I really liked the translation that Raymond did of an interview that Titan Sports conducted with Yao this week. Here’s a breakdown of the translation:
* Life for Yao Ming these days is pretty slow-paced. He is very even-tempered and patient. He used to talk about his life as a quick-tempered young rebel in the past, but with this injury and this past year, he has changed and now leads a very slow-paced and cautious life.
* Since returning from China from his Chinese New Year holiday, he changed his rehab schedule. He used to workout 5 days a week, then rest on Saturday and Sunday. But he thought that would be bad for controlling his diet since resting two consecutive days at home gave him too much temptation to o eat, so he has changed his rest days to Thursday and Sunday.
* Since his return from China, Yao has successfully reduced his weight 10 pounds. His target for the next couple of months is to lose some 30 to 40 some pounds, which will reduce pressure on his restructured foot.
* People ask him whether he is worried and is anxious (to return to play). He replies, “What is the use of worrying? I just have to focus on my rehab.”
* Just imagine how difficult the past 9 months had been for Big Yao. As an athlete, he was not able to run. He had to spend most of his time in bed for the initial 2 months. He had to rely on his crutches to walk for 4-5 months. He had changed multiple pairs of those protective boots. It wasn’t until his return from China at the end of February that the doctors allowed him to take off his protective boot.
* To step up his diet and lose weight, he had changed to drinking Pu Er tea ?? instead of Green Tea.
* In those days that he was allowed to get rid of his crutches, he always joked about himself: “It’s funny for a guy like me at my age to have to start learning how to walk.” In another two months, he will have to learn how to run. It is both funny and ridiculous, just like a 30-year-old man learning how to use chopsticks.
* But that is the kind of life Yao Ming has to face these days. He can only jog in the swimming pool and on the treadmill, or ride a bike, but he has yet to experience the thrill and speed of running. Running remains a luxury to him at the moment.
* Reporters kept asking Big Yao whether he was depressed/frustrated seeing his teammates play. He replied, “I’ve already adapted to the present pace and style of my daily life. There is nothing to be depressed or anxious about. At least according to the doctors, I’m on schedule with my rehabilitation. They told me I can start to jog/run in May, then I will start to jog and run in May. There is nothing to be depressed or anxious about. If by May, the results for my jogging and running turn out unsatisfactory, maybe then it is the time to talk about whether I’m depressed/frustrated or not. As of this moment, everything is on schedule with my rehabilitation. I’m fine with it.”
* So Yao Ming continues with his life. For most of the home games, he went to cheer and support his team mates at Toyota Center. The playoffs in the CBA have started. He has to wake up early in order to watch his Shanghai MAXXIS Sharks play (from TV or his computer).
* By 8am every morning, he will go to the Memorial Hermann Hospital for the doctors/therapists to inspect and work on his foot. By 9 am, he will then proceed to Toyota Center for his strenuous rehabilitation training regimen. Normally he calls the day off by noon.
* Yao will then spend his afternoon at home with his cup of Pu Er, accompanying his expecting wife. He can’t start running until May.