Update: I’ve posted additional videos at the bottom of this post that now includes Jeff Van Gundy and Yao Ming himself!

Before it becomes a distant memory, I wanted to publish some of the highlights from Yao Ming’s Roast and Toast last Thursday night.

Yao and his agents who accompanied him were surprised that a big stretch Hummer had been arranged to pick him up. It’s definitely not Yao’s style to have a ride that big and flashy, but everyone agreed is was probably best to go ahead and ride in it rather than delay the schedule by requesting another one.

Since Yao had arrived back in the U.S. from China only about one day prior, he was pretty tired and had a workout scheduled in the morning. But he was a good sport to hang in there since the event lasted about 1.5 hours longer (’til about 10:30pm) than the 9:00pm scheduled end time. So he probably didn’t get back home until close to midnight.

I’ve got several videos to share with you that I recorded of people close to Yao roasting him, with all having very humorous moments. The first one below is from “Team Yao” member Bill Duffy. The second and third is from Jeff Van Gundy. The fourth is former Chinese National Team coach Del Harris, and the final one is from Yao himself!

Forgive me for some camera shakes — I had to stoop down low so I didn’t block everyone’s view, which made it difficult to keep the camera steady crouching for more than 5 minutes panning between Yao and the roasters.

“Team Yao” member Bill Duffy (6 minutes, 32 seconds)…

Jeff Van Gundy (9 minutes, 47 seconds)…
Read the rest of this entry »

I went to the roast of Yao Ming Thursday night in Houston and took alot of photos and video. I’ve got so much of it, it’s going to take me a couple of days to go through it all and pull out the best parts and publish it on this site.

However, I have posted some of the photos. If you want to see more photos from the event, click here or on the photo below of Yao and Clyde Drexler sitting next to each other at the event. Once you click on it, you’ll be taken to a page where you can check out more photos. Click on the Next button to see the next one in the sequence.

You can also find some of the photos that Raymond posted in the forum by clicking here.

I also had a chance to have a conversation with Yao and his agents Bill Duffy, Bill Sanders and ESPN The Magazine writer Ric Bucher. I’ll fill you in on some of the major takeaways from that conversation sometime Friday because I’ve got to get some sleep.

I will tell you one thing, though. Yao said his specialists in Houston said his progress is going great, that his healing is one week ahead of schedule, and that the fracture in his foot can no longer be seen in the images that were taken of it over the past day or two!

But don’t get your hopes up. That doesn’t mean it’s healed completely yet. There’s still no way that Yao will be able to play in this year’s NBA playoffs even if the Rockets make the NBA Finals. But it does give you comfort that at this rate of recovery, playing in the Olympics is not going to be an issue.

Okay, I’m too beat to continue any further. I’ll write more on Friday or Saturday.

Calvin Murphy is involved in organizing a roast of Yao on Thursday, April 17th in Houston. I was lucky enough to speak to Calvin today, and he said that he would be able to provide a 50% discount to a select number of Yao Ming’s fans to the roast. Seat tickets normally go for $150 (proceeds go to charity), but if you mention the code word “ClubYao,” they should be able to hook you up for $75 per seat. This offer is limited until all the seats are sold out.

Here’s a description of the event from the Windsor Village United Methodist Church where the roast will be held:

This roast and toast dinner event will feature Charles Barkley (via video), Clyde Drexler, Rafer Alston, Steve Francis and other sports luminaries. All of the Houston Rockets are scheduled to be there. Proceeds will benefit The Leader’s Academy.

The Web site for the church is here. However, to get tickets, don’t call the number on the Web site. Instead, call 832-455-6565 during business hours (9:00am to 5:00pm Central time) and mention the “Club Yao” discount code.

A reception is being held from 6:30pm to 7:30pm, with the roast promptly starting at 7:30pm and lasting until 9:00pm.

I’ll also be there. They say the event is “black tie,” but I don’t know if that means guys have to wear a suit or a tux (I imagine it’s just a suit and tie). If you’re interested in going to the event, make sure to confirm what kind of attire they recommend you wear.

Here’s a map to the church location where the roast will be held.

If you have any questions, please submit a comment below and I’ll do my best to answer them.

After going so long without seeing Yao, we get to see photos of Yao Ming in public for the second night in a row, this time at the Rockets annual “Tux & Tennies” benefit.

In the second image below, Yao meets fellow Houstonian and former President George Bush. Pretty cool.

Thanks go to Raymond for all the photos in the forum of Yao taking photos with fans for $500 a pop (for charity), other Rocket players and their significant others, and all the cool stuff that went up for auction.

Below is one of my favorite pictures of Yao from Friday’s All-Star events in New Orleans. Not him being interviewed by the press (although he had to do that earlier in the day) which we have seen time and time again. Not reading a children’s book with just as many photographers as kids around.

No, it’s of Yao outside in cold rainy weather getting his hands dirty lifting and planting sod with actor Jet Li. It’s so representative of Yao’s hard work ethic to take on this assignment. Bravo, Yao.

Click here for more photos of Yao with Jet Li volunteering. Scroll up on the following page to see Yao and other NBA players getting interviewed.

Thanks go to Raymond for the pics!

Our Raymond has pics in the forum of Yao Ming and Dikembe Mutombo making an appearance Christmas Eve at the Dave & Buster’s restaurant and video arcade in Houston at Steve Francis‘ charity event for 100 children of the Boys and Girls’ Club of Houston.

Pictured below is Francis, Yao and Steve’s little girl in Yao’s lap. Awww, isn’t that cute?

It’s good to see the players are doing something Christmas-y during their break to benefit others (unlike that “Casino Night” at Toyota Center with season ticket holders on Sunday, December 19th.) Although Steve has been struggling on the court, I’ve got to give him props for being so involved with the community in his adopted hometown. The city of Houston definitely appreciates him.

Click here to see more photos of Yao, Deke, Francis, and the kids from the Boys and Girls Club.

Check out this photo from today’s press conference involving Rockets owner Leslie Alexander and the rest of the team regarding the 2008 Tux & Tennies charity gala.

Click here for more hilarious photos from the press conference.

We take a break from our serious discussion of how bad the Rockets are playing to show some photos of Yao and some of his Rocket teammates making a visit to the Ronald McDonald House in Houston

Click here for more photos from the visit.

I’m sure the news cameras were around and we’ll be seeing either an “NBA cares” commercial from the visit, or a future segment in an upcoming FSN-Houston halftime telecast.

Yao Ming and most of the other Rockets did their annual photo-op with some Houston school children for the Read to Achieve program. I think it’s a fine program, and kudos go to the players for participating.

But honestly, I get a little nauseated each year when I see the NBA promoting it out the ying-yang through their commercials. Wouldn’t it be great if these sessions happened without all the video cameras around and having that video pushed through the NBA marketing machine? Still cameras are fine, like the photos you can see here. Thanks to Raymond for the pics.

Our Raymond did an awesome job in the YaoMania! forum capturing all the activities from Yao’s participation in the Special Olympics. Here Yao Ming enters the stadium during the Opening Ceremonies in Shanghai…

Yao was joined in the ceremony by California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose mother-in-law Eunice helped start the Special Olympics movement.

There are just too many photos to show on this page, so I’ll refer you to the following links.

Link 1 - Check out the gradiose stadium and pageantry of the ceremony — I can only imagine what the real Olympic Opening Ceremonies are going to be like next year in Beijing.

Link 2 - Includes an article about the ceremonies, more pics, and quotes from Yao on how important the Special Olympics is to him after he received a high award.

Link 3 - Yao at the airport headed to Texas, and saying goodbye to Jackie Chan in some very funny poses.

With that, Yao is now finished with his Chinese commitments for awhile, and is headed to Austin to join his Rocket teammates for training camp.