Link from christine's blog:
'Shaquille O’Neal told a reporter, “Tell Yao Ming, ‘ching-chong-yang-wah-ah-soh.’”
but...
'Shaquille O'Neal said he was joking, not being a racist, when he used a mock Chinese accent while talking about Houston center Yao Ming'
There were many many links: sports illustrated, sporting news, etc. where the title was just basically "Shaq did not mean it.. blah blah ..he's sorry.. blah blah.."
I do agree with the first article; if it was a Caucasian taunting an African American about hiS culture, the NAACP would be on their ass in a second - whether the guy waS kidding or not.
I hate hypocrisy.
Oh. and here's another interesting link:
Yao invites Shaq to dinner the night before the Lakers vs. Rockets game... but "Lakers forward Robert Horry . . . said there is no way Shaq would allow the competition to fatten him up on the night before a big game"

Damn Sports Illustrated and their insinuating title .... " A friendly gesture? Or a savvy piece of gamesmanship? " What the hell did they think Yao Ming would do, poison Shaquille O’Neal's food?
Geez... even after Shaq said that stuff, Yao Ming took it well, assumed he was kidding, didn't get offended. Still Shaq has to be all "He's just somebody who doesn't have a sense of humor, like I do" Yao Ming wasn't even mad! dumb .... farthead!
Learn some sportmanship you .. big oaf! And stick to basketball playing instead of cracking jokes with what you call your "good sense of humor."

Sorry Christine, I know you ask why we all just can't "get along" ... but sometimes meatheads make it impossible for that to happen.