Let me preface this post by saying this: I am probably the biggest Shaq hater there is. Never have liked him. That being said, the voters for the ASG have done smoked themselves r****ded. First, they vote Vince "Half-Man Half-Sit out the season" Carter to start. Secondly, they voted Yao to start over Shaq. DO NOT MISUNDERSTAND ME!! Yao should be in the game. He is one of the best centers in the west, with only Divac, Robinson on the sympathy vote, and possibly Kandi deserving conserderation as the reserve center. Note I said reserve. Shaq is without question the most dominate center, if not player, in the game. Again, I hate Shaq and would like nothing more than to see in not start in the game, but the man who takes his spot should earn it. He shouldn't get it because he is a good player/novelity. In my opinon, this is the worst thing that could happen. All the Lakers need is for something to piss them (O'Neal) off and an ASG snub could very well be just the fire they (O'Neal) needs. Looking at the playoff picture, this is not a good thing for the Rockets. Yao should be at the game, but he should not be starting. Anyone who thinks different is an idoit, just look at the numbers.
What is the qualification to being able to vote on All Star Game selections? Sorry, wants and desires of fan voters speaks to wants and desires, not r****dation. It says a lot when I find out that enough voting fans wanted Stevie or Yao or VC or whomever. The people spoke. Now the coaches will speak and Dirk and Pierce and Shaq will magically appear.
It seemed pretty clear that Yao was going to get the nod before the Laker game, and Shaq wasn't too fired up to get his first three shots blocked.
The way I look at it is this. The All-Star game is not about the best players necessarily. The ASG is for the fans. It is all about the fans. Whatever the fans want to see. It is an all "Star" game. Not really MVP game. Right now, there is no bigger "star" in the league than Yao. He brings all the attention and interest. That is what I feel the game is all about. Give the fans what they want to see.
You talk about your disgust about seeing Carter voted in but Shaq has missed quite a bit of games and yet, because he is dominate when healthy, he should start. Isn't Vince Carter one of the most dominate swingmen in the East? If he was healthy by All-Star time, should he start?? I agree with you that Yao is nowhere close to Shaq but this is the All-Star game and not the All-NBA squad. It's a game for the fans and shouldn't the fans get to see players who will actually play in the game. There's a good chance that Shaq may pass on playing in the game. So as fans, we vote people in who may pass on playing?? I don't think it's enough to motivate Shaq...I think being under .500 by the time the ASB comes around should be motivation enough.
Talking about deserving? I think whoever get the most votes deserve the most, that's the rule. Also, Shaq was out a lot of games in the early season and the Rockets' record is better than the Lakers' right now.
Exactly, however i believe there was a time when it was about the best players in the league. There was actually a time when "Seven time all-star" actually meant something. Marbury maybe an idiot but he was absolutely right in pointing this out. They should probably change it to the NBA pop-star weekend.
What????????? Who picks the starters? The fans do. The fans want to see what they want to see. Shaq sat out the last two All-Star games. So that means he was 2nd in total votes to Vince Carter. WHY would You waste over a million votes on someone who isn't going to play? They wanted to make sure their votes done some good. Shaq is an ass-hole to the fans around the league. They voted him to start last year and he sat out because of a hurt toe. As big of a man as he is and he doesn't have the descentcy to show the fans how much he appreciates what they done for him and how much they enjoy watching him play to start in the game. He doesn't have to play 30-some minutes. Hes a jackass and a discrace to the NBA players around the league and to all the fans.
Agreed. The all-stars game is not about who has the best game, but the most popularity. If Shaq can work himself into a sex symbol, as perceived about Yao by some females, he will be right up there in all star ballot.
Keeping in mind all of the posts about the game is for the fans and let the fans speak, consider this. In pure hypotheticals, the year is 1994. Hakeem is in true form at the midpoint of the season. His MVP like numbers of 25 pts 10 boards 3 blks, etc... Now, some rookie for Utah is only playing about 25 min per, averaging 13 pts, 5 boards, 2blks, etc... gets the starting nod because he is a new fad. Now, I havent been a part of this great site for all that long, but I've seen enough to know that there would be quite an outcry. But heck, its what the fans want to see.
I am glad I found this thread. I have been thinking.... Yao belongs in the Rookie game along with Amare and crew as they do damage to Gasol and company(with No Griffin might I add) Shaq deserves the start. I have never said this before. he is the reigning champion center for the last three years. Yao is a rookie. i love the rockets, love Yao, hete the Lakers, hate Shaq. but that is really the way I feel. and it is showing right now in the last 10 games. thats my take.
Tell us what you really feel. What 's going on? You going to be at the game when the Rockets come up there?
I'm certainly trying. I have a few leads... although; i saw them get by spanked in Compaq earlier this season(by the Knicks), i might have some bad mojo. my record at games up east as follows @New Jersey 0-2 @New York 0-1 it will be easier to get New Jersey tickets this year because regardless that the Knicks suck, everybody wants to see Yao at the Garden, which brings us back to what the fans want they get. but yao was ineligible to play in the rookie game since he is starting in the big dance. steve paid his dues. mobley did too. both of them played in the rookie vs. sophomore game i believe. *edit* steve played as a rookie and mobley played as a sophomore in the 2000 game, steve scored 13 and 11 assists, cat had 10 and 3 as the rookies beat the sophomores. . francis played again in the 2001 game as the sophomores beat the rookies. "Local favorite, Steve Francis, who left Maryland after his junior season, added 20 points for the Sophomores. Quentin Richardson paced the Rookies with 20. Francis hit three straight three-pointers, delighting some of his former fans and getting the team of second-year players off and running in the first half. Before his third trey, Francis rolled the ball on his finger to fake the shot and then moved to the corner where he dared Marc Jackson to guard him before connecting. 'There was something of everything, just watching the highlights, the alley-oops, the friendships,' said Jason Terry of the Sophomores. 'That's why you come to a game like this'." thats what i really mean by this. Yao misses out on the traditional rookie experience as he blows up in front of the basketball world. celebrity is a b****
