Well, we may disagree on this, but I think Kobe is disliked, not disrespected. I think he's unpopular with many in the NBA because he's already accomplished so much at such a young age, but I don't think many NBA players think of his game as lacking. By the same token, I don't think Yao is disliked. I think he's disrespected, because he was made the No. 1 pick despite not having what most players would consider a resume worthy of that selection.
BK is right on the disliked/disrespected, although some of the reasons Kobe and Yao have "earned" such reactions are the same. Kobe, from day one, has been anointed the Golden Child, heir successor to MJ (and I can't say the b*stard hasn't started to earn it). But when you have the favor of the entire league, and when you come from a priviledged upbringing, and when you're arrogant as hell, and when you're aloof off the court, and when you're in almost EVERY G**DAMNED COMMERCIAL (note to sponsors: there are other marketable players besides Kobe and Shaq), it magnifies the dislike. Of course, Yao's name and marketing will soon be ubiquitous; I won't be complaining (Steve F. might) and Ming has yet to do anything in the NBA. So he wears a big target saying "David Stern Loves Me; Why Should You?" Even though David Stern very carefully navigated, publicly, around any favoritism toward Yao, you know the dollar signs are cha-chinging into his eyes. Yao from China and Kobe from "Silver Spoons, PA" also don't have much street cred...hence Kobe's public shellacquing (sp?) at the hands of the Philly All-Star crowd ("I'll show off in front of my home crowd"; "home crowd? this is the East Coast, this is how we treat people out here.")
[Regardless of what this US squad states, they are not the best of the best. They are barely even all-star calibar. So they feel better, shooting off their mouths. Especially when an unknown gets more attention then they do. [/B][/QUOTE] AMEN
I agree. Trash talking is not a SPORT thing. It's an AMERICAN thing. It might have been spread to other cultures already.
Anyway, I think the inferiority complex of this US NT is apparent. They feel the disrespect from the public because they are not up to Dream Team caliber. So they just feel threaten by Yao's getting all the attention. That's all.
I really don't understand why everyone's so upset over Wallace's comments about Yao. Wallace & co are the 1st NBA players to face Yao in a game since the draft & all the hoopla surrounding him. Wallace is just the 1st one to get fed up with all the dumb questions about how they're going to to do against all that height. Besides, Wallace's comments aren't that much different than Shaq's "bow's" remarks & he didn't get this much of a reaction. Speaking of Shaq's intro to my bows comments; isn't it interesting that not too long after those remarks, Shag decides to have "toe surgery" that will keep him out of action til December or so! That will probably be after the 1st game between the Lakers & Rockets!!!
last time i checked, steve nash played in the nba...and i didn't hear him say, "our big men are gonna beat ming up, he's not gonna get anything on us."
guys.. i do not care one bit about jungle boy Wallace but intentionally playing dirty is not right.. Wallace needs to learn how to beat someone using skill not ghetto cheap shots like what he proclaimed in his comment... if yao gets hurt by Wallaces cheap tricks, there will be alot of Rox fans seeking revenge..
I can swim, gettinbranded, can you? I learned a long time ago not to criticize how other people raise their kids or provide "helpful suggestions", no matter how well intended or right. They get their blood pressure up, and get ticked off... every time. I have two myself now, so I understand it better. (I also found that some of my ideas about my friend's parenting, or lack of, were on the money... but that's for another forum.) I am sorry I called you an a$$. You do the job much better yourself.
My kids will emulate the example I set before Ben Wallace's, Yao Ming's or anyone else for that matter. Sports are entertainment in my household. If Ben can talk Yao out of his game then I'd use that as a lesson with my kids how not to react to taunts and gestures on the feld of play. But if they can gain more of an advantage by using them then I'm proud of them for being able to outwit an opponent. We can admire MadMax heaving insults at John Starks in Game 7 of the Finals, but that's where it ends.
Wow. I had no idea how horribly this thread had degenerated. Personally, I have no problem with NBA players talking smack and giving the number one pick a rough initiation, as long as they don't injure him. But that's not why I dragged this one back out. Wallace promised rough treatment and couldn't deliver. So I just thought it deserved a bump back up. To ElGrandeQueso and the rest: How do you like the "next Shawn Bradley" now? To B. Wallace: Hope you enjoyed "beating up" on our boy Ming. That was as easy as he'll ever be. To Yao: Thank you, my Rocket brother. I'm getting cable just so I never miss a game. Haven't been this excited to be a Rocket fan in, well, in at least a year. So, thanks.
Yao faked Wallace off his feet in the third quarter. "I hope when he fell on me it didn't hurt him much,'' Yao deadpanned.
Ben: I'm gonna beat you up, kid. Ming: Pick on someone your own size, dude. Ben: I've already pick on everybody my own size, and I haven't got no respect! Wallace jumped on top of Yao. . . Ming: I hope when you fell down on me it didn't hurt you that much.
