dog” Russo.

“If you are great like a Shaq and a Cam, we have G-14 classification to say whatever you want, cuz we’ve been there and we done that.” According to Shaq, both he and Newton are qualified to speak on sports as they have been athletes since they were students, played in the pro leagues, and dealt with the pressure.

Their status can get them anywhere too much like Tucker using it in the original movie. “I can show my badge and have a meeting with the president of the United States cuz I have G14 classification, that’s what y’all need to understand, period.” 

Shaq’s feud with Russo is ancient. The Rollins alum may have an extensive resume in media but O’Neal tells him to “stick to the traditional media when it comes to sports.” He even called out fans who seem to think they know more than the athletes themselves based on what they see on TV. But his main target was Mad Dog.

Shaquille O’Neal gets corporate with Mad Dog

Russo infamously triggered Shaq and his entire fanbase in 2023 when he ranked the Big Aristotle the fifth best center in league history. Even his colleagues, Stephen A. Smith and Jay Williams were appalled. He justified that Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Hakeem Olajuwon were better than Shaq.  But fans took issue with Moses Malone and Tim Duncan ranking higher than him.

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Although Jay Williams prayed for his co-host’s wellbeing, Russo was dragged by the NBA community. Shaquille O’Neal declared, he’d “smack the s*** outta that dude,“ but said he won’t because, “I’m corporate.”

O’Neal agreed though that Wilt and Kareem are above him but listed all the reasons he earned the moniker of most dominant center in NBA history. While he deserves the title, would rate Shaq above Chris Russo in the sportscasting business?

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