Look, I know there are a lot of other threads on this issue. I'm making this a new thread because I think that there can be a common ground between Chinese and Rockets fans and I wish to share my view in a new thread. If you have anything to add, it would make this thread even more valuable. First, a broken bone is a medical problem that years and years of medical history have been written on. The reason I'm saying this, Chinese doctors and Rockets doctors are both qualified to talk about this issue. Having the Chinese send two doctors to America can only benefit fans of both sides because another opinion is another option towards recovery. I don't think the Rockets should have denied Chinese physicians because it can only help. Denial would only make the Chinese think we're hiding something and we are not. The Chinese aren't going to make Yao play when he's not fully healed. We have to trust them on this issue. Second, the Rockets knew upon drafting Yao, that we(the rockets) would be sharing his talent with China. If we didn't want him to spend time with the Chinese team, we shouldn't have drafted him. In other words, we should work with the Chinese because it is a great thing. We both get to share in the joy of watching Yao play with us. What's wrong with that? The Chinese team has been very friendly with us, they have let us send trainers with him during the summer while he works towards being a better basketball player. To extend the thanks, I think the Rockets should repay the kindness and allow a Chinese coach to come over to America to have first hand knowledge of what's going on here as well. They sent us their best and brightest, we should return the favor. Yao's play is not just about us, but them too. He'll only be great if he is great for both teams. Third, this issue of Yao playing for Houston in the NBA benefits the world. Having the common ground of cheering for Yao makes business with China better. Say what you will about how Yao does for the Rockets, but what he does is not so different than Jackie Robinson being the first black player in Major League Baseball. Don't forget that as a Rockets fan or a fan of China. Him playing in America gives representation from China in America and America in China. Being honest about the health of Yao has far reaching effects on the world. Trust in this injury issue goes far beyond W's and L's, it also has effects on honest business practices between two major economic powers. If we can be honest with China about Yao's injury and not be concerned about ourselves completely on this issue, Yao will benefit. So goes the world economy, so goes a more tolerant world and so goes the Rockets. Chinese and American relations might be better for it and Yao might play better with both teams trusting the other side. It's worth a try. The Chinese want Yao to win a Championship in the NBA and if the US team can't win the gold in the Olympics, Rockets fans will probably want the Chinese and Yao to win. We can help each other, that's what good trade is about. Yao is more than a commodity, he is a man and thus, we should all treat him like one. He's on both sides. Hopefully both sides won't forget this. These are the common grounds I see. I know there are more, what are they? What do you see? After reading this, what would you say is the best way to handle the relationship between China and the Houston Rockets?
Great post! Things would be much easier if both sides have fair mind as you do. Bottom line, a healthy and happy Yao will benefit both Rockets and CNT, thus satisfying Rockets fans, Chinese fans and Chinese Rockets fans. Last thing we need to do is fighting for controling the common asset. United we win.
My first question is, how did/does China treat all the other Chinese players in the NBA? Is it the same, or is it different? Wang Zhizhi, and others? Second, I'm not buying this whole "China's been nice to us, so let's be nice back." I'm not saying don't let the Chinese doctors examine him, but I am saying that it's not as nice of a picture as you're painting. To say, "Wow, they're letting him play in the NBA on [x] conditions, that's so generous." I'm not sure you can attibuted such "generousity" to a communist government. And to assume that they wouldn't have Yao play for the CNT if he wasn't absolutely 100% is just complete niavety. They're numero uno is CNT, not Yao. He's second to the team. So this could just be asking for a really bad publicity war between the countries. And speaking of publicity, you have to believe that some of the "nice" decisions they have mad have at least a little to do with the fact that this whole Yao in the NBA situation was a VERY PUBLIC matter, and everyone across the world was probably watching. They had to be a little "nice" because of economic reasons. Now, with all that said, I do somewhat agree with you. Both sides should work together, but you have to be careful about stepping on toes and making the situation worse. And you can't just paint the Chinese goverment and CNT as "nice" as you have, especially at the expense of the USA and Rox.
Ahhh, good old communism, treating people as property. Good times. What was that revolution for anyway? To give more power to the people? D'oh! (Yeah, this may be a gross simplification, but I think I've nailed the American sentiments on this whole issue. Yao Ming is not the property of the Chinese government. The Rockets are not leasing him from the CNT. Yao should do what is best for Yao, not what is best for China.)
I agree, except for the part about letting the doctors examine him before a course of action. No need to delay the proceedure, start the healing right away. The Rockets have to protect their investment in Yao, and therefore wanted to deal with the issue, Yao obviously agreed or he would not have had the surgery so quickly. I am sure they are letting the chinese physicians see the X-rays and talking about recovery issues, but no need to wait on 2 guys to hop a plane and come over only to argue about how to fix the foot. Just get er done ! DD
I concur. People should be cautious about becoming too warm and fuzzy over the Chinese government's motives and actions. They may be moving inexorably towards a capitalistic type economic boom, but they remain essentially a communist dictatorship. And the rule in communist dictatorships is: 'The State matters, the individual does not.' Have no illusions that the Chinese would have very little compunction against using Yao even if he is not healthy. Case in point: his toe. That toe had been an ongoing serious problem for him, even for years before he was ever drafted by the Rockets. Did the great advanced chinese medical geniuses use their abilities to heal him? Or did they simply require him to play on it year-round? All that being said, I would have very little problem believing that the Rockets have given Yao an extremely relaxed recovery schedule. Especially after seeing how much better Yao was this season following an offseason where he did not actually have to be playing all summer long. So I don't necessarily fault the Chinese officials for being maybe a tad miffed. But it's a complex situation anyway. Yao's injury is just a pile of misfortune, regardless. As JVG has said, as well as many others, foot-injury problems in a big man like Yao can have career-threatening implications. Look how long it has taken Big Z to get past his foot issues (if he even really has). If this thing is not allowed to recover fully and completely 100%, it carries the potential to cut Yao's career short, or at the very least greatly reduce his effectiveness. While I don't fault the Chinese for being peeved, neither do I fault the Rockets for doing everything possible to protect their investment in Yao. Bones heal. The summer will pass fairly quickly (especially if the Astros continue to distract us). The NBA playoffs and then the Draft will distract us. And before we know it, Yao will be back on his feet, improving, and will be ready for the start of the next season. All this will be in the past. People *everywhere* just need to chill.
How do you know we're not hiding anything? Everyone else, give this communist dictatorship stuff a rest. Their method of governance has zero relation to the subject. If the Rockets were in the CNT's place, they'd want their own doctors to check Yao out to see if he could play. And, if it were the playoffs or something, they'd want him to play if he could, even if he wasn't 100%. There's nothing communist about risking your players' health for wins; NBA teams do it all the time. The toe, again, is a great example. The Chinese had him play with the bad toe for years. Then, the Rockets had him play with a bad toe for years. After seeing him bust out for 20/10, I bet they're regretting not taking care of that earlier. But, God forbid we don't have Yao available for every game he can possibly play.
China's not the one paying Yao Ming's max salary for the next 6 years, the Rockets can let China look at Yao if they want, but they're under no obligation. Yao Ming knows who has his best interests in mind, himself and the Rockets. China's got some different agendas looking at how they treated others in the past.
I agree with Don. There needs to be an equilibrium point where all 4 sides are content: Yao, Rockets, China, fans. But I think its blown way out of porportion that Chinese fans hate/blame the Rockets for the injury and the American fans are jealous of Yao going back to play for CNT.
Thank you Juan for bringing much needed common sense to the discussion. This board can't have too many posters like you and don grahamleone. I had a long badass cynical reply typed up in response to a couple of earlier posts. Upon reading yours, I decide to give it up.
I don't know if the money makes much of a difference actually. The Rockets have a lot invested in Yao and will suffer if he has a debilitating injury. However, the team has insurance to recoup most of the financial obligation. And, the NBA has a system in place to compensate for injuries somewhat on a competitive level. If he couldn't play again, they could eliminate him from the salary cap eventually, and even get an injury exception to sign someone new. It would still be a big blow, but the Rockets would recover. The CNT, however, is in a more constricted situation. Money isn't an issue, since their players don't cost them much. But, if they lose Yao, they can't simply replace him and recoup some competitive edge. It's a complete loss. There's no injury exception. There's not even free agents or trade partners. They can only use their own citizens. Losing Yao would be a huge blow. If Yao were hit by a bus this afternoon, the CNT would hurt a lot worse for it than the Rockets would in regards to their ability to compete. So, I think, if CNT is a rational agent, they would have at least as much interest as the Rockets in making sure Yao did not aggravate his injury by playing too soon. They may not have the money invested, but the talent certainly is.
I agree. The Chinese have the right to have their own doctors to check. The issue is not who have anything to hide. It is that each side wants to protect its interest. For the Rockets, they certainly don't want the risk of having Yao play in the WC. So even if Yao's foot was 95% good at the time of the WC, they would still tell the world that Yao's not ready to play. (As a Rockets fan, I don't want Yao to risk his health in the WC.) Conversely, if Yao was 80%, the CNT would still want him to play. China may not be a title contender in the WC. But the tournament is the most important for them. This is something a lot of Americans don't understand. They are trying to develop their basketball into a world class team. (China wants to compete in every sport at the world level.) Doing well in the WC is an important step for them to reach their goal. Without Yao, they can't possibly do well. This is a messy situation. This is what happens when you have two bosses and each has a different agenda for you.
You're assuming that there are rational people with basketball knowledge making decisions for the CNT. Not saying that there isn't, but there's just as much chance that it's some random government official who never played in his life, has a ton of pressure to win the Asian championships that's in charge of the thing. Lets say the guy in charge of CNT has his job on the line depending on the team's performance in this year's world championships, then there's a chance he'd rush Yao Ming back right? This is not like USA basketball, where people are volunteering and have day jobs. These people are under alot of pressure and they might not be qualified.
It is possible that such a thing is occurring. But, I don't know that it is. As a fan, I'm going to assume they are rational agents looking out for their own best interests. And, even if there is someone calling the shots who isn't a basketball person, we'd still have to assume that the common sense required to not have an athlete play on a broken foot is lacking, and that he's so stubborn that he would ignore advice of the coaches et al who know better. But, yeah, it's possible given what I know about how the CNT operates -- which is little -- but I'm assuming the opposite.
In the other two related threads, I have posted a link (won't bother to do here because it seems people have already made up their mind about CNT) to a Chinese article, which basically says CNT has claimed multiple times that they want Yao to heal first and don't want to rush him back, the "sending two doctors over" is a flat-out lie from the Chron author Fran or whoever his source is. Also a poster in another thread mentioned that the article posted in Dallas media a couple years back which led to the feud between Wang Zhizh and CNT was mostly based on assumptions (deliberate lies?) and misleading information. Looks like some people in Texas media LOVE to create something from nothing and are dying to see Chinese players have conflicts with their national team or even government. Some people simply have their own agenda.
Another thread: Yao's foot: Does this shoe make me look fat? Posters: No, no, not at all, you look GREAT! This thread: Yao's foot: Does this shoe make me look fat? Posters: Well, it's not the shoe that makes you look fat, its your fat that makes you look fat.
