Sports Illustrated: The Creation of Yao

All politics and smart ass aside, I find Yao's mother to be courageous, strong, and very concerned parent who looked after her son under very hard circumstances. I hope she has much happiness in her life in Houston and China.

 

"Cultivate" doesn't mean genetically create, you know. It just means they wanted to bring athletics to the national forefront as a way to boost China's pride. Are you suggesting China has not had an active program to produce (through training and recognition of talent, not breeding) better athletes for the Olympics, etc?

Two generations of Yao Ming's forebears had been singled out by authorities for their hulking physiques, and his mother and father had both been drafted into the sports system. "We had been looking forward to the arrival of Yao Ming for three generations," says Wang Chongguang

So you think that China was looking for the weakest citizens to enroll in sports? Generations of Tracy McGrady's forebearers were singled out by scouts and coaches for their tall physique and athletic ability. What is the difference?

Scouts and coaches had also been looking forward to the arrival of a 7'6" Shaun Bradley, as well. He was drafted #2 just because he was tall. Problem was that he sucked, but he was supposed to change the game. Now look at all of the fascinations with "baby Shaq" 12 year olds these days.

Also, I interpreted the marriage situation as something encouraged by coaches and having nothing to do with the Chinese government. The author even mentioned the practicality of a tall woman wanting to be with a taller man. Why would that be included if the intent was just to make the Chinese government look bad.

I promise I know how to read English. I also read the article before anyone posted a response. I never thought the article suggested a conspiracy or some kind of mad scientist genetic experiment. I do think coaches and sports officials got really excited with the birth of a giant Yao Ming and felt that he would be crucial for the future of Cinese athletics and sports. Guess what? They were right. Also, as said earlier, scouts and coaches in the US would have been drolling over him had he been born in Chiacago as well.

 

People talk about the "new generation" of European basketball players as well...those that developed after the 1992 Olympics.

Shaq, KG, and Steve Francis also symbolized a "new generation" of centers, power forwards, and point guards.

 

Here we go again. You can easily understand the population situation in China if you have a chance to set a foot on the most populous places in China. China is about the same size of US, but supports almost 5 times of US population. Nevertherless only to say, only 15.4% land in China is arable. Just imagine the city or town you live, somehow the next day its population grows 5 folder. I strongly agree "One-Child" policy is brutal to humanity. But having babies more than the land can support and the possiblity of having millions of people die from famine is even more brutal....

 

Good post, hoop fan. I was expecting someone to deny the practice. Your answer was straightfoward and honest. Thx.

 

I disagree on the "overblown reaction" part.

Offering different points of view is good for information sharing. It improves understanding among people.

Question: should I start to use "genetically gifted" to decribe Dream, Kenny Smith, Jordan, TMac and people? I used to see the phrase "physically talented" or something like that. Hmm. Having got two degrees and worked more than ten years here in the US, I am still an avid student of word tricks. ;-)

The author didn't provide any supporting evidence to his finding (mostly implied between words, kind of lame) that the Chinese Gov was(is) busy at genetically producing super-babies. So I still don't know the truth after reading the article. I heard the rumor again.

 

The problem is that you got only one Fang Fengti ... Also, there ain't that many Yao out there either. Which 6'10 guy would marry, say, Zheng Hai Xia?

 

I don't really care about the "genetic" creation part. I just don't like the fact that Yao's Mom's history is now distributed nationally. I really doubt she'd like to re-live the past, or even hear that it's being published. Some things should stay within the family. It's pretty disrespectful to Yao and his parents.

 

Yao Ming's mom suffers again for what she did at age 17, only now it's known to BBall fans of the whole world, given SI's influence.

life.

 

Some of you guys are a trip.......I'd like to hear from any Chinese members over 50 who ACTUALLY lived through the revolution. And also get an idea of the age of those Chinese members who are freaking out an reading so much into the article.

As far as the marriage goes the article doesn't say it was forced, it says that they hooked the two of them up like in being a "matchmaker".......LOL

Oh and I'd have to agree, don't be frontin' Yao's mom or she will get up in your grille and kick your A$$!

As far as all the communistic propoganda and treatment I would say its spot on. Based on everything I've read and hearing stories from friends who have defected from Russia. If you don't think is possible to brain wash a generation just take a closer look at our own country back in the 60's....that crap wasn't about the war in Vietnam; that was only a front by communitsts to get the attention of the youth movement....it was all about rebelling against every ideal that their parents thought was good. Just read the Marxist handbook if you don't believe me...

Sooooo.......who still thinks sociailism and communism are great ideas? baby boomers chime in now....

Great read and very insightful....thnx

 

Let me put it this way: the article said that the Chinese authorities were cultivating two generations of athletes. Yes or no? Yes? Alright. Yao was born in 1980. Two generations before that to me means 20 years ago. When does that place the first generation of "cultivated athletes?" 1960. Does the writer who wrote this BS even KNOW what was going on in China in the 50's and 60's?

Quick history lesson for y'all. During the 1960's, China would be in the middle of the failed experiment that is the Great Leap Forward. People were STARVING TO DEATH. Breeding athlete would be the last thing on people's minds.

Also, why would the CCP cultivate athletes when they weren't even recognized as the legitimate government in China until the 70's and participated in ALMOST NO INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS. Let's just produce a legion of super athletes during political turmoil years just for the hell of it?

Not to mention, how would the author know this actually happened? Who did he question? Yao's ma, pa, himself? How about the sports authorities in question? Who would admit to such things even if they were true?

Finally, what the hell does Sports Illustrated know about China in the 60's, 70's and 80's? What the hell do they know about China in general? They don't even know jack about sports, which supposedly is their forte.

 

Well, considering that there are at least tens of thousands of Chinese men and women that are 6'10 and above, I'd say it's not very hard. Your problem is you didn't bother to check the facts before you bullsh1ted.

 

It doesn't take a genius to figure out the insinuation by this Larmer guy that "cultivate" is nothing but "breeding". The author didn't start the article by portraying a rigorous training regimen of the Chinese sports machine. It was all about the birth of an unusual baby, long anticipated, planned, and approved, as craftily put by the "RESPECTED" journalist, or a non-fiction novelist wannabe.

Here's the most outrageously ridiculous snippet in the whole article:

To meet Chairmao Mao's ambitious goal, how do Chinese sports officials find genetically gifted youngsters and maintain a steady supply of them? Random selection? Darwinesque evolution?

Few people here seem to know a previously long held and practiced motto by the Chinese Government in Mao's era, with regard to sports, which said "Friendship First, Competition Second". Given Larmer's profound knowledge on China (I have to admit that), I find that is a conspicuously glaring omission on his part when he talked about the Chinese sports in the pre-Deng era.

People who accuse the Chinese posters of being hypersensitive and/or ultra-nationalistic are being deliberately obtuse themselves.

Despite picking on the stupid conspiracy theory of "Operation Yao Ming", I am not ready to dismiss the whole article outright, noticing it is taken from a book. Speaking as someone who lived through almost every month of the Cultural Revolution, I acknowledge the accounts on the China of '60s and '70s are genuine.

 

Let's talk about this idea of brainwashing in China, the whole idea of which makes me laugh. During the 50's and 60's, 90% of the country were farmers. Then suddenly comes in this thing called the Communism. Now, the farmers have no clue what it is (nor do they care). What they do know is this:

1. During the WWII, it was the Communists that led the farmers from their village to safety. You are a farmer. Then when you come back two days later, their village was razed to the ground by the IJA. Those that remained were butchered, raped, looted and a whole slew of otherwise messy stuff. You think that leaves an impression on you?

2. Nobody in China benefited more than the farmers. You think the farmers, which represented 90% of the country, would support the Commies?

The Commies were supported by the people because of practical benefits, not political ideology. To see proof of that, in modern times, thousands of riots/protests by farmers happen all over China in any given year. Now, China today is still 75% rural population. What changed between the 50's and now? In fact, the average living standard of Chinese farmers had gotten MUCH better compared to the 50's. Gee, could it be that the Commies no longer pretended to be Communist and no longer talked for the farmers?

Certainly, there are brainwashed people in China. But to suggest that the whole country is somehow brainwashed more than other parts of the world is simply ridiculous.

Btw, I have lived in Russia, and no, people there aren't brainwashed either.

 

Man, this topic is really depressing.

Now we have heard many comments. How about we move on and talk about stuff better than the Cultural Revolution. Anyway, just my humble humble suggestion.

 

speaking of easily brainwashed populations, how's the war in Iraq going? or was that the war on terrorism?





sorry bout that....

 

The rumor is that Ye Li and Yao Ming's first baby will be named Yeh! Yao!

 

I don't buy into the "Operation Yao Ming" thing and genetic program to create super athletes. But to say that there were no fixed marriages in the 60's and 70's is either not true to history or not informed. Yes, general Chinese people like to act as match-makers, and like to ask you when you are going to get married and have kids. Meanwhile, in 50's - 70's, different level of governments or "organizations" did lots of match-making as well. Nobody was forcing anyone to marry anyone, but a "strong recommendation" from government and organization is not something you can take it lightly. You better follow it, otherwise there will be repercussion and consequence, not nessarily losing life over it, but definitely it's going to affect your career, education and life. I could give you a couple of examples, as people would introduce pretty students from "black capitalist families" to those officials from "red farmer families". If the girl is to refuse, that could indicate that she's having beef with farmers and the party, and that's very heavy accusation. I surely consider those forced or fixed marriages, not innocent match-making practice. Perhaps, the mentality of loving to be match-makers carried over with power and positions, but that's still against the wills of those people involved.

That being said, I don't see Yao's parents were influenced that way, simply because none of his parents fell into those categories. My reading comprehension could be poor, but I still smell some "conspiracy theory" or "systematic program" were implied, which I am not too comfortable with in Yao's particular case.