Wang Meng: Yao Ming's Load Over His Shoulder is Getting Heavier

pryuen · Sep 12, 2007

Read this article from Wang Meng of Titan Sports on tom.com.

That was how Yao Ming spent his 27th birthday.

How can one not be moved and impressed by Big Yao ??

Reporter Wang Meng reports from Beijing.

http://nba.sports.tom.com/2007-09-13/0424/85367796.html

Today is Yao Ming’s birthday, and he is 27 years old, but throughout the day, he has only done 2 things: training (with the national team) and preparing for the charity gala; no flowers, no banquets, no partying. Just another steadfast day, tranquil but extremely busy, ordinary yet actually with extraordinary significance.

Some people believed that to arrange the press conference of the Yao Nash Charity Gala on his birthday was intentional. Yao Ming shook his head and said: “This is completely a co-incidence. Some players had arrived yesterday; the majority of them only caught up today; so it was just their traveling schedule arrangements exactly converged into this day. It is not important about which date. It is more important that we make a concerted effort to complete this endeavor together. My birthday does not matter. What matters most is that we can help those people that need to be helped.”

If the press conference of the Yao & Nash Charity Gala was not to be convened in the evening of this day, his 27th birthday, it could well be just another ordinary day. Yao Ming could just be still practicing twice with the national team (in the morning and afternoon), take a nap in the afternoon, eat and drink with his national team mates at the canteen of the Tiantan (Temple of Heaven) apartment, play Warcraft for a while before going to bed.

But on this day of September 12, he was kept continuously busy all the way up till 10:00pm at night, and had not eaten anything. It was all because he had these 2 important things to handle. And until they are completed, then he can then be more steadfast (to worry about eating his dinner).

First, it is about the Yao & Nash Charity Gala. This is the Number 1 Top Priority item these days in the mind of Yao Ming. This is the very first large-scale domestic charity event of its kind involving NBA star basketball players and the Chinese national team. Yao Ming hopes through this charity gala event, he can bring as much help to as many people as possible.

According to the notice from the organizers of the event, Yao Ming will not be attending the press conference of the Yao & Nash Charity Gala that evening. Therefore, Steve Nash was arranged to sit in the middle with Carmelo Anthony and Baron Davis on his sides. All they talked was about Yao Ming, the original host of this press conference. Steve Nash said: “Yao Ming is a great player, and he is even more a great person. He can lead us all to make this charity activity more successful.”

Baron Davis said: “In this NBA Invitational team we put together, we have not got too many interior players. Maybe I will play in the power forward or centre position and I shall be the one designated to guard and shut down Yao Ming. I know he is very strong and plays like a beast, but I am also very strong.” He lifted his arm, and showed off his bulked up biceps.

Carmelo Antony was then asked a tricky question about who he wanted most to dunk upon during the charity game. He hesitated, with his eyes roaming around the hall, and suddenly he looked up, his eyes sparkled, and pointed at Yao Ming who was then only entering into the conference hall: “Who else? Yao Ming!!” Seeing Yao Ming’s arrival, Steve Nash stood up and started to clap (to welcome him). Carmelo Anthony continued: “Hey Yao, Happy Birthday!! The day after tomorrow this time, I will send you your belated birthday present….and that will be a facial dunk over your head!!”

Yao Ming came up to the conference table, and sat down at the end of it, and kept laughing at Carmelo Anthony’s remarks. He sincerely hopes when the charity game comes, Carmelo Anthony will dunk as many as he can, because it will then attract more ratings, and better propaganda effect, and therefore generate more help for the needy.

Yao Ming said: “Actually every time I am involved in such charity activities, I always have the same feeling. No matter how much effort (or money) I put in, it is still not sufficient. It is because there are just too many people that need to be helped, and therefore it is insufficient for just me doing everything. I just hope we can achieve 2 goals through this charity gala: First garner as much money as possible (through this event). Then I hope through the series of activities of this charity gala, through the power of the media, let more people learn and know this event, and let more people joining our ranks.”

He is now 27 years old, and Yao Ming felt the load on his shoulder, i.e. his responsibility is becoming more and more heavy. He is China’s global representative; he has tens of millions of fans and supporters. All young people had watched him grow and developed and are looking up to him and trying to imitate him, and parents are attempting to mold their children after him to become so successful. He has already become an icon, a model. He hopes he can really affect some other people just like Deke Mutombo has affected him.

Deke Mutombo is a model in charity and philanthropy. Yao Ming said: “Although he has not taught me anything relating to his philanthropy experience, but as his team mate and an observer by his side for the past 2 years, I have learned many many things from him. I saw the power of these charity and philanthropic activities.” If the timing and opportunity is appropriate, Yao Ming is contemplating to set up some foundation funds like what Deke Mutombo and Steve Nash are doing, and will continue perseveringly on his charity and philanthropic acts.

Yao Ming said: “When I did something in charity and philanthropy, I felt very happy and blessed.” So on this day of his 27th birthday, he felt very happy and blessed.

Just like what he used to do, he avoided every reporter’s question about his birthday wishes using the excuse that publicized birthday wishes will not come true. But all his current effort at his philanthropy endeavor will let a lot young people that are in need materialize some of their long-time remote dreams. That is also the major reason why he is showing up in this press conference that he originally does not need to attend. He thought he is the host, and therefore he should come to say hello to his NBA peers and friends. And more importantly, he knew by showing up in the press conference, there will be more news and media coverage next day about this charity gala (that will arouse more attention and interest of the public).

The second important thing at the back of Yao Ming’s mind is all about winning on the court. The reason why he was late for the press conference was that he had just completed a team practice/scrimmage with the national team, and that he was caught in a traffic jam, and he just made it to the press conference when the reporters were asking Carmelo Anthony which player he wants to dunk over the head.

The pre-season training camp of the Houston Rockets will start in October, and it is now less than a year from the 2008 Olympics. Yao Ming knows within himself how heavy that load (i.e. responsibility) on his shoulder, and he himself also knows well about his own body conditions. In addressing Steve Nash and the other NBAers, Yao Ming said: “I very much appreciated the efforts taken by my NBA friends to have to travel so stalwartly from faraway to be in China. I knew NBA preseason training camps will start in 2 weeks’ time, and to our players, time to each person is now very important.” Although he did not mention about himself in his speech, he knew he could be one of the least trained and rehabilitated amongst these NBA players, and he even worried about that by the time comes to reporting duty to Rick Adelman (i.e. when the preseason training camp commence), he will not be up to his competitive form and shape for the new season.

The entire Houston Rockets team has started all out practicing. Chuck Hayes said: “I have been training together with our team mates these 2 days, and I’ve a first hand experience of the abilities of Luis Scola. He has excellent footwork in the interior, and his shooting touch out from the 15-feet ranges is also great.” These all let Yao Ming even more worried. These all implied he is now imperceptibly further behind (in terms of his conditions than his team mates).

So after staying over for an hour at the Regent Beijing, the hotel where all the NBA stars are going to reside, Yao Ming left in a hurry. His stomach was rumbling, and he felt so hungry. He had to find something to eat, and after that, he needed to take some treatment (on his shoulder). He played a full 40 minutes in today’s team scrimmage and there will be the usual national team practice/training waiting for him in tomorrow’s morning, and then it will be charity gala promotional activities in the afternoon (and the charity gala/auction banquet at night time). Tomorrow will be the very first day after he became 27 years old. He wants to live his life full and steadfast.

So the 27-year-old Yao Ming determinedly picked up his loads over his shoulder, grinned and smiled heartily (after a long, tiring but meaningful 27-year-old birthday).
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heypartner · Sep 12, 2007

Load Over His Shoulder is not correct.

You might mean "Load On His Back"

or "Shoulder the Load"

hopes that helps. keep up the good work.

Invisible Fan · Sep 12, 2007

He is such a worker bee.

uunnkknnoowwnn · Sep 12, 2007

no posts?

akuma · Sep 12, 2007

the title had me a bit concerned for a bit. i thought the article was going to be about his actual shoulder not getting any better or even getting worse. it seems that the only mention of his physical shoulder was in the second to last paragraph and that just stated that he still continues to receive treatment, although what kind of treatment and how effective it may be is unknown.

tsunami · Sep 12, 2007

akuma said:

the title had me a bit concerned for a bit. i thought the article was going to be about his actual shoulder not getting any better or even getting worse. it seems that the only mention of his physical shoulder was in the second to last paragraph and that just stated that he still continues to receive treatment, although what kind of treatment and how effective it may be is unknown.
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that's the translation problem.....

blazer_ben · Sep 13, 2007

Looks like Scola has allready started taking poor chucky hayes to school in practise lol

Kam · Sep 13, 2007

OH GOD.

I read this thread title, and I kept on laughing.

OH MAN that was funny. Keep up the translation man, keep it up.

So funny.

I feel so immature.

Mikeylu · Sep 13, 2007

why do they keep emphasizing that it was the same day as his bday...if he is like every other guy on the planet..then he shouldnt care about his bday...other then that im glad he feels passionate on what hes doing

DaRock1 · Sep 13, 2007

Oh my goodness pryuen. This is one long ass translation. Like 2000 words? Thank you man.

longbow111 · Sep 13, 2007

Invisible Fan said:

He is such a worker bee.
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Who? Yao or Pryuen?

freemaniam · Sep 13, 2007

Kam said:

I feel so immature.
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That's why you shouldn't watch too many High School Musicals.

Coca Cola Scola · Sep 13, 2007

I think a lot of members here must have had a temporary panic when they read the title......but let out a sigh of relief that it's just shouldering the "figurative" load of the world... I'ts just like Yao to be so dutiful....worrying about getting behind... I don't really worry about his work ethic really. They'll keep his center seat with the Rockets.... It's still going to run through him. It's good to see that Hayes has a good attitude towards his new teammate/competition at the 4.... I guess Hayes recognizes that as long as he's the useful backup, he'll always have a job in the league....and he seems to fit in Houston quite well. Every report about Scola has been really good this summer. I really can't wait to see him play. His ability to drive to the basket will fit in really well with Yao.

ReD_1 · Sep 13, 2007

longbow111 said:

Who? Yao or Pryuen?
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both

SmeggySmeg · Sep 13, 2007

great stuff Yao

wonder how many players can even say philanthropic

Fuse · Sep 13, 2007

It's extremely rare to have great players that are even greater as a person.

Rasselas · Sep 13, 2007

pryuen said:

he has only done 2 things: training (with the national team) and preparing for the charity gala; no flowers, no banquets, no partying
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Not even any flowers?!?!? A day without flowers is like cereal without milk.

Edited to add -- thanks pryuen. Love all these translations and appreciate the hard work.

Hippieloser · Sep 13, 2007

Whew. I read the thread title and thought that Yao's shoulder problem had gotten worse!

Yeah, it sucks being dragged into adulthood Yao. I'm right there with ya!

rayrocket · Sep 13, 2007

Title is kind of Chinglish, but the whole translation is great. Thanks, Puryen.

wreck · Sep 13, 2007

SmeggySmeg said:

great stuff Yao

wonder how many players can even say philanthropic
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2 and they are both in the rockets

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Wang Meng: Yao Ming's Load Over His Shoulder is Getting Heavier

pryuen Contributing Member

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freemaniam 我是自由人

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