Just thought I would add to the growing list of bashers. Since I was relegated to the hell that was listening to the draft via a much-delayed webcast (delayed because of webcast and delayed becasue they would, "blah blah blah...oh yeah, Wilcox was taken 5 minutes ago"), I heard some things probably no one else here had to hear. They had two guys doing the main announcing/analyzing. The main guy would not shut up about Yao and how he was horrible. "Four years down the line, Ming will be seen as the greatest mistake in the history of the NBA" Over and over. In an interview with Tyson Chandler, they asked if he would e intimidated playing Yao Ming at the SF (the punchline was that Yao would only be able to play the 3 - because he was too suck-ified to play the 4 or 5). Chandler said, "Uh, no....nobody intimidates me." Repeat the "four years" phrase a bunch... Now comes the good part. They go to Rick Berry in LA for some analysis on the draft. The guy starts with his "Hey Rick, in four years..." Rick gets miffed, says something along the lines of, "I am sick of people claiming that he is no good, will be a bust, etc. I have seen this kid play a lot in person. I saw him when he was 19 and told people he would be special. Yao Ming will be successful and has a very good chance to be an All-Star." TSN Radio guy quickly cuts him off and they move on to a different topic, never to bring up Yao again.
That, IMO, is the EXACT thing we are seeing. Writers, broadcasters and journalists, most of whom have NEVER seen the guy play and have the image of Shawn Bradley goes Chinese stuck in their head, are heavily skeptical. Many of them are downright ****ty. HOWEVER, almost universally, those who have watched him play, particularly the scouts and player personnel guys, think Yao has real talent and will do fine in the NBA. Even the guy they all worship on bended knee, Jerry West, has said that Yao has talent and just needs to develop physically to be very good. What's crazy is that, because the guys who don't have a clue also happen to have a mic, their opinion is the one that most people have. Just silly.
What is TSN's motivation for being so blatantly irresponsible in their reporting? Does anyone know? Do they work for the New York Knicks or something?
Im surprised none of these reporters are bringing up the fact,every time they claim mings a bust,they are saying that every gm in the league is stupid' They know krouse offered fizer +2 for #1 ,or ny offering spreewell + 7th for ming,warriers offering #3 + jamison If mings a bust,then EVERY gm is r****ded not just the rox.
Rimmy, if you would have been in the clique chat room, you would have experienced some "intelligent" chat on Yao and the other Rockets picks. Oh wait, you were in there...nevermind
In another interview with Yao before, the interviewer ask him whether he knows Tyson Chandler, and Yao replied Yeah, I've met him at the training camp once in the US, he was a piece of cake" Gotta luv his attitude! -G'day-
I am glad the Rockets choose Yao. You can tell that he really wants to play for the Rockets. He seems to be a sincere person. I'm also glad that the Rockets chose Nachbar. You can tell that he also wants to play for the Rockets. It is refreshing to see the enthusiasm that they both bring with them. I can't wait until October, when the season starts.
That Coppock guy that ripped Yao is an idoit. Exhibit A: http://bbs.clutchcity.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=36921
Even if Yao doesn't pan out the way we hope, I don't understand why they say it'll be the biggest draft mistake ever. I mean, there's really a LOT of competition for that prize. Look at Kwame Brown last year. The guy didn't even play, apparently was the first #1 pick not to make the all-rookie team, etc., and no one even mentions it. The truth is, the draft is such an inexact science these days, that the GM's are performing guesswork in making their picks. I assume that's why the Wizards are being given a break about Kwame. If so, I don't know why everyone's so quick to label Yao a bust and the Rockets fools for taking him.
Sporting News is ridiculous. Yao Ming could average 1 ppg for his career and he still wouldn't be the worst pick in history. The worst pick in history will always be Sam Bowie, with the "Kandi Man" following a close 2nd. One got drafted because he was from Kentucky, the other because the GM is an idiot.
It's time to stop caring so much what these media people think of Ming. They have almost no solid evidence on which to base their predictions, and they have no accountability. Whatever they say will soon be forgotten, so why not have an outrageous opinion? I listened to part of the draft on ESPN radio. David Aldridge was their analyst, and I knew just as much as he did about the players and the situations they were being drafted into. If you want to know about Ming, do some research. Trust your own eyes and the opinons of scouts and GMs. Don't worry about the media "experts," who think anyone from Duke is "awesome, baby!"
They are just afraid of the unknown. They don't want to see the darlings of the league getting their balls sent back to them when they try to drive on a 7'5 player.
I'm sick of the bashing too. I mean, even if Ming is a bust, at least it was a gamble worth taking. We needed a center. We got a center. It is better to take a risk and lose than to never risk at all. I hope Ming proves everyone wrong. Then the media'll probably say that they didn't see enough tape on him or something.
