<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">SHANGHAI, China -- China's official sports association has issued an unprecedented public criticism of Yao Ming for reporting late to national team training. The Houston Rockets' star was faulted for taking too much time off to recover from his last NBA season. The government's All-China Sports Federation also said he spent too much time planning his wedding and making appearances for the Special Olympics and 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. "No matter how lofty public welfare activities are, they can't be allowed to take first place in a player's life,'' the China Sports Daily, a federation-owned newspaper, said in an article appearing Tuesday. "No matter how sweet personal life is, it can't be compared to the exultation of capturing glory for one's nation,'' the article said. Chinese Web sites later said Yao reported for national teaming training on Wednesday. The article quoted Li Yuanwei, the national basketball center director, as saying the team's Olympic preparations were built around their major star. Li said he hoped Yao would join the team later this month in the Stankovic Cup. "Without Yao Ming, a warmup competition is far less valuable,'' the article said. Throughout his three seasons in the NBA, Yao has largely escaped criticism from China's official media and the government by honoring his national team commitments. Yet Tuesday's article carried echoes of the bitter accusations hurled at former Dallas Mavericks player Wang Zhizhi, the first Chinese player in the NBA who refused to return to play with the national team. Wang was labeled an immature ingrate and suffered a five-year estrangement from Chinese basketball that ended only last year after he made a humiliating apology. </div> Source: ESPN.com
Ridiculous. I've had about enough of this Chinese government and their superior attitude. His first and foremost priority is his family, then his the Houston Rockets who pay him his salary, and finally team China, not the other way around.
<div class="quote_poster">XSV Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Ridiculous. I've had about enough of this Chinese government and their superior attitude. His first and foremost priority is his family, then his the Houston Rockets who pay him his salary, and finally team China, not the other way around.</div> I read that it was an editorial piece for a chinese newspaper. Also, the Yi thing has little to do with the chinese government. It has a lot to do with Yi's agent and his old team the Tigers wanting to make a buck.
<div class="quote_poster">foo82 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I read that it was an editorial piece for a chinese newspaper. Also, the Yi thing has little to do with the chinese government. It has a lot to do with Yi's agent and his old team the Tigers wanting to make a buck.</div> But it's a government-run newspaper, so any editorials printed in there is being tacitly endorsed by the government. I'm certain you wouldn't find any editorials in such a newspaper supporting Yao to take time off from the CNT.
<div class="quote_poster">durvasa Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">But it's a government-run newspaper, so any editorials printed in there is being tacitly endorsed by the government. I'm certain you wouldn't find any editorials in such a newspaper supporting Yao to take time off from the CNT.</div> Editorials are called editorials for a reason. I doubt the chinese government will care that much, as long as it doesn't slander the government or their policies in any sort of way. There is a difference between endorsing and allowing the paper to be published.
<div class="quote_poster">foo82 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Editorials are called editorials for a reason. I doubt the chinese government will care that much, as long as it doesn't slander the government or their policies in any sort of way. There is a difference between endorsing and allowing the paper to be published.</div> Naw man, durvasa is right. You can call an editorial whatever you want, but it is still a government run newspaper, and they have influence over it. They wouldn't let something be published that was saying Yao is right and bla bla bla...it is influenced for sure and there is nothing we can do.
<div class="quote_poster">Master Shake Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Naw man, durvasa is right. You can call an editorial whatever you want, but it is still a government run newspaper, and they have influence over it. They wouldn't let something be published that was saying Yao is right and bla bla bla...it is influenced for sure and there is nothing we can do.</div> Um...or they just wouldn't publish anything at all. Even though China is still considered a communist government, they don't control ALL aspects of life. They only crack down on things critical of the government. Why the hell should they care what people say about Yao? In fact, why would anyone write anything about Yao being right or wrong? It wouldn't make any sense to just write an opinion paper stating "Yao is justified in being late for training". Especially, when it isn't even an issue. Now tell me this. What is going to draw more people to read the paper? The topic I just stated, or the one they just published. To most people, this is a non issue. The only reason it even became an issue was because some person decided to criticize Yao.
From the Chinese Coaching staff, I could see why they wouldn't be happy with Yao. I'm sure they'd like to win, and i t's difficult without your centerpiece there. Now forget about them, because the article wasn't written by them. Why is the Chinese government so involved with sports like it is a political priority? I love my basketball and all, but in the grand scheme of life, there is much mroe important things a government should attend to. Oh and yes, the media are controlled by the government over there. Just like how in USa (or Australia where I'm from) that whoever owns the newspaper has the ultimate power to print what he/she wants. Packer/Murdoch etc etc... Take this from a media student.
They don't control what topics to write. All they control is what is allowed. It's like any other article written. Just because they allow it, doesn't mean it is their stance. Especially in an editorial. School newspapers are very strict as to what is allowed, yet you don't see the school handpicking which topics to write about. My point is people are making a bigger deal out of this than it really is.
Well, if the government seriously don't care one bit about a certain topic, then yes the opinion printed is that of the writer. The thing is, writers and editors tend to do their best to please the owner of that newspaper in order to keep their job. That means publishing stories that work in favour of that owner.
<div class="quote_poster">dakeem1 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Well, if the government seriously don't care one bit about a certain topic, then yes the opinion printed is that of the writer. The thing is, writers and editors tend to do their best to please the owner of that newspaper in order to keep their job. That means publishing stories that work in favour of that owner.</div> If you haven't notice, negative pieces tend to attract more attention than positive pieces. This would definately please their owners simply because this would draw more attention. More publicity = better. Since criticizing Yao Ming is mostly unheard of, a negative piece on him is definately going to draw attention.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">An official from the National Basketball Administrative Centre has confirmed that Houston Rockets centre player Yao Ming will not compete in the Stankovic Continental Champions Cup, set to kick-off on July 28. The administration will also allow Yao to miss a training tour of Europe after the Stankovic tournament since Yao's private doctor and the Rockets club have suggested that his shoulder injury is unlikely to hold up against the intensity of such competitions. The absence means Yao will miss out on all the major summer preparations that have been arranged by the centre ahead of the Beijing Olympics next year. The "small giant" had earlier withdrawn from a tournament in Las Vegas where the Chinese National Team clashed against several NBA sides. Hu Jiashi, who is in charge of national team affairs, revealed that Yao will be able to participate in national team drills later in September.</div> source: http://english.cri.cn/2886/2007/07/19/53@251288.htm Anyone else getting concerned about Yao's shoulder?? Seems it might be something that will linger on this upcoming season.
<div class="quote_poster">foo82 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Um...or they just wouldn't publish anything at all. Even though China is still considered a communist government, they don't control ALL aspects of life. They only crack down on things critical of the government. Why the hell should they care what people say about Yao? In fact, why would anyone write anything about Yao being right or wrong? It wouldn't make any sense to just write an opinion paper stating "Yao is justified in being late for training". Especially, when it isn't even an issue. Now tell me this. What is going to draw more people to read the paper? The topic I just stated, or the one they just published. To most people, this is a non issue. The only reason it even became an issue was because some person decided to criticize Yao.</div> Man, Yao is like supposed to be their amazing athlete. If I can remember correctly, they made his parents have a kid because they were amazing Chinese athletes, so the Chinese wanted a "super-baby" almost, so yes. They care about Yao.
