What are Yao's commitments to China and its National Team?

DO WHAT I DO:

WHEN NEW YORKER POSTS HIS DISPARAGING REMARKS ABOUT THE TEAM/PLAYERS AS HE ALWAYS DOES, ASK HIM HOW HIS KNICKS ARE DOING. THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT WILL SHUT HIM UP. YOU CAN'T HAVE A POSTIVE CONVERSATION WITH HIM. HE'LL ALWAYS FIND A WAY TO MAKE THE MOOD IN THIS FORUM SOMBER. T-MAC IS NO GOOD, YAO IS A ROLE PLAYER, THE TEAM SUCKS. WE’VE HEARD THEM ALL.

 

I don't normally use "lol" but...

LOL

Stuart

 

Nice post Mike... way to get your thread back on track. I too would like to know the answers to your questions, but I suspect we won't be getting them from fans on this BBS.

I don't think we can truly know how much of what Yao is doing is legal commitment and how much is his own sense of duty. We know from his own words that he feels a great sense of pride playing for his national team, but we also know that he wants to rest and improve his game this summer. It's not as black and white as some would like.

 

Mike,

You're right, should've never under-estimated the American ability to dream about money . I agree, that was an excellent post. It's far too easy sometimes to rub the squeaky wheel rather than accomodating the informed response.

Only Team Yao has access to the actual legal documents, but the popular "understanding" is that Yao's commitment to the Chinese National Team is very much a moral one. We can look to the example of Wang Zhizhi (the other wayward Son of China) to get a better understanding of this.

Although the Chinese national team hasn't committed to allowing Wang back on the team (justfiable: it IS their option whether they want a spoiled, greedy, has-been 3-pt shooting "unrestricted free agent" PF who's never heard of defense), they've also made it clear there's no legal consequences of any kind stemming from his decision not to practice/play with the CNT for the past 3 years.

The only legal liability for Wang comes from his legal association with the People's Liberation Army. Wang is legally a serving officer within the PLA, given leave on the basis of significant conditions. His inability to settle his dispute on that level are far more significant than a question of "contractual terms"; he's essentially AWOL. His term of service with the PLA hasn't expired, and I think in most military services... the fact that you violated your terms of service don't "expire" when your enlistment period expired.

Now, the PLA has basically said they aren't going to take the hard line on this. He needs to come back, exchange his military passport (that's what he's holding right now) for a private civillian one, and finish his legal discharge from military service. We'll see whether he follows through on this this summer.

So, what are the consequences if Yao chose not to return to China or the Chinese national team?

- He's legally obligated to give a portion of his financial earnings to the Shanghai Sharks (with whom he signed a contract when he began to play professionally); that's significant, and if he tried to break those clauses I'd expect the Sharks to seek financial restitution.

- He also likely signed a legal document with the basketball association when they approved his contract transfer, but I'm sure breaking that contract has no criminal implications (as the Wang case proves), and I doubt any serious financial implications.

Let's put it this way: Yao getting out of his commitment to the Chinese National Team would be far easier than, say, Steve Francis getting out of his commitment to the Vancouver Grizzlies a few years back. But thankfully, the glories of American law (and marketing common sense) were able to free Stevie from human slavery in pseudo-communist Canada. ~cue patriotic music~

I really didn't mean to paint with a broad brush anyone (not true intelligent American patriots or Rockets fans from New York). Those who feel my barbs hit a little close to home... well, they're selecting themselves.

 

If you read back through my posts, I have never stated anything negative about the Chinese people or it's culture.

I have only criticized officials and policy...strategy, and the ideas of nationalism.

Frankly, I find it laughable that i've been turned into an uneducated immigrant who would sell his mother for a promotion at his wall street job!

Some people here are WAY to Politically correct and over-sensitive.

 

Shrug, don't have a problem with him. Lighten up.

 

Sometimes, just merely having a super star doesn't guarantee success.
(see team USA bball, see rockets ealier in the season)

Take Australian football for example. They have stars play in Europe. But these guys basicly play for the NT once in 4 years for the qualifier for worldcup. What happens ? They are not familiar with each other, play crap, and did not qualify every single time, even though they have a lot of talent.

Guys like Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka (if people know who they are)
became world class players alright. But the Australian football didn't benefit very much. And in terms of world cup success, they got zero. benefits.

Like I've been saying, Yao's commitment is not a ***special*** commitment, and there are reasons for the CNT to do what they do.

 

actually..the asian championship is a qualifier for a "legitimate tournament." every country has to play in a championship this summer to qualify for the world championship next year, except japan since it's gonna be there.

and why would yao and his family run to the US and declare asylum. it's not like their refugees from china. i'm pretty sure they love living in china.

anyway, international competition is pretty fun. the olympics had some good games and the competition is just gonna get better as the level of basketball in foreign countries increases. we're seeing a draft that is is about 50% foreign players already and in the upcoming years it's gonna get even higher. i'm pretty sure there's gonna reach a point where the nba isn't the ultimate goal for everyone and some players will just want to stay abroad...kinda like how there are multiple elite soccer leagues.

yao should go back to china, get stronger, rest, and play a few games with the CNT. all they need him for is to finish top 3 at the qualifiers in qatar. it's not like american players are just sitting around not doing anything either. infact it's probably good to play some ball and at least he's doing it where there will be refs and some regulation

 

Just my 2 cents:

First of all, we all have to respect that it's ultimately Yao's decision to go back to China. End of story.

That being said, Yao's going over to China isn't helping China build successive generations of basketball players nor is it helping China develop its talent. Yao helps the Chinese National Team because he masks their overall suckiness and lack of talent. Chinese basketball in general hasn't improved at all over the last decade. Until the way teams are run, players are coached and conditiioned, and players are taught the game, Chinese basketball will at best remain subpar. The only reason China even got into the top 8 this past olympics was because Yao called out his absolutely no talent teammates and they responded by giving up their own crappy shots and passed the ball to Yao. Result? Yao carried the team...like he always does.

IMO, Chinese basketball is incredibly shortsighted. Their future lies with Yao and by forcing him to return to play at such a disgustingly substandard level that Chinese National team players offers, is hindering any chance China has at a medal in 2008. If Yao is allowed to develop his game in the offseason, he can truly carry his team farther than if he's run into the ground and burned out. After all, isn't that what it's about? The Chinese national team NEEDS Yao to carry them - else he wouldn't be called back to compete against such basketball "powerhouses" as Tonga, Indonesia, the uninhabited Kurile Islands, etc. in the Asian games. The Chinese suck without Yao and they know this. Instead of trying to address why all of Chinese basketball sucks were it not for one single man, they try to run that man into the ground so they can get away with sucking for another few years and leave the sucky establishment that resulted in such suckiness in place for just a while longer.

That's a lot of suckiness.

BTW, I recently caught the Chinese Basketball Association finals, ostensibly between the two best teams in Chinese basketball. I have to say the level of talent there was terrible. The only two guys playing with any passion, excitement, or energy were two African-American gentlemen who were brought there from overseas. The native Chinese players could'nt dribble, shoot, drive the lane, dunk, nor rebound if it was contested.

With "pro" players that lack even the most basic of fundamentals, Yao going back to practice with them isn't going to make them better. They're just going to be even more lost on the court and embarassing to watch.

 

Thats just it, it's NOT his decision. he has REPEATEDLY stated he does not wanna go back this year

 

I know that he's stated his preferences but one has to wonder how much pressure he could bring to bear if he really decided to use his clout. It's clear that the ENTIRE Chinese basketball system in China needs Yao much more than Yao needs them. The CNT wouldn't even be a top 30 contender much less top 8 if it weren't for Yao. I think this all boils down to Yao being a man and standing up for himself and saying: "look, I will play for the CNT during the important competitions in the future but don't make me come back to compete in BS bushleague tournaments like the Stankovic cup, National Games, nor anything like that. I'm gonna work on my game and be the dominant center that will help you guys much more in the long run. If you don't like it, I will never have anything to do with you again." If Yao were to actually do something even close to that, the CBA/CNT would back down so quick it'd make everyone's head spin. YAo's no Wang Zhizhi type scrub. He brings them millions and makes every Chinese team he's on automatically better. As it stands, the CBA is probably bringing in crap for revenues. If Yao were to act up a bit, he'd get his way, no doubt.

Big question is IF and I think we know that Yao answered that.

 

Hey dumbass, what do you think the PAN AM game is? So keep your hole shut.

 

Why is so hard for people to get that?

 

It's one of those things you can't explain. Kinda like: Why are the Knicks so bad year after year after year after year after year after year after year?

Who knows

 

And there you go, saying the same thing over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over...

Give it up kido...go fly a kite or something.

 

Learn the alphabet. It's Tracy McGrady, not Tracey

 

I agree very good posts.

As I said I think Yao should get some time off to rest and condition his body and I agree that that is probably what he wants to do. I also believe Yao is a very patriotic person who like you says feels he has a moral obligation to play for his team.

While this doesn't compare to joining the military and fighting a war since Yao is Chinese basketball as it now is the CNT feels it is important for Yao to be there representing his team.
In terms of who Yao is playing basketball for the CNT is on par with other national service like serving in the military.

I agree that in the long run the CNT should let him rest and improve physically but all of this talk about he needs to stay here because of all the money and fame he can earn, totalitarian commie bastards, Yao and his family should defect blah blah blah is just ridiculous and exactly the kind of stereotyped attitudes that the rest of the World attributes to Americans.

I think you stated it exactly. Yao believes he has a moral obligation to play for the CNT so instead of going off about money, glamour and bashing the totalitarian commies lets accept that Yao is a moral person who wants to honor his obligation even though it is hard and I think we can say that the CNT is being very shortsighted but lets lay off the cold war rhetoric.

 

How do you know about Yao's moral character? Are you charged with speaking on his behalf? Do you know for sure he is a nationalist first and a greedy mofo second? Let's see, if Yao signs for just a few million so Houston can get a really great player to win...then I will agree Yao is not about money.

Fact is, no one here knows for sure whether Yao will go back because he is afriad of causing shame to himself and never being allowed back, or if as you said, it's because he's a super moral and patriotic guy.

You have no clue really, no more then anyone does....so your veiled attack is just flimsy. If you are going to make these claims, then back it up with some hard evidence.

My evidence about what Yao wants is in my sig.