All The Hype For Nothing

Okay I don't think I am quite as pumped up about Friday's matchup between the Milwaukee Bucks and Houston Rockets.

To quickly sum everything up for everyone, China and the NBA are ecstatic about Rockets' center Yao Ming taking on Bucks' rookie forward Yi Jianlian. Apparently this "showdown" is going to be something for the ages, or at least that's what we are supposed to believe. But what will actually happen on Friday? Yao (averaging 21 points, 11 rebounds a game) will dominate a poor Bucks team, probably have a 20-point, 10-rebound game and we will forget that Yi is even playing.

I know I am missing the point, that this isn't about who plays better, it's just about the showdown of China. But wouldn't the "showdown" be a little better if the players' talent level was in the same vicinity?

Hall of Fame coach and person I no longer have respect for, Pete Newell, told the USA Today:
"Yi will end up being the best player in the NBA from China, and I know that is saying a lot."

Really? There hasn't been a sentence that has made me want to punch a baby in a while and then I heard that. I don't even want to speak on Yi because he is four-games deep into his career and has yet to prove anything.

Instead let's talk about how Yao has taken over for Shaquille O'Neal as the best center in basketball, and has been an all-star every season he has played so far. And even though Shaq disagrees, can we vote on when we will see another double-double from O'Neal?

And I know it's because he has an entire country voting for him in, but do you really think we will see Yi play for the Eastern Conference? If we do, then I will start to petition the already ridiculous way all-stars are voted onto the team.

Again, I understand this is more of a publicity stunt than anything. From a writer's standpoint it gives you a topic to rant about, and gives the sports world something to talk about. I just don't see what the hype is about, although I guess I fed right into just by writing this.