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]

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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?!?!?!?

[Enterprise]

Yao Ming to Shaq: "You're mother got her first job in a brothel in Shanghai."

[hchutch]

This is not a big deal.

Trash talks happens. It's part of sports.

[ewing]

And ESPN (who carries the NBA) buries an exclusive investigative story on its website, I didnt see it anywhere on the front page.

I credit Dan Patrick for having a pair to question Shaq on his radio show though.

[gaspar]

Always make your first foul a hard foul? That's the sort of thinking that has destroyed the essential beauty of American basketball -- along with palming, walking, backing in, holding, trashtalking and managers who have no control over their team. Basketball is now, as O'Neal says it is, a street game, played by and for muggers.

[My2Cents]

Well, I guess that destroys any chance of Shaq becoming Senate Majority Leader some day...

[Dog Gone]

I guess I'm so politically incorrect that I don't see it as a racial slur. He's making fun of the fact that Yao Ming is someone who barely speaks english and isn't an American.

It's rude, and certainly not politically correct, but a racial slur?

[dfwgator]

Trash talks happens. It's part of sports.

If a white player uses the N-word on a black player, he would be suspended and ordered to sensitivity training ala John Rocker.

[My2Cents]

Shaq said he would let his elbows do the talking.

More like his fat gut....Good ol' Fatty Shaq.

[dirtboy]

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

Shaq's a goon. He has polished his game a bit over the years, but it still primarily consists of muscling someone out of the way - something that in the past used to be considered an offensive foul - or shooting a baby hook if someone tries to maintain separation so Shaq can't muscle him. The problem is, Ming is tall enough that Shaq's gonna have a hard time shooting the baby hook over him, so Shaq will instead have to plow into Ming to try and get him out of the way. But that in turn puts the ball down where a guard can strip it under the new defensive rules.

[BenR2]

Ming is doing just fine.

Never said he wasn't. He's still a rookie: There is still an initiation phase. Nothing new.

[cactusSharp]

I'm not Shaq fan but in fairness this needs a mention
Shaq has never taken a dime from pro basketball in salary......he donates it to charity..Every dime of it.
Shaq lives on endorcements and investments.

bet the salary is directed to muslims now ? me thinks so

[ewing]

LOL! You sound like the sportscasters at ABC/ESPN

When a lesbian soccer player is suffering opression ESPN is the first on the scene, but bashing Asians racially is all in good fun

[dfwgator]

Basketball is now, as O'Neal says it is, a street game, played by and for muggers.

Another reason I was glad the US got their butts kicked at the World Championships. I hope the same happens to any so-called "Dream Team" in the future.

[EggsAckley]

Is there a reason this is just an excerpt? I went to the link and I was asked to "sign in." Couldn't get to the article. Just curious.

[The South Park Republican]

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

Yeah, real enlighted group these Shaq bashers...

What's next? "Nuke The NBA"? Well...It would solve their Shaq problems wouldn't it?

[Centurion2000]

It's rude, and certainly not politically correct, but a racial slur?

Ok, so then turn it around and see if the media would have freaked if Yao Ming told reporters about Shaquile O'Niel. Tell him " Wipe that chicken grease and chitlins off yo shirt and meet me in da hood boy"

You think that the media would have sat still for that ? B$

[dfwgator]

I agree, Shaq will never see 50 if he doesn't take care of his weight. Tall men don't live that long to begin with.

[Enterprise]

You're killing me - THAT WAS TOO FUNNY!!! LOL!!!

[ewing]

Boy I bet Louis Farrakhan is one happy camper today, and all of that NBA money is probably now a tax write off for Shaq as well..

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[Enterprise]

And let's not forget to mention the thousands of black children in school who are also American and can barely speak English.

[labowski]

Agreed, the only one you left out is travelling. It's nothing but street ball now. Btw, I wouldn't consider Shaq an athelete even, he just happens to be the biggest and tallest. Now, Michael Jordan is/was an athelete, but Shaq, not even close.

[JohnnyZ]

Hopefully O'Neil is smart enough not to try this at a Rockets home game

That damn Treasury Secretary is always mouthing off, what the heck problem does he have with Yao Ming???

;-)

[Enterprise]

"Good ol' Fatty Shaq."

Shaqqa the Hut.

[Guillermo]

I agree with you, and I think it's kind of funny.

This country is wayyyyy too hypersensitive.

[Denver Ditdat]

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

Yep.

I still don't think a white player talking to a reporter would get away with calling Shaq "Shaq-a-laq-a-ding-dong", though.

[ewing]

Shaq's agent is probably holed up in a hotel room for the next 4 days with no comment after O'Neal turned Muslim in the NY Post today and started dropping racial bombs!

[Recon by Fire]

I remember when Shaq was in 8th Grade, he was a sorry excuse for a b-ball player and I see he has not improved since then.