I am HOPEFUL that this is the year that the refs will finally treat us and our players (Yao/TMAC) as the super starts they are and give us the benefit of doubt on calls. Afterall,the NBA is using Yao as one of its primary marketing tools. I hope they dont call any ticky tack fouls on him anymore. I think it is about time he gets some star treatment ala Duncan, Gasol, Kobe etc. Thoughts?
Yao, in his third year, will be getting the star treatment for sure. He's paid his dues the last two years. Tmac has always gotten good treatment. And when did Gasol become a superstar? He may cry like a superstar but he sure doesn't play like one.
Gasol sure cries like a superstar but he gets the calls too.. thing about Yao is that he never complains and I wonder if that works against him? I would rather he play like a man and not be a cry baby but i do wonder if that hurts him receiving more calls? any thoughts? J
Gasol is very underrated Sure he cries, but hes a great player that really doesn't get that much media attention
I think with all the Hype surrounding this team and of course Yao going into his 3rd year we should be getting the "Super Star" treatment.
T-Mac goes to the line as much as Shaq does, so no problem there. Yao definitely needs to speak up, but he also is like Hakeem in that he is often fouled going away from the basket. Shaq is like a bulldozer. He creates contact. Yao is more like Hakeem in that he tends to fade from or go over contact making it harder to get calls.
Gasol is considered a good player and rising star in the league.... AND he got Rookie of the Year He is NOT "very underrated" he's not even somewhat underrated. He doesn't get the media attention because he plays in Memphis and they run that "team first" concept (i.e. he is not the "star") PS - (edit) - If Stern gets invoved, YAO will get his STAR TREATMENT
about Gasol, i agree he's a great player and he gets alot of calls............but superstar... you said "Duncan, Kobe, ...... " i know you could have came up with another name like "Shaq or Garnett".. i one of these name would have fit better in that sentence
Maybe he wanted to say Garnett but his keyboard slipped to Gasol. BTW, I think overall Refs treated Yao pretty fairly last season, he just hasn't gotten the call Shaq always gets when he lowered his shoulder going to the basket.
that's pretty funny. yao was consistently abused night after night with very little help from the refs. hopefully when some of these guys decide to throw themselves all over him, use two arms plus their body to push on him, and basically gang tackle him, they'll get called for some fouls this year.
I think there's definately a problem with this line of thinking by the refs. If Shaq goes through people, they should call fewer fouls on his defenders. Let em fight fire with fire. To an extent, this happens already. However, if a guy like Yao or Dream makes a move to create separation from the defender and gets hacked halfway down his forearm while taking a fadeaway, that has gotta be called. Many times last season Yao got blatantly hit on the arm, not even close to the ball, yet no call. Hopefully that will all end this year.
