spoken like a true fan...but yao does get mugged--a pish at about hip level is hard to see, but can badly throw yao's center of gravity/ balance for a shot. I would expect the refs to be better to yao--he's always been an immaculately clean and very respectful player (hence the "soft" rep), and hugely popular and important for the NBA's global expansion. you'd think that he'd get love for that sort of play, and be protcted as a clean player himself. If we have to lose a game because yao goes apesh!t on a ref in the first quarter and gets ejected, so be it, we've gotta make a point somehow.
I am glad Yao is voiciing his concerns about the refs screwing with him. Like the play at end of the first overtime where Brown hits his arm as he shot and the ball hits the backboard and almost went in anyways that right there is a damn foul. Yao should have been given free throws.
I think the first half... they didnt really call fouls on anyone... second half they started calling more fouls...until the 4th to the end of the game.... where they tightend up... problem was Yao didnt start to get the calls.... everyone was getting... he got the ticky tacky fouls calls on the defensive end... and no call on the offensive end.... I think that is one of the reason why he seems to play farther from the basket...in the second half of games... Yao is a great player... to become a super star he needs to become clutch and hit baskets (game winning shots) at the end of games.... which he will one of the steps to get there is too... LAY DOWN SOME HURT
Am I the only one who actually hopes he will be fined so his complaint can make even more noise in the media? I am sure Yao can afford it.
Rockets fans should now start writing David Stern to beg him to fine Yao. The larger the fine, the louder the noise.
I noiced in last night's game that Koby Bryant of LA Lakers was coninually bemoining to the referees, sort of in the style of Tim Duncan.Sometimes he was strongly contesting the call. I thought that the new rule this season insisted on a foul being called for such an agressive move towards the Refs. Why no calls against Bryant for such blatent infringements?
That wasn't enough. Next time, Yao should salute the ref's mom, and get fined 200,000+. If Yao' gf is not happy with it, I believe the fans can donate to cover it. I know I will.
Said in the game thread that Yao's starting to "get it". Meaning the past few games: -His block numbers have gone up and he's contesting shots with better timing and with more intent in altering shots. -He's grabbing rebounds well into the double digits, instead of the 6-8 he was getting the games prior (though the Rockets were still out-boarding their opponents which is what counts) -He HAS been hitting late-in-the-game clutch shots and hitting shots with the shot clock winding down. A little bit more than usual I think. Meaning he's becoming a true RELIABLE go-to player when we need it like McGrady. And now he's figuring out he's got to make a case for himself to the league for some respect from the refs. Perhaps its cuz he's gotten more comfortable in expressing in English but whatever the reason its a great thing.
They beat the crap out of each other in NY and nobody gets a "respect the game" technical called. Yao yelps to the air after a dunk, he gets called for "respect the game" technical foul. The refs love you, Yao.
I guess Yao won't get the fine this time (not sure it is a good thing)... cuz NBA has something with higher priority to deal with... look at the new brawl just occurred in NY-DEN game.
Those same fans on the Lakers board that are calling Yao a crybaby complained incessantly that Shaq got beat up in the post and never got enough fouls called against his defenders.
I believe that would be 82games.com. Select Houston Rockets -> Yao Ming -> Player Stats. I guess the relevant stat would be shot selection. Compare with Duncan / KG / Amare / Shaq / etc. More inside shots than Duncan / KG, less than Amare /Shaq / Howard. Probably because Amare / Shaq are not the first options anymore - Nash/Wade are. I don't know about Howard though. If those guys think Yao only takes fadeaways, they obviously don't watch much Rockets basketball. Yao's best move is his baseline spin. That move alone could fill up a highlight reel. I love how the media still portrays Yao as soft. "Voice cracking..." But when KG cries after a loss it's because he's so passionate about the game. Yao's just a 7'6" pansy I guess.
All, I mean ALL, Yao has to do is to do an interview with Chinese media and tell his fans in China to boycotte NBA merchandise for 3 months. Stern will immediately send a memo to all refs and Yao will get superstar treatments. You can bank on it. All Stern cares is $$$, and you got to make him pay tons of $$$ for letting this crap going on for years. SO, IF YOU ARE A FAN OF YAO AND ROCKETS, DO NOT BUY ANY NBA STUFF FOR 3 MONTHS.
It's Christmas season and all the elves are chipping in to help the Santa Claus (a.k.a. David Stern) to give out gifts and presents to the charities.
I don't want this to happen even if it's doable. This sounds like in order to get fair officiating, Yao will resort to bullying the league by exerting economic pressue. It's like George W Bush's foreign policy. What can an unfairly-officiated foreign player do in NBA then if he is not from a powerful country?
