http://nba.sports.tom.com/2007-04-30/0D1R/84687062.html I'm really worried about Big Yao's state of mind and new injuries/bruises added to his body after reading this article from Wang Meng. In the Wang Meng's article, it mentioned that Yao Ming got all kind of abuses on his body by the Utah Jazz players:- his toe is bleeding again he got new bruises on his knee he got all new scratches and bruises on his arm And what is even more worrying, he was absolutely sad, mad, angry, frustrated and in despair. He even banged his fist onto his lockers so as to vent out his agony and frustration, and he said: "I am angry, frustrated, disappointed about what's happening to our team.....At this level of our plays, now that in the playoff, it is no longer about skills and physical strength;it is about heart, passion, efforts and determination to win. We just lack that. I am very very very angry, and I am very very very disappointed (about myself and about this team)."
I missed that WTF Yao? You already conceded Game 6? I hope it was just a "lost in translation" type of thing and not reflective of Yao's subconscious. Imagine if we could somehow take Deke's brain and transplant it into Yao's body..."Not in my house" would be the only answer the media ever gets from Yao. On the flip side, that DOES mean that he's guaranteeing a win tonight.
Yup. I want him to turn Okur into a croissant and dip it into liquidy goat cheese. Am I unreasonable? Someone tell Yao Okur is a pastry. Hopefully he's starving! ::sigh:: I can't believe I compared Yao to Dirk in any form or fashion. I am sorry, Yao, I am really really really sorry. That was not a classy thing to do to say the least. I want him to be the best, and I love the guy as a person and a human being. I wish nothing but the best for him, I want him to be greater than even Dream was. I just see so much more potential for him, and bless his heart he's a tireless worker. I have a lot more invested in him -- emotionally speaking -- than any other player on this team, simply because I love the big man game. I think it's as pure as basketball can get. And gosh darn it, we're Houston: it's our inalienable right.
Insinuating? LOL - That would be subtelty.......heck no...HE IS A PRIMADDONNA ! Blunt force trama baby the only way to post. DD
Yet Tracy has been very complimentary of his teammates, and expressed feeling confidence in them. I'm glad he takes respsonsibility for setting up teammates, and taking over a game. That is what he's supposed to do, that is what people on this board have been calling on him to do, and when he does it, and talks about it, people call him arrogant and a primadonna. T-mac was criticized for not putting his will on a game, for being selfish, for not stepping up and taking over, when he does it, and he talks about it, I don't think he should bashed for it.
He is not being bashed at all. It is about expectations. Tmac is EXPECTED to do this every single game, and there are times he just doesn't....games 3 and 4 come to mind. Tmac is maddeningly frustrating, because he relaxes when the team has a lead, if he had more of a killer instinct ala Jordan this team would be a true championship contender for years. When JVG talks about the team being mentally weak, he is talking about everyone, but primarily Tmac. This team goes where Tmac takes them....and if he is tough every game, the sky is the limit, if he settles for jumpers and plays passive, the Rockets lose. All fans like me want is for Tmac to play hard and up to his capabilities EACH and every playoff game.......I understand there are going to be games in the regular season where he just goes through the motions ( I don't like it - but I understand it), in the playoffs you never know what could happen tomorrow so each game should be played like it is your last. That is what I expect of Tmac......let's hope he comes out in game 6 and plays hard, but what do you honestly THINK he will do? DD
T-mac was being bashed. He was accused of talking a good game, but not backing it up with action. He was being called, heartless, a quitter, some one who couldn't win etc. He was called that because he wasn't living up to expectations as you say. But that doesn't mean he wasn't being bashed. Then when he does do what's expected in spectacular fashion, and talks about it, he's being bashed anew for talking about what everyone was talking about when he wasn't doing it.
Sometimes players deserve a spanking/bashing. Players are judged by their performace on the floor and if they say they are going to play hard, then come out and don't....the deserve to be bashed for it. All fans want is an honest effort, and if the team loses, so be it. I find it ironic that people complain about criticism of players, yet they are doing the exact thing by criticizing posters. Hypocrits. DD
It's the playoffs. Yao needs to man up and get tough. On D it's not his fault if someone is running him around and hiting jump shots but down low on both sides of the ball he really needs to man up and dominate and kill.
I notice that on offense when Yao tries to postup boozer always plant his forearm on Yao's back and pushes him out.. I'm pretty sure that hurts and takes a toll on yao.. is that a foul? what can yao do to get the refs attention? or can yao just remove boozers arm and just get it out of the way or something?
My point is that I don't mind criticizing Tracy for either one or the other. It makes sense to criticize him for not doing what's expected, leading the team, attacking the basket etc. He deserves any flack he takes for that. What is not fair, is that once he fulfills those expectations, and discusses it, that fans begin to criticize him for being arrogant or a primadonna. Criticism isn't bad at all from fans. What is bad is putting a star that we should be fans of in damned if he does, damned if he doesn't position.
Its not a foul in the post... but apparently its a foul at the top of the key . When Boozer is on Yao, Yao should never hesitate/pause/survey... just attack him. I don't know if Yao fails to recognize that its Boozer, or he's just going to be methodical/slow no matter what... but Boozer has no buisness guarding Yao (and he knows it... otherwise he'd be defending him over Okur). Hell, Okur has no buisness guarding Yao either... but the refs have already let it be known that they'll allow him to lean/push as much as he can without actually dislodging Yao's footing (which is probably impossible for even the strongest player in the league to do... unless Yao resorts to flopping).
Perhaps this has been talked about already, but is anyone else wishing Yao would just turn around and shoot a jumper? I mean he's friggin 7'6". If he turns and shoots those jumpers then his fakes and spins, etc, would have more effect. As it is now, he's playing like Charles Barkley and just trying to back it up and then shoot a fadeaway. I just wish once he'd get the inbounds pass and then turn and shoot over his guy who is usually hunched over. The next time he fakes that shot he'll be able to spin pass them. He did it in the regular season. Not sure why he changed.
