I was raised in Houston, so I must be a Rockets only fan. Although I am living in Houston and never be in Toyota Center watching Rockets game, but I hate YOF - those not from Houston but like watching Yao play.
Oh boy. That's quite a putdown. I recall clearly last year you bashing me for suggesting that Yao should shoot more than 10 times a game. Sam - please tell me things about my culture and history that I am unaware about. I know how much you love putting us in our place.
use the search function and we can examine this reportedly vicious attack. Edit there are the only 5 I can dig up where I've quoted you using the "reply w/quote" function and none of them fit your description. http://bbs.clutchfans.net/search.php?searchid=23178 So I'm at a loss here. In 938 AD, the Vietnamese defeated the Chinese at the naval battle of Bach Dang and ended a long period of Chinese domination. I really don't understand why all the YM folks are coming after me tonight. I did a search earlier and I've used the term "Yao" approximately 5 times in the last 6 months - 3 of which were in the same thread about the Yao book. I don't even remember the last time I criticized his on court performance but it was a long, long, time ago.
You are not a ROCKET'S FAN. What you are is a Houston Only Fan. If the rockets were to trade all their players and get Kobe and Dirk on the team and move the team to China. Would you still be a Rocket's fan? Some how I doubt it.
I still don't understand why some people on this board "hate" YOF. Granted they might not visit the site again if yao was to leave Houston, but while Yao is here, they support Yao, and hence cheer for the Rockets. They become familiar with Yao's teammates and coach, and grow attached to NBA in general. They do not want Yao's team to lose! Why the heck would they want to? If you think majority of the YOF act that way, then you need to come out of your little shell. Because you are just as stupid as the people (really really stupid fan who don't know basketball and love Yao unconditionally) you are bashing. Then you don't know jack about basketball and don't know jack about the satisfactory feelings that stem out of the teamwork. I think I can speak for the majority of the YOFs here. When Yao has a good game and the team lose, I feel bad, because this shows Yao is not a superstar yet who can carry a team on his back during clutch times. When Yao has a subpar game and we win, I feel good in general but I kind of feel disappointed and feel Yao could have done better. I never blame Yao's shortcommings on the coach, or his teammates. I think us "moderate" YOFs don't like to post too much here. There are a lot of intelligent posters here and they basically cover all the aspects of a possible argument. Only those lunatics who don't know jack about bball who claim to be YOF post here like there is no tommorrow, ruined our reputation.
What about the Old timers that have supported the Rockets for umteen years? Especially liking the style of the Rockets Game, which has been for a long period based on the big man's game. Having many favourite Rockets players in order - Elvin Hayes, Mo Malone, Ralph Sampson, Hakeem and Yao Ming. There is nothing wrong with having favourite player on ones team ! I only expect to be considered a regular Rockets Fan, I dont need any categorization. If some Fans folllow the Rockets only to see Yao Ming [ I know they exist] ther are missing out on a lot of fun, yet the end result is that we all are supporting our team the Houston Rockets. The different views on how and why we do so, should not even enter into it!!
Sam, I think your problem is not that you are a Yao hater. It's that you are a YOF hater (YOFH). It's not that you like to bash Yao, which you don't. It's that you and some others like to bash whoever you perceive to be YOFs. Sometimes you guys are too quick to use that label. (That's paranoia in my book, BTW.) That's the point of the thread starter, I think. I think m_cable's post is the best in this thread. True YOFs are those who care only Yao and not the team. There are certainly YOFs here by this definition. But they are not as many as you think. A lot of times, YOFHs label a poster YOF simply because the poster believes the Rockets can only succeed if Yao succeeds. Many of these psuedo-YOFs (pYOFs) argue that the Rockets have to make every effort to help Yao succeed because that is the only way to win. Sometimes they are right, and a lot of times they are wrong. Some of these pYOFs are introduced to basketball because of Yao. That's why they do not have very good understanding of the game and appear ignorant. But that doesn't mean they don't care about the team. It's better to educate them with good arguments than to just put them down by name calling. And if you don't think they are worth your breath, then just ignore them.
The term YOF is just a way for people to rip Yao Ming fans because those people think Yao Ming should be putting up 30 and 20 every night.
I think we have to distinguish between the Yao ONLY Fan and the Mostly Yao Fan (MYF). A YOF is one that only cares about the advancement of Yao's career. If Yao switch teams, they swtich teams. I consider myself a MYF. I started following the Rockets because of Yao. I always considered the Rockets a classy organization and I know that Clutch BBS is the best basketball board on the planet. I want Yao to do well but I also love T-Mac, Houston, and this board. I want Yao to do well, but not at the expense the Rocket's success. If Yao leaves the Rockets, I will still hang out here and continue watching Rockets games. I am a Clipper fan for goodness sakes. I know how to stick with a team through thick and (mostly) thin! Having said that, I think many YOF are valuable contributors to our community. It is unfair to say that all YOFs only care about Yao's stats. For the love of god, that stat-whoring **** is for Kobe-only fans (j/k). I suspect many YOFs care about Yao's Legacy more than Yao's stats. Legacy means becoming a champion. Legacy means starting and finishing your career with one team. Legacy means becoming so great that when people think "Rocket's Greats," Yao's name will be in the top 10. Yao's legacy is with Houston. This city is perfect for him. Large Chinese population, a warm but not overly-critical fanbase (NY), a large market but not so large as to attract insane attention (LA), a world-class city that also has a pleasant small-town feel to it. Houston is Yao's home. He will never leave. So YOF will be a Houston fan for life. Boy's not going anywhere. YOFs and HOFs have the same interest: Creating a dynasty with T-Mac and Yao as the centerpiece. The next time you think about coming down harshly on a YOF or a MYF, consider where we are coming from. Chinese people aren't really well-known for our athletic abilities. How exciting is it for a Chinese person to become a star in the NBA! We love him and we can sometimes be a little bit over-protective of him. Maybe we are at times too quick to criticize the guards for not getting him the ball, when the real culprit for his lack of touches might be NBA's new defensive rules or Yao's own lack of assertiveness. But please do not take our zealous love of Yao as a diss of Houston. We also have enough love for Houston and her fans.
Is this even a problem anymore? Who is still complaining about YOFs? I avent seen them as much of aproblem in a while. It's like complaining about how Communism is gonna take over the world. Move on people, it's 2006, most YOFs have left the board. Anyone still complaining about them, quite honestly is just too damn sensitive. BTW, as some of you know, I started out as a Hakeem Only Fan. So all those haters who think that Yao fans won't stay Rockets fans if he leaves, kindly shut up. As I've said before, to rip people for being a fan of one guy is just ignorant and shortsighted. How many of you stayed Oiler fans after they moved to Tenessee? Compare that to how many Steve McNair Only Fans stayed Oiler fans after they left Houston.
Hehe. I'm a Houston Rockets fan. It's not that hard to understand. I thought about if Dream was still in his prime after 94/95, went to Toronto and led them to a Championship. Would I become a Toronto fan? No. I would support Hakeem and be happy for him, but I would still be a Houston Rocket fan #1.
"he no pass to yao?" ok, all yao fans are buck-toothed, head bowing yellow bastards, huh? screw you, you racist mother f#@cker.
Good point, Cohen. If i remember correctly, Yao has not been playing for a while. Texas Stoke, please explain to us how Juwan's 30 points' game related to Yao.
I know there's a lot of hate going around, but I just wanted to say that I agree that you have to clearly explain who we're talking about here. HOF - People who root for Houston teams because they're from Houston. I fall in this category. I think most of us are in this category. We don't root for the Titans because they skipped town on us. Jerks. ROF - I guess you'd still root for the Rockets if they moved to Vegas and traded Yao and McGrady? Wierd group. MYF - Mostly Yao Fans. Yao is their favorite player, but they're still Rockets fans. Many are Chinese, and we embrace these people with open arms. If Yao scores 6 points, and sits in the 4th quarter because Deke is on fire, they go to bed with a good feeling inside. YOF - The prosperity of Yao is more important than the team concept. In the previous example, they are upset with Van Gundy for not "utilizing Yao" and for stifling his development. Never mind that he was being schooled by Sean Rooks and dropped 4 entry passes. These are the people that get excited when Phil Jackson says he likes Yao's game because they would rather he got traded to the Lakers. YOF's are fine. Everybody needs a hero. But they shouldn't be surprised when any of the other groups get upset at their narrow-minded view of the world. If the Rockets were to trade Yao Ming to the Lakers for Smush Parker and a 1st round pick, the HOF's and the ROF's would be devastated. The MYF's would be sympathetic. And the YOF's would be dancing in the streets. There's your disconnect.
I guess thats the difference between a fan who follows the team their favorite player is on. You think if Tmac left the Rockets we wouldn't lose hard core Tmac fans? Why is Yao being singled out here? The labels are lame.. remember the SOF and SOH ? come on. If your favorite player is on a team you want that team to succeed. I love Tmac/Yao and the Rockets but the BBS fans are getting downright silly and childish with all the name calling and labeling. J
EXCELLENT! BTW I fall into the ROF group I am originally a Hakeem fan, which got me started on rooting for the Rockets even after he left. This is what some YOF's will probably turn into if Yao stays a Rocket for life or for at least 10 years.
That is great, but I would like to add something. I am a HRF, a Houston Rocket fan. If the Rockets moved to Alsaska and we got a new team, The Houston Starships, I would still be a Houston Rocket fan first even though they no longer exist. Strange but true.
