Hi all, my first post here. So be nice I've found an article dated 26/08/03 and translated only the interview part. Seems to be a genuine tv interview else effort wasted, it's so loong. From: http://www.chinayao.com/view.asp?id=679 The First Part Wu: I saw some information about you, it says that you didn't like to play basketball when you were young. It's because of your height. Yao: I remember when i started playing basketball it's partly due to the reason which you mentioned, but there's a combination of many factors. It's just like in the country many parents force their children to learn to play piano, they say it's to learn another thing, so that there is another means for living. But the reason they (let me) play basketball was not because they wished (I) can make a living by playing basketball. Because comparing playing basketball with playing piano or learning to write etc, it felt a bit one-dimensional. And because a lot of exercising will inhibit many other things; to me many times it felt like being forced to learn piano. But my parents didn't force me to do this, they only hoped that after school and finishing my homework, I won't hang out and become mischievous, that's why I started playing basketball. This may be a fate/coincident. Wu: After that when did you actually start to like basketball? Yao: About 18-19 years old. I started playing basketball when I was 9. It took almost 10 years’ time. Wu: To actually like playing? Yao: Correct. Because during that time using the trade jargon it's called out on the road (help!), meaning you are gaining fame from your game already, and that you can have a sense of achievement. Besides, through playing basketball I have understood some theories (help!), I felt that basketball is a very interesting game. Wu: What's so interesting? Yao: Very strange, just like a chest game. Playing chest always has a rule, it has a play book in it. Basketball also has this type of "play book", these rules are traceable, but you can't grasp these things all the time. Once you got it, you'd win, if you didn't, you lost. The rules maybe such for this game, but they might not be suitable when come next game, but it still has rules. Wu: Have you ever thought that it's possible to be successful in the future? Yao: I used to dream a lot last time, every person will have many many dreams when they were young. I remember a reporter once asked me, when you were young, have you ever thought of going to college, get a job, and spend your days steadily. I asked him back, your dream must be very grand when you were young. I believe everyone's dream must be very grand when he/she was young, to be a premier, to be a scientist, anyway one just wanted to build a remarkable career. No single person is willing to live a quiet life. As such, when one was young, dreams were very grand, but to live it up in reality there's always a gap. Wu: Your childhood dream? Yao: My childhood dream though very grand, but I've never thought of playing basketball. Since young I like history, geography very much, my homework in these areas was always very good. I always wanted to be an archaeologist, to have adventure everywhere. At most, I'll get a little tired while digging a hole or something. Wu: Now there's still chance to go everywhere. Yao: But it can only be for traveling, not adventure. Wu: I remember seeing you play when you just went into the NBA, that time it seemed like you were easily knocked down. Were you having great psychological pressure when you just went into the NBA? Yao: Yes, great pressure behind, I mean pressure from the media in China. Wu: Expectation? Yao: Expectation. A lot of expectations. It's pitch dark in front (help!), I feel the pressure like it's in pitch dark. I'd been to the US a few times, but never like this before where I have to go so deeply into the daily livelihood. To be there for such a long time, and to treat this (experience) as part of your livelihood from now and for a rather long period. I don't know what kind of feeling this is. It's like you only stare at another person who's driving, but you don't drive. You know how to swerve the steering wheel to the left, and how to swerve it to the right; you know which is the accelerator, which is the break, but when you first step on the accelerator, you don't know how far to step on the accelerator such that the car would start very quickly, and subsequently run into the wall. It's like this kind of feeling. But when you step on it the second time, you'd roughly have a feel for it. My first year might be like this, the first step on the accelerator. Wu: You mentioned that your first year was like stepping on the accelerator for the very first time, comparably with less certainty. For now, is it that by slowly stepping the accelerator for the second time, you are much more certain? Yao: Now I'm starting to learn how to save on gasoline, how to step on the accelerator to save more gasoline. Wu: What would you compare saving on gasoline to? Yao: I remember it seems that there's an old driver who told me about a method to step on accelerator, the gasoline usage will be slightly smaller. Playing basketball is the same, a step all the way down may drive the car very quickly. But it's like the airplane, there's an economic cruise speed, and there's also a highest speed. The season is long as there are 82 games. If you speed up in the very beginning, you might not make it in the end. I'm learning this kind of routine, how to allocate your endurance, and to allocate it into these 82 games. But must still be able to win more games at the greatest possibility. This is a new way of learning. Wu: Now what kind of happiness can you find in this? Yao: The happiest thing to me is pondering over my opponent's weaknesses. In many games I was taken advantage of during the first game, but when come the second game basically I wasn't taken advantage of that much. Except against O'neil. As to other opponents, basically if I didn't play well in the first game, I can get it done in the subsequent games. Wu: Barkley said if you manage to get double figures, he’d kiss the ass' butt. I don't know if it’s a joke (help!), you caught him by surprise as well later on. Can you remember the situation that time? Yao: That time he said if Yao Ming can score 19 or more points, he’d kiss the ass' butt. I think Americans feel that to be on TV is a delightful and relaxing thing. Chinese look very serious and stoic when on TV, so this is something which is very remarkable. Actually if one faces the camera many times, it'd become something that is very common. When I first encountered this incident, a reporter asked me about my first reaction, I said it seems that I can score 18 points at most this season; I have to stop after 18, that's what I said. But it my heart I was going to compete, I thought, "I'll bring it on to them." Wu: Until now, when you are playing basketball, do you feel especially calm? Yao: Yes, to me basketball is like many people who play 'wei qi' (Go) or Chinese chess. They are very calm too. When playing basketball, I have the same feeling many times. As this is the time you can most probably capture the signal coming from your opponent, and then decide the opponent's next move. Wu: You are now an NBA star, do you feel you are most concentrated when playing? That you are your true self? While at other times there are many additional things to be done. Yao: Because I feel that this is something that is within my control. Because when the ball is in my hand, I can control it. But I'm not expert in many things. I'm just a professional basketball player, not a professional interviewee. There are things that I can’t control. Just like now my questions are controlled in your hand. The Second Part Wu: Your agent hopes to push your value to the likes of international stars such as M.J., Tiger Woods in the next 6 years. Yao: These are great ideals, however, to achieve them they all depend if I can perform on the court. This is the most basic thing. Wu: Some said you are the most valuable export from China. How do you balance playing basketball as a sport and being a basketball star? Yao: Nowadays business and sports around the world have merged perfectly. Any player who is very reputable will have his/her own business empire behind him/her, of course some are big and some are small. This is very common in overseas, it's just starting in China, everyone feels fascinated when they see it. In China, sometimes everyone has a thinking, that you should do your best on your job, and too much distraction will affect your own duty. But right now business and sports have merged together and inseparable. I'm just the first batch of athletes to merge with business, one batch, in soccer there are many too, and there will be more for days to come. Everyone will get use to it. Wu: Many foreigners said you are the Ming Dynasty? Yao: I think a dynasty is not established so easily. Rome was not built in a day. It needs a long time of grinding and training. I wish that it’s not a short-lived appearance. The Third Part Wu: Do you think that you are also improving very quickly in the NBA? Yao: Yes. Another point that I’d like to say is that, first of all the training regime in the country is truly not as advance as it is in the US, especially in body (weight?) training, it's more one-dimensional. But their body training methodology is very very strict, very very precise. Almost every fortnight they'll measure my body fat or muscle thickness, very professional. This is a big factor that (my) body slowly becomes stronger, also, (because of that) I'm getting use to it. Wu: In the country there are many players that have gone overseas for further development. As one of the earliest to develop in oversea, and to be a successful senior, what kind of suggestion do you have? Yao: Firstly, I feel that our country's athletes and players lack a strong competitiveness. The games in overseas are very competitive; I can always feel the hungry eyes behind that are eyeing for my position and eyeing for my salary. They wish to show off something in front of me, once being recognized, they can get this job. There are many who are waiting for this job, that's why it forces me to train diligently. I'd played in professional basketball games in the country for 5-6 years; I know that, perhaps until now I won’t feel this sense of competitiveness. This is the most important point. Another thing is, players must learn to face the media. Media is a form of great pressure, but you'll have to face it, you can't run from it. Because it's always capturing you at any moment, especially in countries like the US. Wu: The media is also relentlessly chasing after you. Yao: Correct. You want to be successful you'd have to rely on the media, but media can also disintegrate you. When I say disintegrate it's not meant in a bad way. Just that as they are always following you, your thinking changes and it creates pressure. Explanation: From a naive boy who wanted to play basketball to a dominant public figure, Yao Ming's biggest change in his thinking? Yao: The biggest change is instead of running away or hiding from the media, why not face them. Play the game well and let them support you. This is the only way, or you'll be stepped to death. Explanation: Yao Ming said he's not thought of retirement plan yet. Yao: I've not thought of retirement plan yet. I wish I could play for at least another 10 years. Wu: Through your game, what kind of achievement would you like to give the Chinese and yourself? Yao: I wish to win a championship. Pickymen
Sorry Picky. Good effort though. This interview was done about 2 weeks ago and has been posted here already. You can find a more recent one here, which was aired last Sunday. The 2nd part of interview will be this Sunday, stay tuned, I will post it as soon as I watch it. http://bbs.clutchcity.net/php3/showthread.php?s=&threadid=63505
