Yao basher? I've given Yao a lot of props in this thread. Go back and read them. But I will draw the line between saying he is the best center in the NBA. He's not.
Dont you get it? All Star game is not about who is the best player, but it's about what the fans want to see. It's always been like that even before Yao came in. CASE CLOSED!!! If you dont like it, sent a mail to David Stern and complain.
Don't you get it? This is a message board and I'm just saying my opinion. Last I checked I was guaranteed that by the First Amendment. And I did acknowledge that it was a popularity contest in the original post. Please read before you start the witch trials.
Is Kelvin Cato a better player than Tim Duncan? **** no. Am I going to vote for Cato to start at PF in the All-Star game? **** yes!
I agree that at this point, Shaq is the more dominant player. However, Yao is still expected to improve, and Shaq's weaknesses in character and FT shooting just so happen to be Yao's strengths. It's much too early in Yao's career to tell what kind of player he will become at his peak, so we'll have to reserve judgment on that. Since the All-Star starting line-up is, in reality a popularity contest, there's really no point in arguing who is more deserving. Whoever the fans want to see start is most deserving, and that may very well turn out to be Yao, even without the Chinese vote. So in fact what we're really debating can be more accurately represented in the form of the All-NBA teams at the end of the season. It's just way too early in the season to start debating about that though, so we'll just have to wait and see.
Shut up! You cannot tell me to shut up! You cannot tell me "You cannot tell me to shut up"!! You cannot tell me "You cannot tell me "You cannot tell me to shut up"!!"!! You cannot tell me ... I dont know what I can tell
I'm predicting when Yao's career is over, and we look back, we'll see that Yao will be dominating in a well-rounded way. I don't see him being the next Wilt or Hakeem or even Shaq. He's not a dominant scorer...it takes a certain selfishness ( and I mean this in a good way ) to be that way. Yao, at his prime, will probably be more of a triple double guy. I can see him getting double digits on points, rebounds, and blocks a few nights. Maybe assists. One day, when Yao is retired and Shaq is doing law enforcement, we'll see that neither was better then the other because it would be like comparing Stockton to Magic...they're too different to compare.
i take my last post back more than half of the damn posts in this thread have been by the poster Ricedaddy7, i think he's doing this to UP his statues
okay, sorry for asking you to leave, i truly apologize, it just seems that you are arguing for arguments sake and page 3 has gone off the main topic. ok, #1, fine, you are allowed to have your opinion, many people are upset that popular players get the spot over more talented players. #2, this point i found offense to, first off, it is false, a majority of yao's votes came from the US and China's votes did not have an expected large disparity between shaq and yao's. Not all Chinese voters voted purely for nationalistic reasons, in fact many voted for the more dominating center. This has been mentioned multiple times on this thread. Second, you are saying that one will get a bad image if they vote for someone of their own nationality? I hope you are not trying to say that and I hope you are rooting for the Americans in 2004. I don't think its fair to say that someone shouldnt have the freedom to choose something just because of a bad stereotype it may convene. You are Asian, do you reject all Asian things because it may strengthen a bad image? People have the freedom to choose things under their own criteria regardless of what others may think. #3 well, for the all star game most of the players are decided by the fans, however, it was the NBA's choice to allow them to do that. Did they expect the fans to vote for the same players that the coaches would? I doubt it. They are a business and are allowed to make their own decisions, I'm sure you know this. #4 you should know that the criteria for the all star game is not skill and it never has been. If you are talking about who deserves to be the best, depending on skills, then you should be looking at the All-NBA team, voted by experts at the end of the year. Shaq has been the top of that for years. The criteria for that is whether they are the best in that position, and if yao won that, you wouldnt be the only one protesting (unless he had a really amazing year and earned it). But you can't say that Shaq is deserving the starting position of the All-star game without changing the criteria of popularity to expert opinion. You have definetly confused the all-star starting line up with the All-NBA team. They are not the same. The All-Star game is a business-marketing event to give the fans the players they want to see on the court to increase NBA fan appreciation and then, hopefully, sales, attendance and viewership. Until you understand that becoming an all star is not contingent completely on merit, you will have a good chance of puking sometime next year.
this is the most pointless thread ever . . . RD7 you actually made 5 posts in a row on the last page!! What the heck is that, are you purposely trying to waste server space or something? You don't need to address everyone else's comment with a freakin post of its own, you can lump them together. what a waste . . .
I'll reply to Rockets first, I wouldn't repeat myself if people actually stopped and read what I wrote the first time around. I'm getting the same questions.
Alright, a rational response. Good. To answer your point one by one... #1: I was upset that Carter got it and Grant Hill ( in one of his injured years ) got in it. The same thing if Lebron gets it this year. I don't think it would be fair for a player in the East that plays point ( like Kidd ) and lost to Lebron simpily because he's more likable. But like I said, it's a fan's game...that still doesn't make it unfair to the players who deserving starting spots. Not that they care, I think. #2: You misunderstand. I just feel that Yao is Yao because he's Chinese. I think Yao has the potential to be the best center in the NBA, but it's not his time yet. I'm sure you will agree with me that he can improve. That's being realistic. A lot of people, though, I feel, especially Asian, likes Yao simpily because he's Chinese. They want Francis and Mobley traded, despite that they are still carrying the team ( Yao, at this point, is an accompliance ), but because they are black nobody respects Francis as much anymore. My family and friends ( who are Asian ) give me a lot of heat because I wear a Mobley jersey. You don't think some of Yao's fame comes because he's Chinese? I think so. I think even if he was any other race he'd be an All-Star, but because he's Chinese there's a lot of extra love for him before they even seen him with their own eyes. There's a good part to this, of course. It brings new fans to the game, just like Lebron is bringing new fans to the game, but hype is hype. Yao Ming last year was no better then Rik Smits, yet Rik didn't get a starting spot in the East over Ewing. Why is that? ( Disclaimer: This is not to say Yao doesn't have more potential then Smits. ) #3: I acknowledged this in my original paragraph. #4: You're right. However, I just feel that there needs some degree of sensibility in the fans' choices. Last year's choice for Carter was incredibly ridiculous. I'm glad Jordan got the spot from him ( although I believe Carter was under pressure to give it to him; I don't believe Carter would given his own choice ). Carter is my recent poster child as to why the fans' voting should be controlled before some moron grabs a few million copies of the all-star and started voting Dale Davis as the starting center ( hey, it could happen ). I think you see where I'm coming from. #5: ( Your unofficial fifth point ) You're right on this too. However, why are players measured by their All-Star appearances instead of the All-NBA First team? That's what confuses me. Until this is put into an end, the All-Star appearance has some meaning.
No, I "flamed" you for coming on a Rockets board and saying that seeing Yao Ming start in the All-Star Game would make you puke. THAT'S what I was responding to, Rice. Oh, BTW, the note about Jackson and Cato starting in the All-Star Game- did you seriously think I meant that? O.K., I'll remember to go easy on the sarcasm there. Hmmm....
Here's an opinion I have that may go counter to many, but it's valid. I think Vince Carter deserved to start in the All-Star Game. My reasoning: 1. When I looked at the forwards from the East, after Jermaine O'Neal, there was not one player (yes, including 'Toine Walker) that I could say was a better player than Carter, with the possible exception of Kenyon Martin. With every name, I compared to Vince, and every one I felt was just simply not a better player than Mr. Carter. Unfortunately, that says something about the lack of quality forwards in the East. 2. I go against the grain in this respect, but I do not think that an All-Star vote has to necessarily be based on the existing season. O.K., this was true for Yao, but again, I didn't vote for him. I voted for Shaq. I think that, even though Vince was injured, I think his previous year's performance (yes, he was injured then, too, but he was still better in the time he played than the other forwards in the East) and before that should at least be considered. #1 holds more weight, though. You show me who, besides maybe Martin, should have gone as the other starting forward in the All-Star Game and maybe then I'll agree that Vince didn't belong.
Ok before this thread gets locked, who wants to put in guesses as to what Ricedaddy's former persona was?? Due is too efficient with his typing, amongst other things, to be a newbie. I say fan friendly/pinetreefm1960.
What was your previous moniker on this BBS RiceDaddy7? Just curious because you sound too much like another poster that stopped posting here.
