Palm Beach Post: Yao Ming's Popularity Remains High

pryuen · Nov 13, 2006

Not me. Not me.......still a crazy Yao Maniac after all these years !!!

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/heat/content/sports/epaper/2006/11/13/a4c_heatnotes_1113.html

Yao's popularity remains high
By Chris Perkins

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Monday, November 13, 2006

MIAMI — Yao Ming remains the biggest athletic attraction in China, and not just because he's 7-foot-6, 320 pounds. He's an All-Star, good-looking, affable, and, by all accounts, a heck of a nice guy.

As evidenced by the four traveling Chinese reporters at Sunday's Heat-Houston game, and the 10 Chinese reporters who regularly cover Rockets home games, interest in the 26-year-old center remains high.

"It's not like a couple of years ago," Yao said, referring to the 'Yaomania,' when he first entered the league in 2003. "Of course every story is like that. After a couple of years, people get tired of it. They want new stuff."

Well, not yet. Meng Wang, who covers the Rockets for Titan Sports, a Chinese basketball magazine, said Yao still can't go out to dinner in China without being mobbed.

"Wherever he goes, there's going to be hundreds of people taking pictures," Meng said.

Yao hopes two of China's newest athletes - Liu Xiang, the 2006 men's Olympic 100-meter hurdles champion, and Yi Jianlian, the 6-foot-11, 19-year-old center - can help take some of the spotlight.

"I always appreciate them taking the focus from me," Yao said.

That's not likely to happen, however, because Yao is so engaging.

"The biggest thing is his personality," Meng said. "Yao knows how to deal with people."

And Yao, fluent in English for several years now, hasn't tired of the attention. In fact, it's quite the opposite, which is a refreshing change considering Yao's superstar status worldwide.

"I know my job, and one of my jobs is to be nice to the fans," Yao said. "I care about the fans."
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BigSherv · Nov 13, 2006

We care about you baby!

lastopsuburb · Nov 13, 2006

I love Yao and i think he loves me too...

Maybe...

Yonkers · Nov 13, 2006

Yao and I are BFFs.
Jealous?

zhangstein · Nov 13, 2006

Yonkers said:

Yao and I are BFFs.
Jealous?
Click to expand...

BFF, huh?

pearlon · Nov 13, 2006

Thank Pry, it's good to see your posts even after your summer insights.

I hope Jianlian gets drafted next year in the top 10 by a East team. That way, he won't have to get schooled by Yao as often, plus he'd take some Chinese media attention away from Yao and his West. That's right, Yao's West.

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