So Bill Simmons just came out with a new "column" today. It's front page, big-dollar making news down at ESPN.com. BS also has a fresh new file photo on display, but this isn't TMZ.com, so we won't be talking too much about
Anyway, the column is a discussion of the the NBA's 2009 Most Valuable Player (MVP) race. Mr. Simmons uses the very effective "countdown" format to list the NBA's best players of 2009, from "Least" valuable to the "Most" valuable. While normally I find his opinions on sports and pop culture utterly viable, (he lives, breathes, and eats sports/TV/magazines/movies/some literature constantly), there is one topic, rather one NBA player, of which I find his constant ragging on reprehensible. I'm talking about Yao Ming.
BS had this to say about Yao, ranking him #14 overall in the league as far as MVP candidates go:
"#14. Yao Ming - The good news? He stayed healthy. The bad news? You're getting a 20-10 and two blocks from him and that's it. He is what he is."
Well Bill i've got a little e-mail for you,
In defense of Dork Elvis,
Yao simply isn't getting enough touches this year to do better than 20ppg. He averages 13 attempts a game. On a weaker, less deep team he'd be getting 18 shots a game, and averaging 25+pts. So he's no Shaq-in-his-prime on the offensive end, but don't penalize him because his teammates are so good.
In the past, it was Yao/Tracy McGrady taking ~50% of Houston's attempts. Now, they have more talent, with Yao only taking 16% of the team's shots, and Scola/Landry, Lowry/Brooks, and Artest/Wafer combining for 70% of Houston's shot attemps.
If anything, Yao has gotten better, healthier, stronger, his FG% has gone up, he can hit a jump shot, is skilled in the high and low post, makes his free throws, and the most important stat of them all:
Houston is 32-3 this year when Yao scores 20 or more points. Meaning, Yao doesn't need to do much more than he's doing right now. The Rockets are winning. And he consistently plays well against other "great" centers in the league, including his 2-0 record v. Dwight "The Best Center in the League" Howard, not just team, but head to head:
Yao: 22pts, 13rb, 2stl, 1blk, 2a, +13(+/-)
4-4FT, 9-15FG
Howard - 13pts, 9rb, 0stl, 2blk, 0a, -13(+/-)
3-5FT, 5-10FG
---and---
Yao- 20pts, 16rb, 1stl, 2blks, 1a, +15(+/-), 4-5FT, 8-13FG
Howard- 13pts, 10rb, 1stl, 3blks, 1a, -1(+/-), 3-9FT, 5-11FG
Frankly, I'm pretty tired of the rampant Asian discrimination not only in the way games are called in this league, but also amongst the sports media. This country is pretty damn prejudiced. Howard gets lauded with praise because he dunks a lot, swats balls into the stands, and can bench 365. But head to head, this year, it is no contest. Yao SCHOOLED Dwight Howard TWICE in 2008-2009, and NOBODY (in the national media) is talking about it. Look at the stats. Look at the record. D.Ho isn't even DPOY in this man's opinion, Lebron James is. But whatever. Give it to the ball-swatter...but either way, he can't guard Yao one on one.
Yao is a fantastic basketball player, a global ambassador of the sport, unique in his ability to be 7'6'' and not turn into Shawn Bradley or Manute Bol, a veritable All-Star...yet he's the butt of your jokes all the time. Mr. Simmons, who would you have taken with the 2002 #1? Amare? Boozer? Both headcases, and just as injury prone as anybody. Who else? Caron Butler? Dunleavy Jr.? Just curious.
He deserves more respect, sir, not just from you, but the American public. Why are we so anti-Asia? Yea they make cheap plastic crap by the mega-ton-load, but they are generally nice, hard-working people. Ridiculous. And I'm Puerto Rican, why should I care? I just do. (Go J.J. Barea! Caliente!)
-Dick
No comments:
Post a Comment