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Very Interesting article, why Wang is what he is and why Yao got out in time

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by trugoy, Feb 4, 2003.

  1. Raven

    Raven Member

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    This is something I've thought about. Just how much rest will YM get in the offseason. Not much I bet.

    Raven
     
  2. trugoy

    trugoy Member

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    Working overtime Chinese coaching philosophies are too dated


    SYDNEY, Australia -- Watching the Chinese basketball team go out to a 20-16 lead against the U.S. Sunday night, only to lose 119-72, two sentences reverberated in my head. They're from John Anthony Spencer, a former star at Howard who spent several seasons as a basketball soldier-of-fortune in the Middle Kingdom.

    Here is what he told me: "This is the most athletic foreign team you'll ever see. But you'd never know it because they're so tired."

    The Chinese nationals practice five hours a day, every day. Their training camp is in session whenever the Chinese Basketball Association isn't.

    "The physical punishment basically kills their bodies," Spencer says. "I'd hate to see this team if it had a day off every week and practiced two hours a day. Add a better diet and some weightlifting, and this could be one of the toughest teams in the world."

    A prime example: Hu Weidong, a guard who came off the bench Sunday night. Four years ago he was among China's best players, good enough to be invited to the Atlanta Hawks' training camp. Then he tore up his knee -- surely, says Spencer, a former teammate of Hu's, as a result of the national team coaching staff's determination that players chi ku, or "eat bitterness."

    Why do the sages of Chinese hoop persist in their counterproductive methods? The answer may lie in a comment from Ma Jian, who was the first Chinese athlete to play college ball in the U.S. Ma tells me that when he was a member of the national team a decade ago, he approached coach Jiang Xingquan -- the same man who's guiding China in these Games -- and pleaded with him to give the players a regular day off. Jiang not only refused, but explained his refusal with a line that illustrates how thoroughly bureaucratic thinking still permeates Chinese sports.

    "We must practice every day," Jiang told Ma. "That way, if we lose, I can tell the higher-ups that I've done everything I could."

    If you caught the sparks of possibility last night from 7-5 Yao Ming and 7-foot Wang Zhizhi, that comment will strike you as a horrible shame. Yao and Wang deserve a better chance to become the best players they can be.

    Sports Illustrated senior writer Alexander Wolff is in Sydney covering the Games for the magazine and CNNSI.com. Check back daily to read Wolff's behind-the-scenes reports from Down Under.
     
  3. JuanValdez

    JuanValdez Member

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    If so, Yao shouldn't have any trouble with the rookie wall.
     
  4. IVFL

    IVFL Member

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    I wouldnt know what to do with a 5 hour practice. I mean there is only so much you can cover. heck a 3 hour practice is too long as it is
     
  5. codell

    codell Member

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    This is Yao's upcoming off season committments to the national team:

    Summer of 2003 - Asian Basketball Championship for Men in August (usually 8 games in 8 days) - this tournament is the olympic qualifier for China
    Summer of 2004 - Olympics
    Summer of 2005 - Asian Basketball Championship for Men
    Summer of 2006 - World Championships in August and Asian Games in September/October
    Summer of 2007 - Asian Basketball Championship for Men
    Summer of 2008 - Olympics

    So every off-season, he is going to have committments. The Asian Championship for Men is every 2 years, the World Championships every 4, the Olympics every 4 and the Asian Games every 4.
     
  6. Cipherous

    Cipherous Member

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    DAmn man, What the hell are they doing to Yao. Due to his chinese commitments, Yao's career ain't going to be a very long one.
     
  7. rockHEAD

    rockHEAD Member

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  8. hikanoo49

    hikanoo49 Member

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    His schedule is bad but he should be able to handle it. Think of it this way, US players such as Kobe will have to go through about half of it due to their Olympic game and qualifying obligations as well. So basically, the only activities that are extra are for the Asian games (8 games).
     
  9. A-Train

    A-Train Member

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    Wow, a basketball tournament every Summer...big whoop...Steve hoops at Westide during the entire offseason, and nobody talks about him being tired...The only real hectic offseason is 2006...
     
  10. daoshi

    daoshi Member

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    Here is a typical day I had when I was in that system,

    6:15---7:00am light running in the track field;
    7:30---9:00am breakfast, free time;
    9:00---11:00am skill/strategy training;

    11:30am lunch

    12:30---2:30am mandatory naptime;
    3:00---4:30pm skill/strategy training;
    4:30---5:30pm strength training

    So you have about 5 to 6 hours a day. Many teams even train at night, especially when they were preparing for a big tournament. This might looks very intense, but you have to keep in mind that all athletes were living together as a group. Traing was their daily job, so 5/6 hours a day on the job wasn't that bad.

    Chinese athletes normally peak early, and have a shorter life span in their sports due to their early physical training. This was identified long time ago, and the national teams coaches tried to address this but couldn't. The reason was the system, where the coaches for the junior teams have everything to gain when their team performed well, so they trained the teenager as adults.

    Another reason for the heavy training was the tournament schedule. There weren't many games/tournament to play in the old days, so all you got was training. Athletes were told that training is their job, so 5/6 hours a day wasn't that bad compare to other professonals who have to work at least 8hrs a day. ;)
     
  11. codell

    codell Member

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    Woohoo!!! Oh man, that rocks!!!

    Do they get milk and cookies and does the coach read them stories to help them go to sleep????

    :D :D
     
  12. Axeman

    Axeman Member

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    Trust me... The financial and cultural implications of Yao's success will supersede any attempts to force him to work himself to death in the offseason. The Chinese officials, both in the basketball and non-basketball camps, will not allow this potential goldmine named Yao Ming to injure himself or jeapordize his NBA career. There's just too much at stake this time around.
     
  13. daoshi

    daoshi Member

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    That's a culture thing, Chinese take nap after lunch. One of the reason is that Chinese like to get up early. When you get up at 5:30am, you'll be up 7/8 hours by noon, so it makes sense to take a break, recharge your battery. Here at the States, people got to office after 9/10, I don't think anyone need to recharge again in 3 hours.
     
  14. RIET

    RIET Member

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    That's what we think and it would make too much sense. Just remember, communist countries like China absolutely detest individualism. They can't openly play favorites so somehow I doubt Yao will get a break from whatever else does, nor would he stand up and demand more rest.

    Bureacracy at its finest.
     
  15. sun12

    sun12 Member

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    Yeah, and a bad knee at an early age. Yao Ming actually had an early condition in his knee due to the national team training. Fortunately, it was found by his Shanghai Sharks' coach and was cured immediately.

    It makes a lot of sense for the Rox to send a trainer with Yao back to China during the off season.
     
  16. feishen

    feishen Member

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    Individualism was never a good thing in China, Conmunisim or not. Look at the way Yao plays, we like that right?

     
  17. Pole

    Pole Houston Rockets--Tilman Fertitta's latest mess.

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    I wish somebody would have told me...
     
  18. Deckard

    Deckard Blade Runner
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    This almost makes too much sense, sun12. If the Rockets don't do that, they're crazy.

    A better question might be... would they be allowed to??
     
    #19 Deckard, Feb 4, 2003
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2003
  19. rockbox

    rockbox Around before clutchcity.com

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    I do. Naps are awesome.
     

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