Is it just me or is anyone else offended by Yao's continuous remarks about the Olympic games being the biggest part of his basketball career? He never refers to winning a NBA championship after these statements. For example, in the Houston Chronicle he states “We have spent so many years preparing for this event and now it is over. I have just played in the most important competition of my career. Is my life over? What the hell is that!!! What do you mean, "What is next for me"???? The Houston Rockets winning the Championship should be at the top of your list of priorities!! I'm sorry and this just may be me, but i put the Rockets above the USA Olympic basketball team! I love the rockets. Thinking back to those back to back Championships.......(que the choir singing and symphony playing)etc... but seriously that gives me a feeling of pride and honor. Way more than the Olympic basketball team winning a gold medal. Now i'm not saying that winning the gold was nothing. I am just saying that The Rockets winning a NBA championship is first on my list of sports teams priorities. So when Yao continues to not mention the rockets winning a championship as one of the big desires in his life along with the Olympics, i get very offended. If he is going to be on this Houston Rockets team i personally demand if not the same enthusiasm for the Olympics at least it better be damn close to that type of enthusiasm when referring to winning a NBA Championship with the Houston Rockets!! So Am i being heartless?? Am i being unpatriotic??? Should i not hold Yao Ming acountable to the same scrutiny and expectations that all of the other greats have been held to because he is not American?? Should we except less from him becuase he still does'nt understand how much a NBA Championship means to American NBA fans and Houston Rockets fans?? Hakeem Olajuwon who i might add started playng basketball at a latter age than Yao, adjusted to this lifestyle and tradition of American NBA basketball. I never for one minuted doubted his heart and his true desire to win a NBA championship. Thanks to that desire and dedication he helped to get us two of the true and only Basketball Championships.......THE NBA Title!!!!! Yao i like your game but i saw an excitement and passion that you have never shown on this side of the world when you played in the Olympics, and if you cannot provide that type of desire and passion for this NBA game i personally believe that mind set would trully be a dishonor to Houston Rocket Fans.
oh you've done it, the YAO-only fans are gonna have a fit with you. The thing is, I don't get how the olympics are more important than club. Between Club and Country I always choose club. But, few agree with this, or at least few are willing to defend it.
culture difference. I am a Chinese. I USED to have a hard time understanding people will put individual, club accomplishment over national accomplishment. It's NOT because of communism, Chinese culture has ALWAYS put country, family ahead of individual desire.
Yea i know the Yao only fans are going to crucify me for this, but hey it seemed like a good topic. Me and my best friend just debated this topic and he is trully a Yao Ming fan(even though he won't admit it). lol
I don't care for the olympics but Yao does everyone isn't like you. If he feels like the olympics are more important then that is how he feels. I don't care as long as he is ready physically when the season comes.
ask any soccer player if he'd rather win a world cup or a club championship. Now ask him what'd he think if the world cup was hosted at his country.
Kobe said winning the gold medal was the most important thing he has done in his career. He also said the game against China was the greatest game he has taken part of. This is the guy who has already won 3 titles and it wasnt in his home country, and he isnt the face of the US like Yao is the face of China. Lebron said that winning the gold medal was better then any NBA championship that he might win. Wade said it was the best experience he has ever had, and that includes the NBA title run with the Heat. Now add to that that neither of these three has the responsibility to or patriotism for their country that Yao seems to have and you can understand his comments.
chill out man. kobe and lebron and all of team usa were saying the same thing. youre playing for your country. that IS the biggest stage of your career.
but not the biggest thing ever. it is for those who haven't won a championship (like lebron) though. so i'm sure yao says this b/c he hasn't won big in the NBA. so obviously winning a gold medal would be his biggest accomplishment. stop hatin'
