On behalf of all the mature, legitimate Rockets fans on this site, I'm sorry that happened to you. You should take a second though and pause before labeling all Rockets fans as immature, hateful people. We're actually mostly insightful, positive, passionate fans. To those who would resort to such juvenile acts as flooding a 14 year old's e-mail with foul-mouthed messages, "Get a life!" We should welcome the opinions of all, whether we agree or not. If you have a problem with someone's post, then attack the credibility of their arguments. It's stupid when this site reverts to a bunch of boring, personal attacks when someone makes an unpopular point. True, it would be nice if people used more restraint in their rush to post thoughtless comments, but let the site regulators handle that. Let's keep this site true to its purpose: a forum where basketball fans gather, discuss, and support the Rockets.
hate to say it but you deserved to get flamed, but not in the manner that resorts to profanity and name calling. even though i really disagree with you say about Yao, you're not even thinking logically. Yao is in my opinion, the best big man to come along since Shaq, no doubt about it. maybe you won't agree with me, cuz ur a Mavs fan, and don't wanna see Yao develop in the future, cuz you know that that Rox would lay the smack down on the Western Conference as soon as Yao and Francis get it together. But you really didn't deserve the mass mails that you recieved.
I just went outside. The sun's out, its a beautiful day. No one cares that you got some nasty emails, just delete them. Now go do your homework.
Ben, I was a sports anchor on television, and in print. I left because the travel sucked and the money is awful, especially starting out. You have to ignore the idiots. Life is too short to argue with a bunch of people about an opinion you might put in print. However, if you are going to write a negative article, then you need to realize that you are opening yourself up to criticism from the general public. There are all kinds of crazies in the general populace, especially when they think they are posting, or emailing in an annonymous way. If you get death threats, contact the authoritites. If someone cusses you out, ignore it, and delete it. DaDakota
you should ask your mom and dad if those things are true before you get so bent out of shape...maybe this person kows you and your family better than you think
I can imagine what Ben is getting for his articles. I used to live in Salt Lake and everyday the Rockets played the Jazz I would get ****, then in the playoffs it was two weeks of ****. Atleast Ben only gets spit on electronically. **** the fair-weather Jazz "Fans".
From following message posted on MavTalk by this boy. You may find why people hated him. "Are so damned defensive. People from Houston and China keep e-mailing me death threats (I seriously have gotten four so far) and hate mail from people who read my column that just said Yao Ming shouldn't be in the All-Star Game. Apparently one person who goes to this Rockets message board saw it and put it on the board. Now, there's about 100 messages of people making fun of me (most of these people who are younger than me, but claim to be 22 and have "connections with the team", but won't tell me what). They're so damned defensive with their broken Changlish, or just plain bad English, of their boy Yao Ming! They won't shut up about them and they can't even form a complete sentence. I'm not going to stoop down to their level and take personal shots at them, but they deserve it. It's very jealousy induced anger because they keep hinting that we have the best record in the NBA, but they won't say it exactly. Then they keep telling me that we don't have All-Stars. First of all, how do they know that? The All-Star lists come out the 20th. Secondly, it's not our fault we don't have the largest country in the World behind us. All of these stupid e-mails by these Houston Rockets fans and Chinese fans are overflowing my good e-mails from Germany and Mavs fans. It's really not cool. When people tell us that Dirk sucks, do we care THAT much to send death threats to the writer of an article? I know I sound like an old lady when I say this, but I've heard some just god awful language from the kids from Houston and overseas, they must just not know any better. I had to download Chinese Text Display just for me to see the e-mail from someone saying, "**** you ******* *** *** columnist and your stupid ******* column." Nice, huh? LOL! Does anybody else think Rockets fans and Yao Ming fans are way, way, way too defensive? " URL: http://www.mavtalk.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=001959
Ya, Utah sucks. I went there once. It's boring and there are about two things to do there. Dirk once said, "Utah is a bad city." Once he realizes it's not a city, I totally agree with him.
Ya, I posted that... 3 DAYS AGO! I didn't get to know half of you people. I'll delete that off that board. Your not jealous, I realize that. You have a great franchise with some great people. I was pissed at the time, sorry about that...
This is hilarious! The kid definitely has some talent. Needs to be a little less, errr alot less bias though. Yao is the number one player in the league when it comes to trade value. Wow, I just thought of a new topic.
so, Ben. I'm confused. How old are you? Why do you say you are 14 yrs old in this thread, but in your first post to cc.net you say this: <blockquote><hr>Hey guys, this is Ben Collins from the Mavs that you've been making fun of the past few days. First off, let's get this out of the way. That picture was taken two years ago, but nonetheless, it's extremely immature of you to make fun of someone's opinions because of how they look. Half of you on this message board I bet don't leave the house and haven't seen sunlight in three years, so you shouldn't be talking. Most of you are probably younger than me because I'm fifteen, so you should not be making fun of me because of my age because you're just contradicting yourself. I hope you sleep well tonight knowing that you did your world the injustice of randomly beating up on a <b>15-year-old</b>, but that doesn't even harm me because I got many more good responses than bad. I got this job because worked my ass off to ear it, quite frankly, so you should not be stupid and jealous and question my credentials or my ability. By the way, I put Caron Butler in there twice for emphasis, but it was supposed to be Caron Butler... and Caron Butler, but it got edited out because italics didn't stick in the e-mail that I sent to the webmaster of the site. I have watched six Rockets games this season in their entirety through League Pass, the last one being a week and a half ago. Like I said before, though, in my column, if Yao gets 25 points or more against the Lakers, I'm writing an apology column to Yao. Yes, Yao leads in paper ballots, but LA fans don't seem to care about the game itself and they go to the game to hangout and eat nachos. Rockets fans are actually devoted. Now, I don't hate all Rockets, as I've stated to some of you before. Rockets have a great nucleus in Mobley and Francis and in a year or two Posey will look like on of the best on that team. Francis is a playmaker and Mobley can play some great ball, so you guys have a shot a ring every year, as long as you stick to what's good on your team in your awesome backcourt. I figured I'd and just tell you guys what you did is a lot like an 8 year old would do. I hope you sleep well tonight knowing that you did your world the injustice of randomly beating up on a <b>15-year-old</b>, but that doesn't even harm me because I got many more good responses than bad. I figured I wouldn't stoop to your level and take potshots, so go ahead make fun of me some more, I'm not a bad person like some of you undoubtedly are. Thanks, Ben.<hr></blockquote> Are you 14 or 15??? Or a troll. Does anyone else think a 14yr old wouldn't write "why are you picking on a 14 yr old" like 5 times in two days.
Trade value? Ya, him or Shaq, due to publicity. Talent + Potential (in some cases) + Publicity = $$$$.
ben, it's one thing to say someone is not playing up to their potential (which is ridiculous, considering he hasn't even played half a season yet). it's another to say he's awful, 6th out of the rookies, and at best "will be all right". that's two different things you're saying. be a man (or a young man for that matter) and make your stance. don't dilly dally around playing both sides of the fence (requisite cliches ). which is it, benny? btw, no one respects a person without backbone. your article, coupled with your followup responses painted you as a jellyfish, not as a mature, respectable young man.
All right, for me, is really good in other people's eyes. I consider all right three years of deserved all-star appearances. Numbers don't have to be outstanding every year, but they are some years. Here's a good all right for you: Penny Hardaway (in his prime).
is it safe to assume that, in your eyes, if you're not "all right" you're basically a scrub? if so, 3/4ths of the league are scrubs. listen... yao ming, given the state of the nba and the dirth of true centers, is a virtual lock for at least 7 all star appearances. in your book, wouldn't that be more than "all right"? and tell me this, also: why are maverick fans (and ownership) so full of animosity regarding yao ming? can't you just live vicariously through him? after all, you have a shell of him on your roster, you know...
Sure, I'm mad, but flames aren't coming out of my ears. I've learned not to care about that through this whole ordeal. Both are perfect for their team. Imagine where each would be publicity-wise and in the standings without them to fill the holes in their lineups, it would be a whole different scenario.
Full of animosity through Yao? We're not that mad at him, but it might be the 30 he posted on us, might be that he's the only foreign player we didn't heavily recruit, but that's only a little of that. That's why we all hate the Lakers, isn't it? I think, because of Okafor and Milicic coming in the league possibly being considered centers, there will be a little more to choose from, by the way.
