You know whats crazy, not a single player on this roster was in the Yao era. It was not that long ago.
I love JVG but he ruined Yao by making him such a huge plodding monster of a player. He was so big he didn't need to become so thick. Had he stayed as lean and limber as his first few years he would have had a much longer career. Yao would have benefited from having a creative coach who allowed him to use his high bball IQ on the court. And this comes from someone who really liked JVG as our coach.
These should've been in the top 10 imo, especially the last one. <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ooy_itlq6wI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/dR_RI9cB4Mc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RtRssX5PmYs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe width="420" height="315" <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/54fimBTH0Ho" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
I always thought that too. If Yao didn't gain so much muscle to battle centers that were already on their way out of the league he would have been something even greater. People outside of Houston (and some here in Houston) really don't give him his due; they really don't know just how good he was.
Oh please, that generation of Rockets fans got to see something amazing, I feel sorry for this new generation of fans that will never see how powerful a true center can be, especially since the NBA is moving away from them.
Yao Ming's pay back vids are always fun to watch: <iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GCQ5idKojNQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/iyBJ0vZJubk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
This has to be one of Yao best plays only if Rafer made that 3 pointer. <iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ohHoK4-LeuY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Jss1xEzh5b4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
I think the fact that China had Yao playing year round instead of actually having an off-season had more to do with it than all the muscle he put on.
to each his own, i suppose. watching a guy unable to stay healthy and winning one playoff series in his entire career is hardly what i'd call amazing.
I respectfully disagree, Max. Yao was a wonderful player, and his body was never going to take that kind of punishment and survive. I'm surprised it was foot problems instead of the knee or back with the constant punishment he took. The officials would never correctly allow him to dominate. Mark Cuban had to bribe the refs to stop him in the playoffs because if he would have been able to just back down and plop in that 5-6 foot jump hook all day without being called for 2 automatic offensive fouls per game, things would have been much different. I hated the way he was reffed. Always did. He would be called for bull**** offensive fouls at least twice a game. Slashing guards would just drive right into his rib cage to draw fouls on him. Centers who were 7 inches shorter than him would ride his back all day long and it would never be called. It was always insanely frustrating trying to watch Yao Ming adapt to the NBA rules and the status quo, because he was certainly a unique talent. Imagine a 7 foot 6 guy who somehow had the grace to knock down 18 foot jumpers. Go out into your driveway some day, lower your hoop to 8 feet, and try to shoot some Ruby Red Grapefruits into it. That is what it was like for Yao, and he was amazing at it. Hakeem will always be #1 in our hearts and minds, and there is no disputing that... but Yao will always have a place in my memory as one of the greatest. The day he retired was rough for me emotionally. I had to express my feelings in a video tribute. Maybe this will help refresh your memory about what a player he was. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TNxlZLq787g?list=UUd8rF4jiWBhdZubS7q4-y2A" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/bVGGcrUUSJ0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> They left this off?
It's always a trip to see the early Yao clips with the pinstripe jersey and the cartoon looking court. Provides a nice bridge from Hakeem to Yao.
I can't even imagine how he would be reffed today with all of these floppers. I'd probably have broken several TV's by now.
Well it wasn't amazing. In the end it was a total and complete failure. Compared to back to back titles, anything would be. But I don't blame Yao for that. The only real magic we got was the 22 game winning streak. We'll always have that.
The Utah Jazz were still the same dirty, flopping asshats back then. You have no idea how infuriating it was to watch Okur and Kirilenko flail around like a couple of sissy ballerinas. They'd do anything to get Yao off the court.
