Haha. I was born and raised in Houston. Been in Texas all my life. Graduated from Clear Lake High in 1994. I was a senior during the first championship year so I hate Phoenix. I guess I should be less lazy next time and fill out the form properly.
All good points but if Yao is more aggressive with his game then it should be no contest regardless which team make the play off. Talent wise it's not even close. He is a much better basketball player than Amare at this point of their career. His late season stats along with Phoenix making the playoff hurt Yao's chance. Personally, I think the Suns make the playoff due to the play of Marion and Marbury. Amare is just a supporting role player that score based on other team gearing to stop Marbury and Marion. Remember when Yao first came on in November and December when team were not gearing to stop him? He was shooting like 70% + from the field. He was scoring in the flow of the game instead of isolation plays that the coaching staff design for him. But I do agree that the things that hurt Yao's chance the most is the use of him by the assistant coach in the last few weeks of the seasons. Instead of increasing his numbers, we see his average drop along with decreasing minutes. The media perceived his stats dropping as a sign of fading away at the most important stretch of the season. I agree he had a bad back to back game against Portland and Utah but the other games were due to decrease in minutes and how he was utilize in the game. Oh well, may be he can win the most improve player next year.
props to amare's game. he's incredibly talented and I called it that he would be good even in his rookie year when i saw him play summer ball in long beach. the kid needs a serious dose of humble pie, however.
Good. Repeat after me: Awards. Losers. Awards. Losers. Awards. Losers. This is not a rotisserie sport. Awards make you think you've won something when you haven't. We lost. Let it hurt, and go get the ring.
Anything that potentially helps RT get the pink slip I'm all for....I hope Yao doesn't make any All-NBA teams either and the Chinese pressure Les into making the coaching change.
How would that happen? How exactly do the Chinese have influence over how the Rockets run their organization?
Don't need to (repeat that) Not being in the playoff should be hurt enough although Yao loosing ROY is like rubbing salt into a fresh wound. I hope they play more as A TEAM next year! Anyone who does not care or hurt about missing the playoff enough to improve themself should be trade.
Well, in the past I've seen some articles from Chinese American journalist that have said that Yao has not been used the right way in Rudy's system. It's not like the American media hasn't said the same thing. They are just protecting their investment in Yao; and being normal vocal fans at the same time. That's what I think he means. But I doubt that the Chinese goverment would get involved. That would be a little far fetched.
But ultimately, if China disagrees with how Yao is being used, they can't do anything about it. They have no influence over the Rockets with regards to that. You are right. They probably wouldnt get involved. Some seem to insinuate though that they have some sort of control over Yao and the Rockets.
Yao doesn't have to play in Houston his entire career. Since various assorted parties in China are getting a percentage of Yao's endorsement earnings, they are already likely not too enamoured with him playing in a small media market. The fact that the owner has surrounded him with basketball invalids from left to right could be all the reason they need to get him out of town when his contract's up.
Playing in Houston obviously is not affecting Yao's endorsement life. So I don't quite understand your "small media market" reference. I could not think of anywhere else Yao could have gone where he would have had more media exposure than he already had. Basketball invalids? Did you read any of the pre-season articles that talked about how well known Rudy is in China? That Hakeem, Rudy and the Rockets were Yao's favorites? If anything, firing Rudy would have more of an adverse affect on Yao's future with us than anything else.
Actually I mean the Chinese American fans, rather than China the country. They could vote with their money! $$$$Ca-Ching!$$$$ That's a lot of bucks! The stake are high...
Heh heh.... Basketball Invalids = Rudy I've never heard that term before! Well, maybe in the movie Gattaca! Nevertheless. I like! LOL!!!!
Chinese goverment may have something to say on Yao's decision after Yao's rookie contract expires. They'll treat NBA championship as a national honor if Yao can get one. By that time, they may want Yao to be on a championship caliber team.
you've read articles from chinese american journalists? i've read pretty much all the articles on google, and i've never even seen one article from a chinese american journalist talking about yao not being used the right way in rudy's system. all i've seen chinese american journalists talk about....., well wait um, well i don't recall ever reading one by a chinese american journalists. oh wait, i do remember one from the washington post and that guy only talked about the cultural impact. anyway, i hope amare stoudemire really does win the rookie of the year award. i hope he gets even more arrogant as well. and i hope the guy starts to get lazy cause he's such a hard worker right now. can somebody buy him a box of twinkies and feed him till he gets as fat as tractor traylor or shawn kemp. oh and please give him all the media scrutiny that yao gets. that would be great. i hope he finally gets another agent so he can do commercials during the season like yao did. then maybe the rockets can win while amare does a commercial for viagra or something.
Heh...Although I don't believe this will happen. I do like the implications. The Chinese fan are saying, "Yao is too good for your team." I agree. If Francis doesn't get his sh*t together, we'll will not go anywhere. If Rudy continues the ISO, boring offense. We will not go anywhere. So, the ball is in our court to make sure this team becomes a winner! Simple as that. Bottom line. Losing sucks. And sooner or later, great players will try to move on. Hakeem wanted to leave in the late eighties. Let's hope that doesn't happen with Yao.
Exactly. He's getting all the national exposure he could possibly want. That's why "Team Yao" turned down many, many more endorsements.
