Shaq O' Neal Under Fire for Bashing Houston Rockets NBA Player Yao Ming with Racial Slurs

The ESPN Insider and Asian Week Magazine ^ | January 10, 2003 | Chad Ford

[ewing]

Shaq O'Neal may be one of the most well liked figures in the National Basketball Association, but his recent verbal attacks on Houston Rockets 7 foot 6 inch big man Yao Ming from China are starting to raise troubling questions-is Shaq indeed racist?

Some feel Shaq's comments in his escalating war of words with Yao have crossed the line from trash talk to racial slurs.

Asian Week columnist Irwin Tang recently 'called out' O' Neal in public for several racially derogatory comments thrown in Yao's direction.

Tell Yao Ming, 'ching-chong-yang-wah-ah-soh,' O Neal said to a reporter recently in a mock Chinese accent.

When asked this summer how he would greet Yao Ming to the NBA, [who is a rookie this year from the Republic of China] Shaq said he would let his elbows do the talking.

'Street ball,' O'Neal commented on what would be awaiting Yao Ming in the National Basketball Association.

'Playing in the gym, shooting jumpers and all that...that's fine-But I am street.

It is about how to take a blow to the nose and make you think about what I am going to do next time down the court.'

[ewing]

Such a good way to celebrate his first day as a 'religion of peace' Muslim by bashing Asians!

[danneskjold]

Shaq is a punk...always has been, always will be...

[mhking]

Black conservative ping

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[ewing]

And he doesnt get any of the endorsements of the athletes on his level should be getting because he is acting like a punk.

Now the media will turn on him..

[Thebaddog]

It's only white boys who can be racist. Is that right?

[dfwgator]

But I am street.

No Shaq, you're a jerk. Besides, look at the team in the NBA with the best record, the Dallas Mavericks. Four White starters on the team. Look at how bad the all-black US team did at the recent world championships. The days of showboating basketball winning championships is coming to an end, basketball is once again becoming a team game.

[dljordan]

I'm sorry, but Black people cannot be racists. Haven't you heard?

[copycat]

Always make your first foul a hard foul. Your opponent's timimg will be affected, as he waits to absorb the next blow that never comes.

[BenR2]

Shaq is a punk...always has been, always will be...

Nahhh. Have you ever met him? The guy is a pussycat. Ask the folks who know him.

His approach to Yao Ming is typical of a pro to a rookie. Ming has to pay his dues, just like every other rookie -- black, white, brown, or yellow.

[KSCITYBOY]

It's okay to be a racist if your black.. This story has no legs because of that premise. Wait and see.

[dirtboy]

When asked this summer how he would greet Yao Ming to the NBA, [who is a rookie this year from the Republic of China] Shaq said he would let his elbows do the talking.

Having seen Ming a bit on TV, methinks Shaq had better also try playing some defense. And if NBA refs called offensive fouls, Shaq wouldn't stand a chance against Ming. He still might have difficulty - his preferred method of trying to muscle someone out of the way won't work against someone tall enough to maintain separation and still be difficult to shoot over.

[ewing]

Ya think if Trent Lott was filmed on TV talking ebonics he would have been run out of Washington on a rail?

[geaux]

Sounds like basic trash talk between players on opposing teams, to me.

[SoCal Pubbie]

Based on the stories today, I'm wondering if it isn't time to rename Free Republic Hack a Shaq?

[dirtboy]

Ming has to pay his dues, just like every other rookie

Ming is doing just fine. Because there are two types of rookies nowadays in the NBA - guys like Ming, who has spent a lot of time in international ball and have a solid grasp of fundamentals, and guys with two years of college ball whose idea of offense consists of either going for the dunk or going one-on-one and throwing up a brick, and have no idea how to pass, box out, play defense or set a pick.

[anymouse]

Hopefully O'Neil is smart enough not to try this at a Rockets home game. He might not make it back to LA. Yao Ming might be a Chinese citizen, but now he's a Texan. And that makes all the difference in the World. When you attack a Texan, you just took on the whole state of Texas. Of course taking on a billion odd Chinese isn't too smart either. ;)

[nolaw0ady]

Didn't Fuzzy Zoeler (sp?) make some "insensitive" remarks about Tiger Woods a couple years back? I remember that story being ALL OVER the tv. This is probably the last we'll hear about Shaq's racist comments.

[Enterprise]

Yao Ming to Shaq: "You're mother sleeps with Russian infantry troops."

[tallhappy]

[who is a rookie this year from the Republic of China]

No !!!

ROC is Taiwan.

He is from the People's Republic of China.

aka Red China, Communist China, or just China etc...

[Chi-townChief]

Wait a minute! Shaq is only slurring Asians - What's the problem?!?!?!?