Parkers' short-term situation may be slightly different. France didn't qualify for Athens. If I were the Rockets management, I'd emphasize the mutual and large vested interest in a fresh Yao.
Exactly. The point is those guys in the Chinese Basketball Assocation are really stubborn and conservative.
It's not the Chinese Basketball Association...that's the league of the Shanghai Sharks. It's the Chinese National team. And that is controlled by the [g]govenment[/u]. The same government which makes rules for 1 billion other Chinese citizens of which Yao does not differentiate himself.
The Chinese Soccer national team is also controlled by the goveRnment. Yet, Sun Ji Hai, for example, only plays for China in important games. Same goes for Iranian internationals who only play in the Asian Cup and the World Cup games. I don't see how this differs for basketball, they're controlled by the same people. Plus, there's not as much travelling in soccer, making it easier for them to go back for National team games of needed. Yao definitely SHOULD represent his country, and I admire his will to do so. China is the priority, but the Rockets are still second, right? I would never, however, suggest he stops representing China like Wang Zhi Zhi did. The fact that he loves to represent his country gives me confidence that is a loyal person, and that takes away some worries about re-signing him after his rookie contract os done.
Sane- I hate soccer and I coudn't even tell you how many players are on the field. My guess is it's more than 5vs5. And you've already alluded to travel distances being less restrictive for the Chinese soccer player. This may be an unrelated point regarding how the Chinese government views Yao as one of it's athletic "resources". One thing we agree upon is Yao's loyalty. That's why I want to re-emphasize the need to promote the idea to China that a fresher Yao is beneficial to both parties.
1. Yao and the Rockets made a promise to the Chinese National Team. They should keep their promise. 2. A man should serve his country first. 3. Since when NBA is bigger than the Olympic? You all should look at the bigger picture and realize that USA is not the whole world.
How much is the Chinese Olympic team paying? And why is Yao over here then, he should be in China practicing for that bigger forum.... We may not be the whole world, but in basketball, we are the whole world. Our college ball is bigger than Euro or CBA. Ask me that again in March by the way....
true, and false. NBA is the best basket ball league in the world. But NBA is still not as big as olypics. I would say, NBA is more important than the world cup. However, olympics weights heavier in most people's hearts in the world than NBA.
Olympic basketball does not weigh heavier in people's hearts unless they can't watch the NBA. And even then it is because that's the only time they can see NBA basketball players then.... i.e. the Dream Teams
Yeh, but he won't be the player he is today without the investment China has put in him. There are quite a few 7"+ teenages in China, not all of them got the investment Yao has got. It's totally unreasonable to suggest Yao to skip his duty to serve his country, just as to suggest him to skip the training camp with the Rockets. Yao has expressed many times that he felt really honored to play for his country, so just let the man decide what he likes. I really don't think Yao's duty for China has much effect on his play with the Rockets. After all, Yao will be the primary focus for the Rockets. The bigger problem is how the other guys' adjustment to Yao, not Yao's adjustment to others. --daoshi
Hey Sparky, Having a good day/ How would you classify your own comment, or are you just testing your English spelling capabilities.....
If the Rockets agreed to the summer regimen when they signed Yao, they can't complain. We as fans knew this was coming, right? Remember all the negotiations involved during the period between getting the first pick and the actual draft? And the earlier poster is right - if Yao wants to play for this country, it's not a call for any of us to make. I'd rather see him rested for sure, but he's his own man.
More like this I think: FRANCE: "We want Parker to play for our national team" SPURS: "No" FRANCE: "OK, we surrender!"
More like "How many Freedom Fries/McDonald's franchises will you buy/Disneylands will you buy/jet fighters will you allow to fly overhead or past debts you owe will you pay us to let TP and his teammates get embarrassed by the US Dream Team?
