Not helpful

So I'm a big fan of the Houston Rockets, being a Houston native and all. But I find Tracy McGrady's reaction to New Orleans being the site of the 2008 NBA All Star Game to be not very helpful:

When they first mentioned to me that the All-Star Game was going to be in New Orleans, that was the first thing I thought about: How much security are they going to have for the players and everybody there?

I don't think it's the right city to have this type of event right now. I know the city is in need of trying to get back on its feet, but safety comes first. I'm sure they're going to do a lot of research and look into this before they make this decision.

I mean, okay, there are crime problems in New Orleans, but this is kind of discouraging sign of how the city is viewed these days. Too dangerous for an NBA star to visit!

On the other hand, reading the Houston Chronicle story about this, maybe what I'm under-estimating is how much mayhem an All-Star game brings to town:

Law enforcement officials were kept busy during this year's All-Star Weekend. Las Vegas police reported 403 arrests and four shootings, including three people shot in an incident allegedly involving NFL player Adam "Pacman" Jones. While there were no arrests at the NBA players' hotel, several players have said they did not feel safe to leave the hotel or official events.

Hm. Finally, Rocket guard Rafer Alston brings class into the equation:

If it's like that [in New Orleans] now, what happens when you have 500,000 people on their way down there and people who earn a substantial amount of money down there? Right now, it's pretty unsafe.

Not helpful.