Well, Yao will not going to change the way he's been playing, that's just not in him. Plus, as he said himself, people/coaches have been telling him that with his size, he could easily hurt the opponents serious, with a simple move, like swin his elbow. The solution has to be the campaign by the Rockets organization, or the fans, so that the officiating of Yao becomes a focus of every single game, then, the refs will have to be alert to balance out the calls. It worked with Shaq, everyone has been talking about "how hard it is to officiate Shaq", so the refs don't want to be showing on the daily highlight as the guy allowing "hacking a shaq". Now, we need to bring that kind of attention to officiating Yao.
LegendZ or R2K or somebody should do a really nice video with Yao being raped, pushed, shoved, man-handled inside every freaking game. We will make sure it get passes around on the Internet, and that would generate a lot of publicity.
Yeah I agree. It'd be cool if a lot of the fans at the games have signs that say DISLODGING when Yao is being fouled..and they boo bad calls and no calls..and cheer on our team.
ToothYanker: thanks for starting this thread. The way I see that NBA is a business. Only us fans care about fairness, spirit, heart of sports. We all know it's managed, but now it's too much, it becomes disgusting. I don't think Rockets organization will do much to get Yao fair calls. They're somehow business partners of Stern. Financial success has of course higher priority than champianship. They won't risk the business, especially after seeing the message Stern sent to JVG last year. Don't know about the American media, but the Chinese media hasn't said a word about that issue. NBA has done a lot of promotion in China and will do a lot more. A lot of basketball organizations (government or not) and medias benefit a lot from that. I assume they won't say anything suggesting NBA is biased on Yao because it'll damage the image of NBA thus damage the market. Again it's only business. So it mostly relys on us fans! I really hope next game, like you guys said, Yao throw some opponents on the floor, scream to the refs, and get ejected out of the game. Then fans boo or even start to leave. That'll send a clear message and more importantly, those businessmen can not hide this anymore! Of course internet is also a good place to show attitudes. It worked last time when Rockets block clutchfans.net visiting the training camp.
If you have a tape or download of the Celtics game, go to 9:57 of Q3 and see if you still think it was a foul on LaFrentz.
Who else thinks we fans should take up the issues and make our voices heard? You have seemed nothing yet if you are not there to actually watch the game in person, to see the way Yao was getting killed out there every time in the post, at least Shaq would be able to throw some elbows or hit somebody without getting call an offensive foul (at least having a chance to dish out some punishment). Yao did not even have the right to defend himself. As soon as he push the guy away (maybe a flop by the other guy), the refs immediately calls an offensive foul on him. The same ref was standing there watching the other guy wrestling Yao with both hands and did nothing. I think Yao should really knock somebody out hard and earn a couple days off. (Although not a good idea, Rockets will absolutely struggle with Yao out). It's the regular season, I think most people just think let it go and what can we do about it? However, I think if we don't do something about it, and the ref keep screwing Yao, we're never gonna to be a championship contender. Just imagine how much it would hurt if Yao was fouled out by some BS calls in a game 7 in the playoff.
I think Yao should accidently knock a ref out cold for a month. Those bastards would fear only if it is their asses on the line. Sometimes I even think those bastards deserves a few annonymous calls.
Stop b****ing. The guards can't shoot and the defense isn't stepping up yet. In addition, T-Mac still has to round into form. Shaq gets the same calls. There isn't a play that Shaq doesn't get fouled on. Yet we focus on him fouling when he makes a move to the basket? Get use to it. No need to waste energy screaming at the tv. This is going to happen until Yao shrinks a whole foot in height.
It doesn't matter who had the ball before, and it also doesn't matter who had the ball afterwards, and it doesn't even matter who scored on that possession, before or after that possession. The sole point is, at that moment, Yao was fouled hard, by both Celtics players. The point of this thread is, that scenes like that are not unique or rare, it almost happens everytime when Yao fights for position. Wrestling is not allowed in NBA. Now, what's your point again?
The difference is Yao get fouled and can not make any strong move without being called for offensive foul.
I'm not understanding how one cannot see the blatant foul on that play. At no time in any NBA game are you allowed to wrap your arms around the arms of another player like LaFrentz is doing in this picture.
What if the ball in this pic has just gone through the net after a made FT? Is a blocked shot on a ball going on a downward path always goal tending? No. Not if the ball had no chance of going in. What if the camera angle of the pic makes it look like Yao is much closer to the ball than he actually was? I'll challenge you like I've challenged several others. Go look at 9:57 of Q3 and watch it in real time. This single frame is deceptive and by no means conclusive in and of itself. People have been looking at Zapruder a lot longer than this pic and there is still disagreement.
I've seen fouls called after a made free throw or jumpshot. Whether he's a foot away from the ball or 20, LaFrentz has both of his arms wrapped around Yao's left arm. That is not legal no matter when it occurs. I don't have the game saved to my DVR, but I doubt this single frame somehow deceives us into believing that LaFrentz had his two arms wrapped around Yao's when in actuality he did not. Just because there is disagreement doesn't mean someone's not wrong.
I remember some noise being made the Rockets direction during the Mavs series and the Stern/JVG controversy, asking Les to speak up and defend Gundy. And Les did, and then Stern calmed down. I think even Stern knows that when Les finally does speak, it is worth listening to, and not the whining of a constant jerk like Cuban. Les, it is time to defend Yao.
Not after a made FT. No you haven't. You've seen double technicals fouls called in that situation. Not personals. Exhibit A: Section IV-Fouls a. A common personal foul is illegal physical contact which occurs with an opponent after the ball has become live. Exhibit B: Section IV-Dead Ball a. The ball becomes dead and/or remains dead when the following occurs: (1) Official blows his/her whistle (2) Free throw which will not remain in play (free throw which will be followed by another free throw, technical, flagrant, etc.) (3) Following a successful field goal or free throw that will remain in play, until player possession out-of-bounds. Contact which is NOT considered unsportsmanlike shall be ignored. (Rule 12A-Section VII-i) (4) Time expires for the end of any period EXCEPTION: If a live ball is in flight, the ball becomes dead when the goal is made, missed or touched by an offensive player Yes it is if it is incidental contact. Exhibit C: B. Personal Foul Section I--Types a. A player shall not hold, push, charge into, impede the progress of an opponent by extending a hand, forearm, leg or knee or by bending the body into a position that is not normal. Contact that results in the re-routing of an opponent is a foul which must be called immediately. b. Contact initiated by the defensive player guarding a player with the ball is not legal. This contact includes, but is not limited to, forearm, hands, or body check. EXCEPTIONS: ….. (5) Incidental contact with the hand against an offensive player shall be ignored if it does not affect the player's speed, quickness, balance and/or rhythm. And herein lies the crux of the problem. Imagine I'm in my living room and I'm going to kill a big on my ceiling and I'm raising my hands and arms to affect that. And a friend (unaware of my attempt) lifts their forearm to kill the same bug. If they come through my encircled arms, a single snap shot would look as if I were impeding them from killing the bug. I'm asking you to look at the play in real time. Because you never know when someone may have an incriminating pic of you which doesn't reflect reality!
I was probably thinking of double technicals. I'm not sure why I'd even fathom arguing with you, GATER. That's like the Generals against the Globetrotters.
Oh, and if LaFrentz had wrapped Karl Malone's arm, who doesn't believe Raef would be out for at least 4-6 weeks recuperating? I could see Karla cocking the guy on his right with an elbow, cracking his jaw. Then a nice spin move into Raef with Karla the squirrel burying two nuts for safe keeping and retrieval later in the winter. Raef could then try out for that Austrian Boys Choir while recuperating in Europe. Maybe we need to follow plays like that with Deke coming in for a few minutes....
