Ralph Sampson scored 20 points his last game in a Rockets Uniform...people still thought he would get back to his all-star status. Was it his knee injuries that turned him to dust? I think not...it was how he paled in comparison to One Hakeem Olajuwon. Ralph was traded for Eric "Sleepy" Floyd. Remember him doing much damage for the Rockets?
NewYorker, The issue was how you were using the term "bust" when comparing Sampson to Yao....those different circumstances are due to injury to Sampson and the perception of his worth. This is something that Yao has not experienced (knee issues); knock on wood. The only reason that Sampson was "pale in comparison" to Akeem was that the tandem of Hakeem AND Sampson created a TEAM that was capable of reaching the Finals in 86. Without that, there was no Finals appearance; regardless of Akeem's presence....as history shows. It wasn't until Hakeem gained this trust of this teammates and more talent was brought in...which help the Rockets win the titles. Eric "Sleepy" Floyd was acquired because of Sampson lack of performance due to his bad knees. Who cares who it was for or how many pts Sampson scored in his *last* game? That's a whole other issue. Your other replies to Clutch were weak....if you state a *fact* that turns out to be wrong...at least admit it. Don't attack the messenger just because they point it out! That's called credibility. And your past statements lacked it. You attacking Clutch for pointing out your *wrong* facts...it's like a robber yelling at the police for caching them stealing (How dare you catch me at robbing this bank!). P.S. Your point about "Sampson scored 20 points" is also weak. The single game 20pts is not looking at the big picture. The fact that Sampson could not play the same amount of minutes he did in the past and average 18ppg. The remainder of his years he hovered around 15ppg and then dropped down from there. The last game has little to do with his over-all production. Let me remind you that 1987-88 was the LAST year that Sampson played more than 82 games for a season. The following years he played 61, then 26, 25, and 10.
winning a championship doesn't mean you're a bust or not...Charles Barkley was not a bust. A bust is a player who never comes anywhere near their promised potential. Yao's potential was never touted as an 18/9 guy. That's not why the Rockets drafted him, that's not why people got excited...and don't tell me you weren't one of them. But Yao has yet to realize many people's expectations, and while i am not going to go back and search this BBS from years ago, I would bet that 18/9 wasn't your expectations. Anyway, I'm generally growing tired of this bust debate or not...suffice it to say, the verdict is still out on yao, let's just agree to that.
I pointed out "Winning a championship" when talking about Hakeem finally wining titles after getting the right teammates around him (w/out Sampson). Not that Barkley/Yao or Sampson was a "bust or not" in relation to the titles. Please read again what I said. Yao could win a title with the Rockets by only averaging 18/8 to 20/10 (not a bust, either!). Next..."Bust" defined by Sampson's case is quite different that a "bust" in Yao's case. Don't take the media's hype as the end-all be-all definition of a "PROMISED" potential (Promised by who? The media and YOFs? Get real!). The extreme positions of his potential was just over-exuberance by some here on this BBS (and the Media hype). But lets not use those extreme expectations of those definitions of "bust" when Yao's career has not finished yet... Thus, when you say that *Yao's potential was never touted as an 18/9 guy.* Well, it was not touted by the media and YOF to be 18/9. But then again...his career is not over yet, i.e. potential. Potential will not reach the 30/20 Wilt like stats. DUH! But somewhere over 20/10 is fine with me (and most of us). Maybe Yao only reaches 22/12. We just don't know yet. So, as long as YOU KEEP using the WILT-like expectations (from others), then you will always use "bust" as your definition. That's YOU! By the way, 14-16ppt was my expectations his first year. And around 18ppg his 2nd...I thought that he'd get 20/10 this year. He did not. So, you can stop with your assumption of what MY expectations where the same as Wilt. We know what yours were! And you were wrong. I was off a little. I did think that he'd be a better rebounder and passer. He's good passer, not great. But at no time did I think he'd be at the same level as Wilt. The verdict is alreday KNOWN that Yao will NOT become Wilt. Lets put that to rest right now! The verdict is still UNKNOWN to how good he will become. Now, let him finish his career....
wtf are you talking about the verdict is still out on yao? yao was the best player in that draft. everytime he has played amare one on one he has crushed him and left amare whining like a baby. the only verdict left on yao is whether or not he will realize his hall of fame potential. there is no verdict left out on whether or not yao was a good number one pick, so i really don't know what you are talking about.
Im a Texan who lives in NYC, I consider myself a New Yorker, no need for the hate people... i would never call my team a non-contender, however... but to give a guy guff for calling himself a New Yorker, big whoop
Yeah, but you've never come in here bashing the Rockets, Houston, or its fans. There's a big difference between you and NYer.
I think Amare so far to date has the title of best player in that draft. One-on-One aside, overall I think Amare is more consistent and more critical to his team at this juncture.
Right now Yao is an 18/9 guy (9?), which is not what he was expected to be by any of those who were big on him...including the Rockets, Rudy - T, guys on this board, and the media. Yeah, he might achieve 22/12 - MIGHT. That's why the verdict is still out.
You're right - there is a big difference. And you can accept it or not - your choice. Like it or not though, the Rockets are my team. And frankly, I have a right to criticize Houston for not supporting a great and classy franchise like the Rockets (I'm talking about attendance numbers here). Houstonians don't know how lucky they are to have the Astros and Rockets. If you take it personally, that's not my problem. Fire back. It doesn't bother me.
MIGHT this, might that....you use that same statment on everything....might be a bust, might not....might reach 13/5, might not...might reach 20/10, might not....sigh...same old crap. And by the way...read again what I wrote. I said, those that hyped Yao did NOT expect him to be a 18/9 guy. I said...NOT. Yes, *they* expected more (YOF/media). Add Rudy T if you like. All you did was rehash was I just said. I was making a distinction between the extreme hype and those that had more realistic goals for Yao. But you are just as bad as those extremist except you are on the other end! Next you say...The verdict is out. On what? That he'll be Wilt? He wont. We KNOW that! And if he never reaches 22/12, so what? We'll have to deal with it. That's why we have that thing called time. We wait and see. But that was never YOUR position. It was a assumption that he'd be a bust in his rookie year... that turned out to be wrong. If his best is a little better than 20/10....that's a lot better that you predicted. Merely pointing out "might" is just trying to coverup what you said his rookie year and future statements. If he gets better each year, you can come on this BBS and try and raise your standards...and use "might this, might that...." and then bring up past hyped statements that others saying that Yao would be the next Wilt. Big deal! They were wrong too! So what if he never reaches 22/12? That's at least a lot better than those so-called "ridiculous claims like" 13/5 (rookie stats). In the end we'll still have to deal with building this team and finding the right mix of players.
Dude, you need to let this whole might or might not thing go. Are you just trying to prove me wrong, because I really don't care anymore about what I wrote 3 years ago. If it makes you feel better and more like a man, then sure, I was wrong. The verdict is still out on Yao - not to be wilt, but to be a franchise player. Yao isn't a franchise player yet. T-mac is.
Let me ask you a question? Other than YOF or media hype (which has died down). How many BBS members here KNOW that TMac is *the man* on *this* team? I'd say that most Houston Rocket fans know this. And most Houston Rocket fans know that Yao is the 2nd banana. We know this. Just don't get *most* Rocket fans confused with YOFans or past media hype. I mean, hell. Most of the regular posters on his BBS spend a lot of time beating back the "Yao is a God" hype.
What is YOF? I keep seeing that. Anyway, there's threads on here that rip T-Mac apart...are those by these YOF? What is that like a UFO or something? Geez. The fact is, Yao shouldn't be a second banana. That's not why he was drafted. He was drafted to be the man. A lot of "Rockets" fans thought so as well. You're telling me that most Houstonians weren't giddy when Yao was drafted and thinking he would be the man??? I don't believe that.
Most of the regular posters on his BBS spend a lot of time beating back the "Yao is a God" hype. YOF means "Yao ONLY Fan." They are fans of Yao only. And and would rather see Yao get great stats than see the Rockets win. Now, there is a distinction. There are *some* GOOD YOF. They are fans of Yao. But they don't claim to know what's best for the team/or about basketball. They are just nice Yao fans that also care about the Rockets. They freely admit that they are only fans of the Rockets because of Yao. That's fine with me. But it's the EXTREME YOF that get on most peoples nerves. They say things like "Pass the ball to Yao" even when Yao is fronted or has just turned the ball over 3 times in a row! Those are the ones that seem to believe that "Yao is a God" or can do "no wrong" or that *it's everyone else's fault but Yao's.* It is *they* that think that if we *only* passed the ball to Yao more, he'd show that he IS the NEXT WILT (delusions)! Yao is their hero. And they can't see beyond that. As far as your statment about "Yao shouldn't be a 2nd bannna." There is no should or shouldn't written in stone. Yao is what he is. And if the best he can do is 20/10 (best). Then so be it. He'll still provide a lot of match up problems for our oppoents. And he still money when he does shoot the ball (as long as he can get position). We're not going to trade him just because he's not the next Hakeem. So enough with "shouldn't." And yes, there were many that thought that he'd be *the man.* But that's not the case right now. Even then, we'd still try and use a two-star lead team. First it was with Francis/Yao. Now it's with TMac/Yao. And we're better for it. And Yao has time to improve. How good he becomes...we don't know. So, lets understand that he's not Shawn Bradley (Joe Smith, Kwame Brown, Michael Olowokandi - all *FIRST ROUND PICKS* overall). Nor is he Hakeem. He's a little better than Rik Smits. And no, I don't think he's a good as Sabonis yet (he was a great passer).
I don't think Yao lived up to the expectations of a number 1 pick yet. Yeah, K Brown is a total bust - but let's not compare the wizards to the rockets (and MJ as a GM sucks). I am not saying Yao should be traded, I'm just saying he didn't live up to the expectations of a number 1 pick. He shouldn't be coddled. He's a man who makes a lot of money, he knew what he was getting into, he doesn't seem to mind making commercials and being a celebrity. He needs to step up, and he hasn't. He won't be traded because of the fact that no one in the Rockets organization will take that risk. But i bet you Les wonders at times who he'd pick if he could go back in time. And as for these Yao only fans. They are legitimate Rockets fan. I became a Rockets fan because I was an Hakeem fan. They want the Rockets to win, that's enough to make them fans.
