I hope Yao will be able to play in the World Championships. It is a big deal in international ball and especially big for China and Yao. It'd suck if he had to miss it. Obviously, he shouldn't play on an injury. But, I suspect if he was as healed in time for a playoff game as he will be by the time the tourny starts, a lot of people here would want him to play in that.
Well, drama/negativity sells. I am too lazy to translate the following two Chinese articles (I am not pryuen ). Basically, in these two articles, different top-level Chinese basketball officials have stressed that they won't risk Yao's future basketball career by urging him back, Yao must heal first. article 1 article 2 Just like Rockets rely on Yao and Tmac to be a good team. CNT has developed all game plans around Yao (many posters here keep saying how bad CNT is without Yao, well, you can look no further to see current Rockets to get a taste of life without your core: Yao and Tmac), so anyone can imagine how much impact it will do to CNT. And contrary to common/American belief, WC is very important in international basketball competition, not just for Olympics. Of course Olympics is more important to China. Still, asking which one China has to choose to lose is like ask someone whether he prefers to get his both hands and legs chopped off or his head cutoff.
Yao signed a contract = He's obliged to play if they decide to play him, when healthy =/ They have to play Yao on a back-to-back-sprained-ankle-the-night-before. Open your eyes a bit, look around the league. What does teams who secured their playoff spots do? Like SAS, MIA, etc, they rest their star players. what does teams who's in the lotto do? Like GSW, MNT? They rest their star players. Your logic is terrible.
The damned Chronicle is still where most casual Rockets fans get their information and I'm almost convinced that the sports editorial staff has really thought them cosmically irrelevant since before the season started. Blinebury's article really pisses me off because it brings up two points that haven't yet been addressed in this thread. 1) Yao has been making statements all year that more than hint he believes his best chance to improve is to stay here, train here, play here against NBA-level competition. His injury doesn't change the fact he (no doubt) wants to spend as much time in China as he can in the off-season, but he's more than hinted that he thinks the basketball element of it has been detrimental to his NBA development. The WBC's are incredibly important to countries that care about or crave basketball success. Yao normally would probably be heart-broken about the timing of this injury, but from all accounts there is a hell of a lot more pressure on him to lead the CNT to a medal in Beijing than proving that team belongs in the Olympics in 2008. Some people in this thread want to put this in a Rockets only context. Others are either ignoring Yao's statements (or situation with the injury) or fear the further "Americanization" of Yao. How about caring about Yao too? If he makes his decisions based on his obligations and his conscience, who here wants to bet against his results? If that's a slap in the face to the CNT administrators or to Chinese basketball fans, well, since when did any of you think you guys play the best basketball? Since when has your national team not requested foreign advisors, coaches and trainers? 2. Blinebury's remark about Chinese officials being "rebuffed" without any explanation reeks of CD saying "Don't quote me" and JVG probably saying "I have no idea of what you're talking about." At the risk of sounding like fools both made attempts to say "everything is Yao's decision". No matter where you come from and how you judge Yao, he has the best vantage point to weigh his responsibilities. I just trust that guy to make the right decisions.
bullsh!t. the rockets are about to pay Yao an ENORMOUS amount of money. if the Chinese national team is that much more important to him, he shouldn't be here playing for (and getting paid by) the Rockets. if we tell him it will take 4-6 months, then he better take 4-6 months.
Sigh. Haven't you noticed by now that "my way or the highway" ultimatums don't work on NBA superstars. Maybe Yao is a different breed when it comes to responsiblity, but alienating one of your best players, just isn't a good idea. If Yao wants to play, and he's healthy there's little that the Rockets will do about preventing him.
True. The Phoenix Suns wanted Amare to rehab until next season. Amare wanted to rush back and then he aggrevated his injury. But the point here is, like it or not, it's always the star players who have the final say in when they want to come back to play. I don't think it's right, but that's just the way it is in the league.
Ah, links? Nonsense. I say this not because I personally care much about this year's WC, but because CNT doesn't need to prove it belongs in the Olympics -- any Olympics, not just in 2008, Yao or not. You made it sound like Yao's potential (future) success in NBA (heck it does not even necessarily means the Rockets) is in dire conflict with his determination to lead CNT in international competitions. Sorry, you are not the only person in this world who "care about" Yao. Fans from all walks of life have different expectations of him.
I will tell you with a straight face that Yao's #1 priority is to the CNT. The CNT found him early, and gave him the training necesary to become a basketball star. Yao knows this, and he proclaims himself that he would do anything to advance Chinese basketball. Get out of your xenophobic and myopic hole and see the rest of the world for what it really is.
OK where to start? Let's see number 1 this is not China, nobody held a gun up to Yao's head and told him so sign that max contract with the Rockets. Yao did that and by doing so he made a long term commitment to the Rockets his employer. As far as his injury yes he was playing on a spained ankle but it was his choice to play, if Yao said he could not play than JVG would not have played him. A little FYI for all of the chinese posters who think it was a meaningless game, think again yes the Rockets were out of the playoffs but Utah was not and the Rockets owe it to the other teams, the game and to the fans that pay top dollar for tickets to put the best team on the floor. I would like to add that I think Yao is a smart guy and he will do what is best for his career and while I respect the fact he want's to play for his country this is not the olympics and his future career is more important than the WBC's. To all the chinese poster's, if you are a Rockets fan because of Yao than that's cool glad to have you on board and I love yall's inside info on Yao and other top Chinese players. Now if you are only a Yao fan than why are you on clutchfans? Do you have some agenda? Also I hope one day Yao can break away from that controlling Chinese government and make his own decisions on his offseasons without any pressure. I would like to also add us Rockets fans here in Texas would be pissed off if Yao got hurt playing in China but we would never blame someone we would just chalk it up to bad luck. That's what injuries are bad luck. Now lets not make it easier for Yao to get hurt by bringing him back too some that would be irresponsable and would effect his play not only in future Rockets seasons but also the 2008 games.
It seems you know nothing about China. It is OK if you do not want to know. But do not talk something you do not know if you want your argument taken seriously. Two words: arrogant, ignorant
I think this is what declan32001 is referring to. April 3, 2005, 12:59AM NBA NOTEBOOK Yao needs summer school in U.S. NBA refresher would help out, but China's needs will come first By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle Ignore all other considerations. Forget what might be best for the Rockets or what might be in Yao Ming's best interests. Consider only China. Whether Yao finally takes a summer off from international competition will not be his decision. The Asia Games are to be played this summer, and if he is asked or told to play, he will without complaint. But this is the summer China would be best served to instruct Yao to take some time off, then work on his conditioning and skills while the national team wins without him. Next summer, he will play for the Chinese national team in the World Championships. In 2007, he might train with the team in preparation for the 2008 Olympics. In 2008, the Olympics will be in Beijing, and that is understandably the priority for China's sports leaders. Like many nations and more than most, China does not like to be told what is in its interests, especially from the West. The last thing Beijing wants is for Yao to become another NBA player indifferent about representing his country. But there is no chance of that. None. Yao is not about to beg off playing for China. He has never looked more determined, more visibly driven than when playing in last summer's Olympics in Athens. China's goals are his goals. He also seems to know that he would be helped by a summer to rest, heal and train, without spending time preparing for any specific opponent. "That's not under my control, if I go or not," Yao said. "If they want me, I go. But I really hope I can have two months, or 1 1/2 months of practice in Houston in the summer. I want to work this summer on conditioning, post moves, anything." Asked what he would do if it were under his control, he said, "I don't want to say." "But if not this summer, 2007 will be the best chance to get rest in the summer," he said. "But I'm not saying I can't get rest this summer or next summer. But because the 2008 Olympics are in Beijing we don't need to play anything to (qualify to) play. It's not like they have to get a championship to get to the Olympics." Yao's current injury, a deep bruise in his right calf, will be gone long before training for the Asia Games would begin. But it could be a symbol of the wear of competition. Jeff Van Gundy has insisted that Yao's summer workload has not limited his growth. But there are other ways the Rockets would have him work on his body and his game. "I haven't gotten into that very much because you have to accept every player for what he can do," Van Gundy said. "If his commitment is elsewhere in the summer, it's what he has to do. If he can stay here and it's what he feels is best for him, that's good, too. I think it's overdone (and) overblown what he's done in the summer as far as precluding him from improving. I don't agree with that at all." To be his best, Yao needs the competition and training in the NBA. For that matter, his national team teammates also need to play in the best leagues that will have them. That much was made clear in Athens. But for China to be at its best in the World Championships and especially in Beijing 2008, Yao needs to spend his athletic gifts wisely. China would not send its divers to break records in the Houston city championships. Its greatest basketball player similarly needs to think now of competitions later...
Your an idiot, I stated facts number one the game is important to someone, number two The best thing for Yao is to be 100% before he returns to the floor and if that means he can play in the WBC than cool I hope he plays well if not he needs to rest. Third it was Yao's call to play on a bum ankle not JVG's, forth the olympics in china are more important than this WBC and the last fact is that China's government does have some controll over Yao. Show me where I was wrong? Don't come on here and blast another poster because he is bringing up FACTS that you just don't agree with.
Just stop now before you confirm every stereotype about the ignorant, arrogant, provincial, and xenophobic Texan. Bush already projects that image and the rest of the world hates it; you don't need to go along with it. There is no rational reason for me to be a Rockets fan, just as there is no rational reason for you to be a CNT fan, except for the fact that Yao is on both of those teams. I support the rockets because Yao plays for them. Period. I never said Yao should not have been playing in that game, you're putting up a straw man argument.
Man are you spotting or something? I was referring to the chinese posters who are blaming the Rockets and JVG for Yao's injury and also the alleged cover up on how long it will take for him to recover. I was not calling out all or even most of the Chinese posters just those.
