Panda: Although you look like a bear, you are not really a bear, let alone a noctic bear. Don't leave your bamboo behind.
btm you are right about francis, he will grow up though. I jsut think he's not confortable with ming. thats all.
I'm amazed at the fact that alot of you guy's are disrespecting Steve. Steve is the leader, and the best player on our team, and he has the right to say what he want's to say, while on the other hand you guy are putting you're hopes and dream in a 7'5 guy who stay's in foul trouble playing overseas. If he can't stay on the court overseas what do you think is going to happen in the NBA.
Yeah, of course he has the right to say it, but that doesn't mean I'm going to agree with it or not criticize him because of it. Yao Ming's "foul trouble" is really impairing his ability to consitently put up double-doubles overseas.
Ming's life style in CBA and NBA will be totally different. In CBA, Ming enjoys making some smart comments to show his personality. The NBA style is different, Ming should avoid giving comments either good or bad about other players. It is not a game of talking, it is a street fight. Don't try to show that you have better personality or are smarter than others. The NBA players are extremely street smart, many of them may live on the street if they don't play NBA. I don't think Ming has received good advices from the people around him. Eric Zhang is an example. He is trying to find a graduate student to live with Ming. What for? Ming cant learn how to be a man in NBA from a graduate student. He needs to learn it from a thug. If Ming is a real man, he won't really care what Steve or other people say about him. The important thing for him is to be a man and make more money. Without big bucks, all the fancy stuff like "love of the game" will get old real soon after being banged under the basket day in and day out by all kinds of thugs. When the season starts, Ming will soon realize Eric Zhang is a dork.
Yeah, I think I just saw Omar Cook rummaging through my garbage .... I can just see it now. Yao Ming and Charles Oakley: the Odd Couple. Yao: Clean up those dirty socks or ahma give you a 'bow to the dome! Charles: Now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout!
Why doesn't Francis want Ming? Everyone agrees that he is a project and will take time to develop. He's not going to step in and take shots or PT away from Francis. Ming is 7'5" and can rebound and block shots if nothing else, he can be a great asset to a team that is largely dependent on guard play. So why is Francis so upset? Is it because the Rockets management didn't listen to Francis (trade pick for Odom)? Or does Francis have a problem with Ming's race? Its unfair to assume but its a possibility. Whatever the reason, Francis isn't playing the part of a leader. Ming has yet to arrive and Francis is already causing problems in the locker room. How well would you going to play in a hostile environment, knowing that your unwanted? And what is this talk about hanging out with thugs? So he can get suspended for smoking weed or having a unregistered gun? No thanks, I rather him hang around Eric and the graduate guy. I don't think players are good due to the people they hang around off the court.
Where has he said anything about looking forward to Ming coming here and getting on the court with him? He was very positve before the Lottery, and now everything is somewhat "cautious" and less than true optimism that other players are showing. This statement isn't really negative about Ming, per se, but Francis most definitely said, "I've never been able to play with a guy like that. We'll have to see." I'm not trying to bash Francis with this,.I would have said, "I've never had a chance to play with a guy like that; I'm excited." Come on, we are talking about a #1. Even if you like Odom more, you still have to be excited with what you got..don't you?? Put this together with "discuss the direction of the team" (after landing Griffin and a #1---sheesh) and needing to pass out video's, and CD having to sit him down in his office, and Clutch basically saying something was up. There is clearly a Ming issue. Get your head out of the sand. How much an issue, we don't know. But everyone would be a lot less nervous about chemistry if Francis was as excited about getting the best C in the draft as MoT was from Day 1!!
