Before we get started on today’s post, a word of caution from the Legal Department of the ShaqFu Radio blog… We do not suggest you going out and trying this latest meme sweeping the inter-webs. We’re just reporting on it today, along with our hero’s response. (P.S. – No, there’s no legal department there at the blog… it sounded good though, didn’t it?)
So you’ve probably seen it by now. They’re calling it the “milk carton challenge.” It involves stacking up those cube-shaped milk cartons used by grocery and convenience stores when they have gallons of milk delivered. (For the record, this writer had a few in his college dorm room many years ago… they made a nice set of shelves, Ikea-style.)
For the challenge, people are stacking them up like a small plastic staircase, and seeing how many they can walk up before the whole thing comes crashing down. Again, like we said, we would strongly encourage you to NOT do this at home, kids. That being said, there are some pretty epic videos online showing giant-sized carton stacks and people giving it their best shot. Some of those videos will no doubt be appearing on Fail Army soon enough…
As for NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal… he’ll certainly forever be remembered as one of the most dominant players to ever step on the hardwood, especially when it came to his infamous power-dunks and various slams. Sometimes that even led to broken glass backboards!
This week on his Instagram account, Shaq posted a really funny photo mashup… check it out below. It shows a milk carton – with the bottom cut out – nailed to a post. And yes, it’s used for a makeshift basketball rim, just as you would imagine. In his caption, Shaq says that pic came from “his generation.”
On the other side of the pic is some random guy doing his best with the milk crate challenge, trying to stairstep his way to the top, while also avoiding serious injury. Shaq labeled that one “Y’all generation.”
We’re guessing Shaq may have seen a few of those milk-crate “hoops,” growing up as he did in a rough-and-tumble neighborhood of Newark, New Jersey. Maybe playing ball with a rim like that helped him when his family later moved to Texas and he grew into a major star while attending Robert G. Cole High School.
Quick history: High school would lead to a standout career at Louisiana State University and then becoming the number one pick of his draft class, sending him to Orlando. After the Magic came the move to the Lakers and that history-making Championship three-peat with the purple and gold.
Milk crate to multiple Championship and MVP winner. No doubt Shaq has really come a long way in his career.