Rudy: Ming will be the happiest Chinese in Houston

Heypartner once said he would bet with anyone that Yao would start the first home game. I guess he must be feeling pretty good about his chances now.

 

Thanks W&S for another great article!
Here's the translation.

http://sports.sina.com.cn/k/2002-09-06/1023311720.shtml
Sports Weekly
Special Reporter Yang Yi, reporting from Indianapolis:


Rudy T: Don't worry about Yao Ming's development in the NBA, Happiness always come after the nightmares


The World Championships mustn't have been a pleasant dream for Yao Ming, because here, Yao Ming's joyous laughter could not be heard.

In this dream, everyone had their fun by torturing and ravaging the top pick of the NBA draft. Stuffing his shot, dunking on top of his head, or using double-teams to render him helpless, all served to stimulate the nerves of every opponent standing before Yao Ming. Everyone was worrying about how Yao Ming was going to face even harsher challenges in the NBA. But the one person who remained worry-free (sleeping tight) was a Houstonian. After witnessing Yao Ming and the Chinese NT embarrassingly lose one match after another, the Rockets' head coach Rudy Tomjanovich said: "I don't worry about his development in the NBA one single bit, and I guarantee that he's going to feel a whole lot happier than he did here."

NBA Easier than World Championships

When he said that, Yao Ming was trapped in a city of sadness (say, isn't that a Taiwanese movie?) built by Russia's swarming defense. China lost by 27 points to her opponents, and Yao Ming only shot 6 times for 13 points. In the fourth period, he attempted an mean dunk, only to have #6 Kliapa(?) viciously throw him from mid-air onto the ground, drawing gasps throughout the arena. But this situation will not reappear after October. "He received too much attention here, too much weight on his shoulders. Every team was gunning for (focusing their defense on) him," Rudy said. "But in Houston, on the perimeter, we have Steve (Francis) and Cuttino (Mobley), if any team focused their defense on Yao Ming, then they'll lose for sure. So to Yao, the NBA will probably turn out to be easier than the World Championships."

After facing everybody's expectations during the tournament, Yao Ming will find it [the NBA] relaxing. Rudy said "In Houston, we won't give Yao Ming any pressure or ask him to achieve a certain set of statistics every game. Undoubtedly, he will be one of our chief starters (chief sources of power amongst the starters), but we won't force him to do things. I want to let him decide for himself how many times a game he wants the ball. You've got to understand that when a 7'5" center asks for the ball in the paint, nobody's going to refuse him. Furthermore, we've got so many talented players on the perimeter [backing him up]. I know that Yao Ming will need to adjust to the NBA. But even Hakeem Olajuwan had some fatal weaknesses in the beginning, but we didn't let his weaknesses get exposed. We only let him develop and play to his strengths and specialties, multiplying his confidence, and finally let him become a superstar. It will be the same with Yao Ming."

His Value is Sufficient

Maybe we are still discussing what sort experiences and training Yao Ming will need to undergo in the NBA to become a real star, behooving his vaunted status as the #1 draft pick. But Rudy doesn't worry about this one bit. After seeing Yao Ming use his pretty hook shot [OH MY GOD! ] to hit 8 out of 8 shots during the New Zealand match, Rudy said "We feel that even if Yao Ming doesn't improve at all in the future, we still would have gotten sufficient value from choosing him at #1. There are a lot of things which cannot be taught, like his height, his hands, and his will/determination. But his potential is truly amazing, and he still has a lot of room to improve. In the bottom half of that match against America, he actualy penetrated/slashed on one occasion like a small forward. A 7'5" small forward... I can't even begin to describe my feelings at the time."

In Rudy's opinion, Yao Ming doesn't even need to do too much of the weight training he doesn't really enjoy. "He doesn't need to train that much, and it's impossible for him to become a Batere-type of center." Rudy said "Presently, Yao Ming's lower body strength is already exceedingly strong, which might possibly cause him to lose his jumping ability and speed. When he went to the Chicago tryouts, the trainers on the Bulls had already told him this. He's upper body doesn't need such sustained training either. He just needs to increase the strength of his shoulders and back. The thing he needs to work on most is to speed up his ball release, so that he can quickly jump and shoot over the heads of his defenders before they can double-team."

The head of the scouting department LinChi (Lynch?) said "We hope that Yao Ming can meld into the American society as quickly as possible. He doesn't have the temper and problems/bad habits of typical American stars right now. He is so friendly and easy to get along with, he is going to be the happiest Chinese in Houston."

from Sports Weekly

---

i've gotta say this Yang Yi reporter is DAMN GOOD!

 

Thanks Lil, W&S. You guys are the best.

I'm short on time, and skimmed Lil's translation quickly. Where's the bit about him starting? Or is that the line about him being the "chief presence in the frontcourt."

Rudy's comments about the guards not refusing him the ball seem to support that other article of Rudy being critical (or rather, not completely supportive) of the Chinese NT coach. I think that's being blown up a bit, but it certainly seems that Rudy hasn't been completely diplomatically neutral. I'm not saying he should be; it's just an observation.

What do you guys think about Rudy's comments about weight training (or lack thereof?) Do you agree with Rudy that back and shoulder strength is all Yao really needs to work on or not?

I'm getting more and more excited. Wish I had a time machine so I could jump a couple months into the future.

BTW Lil, thanks so much for your reply regarding food in Taiwan. I look forward to trying out your suggestions after the typhoon here passes! (It's not so bad; otherwise I wouldn't be online.)

 

You're the man, W&S! This article is a celebratory piece. I'm sure all Rockets fans will enjoy it... I'm personnally gonna take a break. These translations go fast, but they sure are tiring...

http://sports.tom.com/Archive/1019/2053/2002/8/24-19877.html
Source: Tom
Special Submission from Yang Yi:

PERSONALITY/CHARACTER DETERMINED HIS DESTINY
YANG YI: GREATNESS IS NOT MADE FROM JUST BASKETBALL SKILLS ALONE
8/24/02

With his first match after stepping on American soil, the #1 pick Yao Ming began to demonstrate his amazing basketball skills to the Basketball Kingdom (i.e. USA). But his greatness isn't merely this. 13pt 11reb 6blks 3ast 3stls in 34 minutes, is but a footnote to his god-given gifts (talent/potential).

Americans will certainly not forget Yao Ming's prettiest shot in this game. In his last 2minutes on the court, with 5min36sec left in the 3rd period, Yao Ming stepped up to the free throw line, looking as if he was going to complete a pick-and-roll with Hu Wei-Dong. Hu passed to Yao and immediately sped toward to baseline on the left wing. Yao Ming made as if to dish back to Hu, and Ben Wallace reached out to attempt to intercept it. All of a sudden, Yao Ming pulled the ball back in, and pulled up to swish the 12-footer. Countless fans raised their arms, because they and Ben Wallace were both caught in utter amazement.

Yao Ming pumped his right fist. I know: he liked to score this way.
He like to have this sort of exhiliration/euphoria and enjoyment after each made shot. This isn't simply the way a 7'5" Chinese center scores, and it doesn't merely mean that this boy can make an accurate jump shot like Rik Smits --- this is scoring wizardry. Of all the centers in the past 20 years, perhaps only Olajuwan had this type of hands and awareness. [dunno how to translate this, but probably more like: shooting touch, court intuition, and inspired basketball finesse], in a certain sense, Oakland Auditorium demonstrated to Americans for the first time, Yao Ming's genius and future direction.

Yao Ming grabs every opportunity to announce to the NBA just how extraordinary he is. He diligently handles each ball, and earns respect from each ball. He digilently handles each question he faces from American reporters, to let each question reveal more of the true Yao Ming. He is always trying different tones of voice and different approachs to answer each question, but his face is always filled with smiles. There are no questions which makes him feel embarrassed or at a loss. When "How's your English"-type of questions appear, Yao Ming says "Right now, I can't speak English as much as I like (at will), but I will try hard to learn. I'm sure I'll be able to fire my translators very soon." After saying that, he pointed to Xia Song, who had just translated it, and easily won over everything amidst the laughter.

I don't want to repeat here every answer which Yao Ming gives in the post-game press conferences, because most of these questions have no real meaning to Chinese reporters or fans. [They've already heard it all I guess...] But I want to tell you a fact --- within the 15 minutes of the Q&A sesson, he made the scores of assembled American reporters burst out in gleeful laughter 7 times. In the mind of the American press, Yao Ming's image is gradually filling out. He is no longer just a tall guy from the Far East. He is becoming a healthy, intelligent, open-minded, hard-working, humorous Chinese boy. He is in the process of winning the attention and adoration of American media. This night, every American team member is expressing their surprise at Yao's performance. Finley even said that "Yao was really eye-opening". But what I want to say most is that, the surprise which met the American reporters was no less than their team members. And their surprise wasn't basketball skills alone, but personality.

Since last year, I've come to the US several times. And every time, Americans have asked me the situation with Yao Ming. But more often than not, it was doubt and worry. They were afraid that Yao Ming's vaunted reputation will be exposed as a sham. They were even more concerned that Yao will be unable to withstand the pressure of being the #1 pick like Kwame Brown. I kept telling Americans, barring any accidents, Yao Ming will certainly become a superstar. The overall level/standard/quality of Chinese basketball reporting may not yet match American reporters, but Chinese reporters obviously have had a head start in understanding Yao Ming. Yao Ming is absolutely fearless in the face of pressure. He dares to assume responsibility for anything at any time. He dares to adopt a proactive mentality and his smile to face everything. What really decides whether Yao Ming can build his own dynasty in the next 5 to 10 years, isn't how many points or rebounds he can grab today, but his tremendous amount of heart. There is a saying that is appropriate here ---"Personality/Character determines destiny".

And so, we saw the performance at the Oakland Arena on the night of the 22nd. He can make his jump shot with ease over the heads of Antonio Davis and Ben Wallace, forcing his opponents to look on with such helplessness. Even when a frustrated Wallace fell down on him like a boulder, he only smiled: "I hope he didn't fall down too hard". During every break, the Golden State Warriors would constantly flash advertisements for next seasons' tickets on the big screen. The ad goes... "Got Yao?" The Rockets are coming to play two away games here, so whoever wants to see Yao Ming, had better buy tickets fast.

The people who "gets" Yao, to look on and admire him, certainly won't be just the Golden State's Chinese fans.

(Editor: Sun&Moon)

 

sorry about that guys!

W&S's absolutely right. I mistranslated one term:

"Starting" for "Front Court"

Misread the word...

my substandard simplified chinese reading skills exposed!

Have just gone to correct it!

Let me know if you spot any other errors!


Relativist, enjoy the food! Taiwan will always be where my heart is.

And certainly my appetite wished it never left...

 

yeah this Yang Yi fellow...
his depth of analysis, understanding of the game, mastery of words (esp. for a sports journalist), attentiveness to getting first-hand information (watching the games), ample use of direct quotes from the right guys every time, and ability to grasp the big picture seems to set him apart from the others i've read on this board. the kid's got a bright future ahead of him.

and coupled with W&S, makes CCnet probably the best English Chinese NT team / Yao Ming site on the web...

 

<blockQUOTE>Originally posted by Nolen
Man, where's HP? He needs to see this.</blockQUOTE> No...Cato is the starter!
Cato is the starter.
Ming hasn't even signed, yet. Bet me.

 

This thread is quite awesome, thank you. Obviously we'll be reading Yan Yi's stories for, oh, say, the next 12 to 15 years?

But the article about Rudy is really something. "[Ming] received too much attention [at the WC], too much weight on his shoulders. Every team was gunning for (focusing their defense on) him," Rudy said. "But in Houston, on the perimeter, we have Steve (Francis) and Cuttino (Mobley), if any team focused their defense on Yao Ming, then they'll lose for sure." Oh, yeah!

 

I just find it amusing that Cat Mobley, one of the toughest street ballers from one of the toughest cities (Philadelphia) is going to be an idol to millions of Chinese fans. I'm not sure why I find this humorous, but I do.

 

Now that Ming is going to be starting for the Rockets for sure, let's just take a look at the starting line-up...

C - Yao Ming
PF - Mo Taylor
SF - Glen Rice
SG - Cuttino Mobley
PG - Steve Francis

Key Subs:
Griffin
Thomas
Moochie

That being said, I think this team has the perfect mix of veteran leadership, youth, and energy to make it to the playoffs. As long as we try to keep the team and chemistry together, there is no doubt in my mind that we will be a 7th seed or better.

 

Yay! No More Cato!

Thanks for the good news. You're the man!

(Turn up your volume to enjoy this link)

 

C'mon people...wake up. We're getting this from the Chinese media that is know to twist people's words. Rudy is never that blunt about his players like he is in this article. Ming hasn't even had any contact with his soon to be teammates, so why would Rudy make such a ridiculous statement basically banishing Cato to the bench without giving him a chance?? Rudy would never do that to one of his players. Also, like Achebe said, why hasn't this surfaced in the US?

Sorry, but I'm not buying this entirely. If these are Rudy's quotes then they have been seriously manipulated for the Chinese population IMO.

 

i dunno about that rocketspimp.
this reporter seems to be pretty professional and reliable. he has nothing to gain by sugar-coating or exaggerating Yao's developments. if anything, bad news is a hell of a lot newsworthier than good news...

and Rudy has been saying a lot of things recently to the chinese press over in indianapolis, to which unfortunately, our beloved houston chronicles sports columnists haven't been paying much attention.

i wouldn't bet your house on cato being our starting center come october...

 

I think people are reading a little bit too much into that quote. Assuming it survived the translation wars anywhere near intact, all it says is that Ming will be starting for the Houston Rockets AT SOME POINT. The context of the question ("Will Yao Ming ever be skilled enough to start in the NBA?" or "Will Yao Ming start this season?" or "Will Yao Ming be ready to start for you opening night?") make all the difference in the world.

IMHO, it is a bit optimistic to expect him to come off the Asian games in Mid-October, join the Rockets halfway through training camp, and then be ready to start two weeks later.

 

I'm not sure why anyone would think Yao wouldn't be in line to start right away even if he is a rookie. We don't have any significant player in that position right now, so when you bring in a #1 draft pick, nevermind one that has become such an intriguing choice because of his background and country of origin, you play him.

It is tantamount to David Carr. Sure, they COULD have brought in a capable veteran and let Carr study on the sidelines, but it was the first pick in the history of the franchise. You lay it on him and see what happens.

Same thing for Yao.

 

I'm with Jeff. Why wouldn't you start the player millions want to see? He's the freakin' # 1 pick! You have to start him. It would be an international embarrassment to sit him on the bench behind frickin KELVIN CATO. Geez. You want to just throw all that ready-made market money in the toilet!?? For what ??! What "valuable lesson" could you possibly send that way?

What's the bet? User names? Heypartner works for me on the dance board, anyway .

 

All five USA players started in the WC games with TWO weeks of practice.