Shaq declines Yao's dinner invitation before the game

Why?

Yao sent Shaq a CHRISTMAS CARD. lol...Shaq's stepfather brought the Christmas card and asked Yao Ming to sign it. That's neat.

Shaq had family and CHILDREN to see. ?

 

Shaq has an offseason home here and a number of family members including, I believe, two children. Not too surprising he went to see them.

 

Shaq didn’t get Yao invitation in time

Don't know if this has been posted.

http://www.msnbc.com/news/861034.asp?0cb=-416131250


LAKERS COACH PHIL Jackson disclosed the news of the doomed dinner date Friday night prior to the first game between the 7-foot-6 rookie from China and the 7-foot center from Los Angeles.
“I do know he was invited to his house last night,” Jackson said. “He has family and children here, so that didn’t happen.”
Yao and O’Neal first discussed the possibility of an informal get-together when they spoke privately after the Rockets played the Lakers in Los Angeles earlier this season — a game O’Neal missed because of injury.
The Lakers arrived in Houston around noon Thursday following their game the previous night in New Orleans, and Jackson called off a practice that was originally scheduled for 2 p.m.






O’Neal declined to comment before the game but provided an explanation to Lakers spokesman Michael Uhlenkamp.
“Yao’s people contacted his people, and by the time they relayed the message to him he was already doing stuff with his family,” Uhlenkamp said.
Bill Sanders, a spokesman for Yao’s marketing team, said Yao’s invitation was an informal one.
“These guys have been talking about getting together for a while. It’s not a big deal. Maybe next time they’re both in Los Angeles they’ll be able to get together,” Sanders said.

© 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

 

Been posted, but from a different link:

 

Went ahead and merged daniel-bfl's thread into this one...

 

Shaq said that he had dinner with his daughter at the Cheesecake factory and missed the message from Yao's people because he had turned his cell phone off.

When he got the message it was too late.

 

I was listening to the LA radio broadcast of the game, and in an interview afterwards, he said Yao invited him, but that he didn't get the message about the invitation until he was on the way to the game, and it was too late.

 

(sorry about the double post, but Clutch must have the edit feature turned off...)

There certainly wasn't a spirit of "refusing to accept Yao's invitation." I have been amazed at Shaq's respect of Yao, and he's also created quite a show...

Good grief.

 

I hate Marty Burns period

 

Before Yao ever came to NBA, Shaq had been yapping how to beat him down, elbow him etc, etc. The momentum went to a new height when the insensible comment from Shaq surfaced the air. Fans were expected Yao and Shaq will become new enemy with words of accusation flying across the court.
Who would have thought on Friday, it went to 180 degree turn. This is all started with a Christmas Card, and then a invitation to get together. Did you see how simple that is? I have been checking the message board before and after Friday. The thread about Shaq's racism comment and gesture against the Asian has ceased down if not vanished. As far as I concern, there were 2 games taken place on Friday, one is on the court, the other is off the court. We should all learn from this.

The next time when Yao comes to LA, I hope Shaq will do the same and invite him to get together. I am sure Yao will feel very honor and the gathering will take place. The racial tension between them will turn to a new relationship. How wonderful that is! These will make Yao and Shaq my number one heros.