First his team didn't allow him to be drafted by NBA (2001). When he is allowed to play in NBA, he couldn't attend draft. Then his government wants 50% of his salary, and his ex-team wants a piece of his endorsement income. Now he is "closer" to sign a contract which will pay him a couple million dollars for playing the game he enjoys, you would think life would be much easier. You are wrong, the best player (or the "leader" or the "franchise player", whatever you call it) in his new team doesn't welcome with open arms. Well, as a Chinese I can expect and totally understand what the government or the Sharks have been doing, I am totally confused by Steven Francis's attitude towards Yao Ming. I mean, have you ever heard of a player not welcoming his just drafted teammate? Last time I checked, Mike Bibby didn't complain when Francis was drafted by Vancouver even though they played the same position. Given all these, I don't know if I want to be Ming. Well, if I have to be Ming, I might want to pull a Francis and force a trade to GSW.
You gotta understand one thing: Steve Francis only thinks about himself. He's always been a selfish brat. He pouted like a baby on draft night despite the fact millions of kids accross the world would kill to be in his position. How can you possibly be sad on a day that you get drafted into the NBA, a dream for any baller? And no Rocket fan can tell me that if Steve was drafted by the Rocks and whined to be traded on draft night to the Grizzlies, they wouldn't hate him for life. And then at the NBA slam dunk contest after being spanked cleanly by the best dunker ever Vince Carter, he looks into the camera and says, "The NBA doesn't want me to win". Yah, everyone's against you, Steve. IMO, there's plenty of reasons why the Rocks should've traded him for a great big man and drafted Jason Williams. But that's my opinion.
I feel good to be Ming. That's right. I am fortunate enough to be drafted No 1 when I am not the concensus. I get to earn millions of dollars in my career, well I have to hand in some money, but that's just like taxes and it's not 50% after all. Most importantly. I have a chance to be a national hero of a country of billions of people. And last not the least, I have a chance to come in, prove myself in teh Rockets, be a leader, change Steve Francis's opinion about me and hopefully earn some Championship along the way. That's right, I'm a Chinese and I will kill to be MIng. "Attitute is everthing" -----by former Chinese soccer NT coach
But Yao is a mile lucky than Wang Zhizhi. Wang was denied to enter US college which should change his whole life. Wang has been delayed for two years to join NBA. Wang is bearing a not-cleaned contract. Wang's salary was only about 5% of Yao's. Now Wang doesn't have a team, a job,a future even a country. He has to hide himself from his great home country in the US, the most free land on the earth. He was abandoned by everyone. Wang can never understand it is a sin for him to love basketball. Yao is the lucky big boy. Wang is the man whom fans should respect ,remember and say good-bye.
Yao wasn't the consensus? Since when? From what I remember, about 80% of all people thought Yao should go #1. About 20% thought he was too risky. Of those 20%, about half of them thought that solely because of the Chinese contract situation. Of those 10% remaining, probably 3/4 were just trying to be controversial and "call" a bust ahead of time. Makes for good ratings ahead of time... and if you're right, you get lots of respect. If you're wrong, nobody remembers. Yao was an easy consensus. Easier than any since TD.
I agree most of the people calling Ming a bust without having seen him play were just trying to be ontroversial and thought it was cool to have a different opinion from the majority.
What? Consensus doesn't mean 100%. What consensus means is that it is agreed upon by more than 1 source/outlet. Unanimous (sp?) means 100% agreement.
consensus. 1 a : general agreement : UNANIMITY <the consensus of their opinion, based on reports... from the border -- John Hersey> b : the judgment arrived at by most of those concerned <the consensus was to go ahead> 2 : group solidarity in sentiment and belief How this board degrade to argue about definition of consensus, or is it more than one source, is beyound my belief. Before Rockets got No1, many believe J williams should go No1, even ESPN didn't put Yao ahead then, even after...well I'll stop here.
If the team picking #1 needed a center, then it was concensus to pick Ming. If not, then it was concensus to not pick Ming. By the way, Francis is the team leader and it will remain that way. He should be able to say what he feels. It is not detrimental to the team at all. If anything, it will get the players around him to prove him wrong. Ming hasnt done anything in the NBA yet to get respect. Therefore, respect should come only when he has accomplished something. Im sure that will come with time. If Ming comes in and plays well and Francis still dogs him, then feel sorry for Ming.
if ming plays well adn francis still dogs him then dont feel bad for ming.. feel bad for francis.. feel bad becuase he's an IDIOT and a selfish r****d who will lose my respect and the respect of many rockets fans
I remember one of ESPN's phrases regarding Yao: "It's not a matter of Yao being picked #1, but rather, in which draft he goes first." (slight paraphrase). There was never the slightest doubt of him slipping below #2. And the smart money was always on #1.
Find me a quote where Francis has said anything negative about Yao Ming please. After seeing a video of Yao, didn't Steve say, "This guy can play"? I seem to remember reading that in the chronicle last month. And BTM, I remember what Steve said at the dunk contest. It was plainly obvious that he was joking around. He had a smile on his face as he said it. He wasn't sulking, as you seem to suggest.
I'd live alone at the North Pole, eat raw fish and fight against polar bear everyday for 10 years to be Yao Ming.
Ewwww......you primitive bloodthirsty backwards-evoluting barbarian! Be sure to leave me with some salmon though. Fresh salmon sushis, soybean sauce with wasabi. Hmmmm....
ZRB, why do you think the Rockets organization handed out a video of Yao to each player in the first place? To me that means there was an anti-Ming sentiment among the players and that sentiment started from Steve Francis. Otherwise, why would Rockets bother? Shrimpie
Are you sure it was "anti-Ming"? Maybe the players had simply never seen the guy play, and couldn't form an opinion. You can't blame them for being cautious.
Yao will be fine. Let's hope he is a blue-collar worker on the court. He seems to be more interested in basketball than money. It is not hard to cheer for him!
