So out of curiousity I just did a quick games per season played between T-Mac and Yao. I first just started with when Yao came in the league. They both played 67.3 games per season. Games per season since T-Mac became a Rocket (all that matters to us) is 65.5/60.0 in favor of T-Mac. I guess I only bring this up b/c it seems like everyone dogs on McGrady for being always hurt. I know everyone says, "if both can stay healthy," but I rarely see the same "hate" (if you will) towards our other star. To those here, Yao is always hurt b/c of his size, his having to play in the offseason, etc. With Tracy it's just b/c he's soft. Occasionally someone will bring up his scoliosis or something. Some will argue, well it's how they go about their business. Seems to me, if they can play, they will. Hurt, they play. Sick, they play. Injured, they don't. The only exception was the end of the one bad year we had when Tracy might as well have taken the time to heal completely than come back and risk injury again. The proof is in the pudding. Neither has accomplished more than the other as a Rocket. Tracy has only played 5.5 games more than Yao a season. Neglible really. So I guess we should be treating them both the same. Either trash them both, or give them both passes. Anyway...carry on. Nothing to see here.
What sites/shows are you watching that don't say the same thing about both? Everything I have read, or seen, have said "If Yao and McGrady can stay healthy"
I think he's more or less referring to the unparalleled "hate" that McGrady gets for being hurt. I think it has to do with the fact that Yao gets severely injured in ways that can't make it impossible for him to play and then works his ass off to get back on the court ASAP. In contrast,Tracy seems to get sidelines for more nagging injuries (the kind that many people here don't think Yao would miss time for, whether that's true or not).
well, thank god we've artest now! well, except for the fact that artest is averaging fewer games per season (< 60) than yao and t-mac. and hayesfan, i think his point was that while both of our stars have had their share of injuries, it's mcgrady who's always getting bashed because he's so soft with all his injuries. reality is, this whole toughness/softness talk is bs. toughness has very little to do with missing games. none of our stars is soft because they have missed a lot of games.
Yao speaks a lot less in media, and he isn't a prone target for journalists to twists his words around with. Of course, that is not to say they won't. Yao isn't a guy who'll voice too much subjective opinions, but when he does. The "Yao seems to hate Ron Artest" incident will happen again.
Agreed. Yao had serious injuries that made him miss big chunks of games in a row. McGrady's injuries are minor compared to Yao's and he missed spurts of games here and there. People automatically think that TMac should play through those kinds of "minor" injuries, which I think is ridiculous. Battier's current injury is "minor" too. Nobody thinks Battier is soft or lazy.
the standard for tracy is different. carl landry had the same injury as tmac did last yr and took WAY longer to get back on the court and nobody said a thing. it's accepted around here; the same people will bash tmac. no need to bring these things up
Well mainly this one. As my post says, everyone always says that, I know. But in most comments you hear, Tracy, tissue, period, and such in the same sentence. Yao, it's definitely a different tone to why he's hurt as much as McGrady. It's just a thing that irks me that's all. I figure they are both in the same boat. If you are going to hate, hate on them both. If you are going to make excuses for one, you make them for both. Edit/Add: Aw man, I stepped away to take care of something, and there were a lot of replies, heheh.
When you are as big as Yao, you are going to get injured. The legs of a 310-pounder are not going to last the same as someone that is 220 pounds. If you look at the amount of games that Shaquille O'Neal has played throughout his career, it is equivalent to Yao. I expect Yao to miss more games per season as he gets older. Tracy on the other hand doesn’t look like he is committed to the weight room. His legs still look as skinny as they were when he first entered the league. With as many injuries as he has had over his career, you would think that his personal trainer would have been fired. I question whether Tmac puts in as much time with injury prevention that other athletes do.
Yao has had 3 straight seasons of playing 57 games or less. Before 2005-2006, Shaq had 6 straight seasons of 67+ games played. The games he did miss were usually because Shaq would like to take nights off to be fresh for the playoffs...he rarely had any major injuries. When he got very committed to the weight room, he gained too much weight and went on to have his worst season injury-wise in his career (2005-2006). T-Mac is a guy who is at his best physically when he is at a slimmer weight. Last year, despite the injuries, was his best year athletically since 2004-2005 because he lost 15lbs of weight in the offseason.
wat are the chances yao in injury prone for 4 strait seasons? cmon, he has to play 70+. tmac wont have a craplaod to carry so now his job is easier which means his body doesnt have to work as hard which means he prolly wont get injured like he usually does. 70+ from him is good
Here are the comparisons. The numbers are the same. Yao Year Games 02-03 82 03-04 82 04-05 80 05-06 57 06-07 48 07-08 55 Shaq Year Games 92-93 81 93-94 81 94-95 79 95-96 54 96-97 51 97-98 60 98-99 49
You kind of illustrate my point. Yao is injured b/c of his size. Tracy is b/c he's not commited. This is the general concensus. Not his scoliosis. I'm no doctor, but maybe doing squats or leg thrusts (or whatever leg exercises) puts too much strain on his back? Sure, Tracy has had nagging injuries that have kept him out a few games during a season. Oh wait, the "nagging" injuries were back spasms, a busted knee that he is still playing on, a bum shoulder he's still wearing some padding on. Anything else, he seems to go out and play. Yao bulked up and seemed to lose his finesse. To me, it looks like he toned down the bulk a little and seems more agile. Well, as agile as he can be. I think Tracy is the same way. Too much bulk makes them slightly less agile. No bueno. I find it hard to believe that at this point in Tracy's career, he hasn't put the research (and/or money) into finding out how he should be working out to make sure he can try and stay healthy during the season.
The NBA is extremely demanding, physically. A very, very small percentage of the population are capable of meeting those demands. Is it really a given that any player can make himself durable simply by following the correct work out plan? McGrady isn't huge like Yao. But he has his own body issues, if I'm not mistaken. It sucks, because he's such a talent, and his athleticism used to be so awe-inspiring -- but maybe this is just what his body is going to be like at this point.
its a 82 game season, with both of them drawing physical double team pounding every night. Mcgrady has Scolisis and Yao has his massive weight I'm surprised anyone is surprised they get injuries to be honest. If Kobe had scolosis he would be just as injured.
Greg Oden has played in 0.5/83 = 0.006% of his games. That number will go down as he sits out the next month or so.
I think both has had their injury issues. Tracy injuries aren't not because of his lack of commitment and his body has gotten stronger since the early yrs. You don't play at his level by not being committed. I think yao injuries, especially the last was from the small recovery time from constant balling. Someone brought up Shaq and his missed games, but I think u have to factor in the playoff games too.
