good for you.. But I think assuming that asians like Yao purely because he's asian is absurd.. Yao does have GAME right? there is absolutely nothing wrong about admiring someone who you can relate to, or looks like you, or comes from the same background as you.. its just plain preference.. thats not racial bias or discrimination..
There are only 3 asian NBA players, Yao, Wang & Ha Seung-Jin. 4 years ago, lots of people didn't know that asian basketball player can also play the game at NBA level. Wang was the first one proved them wrong, so that no matter how good or how bad Wang's game is, as long as he staying in the league, there still will be lots of asian fans rooting for him. He was like a hero, back to 2001, to all yellow people, because he told the world that yellow people can play NBA. It's like "Woman can also be a scientist", something like that.
Ya know what's really weird... all these fans of the Rockets that cheer for these guys just cause they happen to live (or have lived) in Houston. I mean, that's so arbitrary. Identifying with a basketball team based on geographic location!? Insane bias!!
I hate it when silly white people make comments like that. Skin color (ethnicity, etc.) does matter and we all know it. A popular yaoming fan site was started by a Japanese guy. We all naturally identify on some level with people who look similar to us. Are you telling me that if the movie "Rocky" was about a black underdog fighter that it would resonate as deeply with the viewing public? Why is Eminem so popular amongst white kids? What about Jackie Robinson? Nothing wrong with rooting for people of your race - especially if that person is a classy guy who can actually play well.
I really think there should be a grace period where new members are not allowed to post. This topic has been beaten over the head every way imaginable.
I'm all for that. The biggest reason for that, I think, is that it can prevent some phony Rockets fans from starting those ignorant, meaningless and provocative threads.
Wow, all I can say is wow! It's amazing to know that Yao can get elderly immigrants like your father to follow the game. I have to say that Stern did a great job to promote NBA. As a China-born-and-educated Chinese myself, having been abroad for many years, although I try to, but sometimes fail to be really close what's happening there. I know Yao is really big there, but I would imagine, most of followers are kids and youth, who follow pop stars, movie stars, or any stars religiously, no other than the kids around the world. But stories like that, really tell how effective Yao could be, if later on, he could devote himself more to the society and community. I always feel, lots of Chinese, especially elderly immigrants, they live in an isolated world in other countries. Instead of sharing lives with others in the country, they keep them by themselves. There is historical reason, and reason of mentality, perception, and society. But to help people of other races and countries to understand us more, we need to go out more and introduce and be responsible to showcase ourselves more as well. Yao, given his popurlarity among asien people, and acceptance among average American basketball fans, he could achieve a lot in building the bridge. I certainly hope and believe that he would do that. Thanks for sharing those stories.
I don't agree. Although I might be able to sneak in with 500 posts (400+ of them are garbages), I don't want to turn this great board to something makes new comers uncomfortable. Just imagine, you were told that after your first post ever, what would your feeling be? Senior members are obligated to educate junior ones, and help them, coz we are all Rockets fans, aren't we? I learned a lot on this board, just hope other new members can have the previlige to do so as well.
I like the Tiger Woods example the best. It's a similar scenario where one guy brought a lot of attention and fans to a sport from people that weren't really familar with it. And this notion that race, ethnicity, or nationality shouldn't matter to people is a bit naive. What about all the Houston citizens on this board. Isn't rooting for your home town team the same as a nationalistic pride, only on a much smaller scale.
When Michael Chang was at his best, there were a lot of Asian Tennis fans, no one was bothered though ...
I always find these Yao Ming fans nationality / ethnicity interesting. Most of what I was going to say has been covered already but just to reiterate that Asians like Yao Ming because he is one of us and defies many stereotypes that Asians in America have had to live with. We're not athletic and aren't particularly manly. For Chinese Yao is a symbol of Chinese prestige by being able to compete and do well on the highest stage of the sport. He is both a sport hero like Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods but also a political hero by showing that Chinese can compete with America and the World's best.
Nail, hit squarely on head. Being attracted to one's own does not equate with being repulsed by others. The original post in this thread is beyond ridiculous.
