Here's an interesting article... http://sports.sina.com.cn/k/2004-11-22/09431262390.shtml Also, thanks to Pryuen for the translation of the article... I give him credit for the work and I am merely posting it here... "This is getting really weird. Whenever I played below par, our team won." After the OT win over LA Clippers, Yao Ming blurted out to the reporter in the locker room. The Rockets had won, but clearly it looked as if it had nothing to do with Yao. He became an onlooker in the overtime on the bench due to he was fouled out in the regulation. In the Rockets locker room, he looked desolate and helpless as he put on his new brought (black) shoes. Since the last defeat by the New York Knicks at home court, Yao Ming's mood had hit rock bottom low. Upon arrival into Los Angeles Friday evening, Yao Ming locked himself up in his hotel room, and shut off all his communications equipment. He said he needed some time on his own to calmly think a few issues over; because he was subjected to some severe criticisms. Right after the heartbreaker choker 92 vs 93 in the hands of New York Knicks on home court on the 18th, Jeff Van Gundy was enraged to the extreme; Yao Ming was the player that he scolded most severely. The morning before the Rockets flied to Los Angeles, the Rockets scheduled its last shootout practice/training at the Toyota Centre. Before the practice, in front of all players, he singled out Yao Ming with a big scold. Yao Ming said: "He scolded me too ominously; (in fact) I should say simply hysterical." JVG was such ruthless because he was pissed by Yao Ming's lack of self confidence peformance on court recently. "Well I was dumbfounded when he scolded me. If such situation occurred last year, (I am sure) he would not treat me like this." Yao Ming admitted frankly that JVG had become more and more demanding on him. "Sometimes I really felt that he is expecting too much out of me, that he wishes to turn me from iron to steel." After losing 4 out of 5 games, JVG finally started to find faults with his players, and Yao Ming was the first one, because he has been the "soul" of this team. In fact, ever since the beginning of this new season, it was long-standing that JVG often vented his anger on Yao Ming's lack of self confidence on court. In the second half of the match with LA Lakers, Yao Ming clearly got an open jumper shot opportunity at the top of the arc; he did not shoot immediately; insteads, he circled around the arc and then went in for a layup. Even though he eventually scored, JVG was seen yelling at him at the court side with words starting with a "F". In the Knicks game, Yao Ming's lack of self-confidence had driven JVG beyond the limit of forebearance. In the last minute, Tyron Lue passed the ball to Yao Ming standing near the free throw line. Instead of driving in to attack the basket, he chose to carelessly kicked out the ball (to his team mates). It was due to this critical turnover that costed the Rockets the win. "At that time, as soon as I got the pass at the free throw line, I saw players swarming/clamping onto me. Immediately I thought about kicking out the ball to somebody. I admitted my decision to pass was a hasty one. I should have made the shot myself." In Los Angeles, 2 days after the Knicks loss, Yao Ming was still haunted with this low-class fundmantal turnover he made. "Although that was the only turnover I had in the match, its consequence was irreparable." "I hope all my players know what they are supposed to do on the court. If a player does not have confidence in himself, then how can he have confience to bring about the team's victory?" Obviously, Jeff Van Gundy had become bitterly disappointed about Yao Ming's recent performance. Yao Ming has been with the Rockets for 2 seasons now. Yet at critical moment in a game, Yao Ming could not bravely step forward (to close the game). That had puzzled Jeff Van Gundy. "Yao Ming should become more positive and decisive in the c.lutch plays. He should take the c.lutch shot with more confidence. He should have brought back his self confience from the Chinese national team" JVG said. "To be frank with you, the feeling of sporting a national team jersey and a Houston Rockets jersey is so dissimilar. In the Olympic or at the Asian Championship, I felt a kind of national sense of honor and responsibility when I wore my national team jersey. When I played in the national team, the 2 characters "China" on my jersey is alway on my mind; and my team mates trust me and they passed me the ball, and I played with full confidence. But it has been different in the Rockets." Tracy McGrady is in the Rockets and such c.lutch play opportunities for Yao Ming had been rare. "Well we had player like McGrady on the team. All the c.lutch shots were left for him to complete as he has this ability. Therefore my opportunities become relatively few. But sometimes when it comes my turn, I have not actually be prepared and therefore I dared not finish them." Yao Ming was sincere and earnest when he spoke out his heart. JVG was not only dissatisfied with Yao Ming's self confidence; he was also mad about his numbers of offensive rebounds. Yao Ming was averaging 2.4 offensive rebounds last season; it has dropped to 1.9 this season. "Fighting/grabbing for offensive rebounds is the prime responsibility of a centre. The more offensive rebounds, the more second chances for offense." JVG siad. Yao Ming thought JVG was a little bit harsh on him, because this year, the inside defense strength of the Rockets had weakened tremandously, and had affected Yao Ming's inside dominance. " Previously Cato and I covered each other down in the post. Now ??" The tone of Yao Ming was helpless. Prior to the new season, when the Rockets played the preseason games, Yao Ming had set his target for this season at averaging at least 10 rebounds per game. "I was suffering severe common cold when we played the Timberwolves, the Lakers and the Nets. I felt feeble in my limbs towards the end of the games, and therefore I was poor on my rebounds. This was a secret that not too many people knew up till now." Perhaps you could take this as his excuse, but after recovering from his cold, he had consecutively grabbed double-digit rebounds in 3 games. "If they want an improvement in my numbers of rebounds this season, I have a great idea; maybe JVG should make reference to and adopt the reward systems that Rudy T used in my rookie season. I like it very much." What Yao Ming said was actually a common reward systems they frequently used in the kintergartens. In Yao Ming's rookie season, there was a writing board in the Compaq Centre with all the names of the Rockets players. Rudy T had stipulated that every player must strive to achieve his corresponding # of rebounds per his play minutes. A little red flag would be shown after the player's name when the player made that target in the game. The stipulation was: the centres must grab a rebound every 4 minute of play; the forwards should grab 1 rebound every 6 minutes of play; the guards should grab 1 rebound every 8 minutes of play. "At that time, it was really quite interesting; whenever we had time, players would crowd up in front of the writing board to check their numbers of flags. I still remembered I had approximately more than 50 red flags under my name." Yao Ming said. "If JVG could adopt something like this this year, I believe I could do well, because I like such reward method."
This article really is interesting and has some logic to it... it gives us insight as to Yao's feelings and emotions.
