The day yao got drafted by the rockets I was sitting in a random hotel room on holidays and it was raining outside in Australia, dad put the draft on (even though he didn't understand it at all) and I just watched it without knowing anything, I still remember that day all those years ago when stern said "with the first pick in the 2002 draft,me houston rockets select Yao Ming" this is the day I became a rockets fan. I owe my clutch city love to the Great Wall of yao.
yeah i remember watching that game. that was a huge shot, momentum was shifting towards the lakers and the game looked like it was slipping away. that was really the dagger of that game, demoralized the lakers when they made their push. i remember i said "dang" when he hit that shot lol
Yao had more pressure and expectations and hardships then Lin ever had. And yes I was the first person on clutchfans to see the Lin documentary. Yao was the first Asian supserstar and the rocket fans don't care if he was fresh off the boat. We love all cultures. Our best player of all time is from Nigeria
The only reason they are on the Yao thread is because of their inferiority complex and need for attention . Lin has nothing to do with the Yao Ming era or the Yao Ming struggle. Lin fans are jealous of our grand history and unity if all cultures.
The stats don't lie - Houston Chronicle | March 12, 2006 Yao is the top-scoring center in the NBA, leading Shaquille O'Neal by 1.3 points per game. His averages of 21.4 points and 10.1 rebounds are career bests, and he has averaged 27.7 points and 13.6 rebounds in nine games since the All-Star break. Progress, however, does not come in a straight line. The Spurs could slow or stop him today, and, with McGrady out, it is likely someone will if San Antonio does not. In the Rockets' long, trying season, overstuffed with injuries, even the struggles can help. For Yao, who has said he can only be measured when his career is over, they are lessons, opportunities to improve. "Yao is not blessed with anything except God-given size and great parents," Van Gundy said. "Everything else has been worked for basketball-wise. There's a lot easier roads to becoming a really, really good player in this league. He had a difficult road, and he made it through his own internal drive to be great." http://www.chron.com/sports/rockets/article/Yao-takes-studious-approach-to-supremacy-1856242.php
Yup, Yao had the expectations of the entire country of China. No doubt he had a bigger burden to carry. Doesn't mean that he represents the exact same image and demographic as Lin does.
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That' because Yao represents ALL HOUSTON ROCKETS FANS from any part of the world. You don't see people babbling about some other team or other city he played for. He ONLY PLAYED FOR THE HOUSTON ROCKETS. <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/6VZsNAkVRG4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
I will never forget the first Yao vs Shaq matchup. Shaq didn't respect him until after the first couple minutes of the game, which included a Yao block on Shaq and a Yao baby hook in Shaq's face. Yao Ming embodies the Houston Rockets and he will NEVER be forgotten.
On a bbs dedicated to a specific team in said American sport? No, not really. Take that stuff elsewhere. This is about Yao and what he brought to the Rockets and the NBA in general.
This site is about the Houston rockets and about their true fans. Not about fans of one player and who go on boards with a political agenda based on their favorite players race . If you didn't watch Yao play his heart out for the Houston rockets then you have absolutely nothing to contribute to this thread. Start up a Palo Alto fund so rich kids can go play ball or something.
Damn I almost shed a tear when when I watched that vid of him coming back in the Lakers game. I totally forgot about that.
I was always honored to have Yao Ming represent the Houston Rockets. Great player, better person. Really miss the big guy.
No one is saying Yao had more hardship than Lin or pressure. You are missing the point of Asian Americans identifying with Jlin more than Yao. It's not about being just Asian but where they are born and upbringing. You cannot lump the two together. It's like you are telling those Jlin asian-american fans how they should feel.
Yao Ming on NBA mount rushmore? <iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/yyXeOzz3aDY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>