Opposition to Yao Ming based on Racism and Stupid Political Conservatism?

I'd consider myself somewhat a political conservative because I like limited government.

Rocket fans that I know oppose Ming for the following reasons
1) Doesn't play at NCAA, but they have the same prejudice against Amare.
2) Health reasons
3) He is under contract. Whether its the Sharks in China or the Red Sox in Boston, another team has the rights to him and will need compensation.
4) Sabonis
5) Francis
6) National team commitments.
7) Fans feel China has the right to say, "We don't want Ming playing in the US" similar to the fashion that the US said Fisher (sp?) couldn't play in Yugoslavia. Fisher played there and I don't know if he's returned to the US because he'll be prosecuted. China is under no obligation to obey the NBA collective bargaining agreement which pretty much disses foreign countries by only allowing two cents worth of compensation. The NBA is trying to take advanrtage of lessor basketball powers....dude, I'd hold Ming out, but thats because I'm a capitalist pig. Its a negotiation....sometimes they fall through.
8) Weight
9) Leverage, even if he increases his strength, will it be enough to over come the high center of gravity?
10) Jay Williams is a great player. Three guard with J williams, Mobley, and Francis would be 10 times better than TLD, Wink, and Cat.
11) Ming not ready.
12) Odom
13) Garnett

I personally would want Ming if he's almost as good as advertised. I want the decision to be purely on getting the most basketball skill on the rockets as possible.

 

glynch

Personally I think you are waaaay off base on this one. Basketball skills aside, I think it is a legitimate concern that fans are concerned about the team using the first pick in the draft on a player who is 'controlled' by a communist government. That's not racism.

Do fans want the Rockets to have a player who may be called back to China at the whim of the government? Again, is the risk worth the reward?

I suspect there are many people who would consider the last paragraph of your post 'racist'.

 

I have to admit that the racial angle has crossed my mind also. I just couldn't figure out what Francis' objection to Ming would be. It makes no sense to be okay with drafting Jason Williams, a player at your position, and be against drafting a skilled 7-5 player at the position your team needs most.
Let's assume for a moment that Francis has seen only limited amounts of Ming's game, if any. I can't picture Francis watching CBA highlight films in his off hours. He's basically against drafting him with no first hand knowledge of his game. Why?
This assumes, of course, that Troy's thread is true and I'm beginning to take it more seriously than I did initially.

 

Glynch, you must be having a slow day at work, like the rest of us. I'm no conservative (not by a long shot, eh Brian Kagy?), and I understand and somewhat agree with some of what you are saying, but some of the language you are using in the last paragraph of your post disturbs me.

 

Just in case glynch does an edit.


Mango

 

glynch

So you are saying that you are 100% confident that the Rockets will be able to sign Yao Ming to a contract and have him play with the Rockets (or be traded) for the full 5 years of the typical NBA rookie contract?

Sorry, but I am not that confident. Am I wrong in assuming that he can be called back to perform some obligation to his country (e.g. play for the National team) regardless of his NBA contract situation?

Were concerned Vancouver Grizzly fans racist because they may not have wanted the Grizzlies to draft Francis because he said he didn't want to play there?

How about Colt fans when Elway said he'd play baseball rather than play for the Colts?

Ming (to my knowledge) hasn't made any statements that he won't play in Houston, but contractual issues MAY make it difficult for him to play anywhere.

Fans are voicing legitimate concerns. This is an almost unknown situation. This is the first extremely high profile Chinese athlete to be drafted into the league. Apparently the Rockets are quite concerned as well considering the efforts they are making to ensure that Yao Ming will play for them if he is drafted.

Personally, if Yao Ming will play with the Rockets for the minimum 5 years (or be available to be traded) I'd be happy to see them take him, but if he may bolt after a year or two, I think it would be a wasted pick.

By being 'controlled' I am saying that he can be called back to play for the National team. It is being said by basketball people that he will not be available for training camp. What will prevent this from happening in future years as well?

Notice I did not say 'I' considered your last paragraph racist. Remember the O.J. trial? One of the witnesses was talking about a conversation and said the person 'sounded black'. He was jumped on by O.J.'s defense team as being racist as well as a horde of folks quoted in the media.

 

One more thing....

I would venture to say folks of all political leanings are expressing concerns about the potential hassles. I would also venture to say that folks of all political leanings are expressing limited or no concerns.

 

There is a case to be made that Yao Ming is a a risk and an unknown as a bb player. Of course, so was Nowitzski and Pau Gasol or Qyntel Woods, the previously unknown jc player. I can understand that. What Rocket fan wouldn't have some doubts or worries.

The primary difference is that US basketball is very familiar with Europe. Yeah, the leagues are different, but lots of US players play in Europe and there's a sense of how those games would translate to the NBA. No so in the case of Ming.

Also, those guys weren't #1 picks. And the #1 pick was that highly in demand those years. We have ten times as many options as Dallas and Memphis did.

Also, the Chinese government *IS* a real issue. Wang ZhiZhi is not allowed to be here in training camp. He can't work with the team in the summertimes. These are not real concerns for the 10th player on the team, but for a #1 pick, they are real issues.

There are many, many legitimate reasons to be concerned about Ming, and his background (Chinese Basketball) and his government are legitimate concerns. EVERYTHING is a legitimate concern when dealing with a #1 pick.

 

glynch, you never cease to amaze me. you have very real issues with demonizing EVERYONE you disagree with.

I have had concerns here, and been pretty vocal with them, about drafting Ming. I am also a political conservative. And I resent like hell any implication you are making regarding racism. That's a real easy one to throw around...but I see you're not real pleased when it's thrown back.

We could go into an argument on affirmative action..but you need to understand that just because one is politically conservative does not mean they are racist. just because someone disagrees with you doesn't mean they're most selfish people on the face of the planet. Just because someone disagrees with you doesn't mean they care nothing about other people.

As for Ming (and this probably belongs on another board), I'm most concerned with his availability given his commitment to the Chinese national team. I believe he will be Chinese national player first...a Houston Rocket second. That isn't good enough, in my opinion, to develop this guy for the NBA game. End of story.

You are so willing to point fingers at people and sarcastically talk about "crocodile tears" and the like. Step back and check yourself a bit. You may find you're not the open-minded person you'd like to believe you are. I have many disagreements with tons of people here on opposite ends of the political spectrum...but very rarely are they willing to make the insinuations that you make quite regularly here.

 

glynch

Here is a snippet of a post in the Rockets forum. The reply is from Jeff:

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
But Ming's risks aren't about that...the risk of taking Ming is that he might not ever actually play for you at all...he is not in control here...the Chinese government is. And it is quite possible the Chinese government may say, "no...you're not playing for the Rockets"...or they might say, "ok...you've played for the Rockets for 2 years...you're coming home now!" I don't think these are "chicken little" concerns...these are very real possibilities! IN ADDITION to those concerns, are the same concerns we have for every other player in the draft....EXCEPT THEY'RE AMPLIFIED BECAUSE NO ONE HAS SEEN THE GUY PLAY AGAINST REAL NBA COMPETITION! The list of guys above seven feet who have had tremendous impacts on the game of basketball is a VERY short one. Guys this tall have names like Eaton, Nevitt and Bradley. And the problem is further amplified when you know for a fact the guy can't even participate in training camp. If anyone needs NBA training camp, it's this guy...and he won't be able to participate.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(From Jeff)

I know all that. We all do. More than any of us, I'm certain the Rockets are KEENLY aware of the situation. My point was that you should know the facts but not let every "possibility" dissuade you from making a decision that could be extremely beneficial. I think we may not be giving the Rockets enough credit here. No one understands the dangers of risk more than a bond trader (Les Alexander). I seriously doubt they are entering into anything like this with blinders on assuming only the best will happen. I assure you that is not in Alexander's nature.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

So are you saying Jeff is a racist? Or that Jeff advocates "Stupid conservative comments"? You have to admit that he is agreeing that the Chinese government is in control of the situation, which <b>in your opinoion</b> is racist and making a stupid conservative comment.

By the way, based on what Jeff has accomplished, most of his beliefs and what he has written on this board, I would be proud to be lumped into a category with him.

 

China=communist .... China will have a hand in anything this player does,that much is obvious.What part of that don't you understand ?

 

I don't think a basketball FAN in the US can be a racist at the same time - if you know what I mean.

 

Ohhhhh, I think they can be fans and be racist at the same time, yes indeedy.

By the way, I've seen leftists on this board called 'traitors' and 'cowards' (not to mention 'intellectual grifters with no principles', thanks HayesStreet ). Glynch was hardly going nuts here... of course, all we leftists are supposed to remain ultra-reasonable all the time, right? Yawn.

 

DAROckets: One correction:

Chinese government = Communist

Chinese people are no longer communists

China = ??? (hard to label it any more)

There are many kinds of communists out there. If you have to deal with a communist, the Chinese one may be the best one you can choose among them.

Communism in China is only paper thin now. I would venture to say that the majority of the big cities in many aspects are more "capitalistic" than all the West combined right now. But no one here would like that kind of "capitalism."

Chinese government may not be that easy to deal with; but they are in the same interest as Rockets (IF they draft Yao) and us - the fans - to see Yao to be successful in NBA.

So, calm down. Let's wait for June 26, quietly and fingers crossed.

 

This is a stupid thread, the premise of which broadly smears both conservatives and opponents to drafting Yao as stupid and racist.

The only word for it is sad.