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Archive for July, 2007

Yao and Ye Li get wedding photos taken

Tuesday, July 31st, 2007
by John

They haven’t got married yet, but Yao Ming and his fiancee Ye Li got their pre-wedding photos taken early Tuesday morning at a resort called Taihu Yuan Resort in the city of Lin’an, just 2 hours from Ye Li’s hometown.

Yao apparently liked the scenery so much, he asked about environmental protection measures like the flow of tourists.

Click here for more photos from their session. Thanks go to Raymond for the photos.

Another article of Yao translated

Monday, July 30th, 2007
by John

Raymond has translated another interview of Yao in the YaoMania! forum. I’m not sure if I believe one part of what this Chinese reporter has written, though.

It wouldn’t be the first time a Chinese reporter may have taken liberty in putting words in Yao’s mouth. So I preface this interview with “reader beware” — not all of it may be true. Can you guess which part it is?

Latest on Yao

Saturday, July 28th, 2007
by John

In case you were wondering since our last update on Yao, he had been continuing his workouts in Beijing with Anthony Falsone and getting more big-man instruction from Rockets former GM Carroll Dawson. But he had to stop for a few days because of an inflamed wisdom tooth, and yesterday got it treated. If you care, here are some photos of Yao waiting to get treated at the dentist.

Afterwards, Yao flew back to Shanghai where he will continue to work on his shoulder and conditioning. Sometime in August he will get married and go on his honeymoon.

Meanwhile, the Chinese National Team departed for Guangzou/Macau where they will compete in the FIBA Stankovic Continental Cup tournament from July 28th through August 2nd.

Yao will rejoin the team on August 29th and should be able to return to action against the Melbourne Tigers on September 3rd.

Thanks always to Raymond in China for what Yao’s been doing in China.

Yao excited to be reunited with Francis

Monday, July 23rd, 2007
by John

Yao and Steve Francis are reunited again

Raymond, our correspondent in China, has translated one of the first articles written about Yao Ming‘s thoughts about getting reunited with former Rocket guard Steve Francis after he was acquired last Friday by Houston. Raymond says that many Chinese are extremely happy that Francis is coming back to play with Yao.

Raymond has also put together a collage of old photos of Yao and Francis in this YaoMania! forum to show how well they got along with each other as teammates.

Written by a Titan Sports writer and appearing on Tom.com, here’s Raymond’s translation with some interesting quotes highlighted:

Two days after the announcement that he had signed a 2-year $5 million contract (with a player option in the second year) with the Houston Rockets, Steve Francis finally returned to Houston where he originally belonged. He happily picked up the telephone, dialed Yao Ming’s number and yelled out loud to him who was far away in China: “Hey ! I’ve come back!!”

Steve Francis was ecstatic, and so was Yao Ming. “Lao Da (i.e. Big Brother) seems to be overwhelmed with ecstasy!! Even though he is not a resident of Houston, he has treated Houston as his home.” Yao Ming said. “He has kept and not sold his house in Houston. He also bought a piece of land in Houston. Whether he can return to Houston Rockets or not, he just wants to live in Houston. Now everything is going his way. He can now build a new house on that piece of land with the $5 million he just got.”

Yao Ming explained why he is also very happy about Steve Francis’ return.

“Ever since I arrived into the NBA, I just watched (helplessly) teammates after teammates traded away (at the end of every season). Teammates that I was familiar with got traded away, and in came some strangers, one after the other. You just have to go through such cycle of knowing new teammates, sending off acquainted teammates and then new teammates again. I have already got used to this kind of feeling, but this is not a good feeling at all. Now finally an old friend manages to return, and he is no one but my Lao Da.”

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A Yao-Simpsons story revisited

Sunday, July 22nd, 2007
by John

thumbnail With the premiere of The Simpsons movie in the U.S. coming up next Friday, this article from today’s San Jose Mercury News recounts how many athletes over the years have done cameos on the show.

One of those athletes was Yao Ming three years ago during the episode that aired after the Super Bowl. Below is the most relevant excerpt from the article, including my highlighting some humorous dialog from the show involving Yao (remember it?):

Athletes do it not for the cash, but for the cachet. Bill Sanders, the marketing representative for Yao Ming, pursued a cameo soon after his client arrived in the NBA from China.

Back then, U.S. fans knew Yao mostly as a 7-foot-6 novelty – a stoic stick figure from a foreign land. Sanders wanted to show America that Yao was hilarious once you got to know him.

“There are a handful of things a person of celebrity can do to define themselves as an icon,” Sanders said. “There are the traditional ways, like doing the Leno and Letterman shows or getting on the cover of Rolling Stone.

“But in modern-day pop culture, `The Simpsons’ is it.”

Yao wound up on the same show as (Michelle) Kwan, (LeBron) James, (Tom) Brady and the Raiders’ Warren Sapp. The episode parodied his adjustment to the language barrier: He suddenly couldn’t speak English when Marge asked him to do the dishes.

Lisa: “Wait a second, I read that you speak excellent English.”

Yao: “Shut up, kid. I have a good thing going here.”

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Yao defends himself against unfair criticism from China Sports Daily

Friday, July 20th, 2007
by John

I love how Yao has fought back against the criticism he received a few days ago from the official Chinese sports newspaper — China Sports Daily — about how he had been taking too much personal time before rejoining the Chinese National Team. You know, petty things like getting some rest after his long NBA season ended, attending pre-Beijing Olympic festivities, volunteering for the Special Olympics event and Basketball Without Borders camp, planning his wedding, etc.).

Here’s what Yao said about the matter earlier today:

“I know Chinese law protects people’s right of speech but I feel this is unfair on me. I entered the national team at the age of 18 and have competed for the national team for 10 years. I promise I have played with 100 per cent focus every year. The team are witnesses to my improvement and also my commitment.”

“I had a talk with the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) about the time of return and also my shoulder injury, so I am not doing things at random. I cancelled my surgery because I don’t want to let it hamper the team’s preparation for the Beijing Olympics.”

“I won’t be bothered by the report, I know there is only one goal for me and them – the Olympics.”

Good work, Yao.

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Steve Francis decides on Houston

Thursday, July 19th, 2007
by John

You probably already heard the news about Steve Francis turning down more lucrative opportunities from the LA Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, and Miami Heat to come back to Houston. It’s reported that Yao and Tracy McGrady recruited Steve to come back, and I guess it made a difference.

Still, I’m shocked he didn’t go to the Clippers to be with good friend Cuttino Mobley and business partner Sam Cassell for more money. Considering Cassell is old and Shaun Livingston blew out both knees last season, LA needs more guard help than the Rockets.

I’m not as excited about this move for the Rockets as the Mike James, Luis Scola and Bonzi Wells deals this off-season. I have a feeling that Francis hasn’t matured enough and will expect to plop himself back into the starting lineup like a few years ago before he was traded. Francis has that kind of ego, and perhaps his motivation to come back to Houston for less money is to prove the world wrong after the Magic, Knicks and Trailblazers gave up on him.

This is a dangerous and combustible addition, especially since I expect Mike James to start at point guard. Francis may think otherwise (that’s one of the Houston Chronicle writers wrote).

It would be one thing if Francis was on the tail-end of his career, was trying to win a ring, and was willing to play limited minutes a la Michael Finley with the Spurs. But Francis just turned 30 years old, and is probably a few more years away from taking the Finley route. Something tells me he still wants to be The Man.

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Yao works up a sweat while national team practices; catches heat from government paper

Wednesday, July 18th, 2007
by John

Our Raymond has some photos from Yao’s Wednesday workout in Beijing while his Chinese national teammates scrimmaged.


Yao is being cautious to not participate in practices or team drills to protect his shoulder from injury while he strengthens it with personal trainer Anthony Falsone.

Incredibly, Yao got some flack from China Sports Daily, a newspaper owned by the government’s All-China Sports Federation, for taking too much time off after the Rockets were eliminated from the playoffs, spending too much time with the Special Olympics and participating in pre-Olympic festivities. Get this…they wrote:

“No matter how lofty public welfare activities are, they can’t be allowed to take first place in a player’s life”

“No matter how sweet personal life is, it can’t be compared to the exultation of capturing glory for one’s nation”

“China’s other players were ‘flinging sweat like snow’ while Yao recovered from the season.”

As someone in the YaoMania! forum wrote after reading this article, “WTF?”

I can’t believe this publication that is owned by the government would diss Yao like that. Yao is so loyal to his national team, his country, and is such a hard worker…these guys must be on crack. It’s almost like they are living in a different era reminiscent of China’s storied past in limiting individualistic freedoms.

And it’s not like Yao has been on the beach kicking back since the NBA season ended. You’ve seen here on YaoMingMania all the working out he has been doing. In addition, the Special Olympics and Olympics are a big deal that makes China look good to the rest of the world. And give the guy a break on the wedding thing. It’s not like he’s doing it Tony Parker-Eva Longoria style with a lavish ceremony and lots of pomp and circumstance. It will be a private ceremony with no hype.

All in all, they are messing with the wrong guy. If they end up losing some of Yao’s commitment by lambasting him publicly like this, it will really backfire against them.

Yao working out with Falsone in China

Tuesday, July 17th, 2007
by John

Yao arrived in Beijing on Tuesday and continued his workouts with former Rockets trainer Anthony Falsone, who has been his personal trainer for over a year now.

Even though he had a 5:00pm practice with the Chinese National Team, Yao worked out beforehand for 2 1/2 hours with Falsone, working up a big sweat as pictured below.

Click here for more photos from Yao’s workout in Beijing.

Part of Yao’s workouts include strengthening his right shoulder. While in Beijing, he will also be practicing and working out with the national team, but will be avoiding activities that involve physical contact.

Per his doctor’s advice, he will not play basketball until September, so he won’t likely be playing in the 3rd annual FIBA Stankovic cup in Guangzhou/Macau at the end of July, nor play in European tournaments in August.

Thanks go to Raymond for the photos and recap of Yao’s activities in Beijing.

Translated article with Adelman on Yao, McGrady, etc.

Tuesday, July 17th, 2007
by John

Our Raymond has translated (over 3 hours) an article that China’s Titan Sports conducted with new Rockets coach Rick Adelman while he was in Vegas for the NBA Summer League last week. I have highlighted in bold some of the key statements from Adelman that you might find interesting. Here’s the translation, thanks to Raymond…

Regarding the Houston Rockets new head coach Rick Adelman, the most pressing two concerns from Chinese fans are 1) Under his coaching, what kind of progress/changes Yao Ming will have to make? and 2) How far will the Houston Rockets advance in the playoffs?

In regard to the first question, as far as Adelman is concerned, Yao Ming has as good of a shooting touch and feel as Brad Miller, and he can also be similar to Vlade Divac to become the best passing center in the entire NBA. As for the second question, Adelman said: “I hope the Rockets can advance very, very deep in the playoffs.”

TITAN: After you took rest at home for a full season, what made you accept Houston’s offer to take the helm as their head coach?

ADELMAN: I have always been waiting for the best opportunity. In Houston, they have a bunch of outstanding players on the current roster. It is very obvious they have some of the best players in the entire NBA. Yao Ming, without doubts, is one of the most outstanding centers in NBA. Tracy McGrady is also one of the most outstanding players in his position. So Houston presents the best opportunity for me, and I am very excited to come to Houston to become its head coach.

TITAN: Then what are some of the similarities between Yao Ming and Brad Miller and Vlade Divac? Will he become better than Brad Miller and Vlade Divac?

ADELMAN: I think he can reach the same level of accuracy as Brad Miller in his shooting ability. We have looked at Yao Ming’s shooting. He is an extremely fantastic shooter. I also hope Yao Ming can become a great passer just like Vlade Divac. I thought during his years, Vlade was one of the best passing centers in the NBA. I think Yao Ming similarly can become the most versatile all-rounded centers, not only good in a high post offense, but will still remain as the best center in the low post.

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