I found nothing wrong with his responses. Very humble, very realistic, and very classy. When you started to satisfied with your performance, then you tend to stay at where you are. Trash talk may be fun and good for the reporters but it does nothing for your team except motivate the other team instead. Most people who shooting off their mouth will end up eating their words. Remember the US players who said they will destroyed Yao at the World game? I would be disappointed if Yao are satisfied with his performance and the Rocket overall. He know that they can do better. So keep up the attitude and may be some of the other NBA players can learn something from Ming.
I'm second generation Chinese and I'm the same way Ming is, except for the basketball talent. Not sure why but some people say it's the Confucian ethic. http://www.lhup.edu/library/InternationalReview/chuanshu.htm There's not so much emphasis on the outward celebration of self like in the U.S. except for the emporer/dictator types of course.
Yao might be like Duncan with respect to the media...doesn't ruffles feathers, doesn't give you a good quote. As mentioned in other threads, this might be why some media outlets are so quick to make fun of him. Also, why does he have to comment about Cuttino's D when he's not asked about it. Does he have to praise each teammate (Kenny's passing, Boki's moral support) after a win. The guy has a personal style and if he's not ripping his teammates, then let him be.
Hey Cipherous - Don't get confused him being modest with being pessimistic. It doesn't seem to be in his nature to shoot off his mouth about all the good things he has done so far and how great the team is. He knows he's pretty good, but he and the team needs to be so much better to compete for a championship. He knows he has played in only 20+ games so far in the NBA. They are only 11-8 and haven't accomplished anything...yet. If you're looking for arrogant, self-absorbed players that shoot off their mouths without accomplishing much, I can send you a list. It may take me a week to type it up. And actually I have heard him make positive comments about the team.
he reminds me of the dream, that man was humble as shyt... i asked him if he was the best player in the L(after the MAgic whopping champoinships) he sed he thot Karl Malone, D ROBinson,. and PEnny were better/... i was like WAT THE F***
You are confusing humility with making sure you are not being taken advantage of. When Hakeem originally had a fued with management in early nineties, the owner was taking advantage of him. He was one of the most underpaid atheletes in NBA and the organization had wrongfully accused him of faking injury. Just because you are humble does not mean you are to let people vilify your reputation and take advantage of you. Hakeem was an "employee" of the Rockets and as such he had every right to ask for what he thought he was worth. Afterall, he did say, if Rockets cannot pay if his market value then he should be traded which translates into: If you as an employer cannot give me anywhee close to what I am worth, let me go to someone else who would know my value, use me properly, and not disgrace me in media. I am not sure where humilty comes into any of this. What comes to mind is self-respect. Even during second contract negotiation with Rockets, he was disrespected by organization. If Rockets organization had tried the same thing with Yao Ming, Chinese government would have had him on plane the next day on a trip back to China. I am sure that would have made negotiations a lot interesting.
It's true that Charlie Thomas tried to shortchange the Dream, but he got downright nasty on the court. If he wasn't a "born again" Muslim at that time, he might've been traded. The memory of his recent contract negotiation with the Rockets proved to be a sour note for many. But overall I don't think it diminishes the respect he commands and deserved over the years.
ZBoy, Maybe part of being humble and self respect is honoring your contract. I love when athletes try to renogiate their deal and then claim it's all about "respect". And then when they're over - the -hill, they get pissed because the team wont give them a cushy extenstion. It's all about the money. Let's just be honest. I don't want to diss Hakeem because he was a great Rocket. However, I still be believe his "humility" was somewhat disingenuous.
Yao's percieved personality is a combination of many things: 1)He's talking through a translator - hard to see a guy's personality through the expressions, voice inflection, etc. of someone else. 2)He's not media-savvy the American way - over here, every gradeschool athlete learns from day one how to recite the PC cliches to make himself as marketable and popular as possible, being very careful to hide any personal opinions which might be controversial. Personally, this is one of my favorite attributes about Yao; he seems confident enough to say what he really thinks, not what his agent tells him to say 3)The asian culture - as others have already mentioned, Yao's homeland prides itself on humility and stoic pride. Again, I find this a welcome change from the "look at me, look at me" playground, hotshot attitude from the NBA players who were taught sportsmanship by parents, coaches, and friends who are nothing more than leaches trying to get their face in a picture or highlight. I think it is sad that, because of the pathetic state of sportsmanship in the NBA today, fans who have known nothing else cannot even recognize a star who carries himself with the pride and dignity all athletes used to demand of each other. With any luck, Yao might rub off on the showboats who consider a good night's work to be two Sportscenter-worthy dunks, a behind the back pass for an alley-oop, and a loss. Then again, Asians have been part of our society for centuries, and they still haven't had any effect on our crude, self-promoting culture, so maybe I'm hoping for too much.
REIT, I agree to some extent that honoring your contract is honorable. But what Hakeem asked for was not something unique. Players with less proven resume have been given out $100 million contract extensions. Not to mention a lot of these turn out be be Derrick Coleman like. The Rockets disrespected him in the end too. They made Hakeem an outrageous offer while they end up paying much $$ for over the hill Glen Rice?? Riiightt. How's Mo Taylor looking now? He cant even get more playing time than a 20 year old. You said it, contract is all about money. Its a business negotiation. And if you have self-respect you will demand for what you are worth. I see no mention of Les Alexander who owns the entire franchise and negotiates and tries to short change atheletes. Or what Charlie Thomas tried to do? Answer this honestly. Next time your emplyer refuses to raise your salary, after you have complained to them about being underpaid for doing more than what others who are being paid more are doing, will you just be "humble" and keep busting your butt? I just dont think you or anyone on this board would. I dont see where being humble comes into all this. You have the right to seek what you are worth in the market. Just because you do does not mean you arent humble in your activities.
Dear YaoFan, In the future, please use a bigger size text, I had trouble reading your post. Thank You, Don Grahamleone
I always find his remarks refreshing. He is generally quite accurate with his assessments. He seems honest and sincere. I love this guy. I wish his attitude was league-wide. In my opinion he stands for what I wish the NBA could become. You would rather he become a boorish, dim-wited, arrogant, trash-talking thug? We have plenty of those in the League. That is why I always liked Grant Hill, he is a class act.
Could you please retype that using proper font? Got this error message on the screen: ERROR: This machine does not support Font Size 756
I think there's a "secretive" aspect in Asian culture that many Americans still don't know today. Outside of "Kung Fu and chinese food", there's so much more to share that Yao only begins to breach. Whether it's the Asians' desire to fully integrate into American society or the hesitance to share such a rich history, the Asian influence on American culture is vastly overshadowed compared to other minority groups. I truly hope that Rush Hour and Hong Kong twitch flix won't be the Asian community's sole identifier much like the Blaxploitation movies of the 70s-90s. But that responsibility lies upon how willing the Asian community wants to open up.
Kung Fu and Chinese food are good enough for me. I loved Black Belt Theatre on Channel 26 (now Fox) back in the late 70's and early 80's.
Unreal, this thread. The suggestion by some Chinese posters here suggest non-Chinese can't understand a Chinese person's viewpoint. The NBA, ironically is both the most elite and culturally diverse major sport in the U.S. today - and the the presupposition that we as Americans can't discern what's a valid arguement based on someone's ethnicity is a joke. This forum is about NBA basketball, period - and the Rockets specifically. I've read umpteen hundreds of posts from people who identify themselves as Chinese and thousands from Houstonians like myself with whom I totally disagree with. And to tell you the truth Yao-mania has clouded more heads from (somewhat) longtime Rocket fans as the "new" ones which have been beneficial here. This site is the worst forum imaginable for a cultural debate, because this is about the Rockets team. I'm a 6'0 Irish Catholic who hasn't played ball since junior-high, and though I've been watching this game for over 30 years, this forum (and that fact I have to go out to see the games and therefore tend to watch a few others) has given me a big "heads up" on what I'm looking at. This is a very strange year for the NBA, the zones have back-fired on Stern bigtime. This game is in a state of flux and at the same time Yao's become the lightning rod for what's happening around the league. Foreign/young, skilled vs. immediate impact, and height over 7'4 and the history that goes along with it. So I resent any implication I can't understand where someone who posts is coming from. I don't care where they're from. I watch the games, I bleed for the ugly pajamed guys, and just keep watching. This "exclusionary" mind-set presented here is harmful to the Chinese fans and everyone here. All of our hopes are high, and have reason to be. And I'll go further and say that Yao Ming has impressed me more than any rookie I've ever seen. But this 7'5 guy is struggling while kicking *ss and there is absolutely no precedent for what he can and cannot do yet. I really cracked up when I read the "how long will it be until Yao's hated here" thread. Yao's a lens that actually shows us the future. And in the meantime giant minds here are worried about his fg. percentage. Luckily and inexplicably, Yao gives the answers on the court, and the way he just is. He is so tough and yet feeling weak. He means business period. I personally went from getting blasted from my Irish Catholic (read large) family to being a sage, and all the while I kept saying do you see what this guy can do. What's really weird is that his learning curve has almost been flat-line. He really is that different. And he's not missed a beat, he's flat out scary. Dream dminated games when he shot 33 %, , but it appears that isn't a relavent standard. I'll say this, Yao's gotten some good coaching, he's responded in a super-human way, and no one could've predicted how good he is now in this league. Apolgies to Sharks fans everywhere, but you expected too much, too soon. And this guy keeps talking about his game. We have as Rockets fans watched this guy evolve. Any disappointment is absurd.
these responses don't sound pessimistic...they are just completely different from the regular over-hyped basketball players of america today who think they are bad ass when they really don't know crap about the game. hence why they are being pushed out of their jobs by other foreign players who know how to play the game. yao realizes there is still a lot of work to be done and he understands that he still has much to improve on. that kind of attitude is held by people who are successful and maintain their success. if its a chinese cultural thing then thats fine, but i am like that too and i am a white american. in anything that i have passion for i always see something that i can do better and more perfect. its a humility thing plus its a thing about understanding that the learning experience is never done. you have to keep adding and adding and learning more and more. tiger woods has this same sort of mentality as well. he knows he is the best player in the world but he also knows that he has to go out and bust his ass practicing and making his game better and better. i don't know if that explains it...but i am not chinese and i understand yao's responses perfectly.
I never said that in that quote you lifted. My point was more about awareness and the potential Yao could bring to make people more aware about a group of Americans living in your country right now. Just as how Hakeem promoted the awareness of Islam to the people of Houston and across the States If anything I feel that Asians in general either believe that non-Asians don't understand, or think their culture is secondary to integrating to the American culture as a whole. Promoting this silence is harmful towards a minority group integrating to the melting pot that is our society. It defies what your Irish ancestors along with Italian, German and Jewish groups have already done. So if I've said anything else that has offended you, feel free to vent. Otherwise, I'm going to agree that the game brings all of us closer in more ways than one.
