Someone may as well post this old article from last year... some people may not have seen it when it first came out, and I think it's pretty funny. There is a bit of language, so I don't want to post the whole thing. http://www.thebrushback.com/yaoming_full.htm
WTF I don't think he argued every call, but on calls that were blatantly wrong, calls that would take him out of his rhythm and forced him to be benched, he should voice it out and strongly protest to the referees. The number of fouls or wrong calls that he mentioned in the article were legitimate BS calls that he needed to reason with the referees: In that Memphis Grizzlie game, he was with 4 fouls already, and that Pau Gasol flopping incident would take him to the brink of fouling out of the game. In the San Antonio Spurs game, that kick-ball incident was totally BS, and instead of fouling Tim Duncan for pushing him to the ground, Yao Ming was adjudged to have kicked the ball, and therefore it became a turnover, and they lost that possession. Remember the Rockets were only 2 points behind at that moment. That was one of the turning points of that game that ended up as a loss to the Rockets. In the Phoenix Suns game, that Steve Nash flop was another he had to yell out loud to the referee. Because of that wrong call, he picked up 2 quick fouls in just 5 minutes in 1Q. How can he maintain his rhythm and shooting touch/feel if he continues to get such calls?
Two years from now: Yao: Yi, how do you let wrestle Gasol and Duncan, while I get called for kick balls for being knocked to the ground.? Yi: I have been talking to Mutombo and he told me to play big and own my space. I have been swinging my elbows around. The refs don't call tick tack fouls on me, anymore. Yao, so what's keeping you from listening to Deke for all these years?
Couldnt have said it better. Complaining by itself has NEVER worked for any player in the league, and its not going to start now. There are expectations on how a big man should play and Yao can use this to his advantage, regardless of his style of play. And for the love of God, stop letting midget guards block you or attempt dunks on you. You dont need a flagrant foul...just enough body contact to make them think twice next time
he is starting to argue calls that are warranted now (which is fine), but it takes away from his integrity when he appeals truly crappy calls.
If the refs want to screw you, you are screwed no matter who you are and what you are going to do. Take ducan's games in Olympic for example: actually he was not mistreated by refs, instead he just did not get superstar calls any more. As a result, he played like **** in those games. In the first game against LAL, TMac was always bumped by LAL players after the the pick&roll and he never got the call. He did not "whine" much about it. But did he play through it? Did he play well in that game?
"did not get superstar calls" != "he's screwed!" It just shows international Basketball games are called much more fair than NBA!
no international game is worse b/c they're even more inconsistent. tim duncan retired from international competition b/c of pathetic international refs.
Well.....do you know there are differences between NBA and international basketball rules? I would not say Tim Duncan retired from international competition because of pathetic international referees. I would rather say it is the US basketball players from NBA could not be adjusted to the international basketball rules. This is one of the major reasons why they had lost in Olympics and World Championships for the past years even by sending in the best of best of the NBA stars.
no tim duncan SPECIFICALLY said i will NEVER play a game refereed by international refs again. so it's not the adjustment. he literally retired from international competition b/c of the refs.
He was saying its ok to argue when there is something to argue about(hammered and no call/phantom fouls) but to argue everything, even the legit ones, it makes you lose credibility.
It is bizarre, but Yao appears to be consistently the worst officiated player in the NBA. Since the NBA will never change, Yao should just play elsewhere.
Well then, with all respect due, he's a blithering dunderhead. Yao doesn't argue every call or no call. Not at all. If he did, the big fella wouldn't be able to play, because he'd be standing around all during the game, yelling, pleading, conjoling, fuming, and otherwise blowin' his stack over the absurd treatment he gets, night in and night out.
