Those who feels the need to defend Yao...don't. Really, your're wasting your time. Its just the nature of the board that when a max/star player couldn't carry their team, they always get blasted by their own fans like what is happening right now over here. You guys should take a peak at the other team's forum and you be surprise how similiar the fans antics are compared to us...I mean, they actually do talk down their star players. It happens to Kobe at Laker's Talk for losing 4 a row. Yes, even KG was blamed at Real GM for getting on long losing streaks last seasons and thats with Cassell and Spree....no excuses right? Tim Duncan had an 8 game losing streak when they started the season 3 yrs ago. How quickly did you guys forget about T-Macs 19 game losing streak when he was with Orlando 3 yrs ago? If you guys still go by "star/max player should carry a team" concept, then why the heck did everyone makes excuses about his crappy teammates? So T-Mac, a player that's a lot better then Yao...has a bigger heart,more experience and has that killer instinct to win, its ok for him to go on a 19 game losing streak, but its not ok for Yao, only in his 4th year to have a long losing streak? What the hell is goin on here? All star player in the league experience long losing streaks and thats what makes them a better player in the long run. We don't think about these things b/c all we think about is our last 6 losses, and nothing else and that its easy to blame the loss on your star player. We tend to go wild and crazy over a losing streak which blocks us from what is reality, and there's nothing wrong with that. It happens to every team/player, even the great ones are victims. With that said, I see no reason to defend anyone for the blame, everyone is to blame. Yao just got the most of it b/c he is expected to carry us...but its just not happening at this time for whatever reason. Still though, you lose as a team and you win as a team. This is the first time that Yao had to go through a long stretch without another star calibre player along side of him. We should've give him time to get adjusted and feel comfortable by himself...but we don't b/c all we think about is the last 6 losses and we want to win the next one. I wanted to rip Yao's head off yesterday for his lack luster performance(including his teammates), but today after I clear my mind and is less frustrated, I am still proud of him and what he does for this team and will continue to support him through the thick and thin and that everything will work out at the end where we look back at the whole thing and laugh about it(see last season). I don't know if Yao will ever become a dominant,elite, or just a great center but I can't bring myself to hate a person for trying hard and had already meet my expectation of not becoming another stiff.
That's exactly my sentiment...which I've made abundantly clear the past few days. Even last year when we were 6-11 and calling for Van Gundy's head, I don't think the board was this painful to read. The way he currently is, Yao has already developed into more than what I had originally wanted. That's the reason why I don't feel the same pangs of disappointment. Even though I'm not disappointed, I can definitely understand why the people who had high expectations are. There's nothing wrong with being disappointed. What I absolutely can't stand are all the knee-jerk reactions all but labelling Yao the worst player in the league. I've seen posts about his being a stiff, even posts wanting to "ship his ass back to China." It's as if it were 2002 again, and everyone thinks he's the next Shawn Bradley. The thread starting about wanting to trade Yao for 1. players far superior, or 2. players far inferior are idiotic. Use your head and think of a trade of equivalent value before suggesting it. All these ridiculous posts are starting to make this board resemble the ESPN forums.
I know what you mean- its just irritating to see all these people coming out of nowhere with 1-2 posts to their name going off on this team , and wanting to trade Yao.
Why does it irritate you? Do you think the Rockets will trade Yao because of what some fans post on a board? Rockets are sucking it up right now - they deserve to be bashed. The team sucks right now.
My biggest disappointment of all during this bad start is Yao's inability to take his play up a notch. I wonder how much (if at all) the team has investigated getting a sports psychiatrist to help out (with translator, if necessary). I think we can all agree that Yao has all the physical tools and the skills needed to be a dominant player night in and night out. The mental aspect is all he's lacking, and a good sports shrink could help him realize that he could be the best possible team player by taking a bigger role than the other "equal" teammates. Luther, on the other hand, is a textbook case for why non-lottery picks should remain in college for four years. This guy benefitted greatly and is a solid, confident, polished pro only a month into his rookie season. Sure, he'll make some typical rookie mistakes now and then, but he doesn't seem lost like a lot of rooks who make the jump early.
great post noize! after reading through this board for last few days i almost wanted to convince myself keeping away from this board, at least for while. the fair weather fans are killing this place. but, i'm glad i came back and read this thread. now i feel better and can read more.
trade yao. fire van gundy. cd sucks. patience men. trust me, we want yao on this team. this will look better soon enough.
I agree the forum has gone wild, and I think Iam taking a break from it for awhile. I will monitor my Rockets from www.rockets.com from now on, this is just freaking crazy. I will come back when things have died down, This board is WW3 and Im shipping out.
I was thinking of starting a thread in the feedback forum, asking the mods to merge all the "Fire Gundy" and "Trade Yao" threads, so that all the kneejerkers/haters can go there and have their day.
well this year is a bit worse than last. thus, the forum is a bit worse. we have the 3rd worst record in the league!! to barkleys credit he still said last night that we are playing for a championship. thanks for the encouragement chuck...never thought you would be the one...
Yeah seeing many of the post the collective maturity of the forum seems to have taken a huge nosedive. And for the love of all that is decent can we please stop posting in the third person!
This reflects Old Chinese saying, 'the Greatest must experience mental and physical suffering first..'
