Raymond reports that on Tuesday afternoon in Beijing, Yao Ming and the Chinese men’s basketball national team were invited as honorable guests to tape the first episode of a television series supposedly featuring the Chinese Olympians with various groups of surviving children from the Sichuan earthquake.

The theme of the series is to teach them some important ingredients in life: Teamwork, Persistence, Potential and Life.

Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian were asked to have a tug of war with the kids.

At first, four kids came on stage…….and Yao Ming & Yi Jianlian easily won.

Then 8 kids came on to the stage……and Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian still had no problem and won out the contest.

Then 14 kids came on stage and this time, and finally Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian lost.

The ‘captain’ for the Sichuan earthquake survivors was 9-year-old Lin Hao, who was the cute kid walking next to Yao Ming during the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics.

Click here for more photos from the taping.

Today Yao Ming announced the launch of the Yao Ming Foundation, with its first intent to help rebuild earthquake-resistant schools in China that were destroyed from the recent quake.

100% of all donations will go to the Foundation, with Yao paying all administrative costs. Donations can be directed to other efforts by request. Yao also announced he will be donating more of his own money — this time $2 million.

Click here for more photos from the press conference and additional news reports. Thanks go to Raymond for all the Foundation coverage in the YaoMania! forum while I’ve been away on business.

Donations can be made at TheYaoMingFoundation.org.

After the devastating earthquakes in China, I’ve heard that Yao has been catching some flack about the insane proposition that he hasn’t donated enough money to relief efforts.

Yao is too classy of a guy to speak out and defend himself, but I will (as have others). This is a blog where I can express my opinion every once in awhile, and I’m going to do that right now.

First, I can’t believe some people – in the aftermath of this tragedy – have nothing else better to do than criticize how much someone else donates. There are thousands of people who have died, and are dying, under rubble…and that’s the main thing they want to bring up? Ridiculous.

If these people really cared about having lots of money donated to relief efforts, they should go to their local Red Cross office and volunteer to raise money, not throw stones at donators like Yao Ming. I’m so disturbed about what has happened over there, I can’t even think about blogging about the Rockets’ off-season moves, the NBA playoffs, or the upcoming Olympics games. Those topics all seem so insignificant right now. So how can anyone with a heart even criticize someone who has offered to help, no matter how much time or money that person has committed.

Today, I personally learned through Yao’s people that he is so deeply saddened from what has happened in China, it’s the only thing he is thinking about (other than his health). But if people really want to talk about his donation, then let’s talk about that for a minute. I know for a fact he has contributed 2 million RMB, which is close to $300,000 U.S., and with more likely to come. And that’s not to mention that HE approached the NBA, not the other way around, about doing the public service announcement that’s now airing during NBA telecasts. He also reached out to other NBA players to donate. In both cases, he made these requests within hours of the tragedy. There was no indecision. I am also told it’s not the end to what he’ll contribute and do with his time to support the cause.

I just don’t get how people can question that Yao isn’t committed to the problems within his own country. How quickly they forget about his efforts to combat SARS, his dedication to being a global ambassador for the Special Olympics in China (even paying a team fine to the Rockets so that he could participate in last October’s Opening Ceremonies), his work in trying to preserve endangered species in China, trying to help children in China afflicted with the HIV virus, teaming up with Steve Nash last year to raise money for poor school children in rural China. The list is virtually endless.

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On Thursday, Yao recorded a public service announcement to encourage people to donate to the Red Cross to help fund relief efforts in China. Click here for a video from the shoot for the PSA.

I’m almost speechless about this disaster and the Myanmarr cyclone destruction, which makes almost everything else seem so trivial in the world. Click here for Thursday’s update on the earthquake. You can donate to the earthquake cause by clicking here.

In less than 3 months, China will really be able to use the good vibe the Olympics will bring. It’s going to be an emotional Games, and I’ve got to the think the Opening and Closing Ceremonies will be modified to pay tribute to the quake victims.

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)…
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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.