Call Shaq the Big Hypocrite for his comments on Howard

Let’s put aside the big hypocrisy for a minute. The person who really needs counseling is Shaq.

His ego is way too fragile. Whether it’s jealously or insecurity or pettiness, Shaq has always snarled when he feels his place on stage is threatened.

His Enemies List is longer than Richard Nixon’s. The favorite target the past few years has been Howard, who, as far as anyone knows, has never done anything other than play hard against O’Neal on the court and be deferential off it.

But Howard also had the temerity to call himself Superman, a term Shaq apparently feels he has the copyright to. Even if Dwight had never put on a red cape in the dunk contest, O’Neal would have had issues.

Anything Howard accomplishes somehow diminishes Shaq’s legacy, or at least O’Neal sees it that way. So he has rarely passes on a chance to pick at Dwight. The latest gig came in a conference call about the upcoming All-Star Game in Orlando.

“It’d be good if he could put on a show a get the love and support from the fans and win the MVP,” O’Neal said. “Hopefully he stays because that arena there is one of the best arenas in the country. If he leaves, it’ll be a travesty.”

Shaq’s right, it would be nice if Howard had a big game in front of the fans who have given him unconditional love for seven years. It would be even better if O’Neal would start giving him a little less grief.

At least his latest salvo has been greeted with a Big Belly Laugh. O’Neal, you may recall, left Orlando a basketball wasteland when he bolted in 1996.

He now says he wanted to stay with the Magic, but Los Angeles presented a better opportunity. To do what, you might ask?

It certainly wasn’t to win a title. Even though he ended up winning three of them, the Lakers of ’96 had Nick Van Exel, Eddie Jones and fresh high school graduate named Bryant.

The Magic had Penny Hardaway, Dennis Scott and Nick Anderson. They were all 25 or younger and had already been to an NBA Finals.

Maybe The Big Nostradamus knew Bryant would evolve into an all-timer. More likely, he’d always wanted to be Laker, bask in the Hollywood life and make bad movies.

That was all well and good, but it hardly leaves him in position to put a warm arm of guidance around Howard and tell him to stay in Orlando, simply because the Magic can offer more money.

They certainly can’t offer him more rings. Not the way Otis Smith has surrounded Howard with overpriced flotsam and jetsam