China's Yao Ming: Cool cat or snob slob? http://www.inq7.net/spo/2002/oct/06/spo_9-1.htm Posted: 3:35 AM (Manila Time) | Oct. 06, 2002 By Al S. Mendoza Inquirer News Service BUSAN, South Korea -- Either he is not friendly at all or simply just moody. That's how Yao Ming impresses many basketball fans here, including this writer. The NBA's tallest player when the league's season opens next month, the 7-foot-5 Yao has made it a habit to watch the Filipinos at play. Not only Yao really but the entire Chinese basketball team, which is trying to defend the cage crown for the fifth straight Asiad after first winning it 1986 in Seoul. The twenty-or-something Yao is predicted to dominate in the coming NBA as he has the makings of a great center. But some fans here have been turned off by Yao's seeming aloofness. Many times, Yao refused to sign autographs. In fact, this writer saw him shoo away about 12 teeners asking for an autograph. One girl in ponytail he brushed aside almost cried. But ironically, he would oblige to a photo session with a fan suddenly darting from nowhere. But when he did, he would maintain that stoic look. Yao Ming, indeed, has remained an enigma.
Maybe he is just ready to start his new life. Could it be that his frustrations from his non-use and being controlled spilled over into his personal life, and he's just ready to leave. I'm not making an excuse for Yao, but I can see how it could happen. It's like if your parents made you mad and you were still upset, then your younger sibling came and started bugging you for something , would you even want to be bothered? Probably not. This is probably some tabloid anyways.
The Writer just does not understand the ways of the Chinese. They are quite different to the Westerner and we should not try to imagine that his social outlook to be like us, here in the USA. He is a pure person and very private, not very outgoing, unless he is with people that he wants to be with. Remember he is in Korea to win a Basketball Championship, his mind is set on this, social graces are not on the fron burner. If I was 7'6'' I would feel aloof if people treated me like I was a freak instead of just a tall person, but I havnt been concentrating on Basketball in a residential Academy for 7years. You never know life in the USA might bring out the best of him but he will always be Chinese!
He's from communist China and he is in South Korea. Maybe they have been told not to socialize with the South Koreans and to maintain a strictly business attitude.
He was watching an important game with his teammates and his coaches. If I was a fan over there, I will not bother him. It's really not good to ask him to sign autographs or take photos while he was watching his opponents playing.
Don't believe anything Al Mendoza writes. I once saw him walk out of a 7-11 without saying "thank you" to the clerk.
Give this kid a break! He's only 22 years old, he got zillions of things to worry about, he has to win a championship, he is working in Korea not shopping there, he is a private person.... How could you ask him perfectly behave all the time??? In fact, I could not care less if he says cheeeeese or not while signing an autograph( I dont even care if he signs it or not), as long as he plays well on the court and not hits drugs or Jim Rome's celebrity drunk bus! BTW, what did the writer do over there? Could he report something on the court instead of babysitting Big Brother?
By the way, I was saying that 'say cheese' thing in a sacrastic way. I agree Mr. Mendoza needs to report basketball issues instead of keeping his eyes on those korean girls
Not sure, but Yao might have autograph contracts with his rookie card distributors (SAGE/Press Pass). There are also times when they will approve autograph signing sessions. But those have to scheduled. As far as posing for pictures. They might be a little more lenient with that. Does anyone know what the legal binding there are with autographs? I mean, what would Spalding think if you made a contract with them to sign 100 basketballs a year and some kid walked up to you with a basketball to sign? Would you sign his basketball? By the way, can you imagine what it would be like to sign a 1000 of rookie cards? Talk about hand cramp!
It's pretty amusing that a Lakers fan ran over here as fast as they could with a negative article about Yao. He allegedly didn't sign an autograph whoop-de-freaking-do! Lets string the guy up! How much you want to bet that Yao probably signed about 50 autographs, had somewhere to go, and couldn't sign the rest of the autographs and that reporter couldn't wait to twist it into him being and @ss.
Heh heh... Yeah, be prepared...once the season starts, and Yao does good. Laker fans will come out of the woodworks...
