January 15, 2003

Just a couple of more days until . . . Shaq vs. Ming. Shaq has apologized for his racially insensitive humor. In a scathing article about the hypocrisy of racism in sports, Irwin Tang (of AsianWeek) wrote: "Let’s not beat around the bush. If a white player had, for instance, made monkey sounds to taunt a black player, it would have been a national controversy. But Yao is Chinese and Asians are fair game. For evidence, watch TV for a couple of hours." Here's an NBA (anti-)Yao Ming Timeline. On the other side of Ming-life is YaoMingMania.com, a site that is "100% dedicated to Yao Ming's life in the NBA."

So who will come out the better man and center on Friday? Shaq or Ming?

posted by jacknose to basketball at 10:55 AM - 7 comments

Lakers will win .. but Ming will humble Shaq. 50/50 isn't such a bad bet.

posted by jasonspaceman at 11:26 AM on January 15, 2003

I don't think there's any chance that Ming will humble Shaq. Shaq can still dominate anybody, Ming is still just a rookie, and Shaq's got something to prove. Shaq will probably go for 50 and try to foul Ming out of the game. I'd bet Shaq gets a double-double no problem (30-15), but I'm more interested to see how Ming composes himself. If he gets 15 and 10, doesn't foul out, gets a few assists (he is an awesome passer, and by awesome I mean totally sweet) and the W then that will be a huge success.

posted by vito90 at 11:34 AM on January 15, 2003

That Yao Ming Apple commercial is great.

posted by swank6 at 05:04 PM on January 15, 2003

Irwin Tang is absolutely right. Shaq should be held to exactly the same standard as everyone else. What if Steve Nash had mentioned him and started speaking in the formerly popular ebonics to mimic Shaq? Would O'Neal have laughed it off as a 70% percent funny joke? Would the NAACP? I highly doubt it. I hope Yao holds his own against the Lakers, but I'm praying the Asian community comes out and lights Shaq up on this one.

posted by wfrazerjr at 05:05 PM on January 15, 2003

Anybody see the game? Stevie Francis stole the show. Shaq had better numbers than Yao but I'd call it a draw seeing how the Rockets won. Yao bodied up to Shaq pretty well, even though Shaq finished with a "quiet" 30. I was impressed with Yao. He missed some easy shots but he got good looks, and on another day those would fall. He also stayed out of foul trouble and had 6 blocks.

posted by vito90 at 12:28 AM on January 18, 2003

Sign seen at game: "Shaq, Who's YAO Daddy?" (saw it on all the news shows tonite) Hahahahahaha.

posted by worldcup2002 at 02:01 AM on January 18, 2003

Not mention Yao blocked three of Shaq's first shots. Ohhhhh yea!

posted by jasonspaceman at 10:42 AM on January 18, 2003

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