ENOUGH with the Yao Hating: It's time to take names

First of all...great handle. AG should be in the HOF, considering his ABA+NBA achievements. Underrated big man in a golden era of big men. I still recall him reaching that broomstick-long arm of his up the the rafters, scraping them,and coming down rejecting the purported-to-be-unblockable Jabbar sky hook (Historical note: I saw Sampson do it to, but LA storytellers won't let the truth get in the way of a good story...)

As far as Yao, yes those Vitalian pundits claiming Larue and Shawn et al were proven wrong long ago. I remember a quote from Isaiah Thomas: "light travels faster than sound. That's why some people appear to be bright until they open their mouths and remove all doubt.". The application's appropos when considering those that reached for the bottom of the barrel when comparing Yao.

The timing of this thread rebirth is what's odd. I mean, if he had just officially retired, I'd get it. It'd be a Yao Ming bball eulogy that I, among many others, would gladly wax poetic upon. If it were after leading us...LEADING US...to the NBA heights, I'd understand. He would've just stuck his 7'6" once rail thin, now knotty-and-war-grizzled flag of flex and brawn in the top of the NBA mountain.

But now? It's premature entirely. His chapters may be done, but we don't know that. The book may be closed, but I'm not ready to write the epilogue just yet. Let's see what the NBA denouement has in store for the big guy before touting his career and calling out pundits. He may have a surprise ending for us, yet...

 

IGNORAMUSes
Robert Weintraub, Slate (What could these people possibly know about basketball?)

"Look, Yao won't be a complete bust. On the big-man scale he still comes up north of Gheorghe Muresan. I also like him better than the player he's inevitably compared to, Shawn Bradley, if only because Yao is a better athlete and younger than the Mormon Mosquito when he came to the NBA. But he'll never approach Rik Smits' achievements, such as they were. He'll get some points and blocks simply by virtue of being longer than anyone else, but I must ask the essential question: Is that what you want of a top draft choice?"


Strange, that Yao's 2nd worst season (2nd year in the league) is better than
Rik Smits's best one.

 

it's amazing how quick people forget how good a player was/is after they've been out with an injury.

 

I found that interesting that I had said something like that. Granted it was when I was still in high school and now it's over ten years later! Don't forget nobody knew what Yao would bring because fans really didn't know about Yao until the draft. It was three years before he even came to the NBA. I don't think that I need to eat crow! If you were to look really hard I think that I say that I hope Yao doesn't end up having the kind of injuries that Rik Smits did and also mention Bill Walton. How their careers were dramatically shortened due to their foot and knee injuries. Unfortunately right now I would say that I'm not too far off! By the way, I have been looking forward for olepiere (aka Popeye) to pop his head out from his cave and start doing his riddles about some McGrady trade!

 

Wow, I picked that name two years ago, because I couldn't think of anything more creative. Should have chosen chenjy10 back then. Or chenjy8. Which one rolls off the tongue better?

If I was a YOF, why would I bother to post on this website? I would just stay on a website forum dedicated around Yao Ming, my apparent idol.

This is a thread about NOT Yao hating, so aren't you technically wrong to be posting bad things about him? If you have a gripe against him, make a new thread.

 

Please no.

 

hope YAO would quickly recover，and then go on beating this hating with his dunks ，blocks and other highlights.

 

Last time I looked, the "scrub Yao Ming" owned the current best center in the league, Dwight Howard, two times last season :grin:

 

The OP in this thread is one of the best crusades/tirades I've ever read on a message board. Two thumbs up.

 

"Phil 'Touch my Hot Button' Taylor, CNNSI No listed email (Phil dislikes accountability) Try cnnsi@cnnsi.com
"Call it the Shawn Bradley syndrome." Stiffs I know: "Steve Stipanovich.. Benoit Benjamin.. Jon Koncak..Joe Kleine..."
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/in...tton/index.html"

hey I know stipanovich he's a good man. Injuries hurt his career not a gravity defying t-mac dunk

 

Do you know what would be ironic?

Remember when Tmac dunk on Bradley in the playoffs back in 05?

Well Tim Grover had stated that Tmac is fully healthy right now and he is training hard to get back to where he was. But the Rockets are going to trade him soon.

Next season, Yao would come back on to the court. Let's say on a game when the Rockets are facing Tracy McGrady and his new team, and the game starts out well. Then all of a sudden, Tmac drove by Ariza, rise up and dunk on Yao exactly like he dunked on Bradley....

 

the day this happens I am running to the nearest Church alter and begging for forgiveness because that would the beginning of Armageddon.

 

yeah he showed glimpses of coming back to t-mac status. If that happens Adelmsn will be redfaced, DM will be contemplating was the trade pieces he got back worth it, and Les will be in agony as he misses how many asses Tracy could put in the toyota center.

 

McGrady probably won't even be able to do that on your copy of 2K11.

 

Sad but true.

 

Wow, I really miss the big fella. I hope he makes a quick, permanent recovery

 

That will probably only happen in your wet dream.

 

Mcgrady's career will definitely be over when he lands on his back after Yao rejects him.