Quandary of the day: Do I root for China?

I like Yao Ming.
I want Yao to do well.

Even at the Olympics.
Especially when the Olympics are being held in his hometown. I mean, Yao is one of the top 2-3 athletes in all of China. That's a billion-plus built-in fans. Not bad!

My question for today, however, is whether I should cheer for Yao and his fellow Chinese basketball players. Yao's already made the game of basketball hugely popular in the Far Eastern Hemisphere... but what about those of us with vested interests in the Western Hemisphere?

I've already made my opinion clear that I am not convinced the U.S. Men's basketball team will runaway and win the gold easily. That said, I'm not exactly concerned about China being the team to stop them. Which means I don't really consider China to be "the competition" right now - which allows me to support Yao's team without any feelings of guilt. I mean, I like Yao a lot, but I'm American, dammit - and I have no problems chanting "U.S.A., U.S.A.!" when it matters.

Enough dawdling... the point I am trying to make today is this:

China plays a quarterfinal game tomorrow. China finished pool play 2-3 but now can compete for a bronze or silver medal. Yao has been playing a lot more than expected this summer (and let's not forget he's not exactly healthy). I love that Yao has been angry in defeat. Love it. But I also want Yao to be able to be angry when the Rockets lose (on those rare occasions).

So the question is:

(a) Do I root for Yao/China and hope the Chinese go as far as they can?

or

(b) Do I root for Yao/China to lose a close game tomorrow and immediately get Yao shipped back to Houston to prepare for the 2008/09 season?

Thoughts following Yao v. the United States

I actually woke up at 8am yesterday to watch Yao take on the United States... aka "the Redeem Team" (which just may be the dumbest moniker ever). Not that I expected China to compete with the U.S. team - I just wanted to see how Yao looked in his first real, true game action since February.

How'd he look? Pretty good for a guy playing at 60%!!

Yao even buried a 3 to start the game! (link is terrible video quality... sorry 'bout that). For some unexplainable, crazy-ass reason, Yao played 30 minutes yesterday. Or, put another way, 75% of the game. Why the hell would China use Yao so extensively in a game they could not reasonably expect to win? If China is that interested and serious about making it to the Medal Round, over-using Yao in Game #1 probably isn't the best idea. You are going to need the big fella for your other handful of games... why potentially ruin a good thing on the first day?

In the end, China got fatigued (such a surprise!), the United States went on a couple of big runs and put the game away in the third quarter.

Yao finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds -- and look at that, he made 6-6 from the FT line! Eat that, Dwight Howard! Not a bad start for a guy playing on a bum foot still. Of course, Yao falling down and clutching his ankle in the third quarter made me cringe and start cries of "get up, Yao! Get up!" - yeah, I was a bit scared. He looks to be okay though...

Other thoughts? The U.S. team is not going to win the gold. They still do not play like a team unless they have a 30 point lead and want to try alley-oops. Simple half-court offense is difficult for a team when they have 4 Type "A" personalities on the floor each demanding the basketball. As much as I love Kobe... even he got shot happy yesterday. For no reason. Unless you think he's trying to justify being the most popular player in China. I just have a weird feeling the U.S. LeBrons are going to get tripped up by Lithuania, Argentina or Spain in the Medal Round. Those are teams that are used to playing close games and having to grind it out in the 4th quarter. The Americans have no such experience to date.

Then again, I hope they prove me wrong and get to face Yao again in the Finals. (Though a matchup with Argentina and resident badass Luis Scola would be entertaining, too. Even though Scola's gang surprisingly lost yesterday...)