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.'

[dfwgator]

Last April, Dallas guard Nick Van Excel, a black, said Wells referred to the Mavericks as "a bunch of soft-assed white boys."

Well, those 'soft-assed' white boys are 29 and 5.

[My2Cents]

Shaq needs to talk less about the opposing teams, and simply play according to the rules.

[Denver Ditdat]

Sorry, but I don't get it...somebody?

Try this imaginary statment from Yao Ming to the press:

"Sheeeeeiiiiiiiiiiitttttt. Whut Shaq say 'bout me? Whut up wif dat? You be tellin' dat smack talkin' Affikan-'Merikan shut he mouf he be knowin' whut good fo' him."

Have him grabbing his crotch while delivering these lines just for good measure.

Jesse and Al would be releasing press statements about 10 milliseconds after that hit the press.

[Centurion2000]

In an exhibition game this season, Golden State's Troy Murphy said Wells called him a "cracker" - a derogatory term for whites.

Why is cracker supposed to piss us off ??? Can someone explain that one ?

[sheik yerbouty]

Shaq, "Ishaq" is a Muslim name. According to the loathsome liitle movie director Spike Lee. blacks can't be racist...

[Stew Padasso]

I wonder if Houston is coming up on their schedule and he is doing a little Ali-type promotion for the game.

[yonif]

Just a correction to that article: who is a rookie this year from the Republic of China He is from the People's Republic of China. The Republic of China is the formal name of Taiwan, which he is not from.

[Buckeye Bomber]

Good for you. "Telling it like it is" and dividing yourself off as "white boy" will surely solve all the nation's racial divisions.

And man, those African-Americans have it easy. If you actually believe this, ask yourself this question: Aside from any racial dislike you have for them, which is pretty dumb based on how few genetic different there are between the races, would you want to be black?

[GoreIsLove]

Jesse and Al would be releasing press statements about 10 milliseconds after that hit the press.

in that scenario, the outrage by jesse and al would cause the earth to reverse its rotation long enough for them to have press statements before yao's comments.

[yonif]

He is probably very mad Yao is overtaking him in the all-star balloting as a center.

[CoolPapaBoze]

I think Shaq, along with about 85% of the NBA, barely speaks English. Is that a racial slur on my part?

[Dog Gone]

Apparently.

[BenR2]

Actually, I have. I went to LSU at the same time as he did, and we had some common friends.

Okay. We are about even, then, I guess. I am from San Antonio (where he played high school ball), and have talked to folks who knew him. Also, my son has spoken to him in non-basketball situations a couple times. They got along famously, even though my son is an admitted Spurs fan. (Now Shaq really DOES hate the Spurs -- even more than he hates Ming!)

I'll call it a draw: You have your reasons for your post; I have mine for mine. No one says we have to agree on this matter, right?

FRegards. BenR2

[Buckeye Bomber]

A racial slur is a name or phrase used in an offensive manner about a group.

Racism (or sexism or any of those idiotic ideas) is pervasive dislike or mistreatment of any group based on a trait about them over which they have no control.

I thought conservatives wre an enlightened party? Aren't we a big tent party, where nothing matters but your skills and your ideas? Racism doesn't stop racism.

[BenR2]

I am from San Antonio

I should have said: I have lived in San Antonio for about 9 years. (Not really "from" here, originally.)

[albee]

Re: Your Post #26

FUNNY, FUNNY, FUNNY!!!!!

[judgeandjury]

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.

And your opponent can retaliate by doing exactly the same thing to you.

[Wrigley]

Thanks for the info.

[PianoMan]

Blacks harassing Asians in the 2 neighborhoods in I have lived in in NYC - Morningside Heights and Sunnyside - was so common I think I would need more than both hands to list just the incidental incidents I witnessed. My many Asian friends in grad school said it happned all the time. It is exceedingly common.

IMO it's jealousy, as Asians continue to perform stratospherically, both educationally and economically in this country. Usually the Asian victim is well dressed and successful, and the black man...not.

[Smogger]

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.

LOL! Bunch of weak Laker-haters over here. HAHAHAHA!! For a second I thought I was on the ESPN Message boards. You guys are killing me! The Dallas Mavericks aren't going anywhere this year.. AHAHAHAAH!! Oh man you haters kill me. -- Lakers Season Ticket Holder. I'll be back to laugh my ass off when the Lakers 4-Peat.