Without acquiescence from the team management, no sports writer dares to write an article like this. Otherwise he will be frozen out this business by the team. This article symboled a new era in Rockets organization. It is finger-pointing time, then somebody has to pack, then the team enter the rebuilding process. CD and JVG is trying to save their asses. Yao won't put an open fight with them, though. He is too nice and too deep for that. But he will take his notice and let these two pay for it. There was a rumor. When Yao needed to renew his shoe contract. Nike was the front runner. Later Yao found out there were some trick legal language. Yao felt being cheated and turn to Reebok camp. Nike was panic and significantly increase the number (more than LeBron), but Yao didn't forgive them.
What is the feeling to find out your rival's opinion is right? I have to admit that I was surprised by this Lopes article. Although I am suspicious that CD and JVG will sacrifice Yao for the team failure, but I never expect this soon, this straightforward, and this focused. After this, Yao will never sign a contract extension with this team except in the case Les chops CD and JVG's heads. Basketball is a game, it is also a human activity. Whatever human involves, human feeling is there. Yao is too sensitive and too proud to let this go. CD and JVG is pushing the wrong button. Or maybe they know what they are doing, they are preparing a post-Yao rebuilding process to cover up their failure. Poor TMac!
It is too early for your tiredness. This thing is spinning out of control. It may end up as a self-fulfilled prophecy. The Chinese media is discussing Rockets' potential plan of trading Yaoming, is worrying about his minutes and his starting job.
Do you remember how we criticized SF and Cat fiercly last season. The same thing comes to yao now.It is a hard time for him.The salvation is himself.We can't help him. In short,My faith in him will go on
Wether we like it or not, there is no deying this fact: Yao will * never * display the same fire, energy and commitment to an american team as he does for the Chinese National Team. Doesn't matter if the coach is Rudy, JVG, Phil Jackson, Del Harris or anyone else. Doesn't matter if the is playing for us or LA (in a worst case scenario). So quit thinking about the Yao of the Olympics. He won't be seen in the NBA anytime soon. Now, that doesn't mean that he won't be sucessful or that he is a bust, but that playing for the Rockets is only basketball, while playing for China is a whole another league as far as his personal feelings are involved. Better get used to it.
Very well said. To Yao, NBA is just a job. He is just like us--working ants, has his own preference of boss, colleagues and working environment.
It's just a terrible mix of coach and players. Simple as that. Problem #1: JVG's forte is defense. His reputation is built on tight defensive pressure. Yao is not a fantastic rebounder or defensive player. He does have some "presence" in the paint but his gator arms are too short and he's too slow to make a defensive impact. He's not bad in 1 on 1 situations against most centers (partly because most centers are not the focal point of their team's offense). There are always comparisons between Yao and Rik Smits - from a defensive standpoint, that's probably accurate. Neither Yao nor McGrady are defensive stalwarts. JVG's expertise is defense. Van Gundy's lack of creativity on the offensive end mitigates the players' strengths. His insistence on maximizing energy on defense exposes their weaknesses. Bad fit. Problem #2: Yao's weakness is maginified by the fact this organization cannot find a decent PF to save their life. The most unfortunate part of this entire offseason was not wrangling Drew Gooden away from Orlando in lieu of Juwan Howard. Obviously Orlando was not enamored with Gooden and was willing to move him to draft Dwight Howard (who wouldve played the same position as Gooden). Instead, Orlando traded Gooden for Tony Battie. And how is Tony Battie any better than Kelvin Cato? JVG and Juwan Howard are not going to be a good fit. He is not Charles Oakley or Kurt Thomas, or anything resembling a defensive minded rebounding tough guy. Gooden was the sleeper in Orlando last year. After being much maligned by Jerry West for being "soft" and carrying that reputation to Orlando, he has become a fantastic role player on a very talented team. Problem #3: We have no long-term solution at PG. By the time this team finally develops some chemsitry, the person "running" the show will no longer be around. Charlie Ward and his 3 year gift from CD will be bench fodder by year end if not sooner (injury list? yeah right). Sura looks good but has always been erratic and is better suited as a backup SG. Lue will be gone. Yao can be a very fine complementary player - better than most in the NBA. Unfortuntely for him and McGrady, the rest of the team is so piss poor, they have to carry the load for a defensive minded coach unable to free their offensive prowess. No need to over-analyze. There is no panacea.
*sigh* So much for patience. Could our 6-9 start have anything to do with with the high volume of games being played away from home by a team completely new to themselves? We've had one of the toughest November schedules in the league and though it'd been nice to see Tracy and Yao heroically uplift us, scoring 30 a pop a game and leading us to a 17-0 record, it just wasn't written in the stars (or the schedule). What we need is a couple days off and nice homestretch to allow everyone to catch their breathe and get acquainted with each other. I cannot recall reading any prediction that saw us leaving the month November with a winning record. Don't tell me y'all haven't seen flashes out of this team. Lets give them time before we go moaning for our 'savior' Stevie back.
Maybe the problem here is that we can't make sure who is the core/leader of the team?Yaoming didn't know his part clearly.In Chinese National Team,things are different.Thats why yaoming played like a dominator when Tmac wasn't here in the game vs Lakers and T-wolves.
This article should state like this: the team is a reflection of its coach...no fire, enthusiasm, passion or drive.
Yeah, right. Let us trade Yao to LA or New York. I bet you will be surprised how soon media open fire at him if he performs like what he is doing right now. And now I believe Jeff is right, you are just full of yourself and your imagination. You are getting really paranoid in case you don't know. We all like Yao and hope he can stay as a Rox. But Yao is not basketball god, so don't act like basketball world will end if he leaves.
I've always wondered how important winning an NBA championship is to Yao. I know that winning the olympics is his #1 priority - and that's fine, it should be every player's #1 priority. But I would hope that winning an nba championship would be #1.005 in priority. If it's really like #5-6 in priority, then maybe we should trade him. That kind of attitude will not get us anywhere.
People expect Yao to carry Rockets to championships. They know Tmac is a fantastic player, but that's about it.
