A suggestion for Yao:

Refs hate Yao. My solution:

Yao needs to recognize this and take matters into his own hands. I have been calling for Yao to become a bully in the post, and I stand by it. Anyone fouls him hard and gets away with it, Yao needs to either start swinging elbows with intent to hurt, or start a confrontation. That's right, go right up to the player, use his chest to give him a very hard bump, stare hiim down, talk some trash in any language, make the refs and players break it up. Getting a T is worth it, if it comes to that. It forces two things to happen:

1) That same player is not going to hack anymore. He outweighs most people by 50 pounds and is much taller. Fear tactic works.

2) The refs are FORCED to call the game VERY tightly after the incident. They don't want things to get out of hand.

Rox benefit from both of those things.

The only thing Yao should be careful about, is not to get ejected. That means, don't make the motion to throw any punches. His teammates must react very quickly by backing Yao up and separate him from the other player as soon as possible. Yao will not get ejected. He'll play the rest of the game under very close ref attention.

I would practice the above and give it a play name(Yao fury sounds good, or operation getting calls). Use it on the road when Yao is not getting any respect. Have a desinated player, preferrably a respected vet, as the break up person.

It all sounds kinda crazy, but I have no doubt it will work.

 

You are going to have to say more than that to convince me.

 

Think of it as a show. Even a move he must learn.

We are not asking him to get in fights, it won't come to that as our players will be fully prepared to breakup the incident.

I know Yao doesn't have that in him, but this is a play. We are doing it to win games. He doesn't even have to be talking trash during the incident. He could just say "I am acting right now to get calls. Long live Chairman Mao." over and over in Chinese. Just act like he's saying some hardcore threats. Who would know?

 

If your reason is the same as blazer_ben, I have already addressed it. Other wise, please say more. I don't know what you guys mean.

 

Good point.

We don't have to make Yao a square, he just need to act like one just to get calls.

Please read my reply to blazer_ben.

 

That's a fair opinion.

Many of the "bigger problems" you mentioned will go away after the T.

In at least 5 games this season, Yao would have had great games if Yao got the calls.

Yao has problems just like any third year, his biggest IMHO is not getting the calls.

 

If you are referring to the fair opinion, yes.

No. No.
I agreed Yao had other problems.

There have been plenty of times after two players gets into an argument, the games gets called much tighter. I can't give you specific examples, but there's lots of them. I am sure you have seen them before. Refs don't want things esculating.

This has nothing to do with Hakeem. I wasn't comparing Yao to Hakeem. I am not sure what point you are making here.

Maybe you thought I was blaming refs for all of Yao's shortcomings? That's not my intention. I am just suggesting a way Yao could force the refs calling a more fair game. Nothing more. I believe with fair refs, Yao is a much better player, we can win many more games.