Didn't see it get posted. Our players are class acts. http://sports.sina.com.cn/k/2004-01-30/1359750434.shtml "Shaq is a great opponent, he already proved he is one of the NBA's biggest winners. I am happy to be selected to start butI would very much hope to share this honor with him. Maybe the organizers should let us start 6 players." "I hope to continue to improve my skills and performance and hope to win more selections in the future. The ASG weekend last season was a very good experience, but back then I was way too busy. This year, I hope to better enjoy the happiness it brings" "That is so cool. I always said I wanted this. I didn't have too many personal goals, but I really wanted to participate in the ASG." - Steve on being selected "I hope we pass him the ball more. The only pass he received was the alley oop I threw him. I hope he can be more like when playing on our team recently - bold and determined." - Steve on playing with Yao last year in the ASG
Heres an off the wall thought. Perhaps JVG and Yao could decide that Yao should sit out the All Star game. There's been a lot of griping about how the Chinese National Team is making Yao play all these extra games that will wear him out for NBA play so maybe as a message to the Chinese JVG could get Yao to sit out the ASG to show that Yao should be rested instead so he is ready when it counts.
And then maybe the Chinese government won't care at all about the "message" and Yao will have missed the ASG and he will still go back to play for the National Team during the offseason. Honestly, do you really think the Chinese government cares whether Yao plays in the ASG or not?
I believe they do very much because more exposure for Yao means more exposure for them. Anyway I doubt it will happen or is even being considered but as I said it was an off the wall thought.
yep they care alright they care about the money and continue make him play in the asian tournaments to get them even more money.
if yao ming can play the summer games with team china without uttering a single complaint, why cant you guys not b**** for him?
The only "exposure" Yao is getting lately is letting the world how much he is a big p***y on the court.
Dude, you just lost all you creditability here. Every player has their on and off day. Where were you when Yao got 37 pts?
I watched that game. Yao is averaging a whopping 1.8 pts more than last season and a whopping 1.1 more rebounds per game in 3 more minutes per game. For a grand total of....16.3 ppg and 9.3 rpg WOW! That sure sounds like the future franchise and soon to be Max contract player! Before you go off and quote Yao's career high numbers, go look at SEASON averages before you lose your credibility here. Oops too late.
Shaq, David Robinson, Dream, and Ewing ony averaged what.....10 more points per game and about 5 more rebounds per game...THEIR ROOKIE SEASON. But if you're happy with mediocrity, thats fine by me.
Hardly. Yao is very exposed already, and I bet the majority of people know nothing about the Chinese government. This isn't about what's best for Yao. This is about the Chinese government's pride. They were "kind" enough to let Yao come play in the NBA, but they have to be sure that they can keep a leash on him, and make him return to play for them during the summer. To give him a break from the summer games is to admit defeat. It is to place more importance on the NBA than representing your country. It is something that the Chinese government can't afford to do. Have to keep that leash on Yao, or one summer, he might decide not to return. If anything, they would be happy to have him sit out the ASG. The less fan support for him, and the less exposure he receives, the easier it is to yank him around.
Wow, this is awesome. I'm so glad silentfan is on this site. We had tons of guys like him early last year... doesn't everyone remember? The unabashed Yao-haters that were comparing him to Shawn Bradley and every other loser in the league? silentfan's a poor impersonation, of course... he's actually putting Yao's stats up against Duncan, Ewing, Shaq, and Hakeem. Well ya know, genius, I don't know if many people are really setting their expectations high enough to believe that Yao's going to be one of the NBA's top-50 players of all time. What's your take on the rest of the ASG? How would you compare, say, Ben Wallace with Ewing/Shaq/Hakeem? How would you compare Kevin Garnett's stats from his first two seasons with the great forwards of NBA history? How about Jermaine O'Neal? Anyways, silentfan, promise us you're gonna stay around, ok? I think all of us are gonna love pounding on you over this subject for the next few months/years.
The Chinese government is one that places national pride over money any day of the week. There no quicker boost to national pride than sports. The ultimate goal of the government is to dominate not only economy, military but sports as well. Since China started participating in the Olympics, they dramatically improved their result in every sport except soccer and basketball, where results have failed to live up to their popularity. Some Chinese fans call this a national shame, making statements like a country with 1.3 billion people is competing with a "street admin. office" (eg. Korea). To state clearly then, it is first of all, a misconception to assume the Chinese government NEEDS Yao's income. Their GDP is about 1.5 trillion USD and PPP is well over 6 trillion USD. Fact is, the Chinese government is not nearly as involved in basketball as people believe. It was the CBA and Yao's former team (which felt their league needed its own star) that prevented him from getting here. The second misconception is that the government wants to put Yao on a leesh just cause they can. They want to put Yao on a leesh to satisfy their national pride (aka. win at basketball). To that extent they don't give a crap whether Yao plays in the ASG, how he does in the NBA or how famous he gets as long as they continue to play for them and do well. They may have misguided ideals and bad methods but they certainly don't want to control Yao just for the sake of controlling him.
In addition to what you said about the GDP, the PRC's government tax revenues (the $$$ going into government accounts) were about $250 billion last year. Anyone wanna help me figure out how much Yao Ming is making? Thanks.
