Actually, he sucked last night. And not just from the Rocket-fan perspective, he was wrong. He said that the Rockets might get an 8-point lead on someone, but would not build a 20-point lead. We all know how wrong that comment was. He also went on about how VSpan could not guard Nate. When Nate broke to the lane and made an assist... Kenny was all over it with 'See, Spanoulis can't guard him'. The problem was that VSpan was on the other side of the court; Head was guarding Nate. These weren't his only obvious errors aside from the arguable ones (Shaq makes players better but Yao does not? What kind of BS is that?) And trying to diminish the import of 87% FT does nothing to change the facts: it's a very high percentage and especially important for the big men who often become expendable late in the game if they can't shoot FTs. And it was quite amusing that Yao shoots better at the line than Kenny. C'mon Kenny, it's just repitition.
meh...who cares what "The Jet" (I laugh everytime I hear him called that self-given, post-career nickname) has to say. He was a mediocre player and he is a mediocre analyst.
Words to live by. I hope everyone remembers this guy when he comes back for a 20th reunion of the first Rocket's Championship and boo his a$$. I can't understand why he has so much ill will towards the Rockets. Like I said before you don't see Magic Johnson trashing the Lakers no matter what they are doing being good or bad.
It has NOTHING to do with race.. Kenny always tries to be a smarta$$, he thinks he knows a lot about basketball... TNT dressed him up in a nice suit and called him an analyst, reality is: he is a r****d.. he knows nothing about basketball.. his analysis is r****ded and I think even Barkley knows more than Kenny... afterall, Kenny was at his best a below average guard... he is WAY overrated.. I mean, he got lucky once and made the 8 3's in one game.. but he wan't that great .. I know that Kenny doesn't give Yao enough credit, but dont confuse that with giving Shaq his credit.. Shaq is one of the greatest centers to ever play the game .. I have a lot of respect for the guy ... I just hate it when people start going "oh, Shaq isn't the best center in the NBA (RIGHT NOW), Yao is".. I mean, who cares?? everybody knows that Shaq will get all the love because he's been playing for a long time and everybody has a lot of resepect for him..and I dont blame them for choosing him.. but again, who cares? we believe in our center, we dont people to recognize that he is the best center..actually, I always want them to underrate him and talk **** about him so when we end up winning a championship, they will go "oh, I guess we were wrong about Yao, he took us by surprise"... I just love it when all the r****ded analysts get embarrassed.. it's really fun... I mean, look at Hakeem, he still doesn't get all the respect he deserves.. they never mention him in the top 5 center to ever play the game.. while us, true rockets fans who really WATCHED him play, believe that he is the best PLAYER to ever touch a basketball...(at least I do)..
Shaq has been injured for the past couple of years and he still won a championship with the Heat (with help from D_wade, of course).. I still think Miami would've lost from the first round if Shaq wasn't playing... Kenny is r****ded, but that doesn't mean Shaq doesn't deserve all the respect..
Anybody reading this thread would get the impression that Kenny didn't have anything nice to say about Yao, he paid Yao plenty of compliments starting with the pre-game introduction. Kennie was tough on TMac as well. I am not a fan of Kennie but he was more objective than hating on Yao.
I still believe Hakeem is better than Shaq. Shaq had Penny, Kobe and Wade. Hakeem had a decent supporting cast for only 2 years compared to Shaq's whole career. If Kenny wants to talk about great centers, he should mention the one that got him his rings while he was riding on Hakeem's coattails. Rocket traitor
I think Kenny is just saying that Yao can't be considered the Best without having won anything. Yao has to prove it on the court when the games count. Once he gets his team a championship, then you can mention his name up there with the Shaq's, the Hakeem's and the Kareem's.
like it or not that may just be the case. the way white players used to feel when black players took over and were more talented. not to say that chinesse players will take over but yao is a special talent i thought we were over this whole racism thing.
I am glad someone is pointing out all of the blatant criticism and wrong "observations" of Kenny. It was funny too how he was saying Vspan would get burned by Nate Robinson. If I didn't know better I would have thought Nate was leading the league in scoring and Michael Jordan's illegitimate son. Breen, who is a good announcer, was saying that Spanoulis scored 22 against the US and Kenny said I don't care if he is champion of whatever, Nate Robinson was a collegiate champion or something like that and he can stop Nate Robinson. I don't remember the exact quote but he made it sound like Nate Robinson has accomplished ten times as much as Vspan in his basketball career.
u dont need to give explanations.. everybody knows that for a fact.. check my Sig, Shaq said one of my favorite quotes ever... that's why I have a lot of respect for Shaq, it's because he was one of few people to give Hakeem enough respect..
I agree, I don't know why most of the analysists disrespect Yao so much. Instead of complimenting him and praise his work, they find the smallest thing to bring him down. I really give Yao so much respect with all he has to put up night in and night out. Getting foul on basically every possession and not complaining one bit. He just get up and continue to work. This has translated to a lot of fans of his around US. I browse other NBA forums, and these fans are recognizing how much he has came from his first steps in the US. What really pissed me off, is that on SC, they showed Yao getting blatantly fouled on when he got STRIPPED not blocked by Nate. Anywho amazing that KS was complimenting Yao on houston radio and goes on and say all he does when he's on TNT or that NY broadcast.
actually i would put it like this since head doesnt have the drives cassel did: Kenny = Rafer Drexler = T-Mac Horry = there is no Horry on this team Elie = Snyder (battier doesnt drive, and is not aggressive) Hakeem = Yao Cassel = Vspan Maxwell = Head Chucky = Chucky Bullard = Novak I think the closest to Horry in the Nba would be Rashard Lewis who the Rockets need to go after. Players that have no business on this team are Howard,Padgett. Players that need to be traded are Battier ,Head.
Everyone that says Yao has not carried the team to playoffs and does not deserve the best center is really dumb. Why do people look at the past and degrade Yaos performance right now??? Its just not logical. Yaos first 3 years were like Kevin Garnets numbers when he first came in the league. Then Yao was surrounded by players that were selfish so we got Tmac. Then last years injuries prevented Yao from carrying the team to playoffs. This year Yao has faced against almost all the best centers in the league, (Shaq, Big Ben, Curry, Dampier, Oberto, Okur) and he has destroyed everyone head to head and got almost all in foul trouble. If thats not domination then i dont know whats it called. Not to mention he is consistent. I hate the fact that everyone (Barkley, Miller) makes excuses about Shaq not being 100% and still labeling him as best center whereas Yao who came off an injury last year and toe surgery this year and still plays all year round and gets absolutely no respect for his game and stamina.
Hate to say it, but race might actually play a factor. Anyone remember Charles and Kenny at the NBA Draft? When Yao was drafted first? That was bad enough to hear two of our former players hating on Yao; but when we drafted Boki at #15, Kenny said something to the effect of, "I guess the Rockets didn't scout enough American players this year". I'd let that go, but I think I read in Sporting News or Sports Illustrated how Kenny was addressing the rookies later that summer in the NBA orientation sessions and he was disparaging the Euros, in some way or another, until one of the NBA Euro rookies (wish I could remember who) had to stand up and basically say, Uh, excuse me, but twenty percent of us in this room are the people you're insulting. (Sorry not to have a link but I'm not making it up.) Granted, we all tend to hew toward people of like color and culture. But Kenny and Reggie and Charles have extreme blinders on. Now that Yao is dominating they've changed from "he's gonna be a stiff, no 7'6" player has ever been worth a damn" to "he's 7'6", he should get 40 points and 20 boards and 5 blocks and 5 assists a night; and why hasn't he cured Alzheimer's or walked on water like Shaq?" It's sorta like Kenny walking up to Yao: "Hey, Yao, what'd you score?" "37 points. And I got 15 boards and 3 blocks." "Can you feed 5000 people with just 5 loaves of bread and a couple of fish?" "No, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night."
That's just the way it is, they don't feel Yao belongs on the court, Yao just have to prove them wrong and win a championship, then he will get some respect. This is sort of like Jackie Robinson, even it is not to the same degree.
Oh come on...Kenny was doing the Knick's broadcast...he was just being a "homer". I thought he was funny! OK so he said some stupid stuff...what about Drexler on our home broadcasts? Kenny kept mispronoucing half the guys names like "shoeless" instead of Span. I like him...let's get him for the Rox homer broadcasts!
