NBA Fans are. . .

obviously morons.

Yao Ming was voted as the starter for the Western Conference All-Star team. Yes, the Yao Ming for the Houston Rockets who played in a grand total of 5 games this year before getting hurt. The Yao Ming whose stats for the year are 51 points, 27 rebounds, 8 blocks and 4 assists. Total. That guy was elected to the All-Star team. As a starter. That's a major kick in the junk to every other starting center in the Western Conference. Granted, he's 15 of 16 from the free throw line. Apparently you just can't put a high enough value on that kind of performance.

Not elected to the All-Star team? Kevin Love, who in one game this year had 31 rebounds, which would be more than Yao's season total. He's also averaging 21.4 points per game, which more than doubles Yao's measly 10.2. Maybe Love's problem is that he's listed as a power forward and has to go for votes against guy's like Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki and Blake Griffin. And also that the Western Conference isn't starting a power forward, which is just strange.

Also a moron is the guy who wrote an article about the All-Star team snubs and mentioned Joakim Noah. Now, I'm obviously biased against Noah because he's not on the Celtics and looks ridiculous, but I'm a reasonable person so I'll listen to the argument for his place on the squad. Until the guy supporting him (who is a writer for ESPN and not some random schmo) ends his blurb with the following sentence.

Thanks to injury, he has played just 24 games, and a lot of Chicago's best ball has come with Noah in funky street clothes.

So the team is playing great, and possibly better, without him, but he's an All-Star? Not buying it.

And sorry, NBA fans, you had your chance and you blew it. The All-Star game shouldn't be a popularity contest. It's not a high school election.

*UPDATE* - David Stern, the NBA commissioner, obviously reads this blog. It was just announced in the last couple hours that Yao's spot will be filled by Kevin Love since obviously Yao won't actually be attending due to injury. Thanks for reading, Dave!

-Jon