Why are people identifying the massive idiocy of a sportswriter with the Sporting News in toto? While it is true he writes for TSN, aren't there other pro ball analysts who may not share his opinions lock, stock and barrel? ~Radical subjectivity~
Here's my letter to Stan and then his reply. Stan: I guess sometimes an editor needs an editor. Perhaps someone editing your article on the draft in regards to the Houston Rockets would have noticed that Nachbar wasn't from the Czech Republic, but he's from Slovenia. You also mentioned that Ming at 7'5" isn't a shotblocker. An editor for your article might have done enough research to see that Ming finished 2nd to Alonso Mourning in blocked shots in the 2000 olympics. Some of those blocks were against the NBA talent that Ming will face starting next year. If a hard working editor had looked over your piece, that editor might have pointed out that Nachbar can speak English, and did so quite easily last night at the draft. A little more research might have also turned up that Ming is the person who translates from Chinese to English for the English speakers on his team in China. The research might have also turned up the fact that one of the reasons Rudy and CD weren't put off by the reservations concerning Ming, is that upon meeting him they discovered he spoke sufficient English to communicate with them, about basketball, and often casual conversation as well. I won't speculate how you as an editor yourself let these numerous gaffs escape your keen editorial eye. I'll merely suggest that in the future you have someone else check your own stories. Here's the reply: Are you saying finishing second in shot blocks at the Olympics makes Yao a good shot-blocker? Then why are so many NBA coaches and scouts saying otherwise. Doing an interview in English is not the same as speaking English 24/7 in a foreign city in which you've never lived. That will be a difficult adjustment, one that will take time. Thanks for pointing out the error on Nochbar's native country. Indeed, that was a careless mistake on my part. Thanks for reading, Stan McNeal The thing is while speaking English 24/7 in a new city will be an adjustment it has nothing to do with the fact that he wrote Steve Francis will have to call plays in three languages. At least he admitted he was wrong about Slovenia.
Stan is a dumbass plain and simple. Ummmmm correct me if Im wrong, but even if he did speak english 24/7 (something that would be hard for anyone to do given the fact that they would get no sleep), wouldnt that actually help him learn the english language more quickly!?!?!?! Just a thought..... Enter rolleyes here..... Hey when the hell are we going to get back the smilies?
FranchiseBlade: "Here's the reply [from Stan]: 'Doing an interview in English is not the same as speaking English 24/7 in a foreign city in which you've never lived. That will be a difficult adjustment, one that will take time.' " Well, it will be an adjustment, but anyone who has tried to learn a language will tell you that you can't do it properly unless you're living in a place where it's spoked 24/7. Yao speaks pretty good English but will never be proficient until he is forced to speak it every day, as he will in Houston. By midseason, he will speak it better than Mobley. :-> Let's just hope he doesn't acquire a Texan accent! Jon Saraceno/USA Today also rips Yao, Rockets http://www.usatoday.com/sports/comment/saraceno/2002-06-26-saraceno.htm Read the article if you want, but the salient points are in my response to him: To: jons@usatoday.com Subject: Article criticizing Rockets for picking Yao was full of holes Your recent column, "Will Rockets blast off or blow up with Yao?" was full of myths and half truths. Consider: Maybe the Houston Rockets should've called Henry Kissinger for help Why, you think a secret bombing of Shanghai would have helped matters? Yao — mobile, agile and skilled considering his enormousness This makes it sound like he's a stiff. Why don't people say the same about Tskitishvili? The fact is, Yao is agile and skilled period. Most talent bird dogs figure that Yao, 21, falls somewhere between Rik Smits and Shawn Bradley for guys of freakish stature. If I'm an NBA general manager and I have the first choice, the guy I'm eyeballing better be able to contribute something tangible right away — like yesterday. The ones I've read say he falls somewhere between Rik Smits and Shawn Bradley now before he's played a single NBA game. His potential reaches anywhere from Shawn Bradley to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. And even if it's Bradley, he's had a serviceable career and had an immediate impact as a rookie, defensively at least. And regarding Yao's potential, whom should we trust, the Rockets, who have scouted him extensively and seen him play many times, or you, who probably saw some grainy footage from the CBA and his jetlagged workout in Chicago? Well, answer me this: Just who was Yao shooting over in the Chinese Basketball League, anyway? Who knows? Sure, you can discount the stats from last year, but Yao is not some rube from the sticks. He has been playing ball in international competition for years, and played against top talent, including the U.S. pros, in the 2000 Olympics. He played well, but fouled out early, which will be a big concern in the NBA. But he was only 19 at the time, and still growing. Still, political stuff can happen. Reports this week that the Chinese military helped train al-Qaeda terrorists were denied by China. Last week, the Chinese were accused of selling anti-aircraft missiles to Afghanistan. Well, I hate to break it to you, but the U.S. did the same thing years ago. And remember when a U.S. spy plane crashed in China and tensions mounted? Wang Zhizhi was making his NBA debut. Somehow, I doubt that if tensions rise again the Chinese will suddenly say, "Quick! Recall our basketball players! That will show them!" Remember, Yao playing in the NBA means billions of dollars to the Chinese economy and millions to the NBA. Yao's development will be delayed before it even starts. He won't be available for an NBA summer league because the Chinese nationals will play in the world championships in August. Yao's ties to China also mean he'll miss valuable training camp time with the Rockets because of the Asian Games. His availability to the national team remains a sticking point. Not really. The Rockets are happy to have their players compete in international play in the offseason. Yao's commitments will certainly hurt him this year -- and I fully expect Kelvin Cato to start most of the year over Yao -- but he won't face a similar situation until 2006. I think by next summer, he'll be comfortable with the NBA and his teammates. And his English, already marginal, should be much better as well. By the way, your comment that Yao "won't be available for an NBA summer league [he]will play in the world championships" surely needs no comment. I'll take the World Championships over the Midwest Revue any day. Maybe Yao will turn out to be a very good NBA center. On the other hand, he could be another Enron. Of course, assessing talent is hardly science, and the Rockets have not been oracles in recent years. From 1997-2001, their top picks have been Richard Jefferson, Joel Przybilla, Kenny Thomas, Michael Dickerson and Rodrick Rhodes. Yao raises more doubts. Well, let's see. Richard Jefferson played well in the NBA Finals after being traded for Eddie Griffin, Joel Przybilla was picked for Milwaukee (the Rockets got Collier and and future #1 from that very weak draft), Kenny Thomas is a potential starter, Michael Dickerson started for the Rockets and now for the Griz. Rhodes was, well, he was a stretch. But I'd say considering their draft position, the Rockets have done OK. How about Cuttino Mobley in the second round? What team has done consistently better in recent years?
This was one of my favorite Yao-naysayer threads. Deserves a re-read. Time to send e-mails? You bet. Yee haw!
Drewdog... Do you know what we just did? We crashed that guys email! He wasn't the only one that said that the Rockets drafted "bust." Dicky V thought Yao was a bust. http://espn.go.com/dickvitale/index2.html There was an interview with Dicky V about Yao, on sportingnew.com, but they removed it. The bastards!
Nice one, Jeff. Have you email Cuban, yet? He's pretty good about responding. I'd love to see someone post his response here.
He's responded to me before, but I'm not really interested in him. He's a nut. The journalists are the one's I'm after.
As Chinese and a Rockets fan for years, I was really thrilled about Yao Ming. And after reading tons of articles on Yao Ming, I don't believe I've read any quotes by any scout that said Yao Ming could be a bust. It seems like everyone felt that Ming would at least be a solid player, with the possibility of being awesome. It's only the sportswriters that write off Yao Ming as the next Bradley. This makes me wonder if Stan really checked with a bunch of scouts and mangers for his source, or is he just trying to cover his own ass because of such a bad article.
