Do You Believe in Yi?

by Atma Brother ONE on Nov 15, 2007 1:15 PM PST in NBA

On today's ESPN Daily Dime NBA analyst David Thorpe calls Yi Jianlian of The Yi Movement fame the "best rookie to date" even considering Kevin Durant and says Yi "plays like a veteran". The movement has come a long way my friends- and yes it does seem like this has become my favorite topic when the Warriors are stinking up the joint more than George Mureşan's cologne (MUST SEE YouTUBE clip by the way).

It ain't Yi-zy being Yi!
(Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

Here's more of Thorpe's take on Yi:

Yi's play has been both surprising and inspiring. Surprising in that no one has a bigger cultural change to adjust to, yet Yi looks like he's been an NBA pro for years. He has a clear plan for success and has executed that plan with discipline and talent.

Yi has an excellent shooting stroke (though a base that is too wide oftentimes) with range beyond the 3-point line. Yet, he has done a terrific job of spotting up inside the line and taking higher percentage shots, making 43.8 percent. Eventually he will choose to take the 3 over the long 2 more frequently, but his plan of easing into the NBA game and trying to experience more success early is right on.

What I love about Yi's offensive game is his versatility and mental acuity. In a series of plays, we will see him post up and back his guy down, face up in the midpost, slash to an opening inside, go glass, and play off the ball beautifully. And he does all of it with passion and purpose.

His agility for a guy his size is impressive, as is his "smoothness" as an athlete, but he also has a fire around the rim (averaging 6.9 boards per game) that will serve him well for years. That fire helps him on defense, too, where he has blocked at least one shot in all but two games so far, with multiple blocks in four. Watching him play leaves me wondering: What kind of numbers would he be putting up if he were playing in Seattle? He's averaging 11 ppg in Milwaukee.

Sounds like a player the Warriors could use right now, particularly for rebounding and shotblocking. Haha well I guess even Chris Gatling at the age of 40 could help the un-undefeated Warriors right now.

It really makes you wonder what would've happened if the Warriors fulfilled the Yi Movement this season. Chris Mullin went to scout him in China last year and the Warriors were heavily rumored to be in the running for the athletic Chinese big man's services (see linkfest after the jump). Just like with K to the G you can't really blame them for not trying.

For the 1st 7 games I'm guessing the Warriors lineup would look something like:

PG: Baron Davis
SG: Kelenna Azubuike
SF: Al Harrington
PF: Yi Jianlian
C: Andris Biedrins

Bench Rotation: Matt Barnes, Monta Ellis, Mickael Pietrus

And with Captain Jack S(tephen)parrow on board ship for game 8:

PG: Baron Davis
SG: Stephen Jackson
SF: Al Harrington
PF: Yi Jianlian
C: Andris Biedrins

Bench Rotation: Kelenna Azubuike (or maybe he's a starter and Al or Yi have the 6th man role), Matt Barnes, Monta Ellis, Mickael Pietrus

Who knows whether the Warriors would still be 0-6 with Easy Yi on board, but it sure would've been fun to enjoy the doughnut start with over 1 billion more die hard Warriors fans. It's honestly way too early to say how Yi's NBA career will pan out, but right now it looks like he's going to be both worthy of that 6th pick (Yi- please don't make me look like a fool!) and the 1.5 year long GSoM Yi Movement hype, jokes, science, and drama (I laughed, I cried, etc, etc).

Check this piece from Chad Ford's ESPN chat this morning as well:

Phu, Indianapolis, IN: Yi is better than Durant?

Chad Ford: I don't think so ... but in the early going he's been better. But he's also several years older. And, he also had much less pressure and way more support. Durant is trying to do everything in Seattle. Yi is a complimentary player. But with that said, I think all of the talk about Yi being a bust was a bigger case of xenophobia than actually basketball scouting. It was clear he had the tools, size and athleticism to be good. He was ranked No. 4 on our big board at the end of the season. I'd stick with that. Oden, Durant and Al Horford were ranked ahead. Unless Oden is never healthy, I think those 4 will be the best of the class.

Ya digg Yi? By the way where all the Yi Movement haters at now?

(You'll want to turn off your speakers for this one...)

[via TrueHoop - sinobball]

Throwing it down so Yi-sily.
(Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Yi Sage at GSoM:

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Comments

Relax on the Yi Movement Haters, AB1

As I pointed out last week after I watched Yi play...

I was watching Yi in his first game just to see if he could handle the flow and pace of the NBA game. I wasn't really interested in his stat line, which was nothing special.

I was totally blown away.

Count me among the Yi-questioners before the season. You just cannot be convinced until you watch a player in game play.

It's not like any of us went to China to watch Yi train or play. I wasn't scouting the last 4 seasons of the Guangdong Tigers to see how Yi fit into the Chinese motion offense. And watching Yi conduct spin moves on a chair in an empty gym wasn't convincing me much anyway.

Yes, it looks like Yi will be a good to very good NBA player. But at the time he was a big time gamble (some would say he still is a gamble), and seriously, he isn't really the hard-nosed bulldog in the middle that the Warriors truly need.

by UncleCliffy on Nov 15, 2007 1:55 PM PST reply actions

Well said

You can't blame people for being a little skeptical. Plus, I think even the Yi defenders among us were pretty sick of reading his name after the 1,000,000th main-board post on the subject.

Too bad we can't hear from GSoM's #1 Yi skeptic, "SkepticconUrquell," who seemed to take a permanent vacation from this place when his Yi "skepticism" started verging on race-baiting...

You got to give it up to him though -- the guy he really wanted, Al Horford, is looking like a total stud right now. (9.1 pts, 10.4 rebs in 31 m/g). Yi looks pretty exciting, but Horford would have been the absolute perfect fit for us. Then again, we were never close to getting the #3 pick, so no point in tearing our hair out. All in all, I'm still pretty happy with BWright at #8. Patience, dudes...

by Sleepy Freud on Nov 15, 2007 3:48 PM PST up reply actions

In all seriousness

The guys I liked more than Yi at the time of the draft:

Greg Oden (obviously)
Kevin Durant (obviously)
Al Horford (def would've helped the Warriors' main weaknesses)
Corey Brewer (I think FJ and his highlights really sold me on him a few days before the draft)

I just thought unlike those 4 Yi was attainable because of projected draft slot, Warriors interest, and Yi's camp looking for a Asian gateway city/ big market.

Plus Yi won the all-telling GSoM community poll which was right 2 years in a row at that point

by Atma Brother ONE on Nov 15, 2007 3:56 PM PST up reply actions

Chad Ford Journalist?

Chad Ford: ... Yi is a complimentary player.

It's always nice to have guys on your team who applaud their teammates, but complementary players are much more valuable.

by jae on Nov 15, 2007 2:18 PM PST reply actions

But that's what makes Yi so special

Complimenting teammates!

(Okay, that's a bad joke)

by Atma Brother ONE on Nov 15, 2007 2:30 PM PST up reply actions

Cabbages

Now there was the ultimate complimentary player.

Winless without him. Coincidence?

by Sleepy Freud on Nov 15, 2007 3:34 PM PST up reply actions

I like Yi...

...and I was hoping the Warriors would get him. But obviously they tried and they couldn't get it done. And they tried to get KG, and that too would have made sense, but they couldn't get that done either. The problem is that they had a playoff team last year, and they drafted Brandan Wright, who may be good some day but is a project. It's OK to lament not getting Yi, but that wasn't possible. But why in the name of everything holy didn't they draft Thornton, who besides being much better NOW than Wright, was also (in accounts I've read anyway) the player that Minnesota wanted in a theoretical trade for KG.

They traded up, losing a guy in J-Rick who could help them win now, to get a guy who can't. It's never made sense to me.

by taliesin on Nov 15, 2007 3:23 PM PST reply actions

Heh

Yeah, that would be J-Rich. I don't know who is J-Rick.

by taliesin on Nov 15, 2007 3:25 PM PST up reply actions

Anyone want to buy the Bucks vs Warriors game?

I can't go to the game because a conflicting event on that night.

I've seats right behind GSoM crew in section 109 row 28 (seats 19, 20). Just throw me a post with your email and perhaps we can work out a deal.

by mcwalter44 on Nov 15, 2007 3:40 PM PST reply actions

i havent had a chance to see him play yet

but what i saw from that video he seems alright. i think he might be playing better is cuz his obviously surrounded by better players (redd, charlie V) while durant is surrounded by no one.

by gswLLBatman on Nov 15, 2007 3:49 PM PST reply actions

why

Why is it that somehow you guys always have a Yi thread up and why he is good and how the Warriors should get him.

I don't care. It's not realistic and it has nothing to do pertaining to the Warriors.
I come here for dub stuff, not on some young hotshot chinese baller that plays in the midwest.

my 2.

by jtoj @ Golden State Of Mind on Nov 15, 2007 4:03 PM PST reply actions

B Wright looked pretty sweet last night

oh yeah and did u check out Yi's game vs. memphis... nice!

by Proof on Nov 15, 2007 4:23 PM PST reply actions

I missed the part where the Warriors were going to

pick Yi. They tried to move up and did, but weren't successful in getting the Yi spot. Milwaukee doesn't need JRich.

by callahan on Nov 15, 2007 4:31 PM PST reply actions

I agree with jtoj...........

I you want to continue a weekly Yi piece, why don't you just make a Yi site? He isn't even close to the most talented player that the Warriors have passed on in the past 10+ years, it is time to move on from the Chairman Yi obsession.

Ballin' like its '88!

by manutefor3 on Nov 15, 2007 5:26 PM PST reply actions

umm..

well, we (5 of us) created the site and have covered things outside of Warriors hoops for as long as this site has existed.

we weren't hired to run this site or hired by SBNation to write about warriors hoops. it just so happens that Warriors hoops is the overarching focus but our interested include a lot of other things that are interrelated to (professional) hoops. we are 100 % conscious of what we are doing, but also have 100 % creative control over the things we choose to write about.

by dj fuzzylogic on Nov 15, 2007 8:41 PM PST up reply actions

ya

That's understandable, but it seems like every other day I see a Yi post. i know most of you (5) are asian and are proud to have a hyped brethren, but it really gets old. Like I was saying, there is no reason to have "Liek, OMG YI ALMOST ROTY" posts every other week. Ya he's a decent player and gonna be a good one in the future, but taking up posts on the front page of a designated Warrior fan blog - as said by SB Nation - just doesn't work. Yi isn't going to play for the Warriors in the near future, he doesn't even play in the area, he's just a player you 5 liked and wanted to follow as a prospective Warrior. That didn't happen. Too bad.

by jtoj @ Golden State Of Mind on Nov 15, 2007 10:17 PM PST up reply actions

l

Last time i check this is the GOLDEN STATE of Mind.
Not Yi State of Mind.

by jtoj @ Golden State Of Mind on Nov 15, 2007 10:19 PM PST up reply actions

Yup too bad

In the past 4 months there have been 2 front page posts about Yi according to my calculations. It's pretty odd why that bothers you so much.

But to break my man Fuzzy's point down into simpler terms- It's our site. We made this badboy from scratch. We can write whatever we want. We're not writing to please anyone here, we're writing to have a good time. If some people don't like what we write or how we write, that's perfectly fine. I'm sure they can find other spots on the web and have a good time. We've never changed our style or formula for anyone and we never will.

Unstoppable baby.

by Atma Brother ONE on Nov 15, 2007 10:29 PM PST up reply actions

using your logic

proposing trades that will probably never happen but are fun to talk about would be completely pointless and utterly irrelevant. Besides, don't people talk about past draft blunders all the time. Wasn't the Bowie v. Jordan debate rekindled for the umpteenth time with Durant and Oden?

Further, the Yi hype on the blog was in part a joke, but part serious. Why do people who don't care about Yi constantly use race to explain why we care about him in spite of all the further proof of why we think he would be a great fit? Do white people like white players more than black players? and do black players only like white players? Is Jim Thorpe and Chris Ford's recent hype-generating piece on Yi not good enough to say that we like Yi--race aside? Or are they only saying that because they're .... Asian? Last time I checked, they weren't. Would I have preferred Durant, Oden, or Horford? Of course! But Yi -- at the time prior to the draft -- seemed like a legitimate prospect for the Warriors.

by dj fuzzylogic on Nov 15, 2007 10:29 PM PST up reply actions

[edit]

*do black players only root for black players?

and

*Yi seemed like a legitimate prospect for our team given the fact that those 3 were pretty much locked in for 1-2-3 and there was probably no way to get into those spots... and if we could. we probably woulda snagged one of those 3 in the first place.

by dj fuzzylogic on Nov 15, 2007 10:32 PM PST up reply actions

okay

Bringing up the race card, classy. I don't see any other draft pick infatuations on this site. Where's the Noah love? The Thaddeus Young love? The Julian Wright love? The AL Thornton love?
Where's all that? I am just saying, by falling in love with a player that you have been eying for a while now, and not getting that player in a draft, doesn't mean that you can kill us with how good he is doing..... on another team. Especially when the dubs aren't doing so well right now. Yeah, I see plenty of analysis of Wright and Belinelli, and I do read, that stuff should be on the front. Move some of those diarys to the front. Just get rid of this overrated love for Yi Jianlan that gets old with every point that he makes.

by jtoj @ Golden State Of Mind on Nov 15, 2007 10:37 PM PST up reply actions

plus

The trade stuff isn't what bothers me. It's just that he is everywhere. Trade speculations and dream proposals are fine. But there is a fine line with passion and obsession.

by jtoj @ Golden State Of Mind on Nov 15, 2007 10:40 PM PST up reply actions

how did i pull the race card

when you did it first assuming that we liked him so much because he was the same "bretheren"?

by dj fuzzylogic on Nov 15, 2007 10:58 PM PST up reply actions

well

See, you read what I typed, not what was said.
What i said was that that was not the basis of my argument, I just stated it early so you wouldn't bring it up again and confuse it. Which you did.

by jtoj @ Golden State Of Mind on Nov 15, 2007 11:05 PM PST up reply actions

so..

why didn't you just type what you meant to say?

by dj fuzzylogic on Nov 15, 2007 11:12 PM PST up reply actions

cuz

I'd thought an educated person like yourself would have understood it.
Completely my fault.
Let's just drop it and together root for the dubs tomorrow.

by jtoj @ Golden State Of Mind on Nov 15, 2007 11:18 PM PST up reply actions

That's just weak

An "educated person like yourself"?

I also like how you failed to acknowledge what I wrote:

In the past 4 months there have been 2 front page posts about Yi according to my calculations. It's pretty odd why that bothers you so much.

Seems like you're the one with an obsession and some strange fabrication of facts.

by Atma Brother ONE on Nov 15, 2007 11:23 PM PST up reply actions

f

Fine, bring it back up.
I wasn't even talking to you but if you must....
What where those 25+ links listed above? where those not GSoM highlight posts by one of you "5"? And why the hell should I believe your calculations anyways? how do I know that's not a fabrication of facts? And I have an obsession? I wanna hear just what you say that I "fabricated".

by jtoj @ Golden State Of Mind on Nov 15, 2007 11:32 PM PST up reply actions

Buke & ROY

we might think about pumping up Buke for ROY status if he goes a couple months strong - something to put a movement behind to carry us to the trading deadline and stretch drive to the 8th spot ...

by hardcore on Nov 15, 2007 6:46 PM PST reply actions

Are you sure he's eligible?

If so, that's definitely something to root for. Certainly more realistic than the "Baron for MVP" pipedream (at this point it's basically a two-horse race between LeBron and Garnett, with Baron a solid #15 or so) and probably more realistic than the Warriors making the playoffs...

by Sleepy Freud on Nov 15, 2007 7:29 PM PST up reply actions

no idea

but it's something to root for amid the darkness ...

desperately trying to counter the negativity, which was a predictable outcome of our personnel decisions this summer, but then again I'm preaching to the choir ...

by hardcore on Nov 15, 2007 10:16 PM PST up reply actions

No ROY, but MIP

In baseball I think Kaz would qualify for the ROY, but in the NBA you have to be a true first year player. But he's a shoo-in for MIP if he keeps it up.

http://www.goldenstateofmind.com/story/2007/10/22/221544/48#

by Atma Brother ONE on Nov 15, 2007 10:18 PM PST up reply actions

Yi Yes, Nellie No

Hypothetically, what makes any of you think Yi or even Horford would be playing much? Nellie doesn't like rookies. He likes to play his veterans until they drop like flies in the fourth quarter. You can read more on this topic in Muritqua's blog entry from today (Nellie: The solution and the problem).

You call me ancient, I say "oldguysrule"

by commish on Nov 15, 2007 8:32 PM PST reply actions

Brandon Wright

Showed that he could rebound last game. I think that his missed free throws were a show of his nervousness. When the kid is in action, he does good. Once the pressures on, (Belinelli?), he kind of hesitates.
Just for laughs, there was this bastard in the row behind me last game booing BWright, telling him to go back to UNC. He was saying JRich was better. Me and this lady behind me told him to "Shut up." C'mon. You don't boo the Warriors no matter how much you disagree with what they did. Anyways, this guy almost got a beat down from many people.
Yi could have been better, but why curse the darkness? If BWright doesn't produce like Yi Wright away, don't get upset. He's already made Nelli BELIEVE in his potential. I think we are going to watch him mature in much the same way that Biedrins and Monta did. But with his unique body type, I think that he will emerge as a lesser Shawn Marion. With his quickness and length, his versatility in defense will soon be exploited in match-ups the same way, (though I doubt he could take Parker). Once he gets more comfortable on offense, I would say in about 10-15 games, I think that Wright will be the game changing player that we need. We just need to keep playing him.
So Yi is good. We may have missed out. Hmm.

Beli or Bust

by danielholl on Nov 15, 2007 8:38 PM PST reply actions

Yi?!

complaining about GSoM covering the Yi movement is weak if you've been around here longer than you've been weaned from your momma's ...

Yi was a topic raised in the D A R K E S T hour, the summer of 2006, and is no less a legit fascination than the KG or Kobe watches that we all experienced this past summer and fall

y'all enjoy making y'r NFL predictions, so anything NBA related seems fair game - well, that is except unsubstantiated claims 'bout Zeke's private life ...

by hardcore on Nov 15, 2007 10:22 PM PST reply actions

re

So now that he's in Milwaukee why does that still pertain to the Warriors?
We're not gonna get his ass, let's forget about it and concentrate on our 0-6 team instead of going back to what coulda been.

by jtoj @ Golden State Of Mind on Nov 15, 2007 10:25 PM PST up reply actions

so the Kobe and Wallace and ...

all the other diaries about the NBA are now inappropriate for GSoM? You know, I don't care about Yi or the Bucks, but watching other team's players is part of the scene, get over it and if you don't want to read the post then don't ... no one's forcing you to ...

by hardcore on Nov 15, 2007 10:31 PM PST up reply actions

re

It's hard not to read and see the Yi stuff when it's on the front page and the Rasheed Wallace and Kobe Bryant stuff isn't.

by jtoj @ Golden State Of Mind on Nov 15, 2007 10:38 PM PST up reply actions

point'n the finger

at the main page producers doesn't change the points

you can make the c h o i c e to read & comment on it or not
it's about the N B A so get over it

and

- YOU can post a diary - think about a constructive piece rather than just criticizing other's ...

by hardcore on Nov 15, 2007 10:58 PM PST up reply actions

u

I chose to read and comment on it.
so what?
I ain't pointing fingers, I'm just asking why.

by jtoj @ Golden State Of Mind on Nov 15, 2007 11:04 PM PST up reply actions

I really must say...

...I'm "gee!" for Yi.

by Zack Vank on Nov 16, 2007 12:30 AM PST reply actions

c'mon

i m a bit tired of this Yi stuff

you're making me guess reasons of so strong promotion of this player

and if i m guessing then i have to answer myself to questions like that:

-is it money?
-is it race?
-is it hits hosts etc. ?
-is it talent of this guy?
-is it something what i never find out?

my answer to all this questions is YESS -PARTLY -but thats IMO

i m tired a bit -and not just me
-but keep do what yo're doing -you have rigts

whatever

by Lat We N Trash on Nov 16, 2007 3:23 AM PST reply actions

Yi Movement

is pretty pointless for us Warriors fans. First of all, he was picked 6th overall in this year's draft. We had the 18th slot before the J-Rich trade. It really doesn't matter about how well Yi Jianlian is as a player for us. If he was picked later in the lottery, then maybe all of this hype would matter.

by Phil T28 on Nov 16, 2007 12:05 PM PST reply actions

Atma

I like Yi a lot -- and would've liked to have seen him as a Warrior, even tho he doesn't fill out Horford-Noah need for a defensive presence down low. And you guys can, of course, write anything you want on the site you've created.

But, truth be told, there's little doubt in my mind, at least, that Yi gets so much ink on GSOM for one primary reason: he's Asian. (Put another way, if the guy were black or white he wouldn't get the same coverage here.) Not a problem, as I've said, but that's certainly the reality. Right?

As for our W's, the key for me remains how Nelson is playing BD. I reiterate the formula for success with him: (1) no more than 36 minutes a game, period; (2) no more than three dribbles past the half court line (no pounding; pass the ball early and often); and (3) no more threes unless BD's set and open by at least 10 feet or, inexcusably, the shot clock's expiring. If Nelson would just TRY this formula, I'd be quite happy. Right now he won't give it a shot (he's becoming Nolan-like in his inflexibility on this), and he STILL has nothing to show for it but a BD who's worthless (sometimes even a negative because he's so worn out) in crunch time. (Granted, it would also help if Monta weren't so consistently MIA this year, especially -- like BD, as the game wears on -- on defense, but BD remains the key, and Nellie needs to use him right.)

by johnl on Nov 16, 2007 1:06 PM PST reply actions

re

Thank You.

by jtoj @ Golden State Of Mind on Nov 16, 2007 8:16 PM PST up reply actions

Whoa!

Well put it this way; if he was black I dont think any of you guys would be criticizing him and saying that he isnt good enough for our team. If he was white everyone would still criticize him for being weak or something like that. Just because he's asian doesnt mean he isnt a good player. Whoever hates Yi is just being a little "racist" because he is talented and would've been a perfect fit.

Atma - Keep the Yi Movement going, though it has a small chance of coming true. It just seems so good to prove haters wrong!

Johnl- I'm not really trying to attack you, I'm mainly attacking everyone who is a hater. You put up a solid post and you are entitled to it.

Ballin

by ballin on Nov 17, 2007 8:36 AM PST up reply actions

Yi and His Asianess

I think that's a fair point/ question johnl and I think you approached this very respectfully and honestly, so I give you a ton of credit. To tell you the truth if I had to break it down to percentages I think the role his Yi's Asian-ness plays in the past GSoM hype at least for me was about 10%. I think the bigger factor was that we "scouted" and hyped him on when he wasn't on the NBA media map and he was at least my "project". It was like watching a younger brother blow up.

And keep in mind I'm not Chinese or East Asian, I'm Indian (South Asian). So the claim (not that you're making this one) that I'm justing hyping up someone because he's my "brethren" is misleading.

The thing that fascinates me about any Yi piece on GSoM is how much disproportionate negative attention they get. Before this past week the last Yi post was on July 2nd 2007. It's been 4 months since there was a Yi post on the front page and people make these ridiculous accusations there are Yi posts here every week- not that there's anything wrong with that if that was the case, but it isn't.

The other thing that fascinates me is how it brings out so many negative and upset posters from out of nowhere. Before manutefor3's post in this thread complaining about the "Chairman Yi obsession" (seems like a pretty unfounded nasty analogy) he hadn't posted here in over a month and a half. jtoj has posted 12 comments in this thread after not posting for a week and being a fairly sporadic poster before that. What is it about this Yi topic that brings people out from hiding and gets them posting how they upset they are? Is it because he's Asian?

Tell me who are the ones who are obsessed here.

I think JB summed up the GSoM Yi Movement stuff the best back on July 4, 2007:
http://www.goldenstateofmind.com/comments/2007/7/3/1111/88656/53#53

last summer
was so dry and dreary on the W front until Mullin pulled Nelson out of mothballs (couldn't trade Baron, couldn't trade Foyle, couldn't trade Dunleavy or Murphy, etc.) that any fresh "movement" became an oasis in the desert on this site. Yi movement was a joke, grew into a fascination, became a sincere interest, then a passion all based upon the response by us, not just the admin of GSoM. Ya did they hype it? Sure. Are some of the admin asian, ya. But did they exclude other stories? Not a chance, when Nelson came back this site went bananas, and there are countless other examples we could site that have zero asian bias. If there is any persistent bias on GSoM it's in another direction as far as I can see over the past year.

The other thing I'll add is that Warriors showed sincere interest in Yi and it was heavily rumored they were trying to get him. So this was a legitimate Warriors topic, not that that's the only thing we can write about here. We also blog about fashion, general NBA topics (more to come on that section for sure), NFL, and other topics way more than we do about Yi the past few months. So the claim that this should be "Yi State of Mind" is pretty curious.

But I do want everyone to look at how johnl approached this discussion and emulate it- intelligently, creatively, and honestly. A few others in this discussion would make this site better if they did the same.

by Atma Brother ONE on Nov 17, 2007 9:25 AM PST up reply actions

Lemme just say one thing

I don't hate Yi.
I would love for him to be a Warrior. It's just that all this attention he is getting on this site just doesn't work for me and some others. You say the last Yi post was on July, but look at all those links above! Must've taken a while for you guys to get them all, unless they were bookmarked. I know the Yi Movement<sup>TM</sup> was grass rooted and started up by many readers, and that you guys embraced it knowing that it would be a fun thing to do and hope and root for, but the NBA draft passed, and we didn't get him. Oh well. But this continuation of his progress saying he's "ROTY" and how we should trade for him and how he's very good just doesn't cut it. Race aside, it would get repetitive for many people. So what are you saying as far as me and manutefor3 not talking a lot, but when this comes up, we come out of our "hiding"? What are you trying to say? Are we obsessed with Yi? No way, you guys are. But we are obsessed with all the timing and the frequency of his threads/diaries.

by jtoj @ Golden State Of Mind on Nov 17, 2007 9:48 AM PST up reply actions

Seriously what's your point?

It's just that all this attention he is getting on this site just doesn't work for me and some others.

Who cares? So the GSoM writers are supposed to stop writing about any topic we enjoy just because you and a few others don't enjoy it? Since when did you become the editor?

You say the last Yi post was on July, but look at all those links above!

And what's your point? The last Yi post was in July. What do the links collected from over a year and half have anything to do with that? He was linked to the Warriors and we covered it. I researched him for over a year and I posted my thoughts.

Must've taken a while for you guys to get them all, unless they were bookmarked.

Copy and paste from old post my friend, just like we do for every rumor or post topic. We always try to link to the related posts we've done. Like the Allen Iverson (who is my favorite player in the NBA) to the Warriors trade rumors.

Look when we're interested in something here at GSoM we cover it like no other. I don't remember hearing you complain about the AI coverage or saying that we were just interested in him because he was Black.

But this continuation of his progress saying he's "ROTY" and how we should trade for him and how he's very good just doesn't cut it.

Your failure to read carefully is astounding. Show me where in the above piece I said we was going to be the ROY? Also show me where in the above piece I proposed a trade for Yi or said we should trade for him? The above post was of the "imagine if..." type. It "doesn't cut it"? You do realize you're not our boss right? We don't write to meet your "standards". You do not get to decide what "cuts it".

Race aside, it would get repetitive for many people.

How can it get repetitive when aside from the 2 Yi posts this week- both very different and deserving of their own posts in our NBA section- there haven't been any posts about Yi in 4 months? What's getting repetitive is people making baseless claims about Yi coverage on GSoM and arrogantly and ignorantly acting like they can tell us what's okay for us to write about and what take we should have.

So what are you saying as far as me and manutefor3 not talking a lot, but when this comes up, we come out of our "hiding"? What are you trying to say? Are we obsessed with Yi? No way, you guys are. But we are obsessed with all the timing and the frequency of his threads/diaries.

Okay well you're now up to 13 straight posts complaining about anything Yi related on GSoM. You have yet to post about anything Warriors related or anything else. You've also failed to acknowledge your false accusations. That shows me tunnel-vision and obsession. Before you respond with something that's just going to embarrass you further and demonstrate your inability to talk about this topic rationally- do me one thing. Find out what percentage of the Yi posts that aren't directly Warriors related are of the total GSoM posts since The Yi Movement began make. I doubt you'll hit 1%. Hey, if you're going to say there's a Yi obsession here and that "every other day" you seem to see a Yi post here, prove it. Until then all your points are futile. With your selective reading and failure to make any substantial points or provide any well researched evidence, I'm going to have stop responding to you. It's just a waste of time. You're obviously not here to talk hoops and Warriors- you're here to whine. You're free to go somewhere else that meets your standards of Warriors coverage (though you're not going to find a more active Warriors blog than this one)- no one's stopping you.

by Atma Brother ONE on Nov 17, 2007 3:55 PM PST up reply actions

re

"You're free to go somewhere else that meets your standards of Warriors coverage"

I will.

You people criticize readers for their opinions. I don't need that. No point behind most of your articles and arguments. And on your challenge to see how many non-Warrior related articles on Yi? Need I look no further than November 9, Yao vs. Yi. Warrior-related? nope. check. Yi? check. After the Yi Movement began? check. check. check.
No depth to your Warrior analysis. It in itself whining (which you unfairly accused me of) of the officials, the coaching, and other inane stuff. The real depth is in the Diaries where there is no racism behind your posts. Yeah, I said it. Readers, look no further than Atma's previous blog. Go through the archives, and see him talk about "white-devils" everywhere. Do it. I don't need this shit. I'll take my Yi-manloving ass elsewhere.

Mad props readers + Tony.psd

by jtoj @ Golden State Of Mind on Nov 17, 2007 6:31 PM PST up reply actions

Again

You have no proof for any of your above statements. Where's your evidence?

by Atma Brother ONE on Nov 17, 2007 6:36 PM PST up reply actions

The "challenge"

Find out what percentage of the Yi posts that aren't directly Warriors related are of the total GSoM posts since The Yi Movement began make. I doubt you'll hit 1%. Hey, if you're going to say there's a Yi obsession here and that "every other day" you seem to see a Yi post here, prove it. Until then all your points are futile.

Nice job pointing to one post that I already said was one of the 2 since July and not telling us what % of posts at GSoM have been Yi related.

by Atma Brother ONE on Nov 17, 2007 6:48 PM PST up reply actions

Hey Guys

My Yi reference was largely a throw-away point: it would have been fun to have him (or, IMO preferably, Horford) as a Warrior. Didn't happen, so that's that.

My real point was that I wish Nellie would STOP playing BD 45 minutes a game, because I think it hurts the team to see him so run down in the 4th Q, when we need his smart play the most (and those off-balance long shots, after much pounding, the least). Today I see that BD logged only 36 minutes (IMO his upper limit for sustained good play) -- and, Zounds, we won a road game, in the morning, against a pretty fair team.

I just hope Nellie takes this to heart. Now, if we can just get Monta going -- cuz Belli-boy looks like he's a LONG ways away -- and start feeding BWright more minutes (I think he should play AT LEAST 10 a game now, especially since Jack knows better than anyone on the team how to work it in to big guys), we'll only be a good, "power four" away from being a very, very good team. BTW, can anyone figure out why -- when the W's are forced to run their half-court offense -- they don't set AB on the high post and have him feed the slashing swings (including Wright)? This would seem to be a natural for these guys, and would take some of the heat off BD. Thoughts anyone?

by johnl on Nov 18, 2007 6:28 PM PST up reply actions

BD's Minutes

I completely agree, but I see where Nellie is coming from. I think it will be easier now that Jack is back, but honestly this team desperately needs a backup PG. Monta is not the answer and it's just not Troy Hudson's game.

BTW, can anyone figure out why -- when the W's are forced to run their half-court offense -- they don't set AB on the high post and have him feed the slashing swings (including Wright)? This would seem to be a natural for these guys, and would take some of the heat off BD. Thoughts anyone?

I'm probably in the minority, but I really don't like the ball in Biedrins' hands unless he's a few feet away from the bucket for a catch and dunk. I don't think he has the ability to create for others (it's dangerous when he's dribbling or relied on to make difficult passes) or that the Warriors can run their offense through him in the high post. His strength is finishing, not creating. I'd rather have Nellie put Stephen Jackson, Baron Davis, or Al Harrington in the high post to feed some cutters.

by Atma Brother ONE on Nov 18, 2007 7:31 PM PST up reply actions