I feel I know enough about both players before they stepped foot onto an NBA court to know which one was a better pick. Even after their 1st year, its a no brainer The next time you start a thread that doesn't have Yao as the subject will be one of the 1st times. Yeah, because there are just a ton of Hakeem only threads around here. Very comparable to the Yao only threads.
Just like comparing Yao and Hakeem as rookies is ludicrous. I too am qualified. As a boy, my father took me to not only Rocket games, but UH games in the early 80s. I still have many old Beta tapes of Hakeem from his 1st few seasons. I too have read his book. I attended probably several hundred home games when he played. I have boxes of Rocket newspaper articles way back from the 80s too. There are no Yao only fans around here? The majority of this BBS would strongly disagree with that. As far as Yao haters/bashers, I am quite sure those are true Rocket fans in disguise who are not afraid to critique Yao in hopes that he will improve. This includes myself.
Good lord RF. You still haven't responded in the "Larry Smith=Coach Killer" thread, and you instead want to call me out here? lol I was really looking forward to your "Larry Smith should have petitioned the league to allow a 6th player on the court to double team Yao's man" argument. More importantly than having a backbone, I have a "pair". If you had them, you would have picked up our earlier discussion and not chosen this forum to label me things that I am obviously am not. As a long time Rocket fan, I would expect you to know the difference between a Yao hater and a true Rocket fan. A true Rocket fan will critique Yao, even at the defense of other Rockets (like Smith, Mobley, Francis, etc.). A true Rocket fan will not place Yao's needs in front of the team's needs. My loyalty lies with this team and quite frankly, I don't have to prove that to you or anyone else. So go ahead and label me a Yao hater. Its sad that you feel the need to jump in here because of the result of our previous discussion. I joined the BBS in August and lurked beforehand until Clutch required that people register to view the board. Another one of your asinine theories blown out of the water. BTW, if you had bother to read the thread (something you are good at NOT doing), you would have seen that I didn't label Shanghai Shark as a Yao-only fan. I didn't have to because HE/SHE admitted as such IN THIS THREAD (but again, I don't expect you to read the thread as you don't like to do this). Exlusive right? lol First of all, I come to the defense of Hakeem and Larry Smith and you take it all personal. What does that have to do with ME having an exclusive right? I have a right to defend people that have a much longer history with this team than Yao does. If that upsets you, well, then put me on your ignore list.
Hakeem by a longshot. He has already proven himself. We will have to wait and see if Yao becomes as great as a player.
Damn. Codell, I've got your back. Some of these posts are rediculous. Such as that one about there are no Yao only fans just Yao bashers?! Believe in what you want, though I, like Codell, am a ROCKETS fan. There are Yao bashers but who cares?! dont label others because they have something critique to say especially when it is in the defense of another player. Players on the Rocks sqaud will be critiqued all the time.
ignorant fool!!!!!!!! When someone says Dream is better than Yao then he automaticly becomes a Dream only fan and a Yao hater. Then 90 % of the board are Yao hater. Then why dont i see any threads bashing Yao. Bashing you is not saying Dream is better than Yao. Dream is better than Shaq. Now did i just insult Shaq. No. Infact Shaq said Dream is better than him. Yao-only fans are people who use the smallest arguments to try to proove Yao is better than Dream.
damn, this thread got kinda out of hand, Why are alot of people dishing Codell? he is a verry respected member of this BBS. as for the Hakeem Yao thread, Hakeem by far. yao has shown some skills, but i haven't seen him getting a team with al role players to a championship. ofcourse he is a rookie, so maybe i wil see it, i hope, but for what we know now you can't choose for Yao. oh and about Yao being dished by this BBS, you havent read al the threads where Mobley and francis are dished? Yao is worshiped around here, even somethimes to much, we wil see how good he wil be. so do nto give me that crap about him being bashed.
Codell, Are u still lurking on the Larry Smith's thread waiting for a response? I thought we had settled it and u gave up. Anyone can defend their favorite players or coaches (Rudy, Smith, Hakeem, Yao, Cat ...) they want, but when they attack other players or coaches with lies or malicious statements, I will take exception, now and again. I know there are others who would bash Cat in favor of Steve or vice versa but that does not make it right. I make comments about Yao or Hakeem (or anyone else) but I believe they r to be truthful and I'd never bash them. If u say u r not a Yao's hater, that's fine. It's only your loss, nobody else's if u r. The Yao's haters only have pain to endure for the next few years! I'll leave them alone with that!
Once again, you have the facts mixed up: http://bbs.clutchcity.net/php3/showthread.php?s=&threadid=57962 Now, maybe I am not seeing it correctly, but as it was left, you are the one that gave up and stop responding. I don't see how you can keep typing with your foot in your mouth. Based on this discription, you must take exception to your own posts. Something we both agree on. Not sure what your point here is. However, I can say this is not as bad as blaming a player's shortcomings on someone else other than the player himself. Well I hardly have to worry about enduring paint when in fact Yao has my full support, just like any other Rocket player or coach has. PS - Pgrabriel is a genius for coining that term. His place in BBS lore is secure.
Sadly, full of ignorance in your post. 1) "You feel you know enough" does NOT mean you really knew enough, no one can predict what will happen years later. NBA is changing, more new concepts are involved, heck, even the system of training players and studying opponents are waaaaaaaaay beyond what we had 10-20 years ago, wake up, we are not in 80's anymore. The games are more advanced. New heros will be born in new eras. 2) No yao in subject? Geez.. I posted up several clutchcity.net appreciations in user feedback forum without any Yao info. I highly appreciate your intention to follow my posts, although you did not do a good job. 3) No question there >were< already tons of all-about-Hakeem thread, but again, remind you, he retired as a Raptors. Starting 2002, do you have any idea how many Yao-only posts compared to Hakeem-only posts? or do you want wait 3 years to see which gets more, Yao-only vs. Hakeem-only. Do you even have any idea how many new users come to clutchcity.net after 2002 draft? Let me tell you, 8000+, 2 times more than previous 3 years combined! Don't even try to argue that because of more people getting online btw...
Yeah, I have to say pitting Yao against Dream kinda sucks. I voted for Dream simply because he was a Rocket longer, and during his tenure as a Rocket he not only became the best player on the planet, but also brought us 2 championship trophies. So far, Yao brought us another season as the best team to not make the playoffs. Dream's had sooooooo many more moments as a Rocket, it's unfair to Yao to match him up against Dream ... 'cause he simply won't win. Yao, however, definitely has the potential to take us back to the top, and if/when he does, I'll be cheering at least as loud as all the other Rocket fans. But you're talking about a hall of fame guy who's one of the best centers to ever play the game, and you're comparing a rookie to him, and that's not fair. Give Yao some time and a chance to win you over. P.S. ShanghaShark, as a Rockets fan, you're supposed to "forget" that Dream played his last season as a Raptor. Er, I mean, Dream a Raptor? Yeah right
Why are you complaining about Yao-Haters?? I see more Yao only fans than any other player. The main problem we have in this thread are Steve-Haters. Steve-haters are Yao-only fans.
This thread seemed to go from which one had better skill coming in to the N.B.A., to who has the better marketability, to he was the past and he is the future. It's funny how the argument gets weaker and weaker. Keep trying. Blatz
Don't you people recognize that this is a stupid poll? There is point at all. It does not really make much sense to pick between a rookie and someone who had already got rings and retired.
