Is there any way for Yao to miss some of the future national games? guess not. At least Yao got plenty of rest over the summer and didn't have to play too many games. It's a long season and I always felt playing year round with the national team was bad for his body.
For some reason, Yao reminds me of Matt Dillon in There's Something About Mary. Pat Healy: Really, it's only a side thing for my true passion. Mary: And what's that? Pat Healy: I work with r****ds. Mary: Isn't that a little politically incorrect? Pat Healy: Yeah, maybe, but hell, no one's gonna tell me who I can and can't work with.
Yao:"We talking about practice man.. practice? practice, not the game, not the game, not the game where I go out and give it all, practice, practice, not a game, practice, how silly is that?" practice,
HOW do you know Big Yao did not mention to Daryl Morey about missing the training camp? Just because Jonathan Feigen wrote that Morey said no players will miss the training camp? I posted almost a week ago in the Yao Ming Summer 2007 Activities thread that he will miss 2 to 3 days of the training camp cos He will still be playing with the national team in the China Euroleague games with Italy and Russia up till October 1, the schedule of which is released and known 3 months ago. In his dual role as the official image spokesperson for the Shanghai Municipality and the Special Olympics, he HAS TO BE there in Shanghai for the opening ceremony of 2007 Special Olympics. Just because Jonathan Feigen or you don't know doesn't mean that Yao Ming did not tell Daryl Morey about this.
How dare Yao care more about a bunch of kids with disabilities who have instead of letting their disabilities hold them back go all out and do something with their lives anyways making it to the special olympics, how dare he care about those inspirational kids more then the Rockets... not even the Rockets, how dare he care more about those kids then media day where espn was planning to take photos of him for their magazine!! I for one applaud Yao, and the 20k fine will be well worth it to see the smiles on their faces.. unless their face happens to be paralyzed or something. The point is, we don't need Yao this upcoming media day, we have Scola to worry about, we have the new Bonzi, we got Brooks, T-Mac as usual, we got the Franchise... and of course, we have alllotttt of quotes to write down that will be spewing from Mike James mouth. Not to mention other things such as this being Deke's last media day. If Yao were to EVER miss a media day, this is the perfect one to miss because we really don't need him there. Though I would like a team capture photo, too bad.. we will get that team captured photo as we line up for our ring ceremony at the beginning of next year.
Damnit. You beat me to it. I was literally on Google images looking for this exact pic. Well played, sir. Well played.
I do recall you mentioning Yao would be out Pryuen. I am just glad that he will be in early enough to get some practices in before the pre-season games begin.
No, those fine are mandatory and compulsory for NBA players skipping the Media Day and the preseason camps. I don't think NBA or the Rockets will bend the rules for Yao Ming alone (cos that would set bad precedents for other NBA players), even though what he did was not intentional and was for a more noble cause.
Alright someone said it I think this is a consider the source type of thing. Based on track record you know Yao isnt there just there chilling, kickin back taking in the festivities like Steve Francis for the Super Bowl. He actually has a prominent appointed LEAD role in his city's/country's Special Olympics. If it was Bonzi Wells doing the same there'd be reason for skepticism and hefty fines. If Mutombo's organization set a date 2 years in advance to build a hospital in his homeland that just happened to coincide with the start of practice, tough on both sides but let him do it, fine him, and congratulate him at the same time.
Some practice?? He has been doing that in the past month after coming back from his honeymoon. As from what we saw in the games with Melbourne Tigers and the Yao & Nash Charity Game, he seemed to be doing fine, even though a bit rusty and 1 to 2 steps slow on defense. He will still be playing against Brisbane Bullets (X3), Sydney Kings (X2), Italy Benetton Treviso (X1), Russia's CSKA Moscow (X1), 7 games in the future 10 days, before returning to Houston. So by the time he gets back, despite the jetlag, he could be already back into his competitive form and shape and be ready for the preseasons.
None of that has anything to do with practice with the Rockets. It doesn't matter if he is in game shape. Training camp is about getting players comfortable with one another. Yao is the lynch pin of the offense, so the more time he has with the team, the better for everyone.
Right, It doesn't mean Yao will no join the training camp.He will be there, but 3 days later. Morey: "He is going to call his teammates and explain it to them." This absence is not like Wells last season.
