All the chinese fan knows that Sf is yao ming's friend. and tell u sth u may not know. Yao ming bring a chinese sword to Sf as a gift after his summer vocation. (I wonder how can he bring that weapon on board)
Chapter 66: fading hopes of Play-Off " I was thinking, we really shouldn't be dying this way. Actually we had chances, but chances are only for people who can grab them. After Milwacky game, a lot of us didn't want to try any more, that including me." --- Yao The last stretch of regular season felt fleeting until Rockets were completely out of play-off hopes. It's just win-some-lose-some, no more excitement and disappointment, because the hope is getting slimmer and slimmer. Arriving home from San Antonio, Rockets played the cellar-dweller Denver and won the game. Then they went on a 3-game road trip on the East coast. March 31, 2003. Yao got 24 points at New Jersey but Nets still beat Rockets by 110-86 easily. At Milwaukee, Bucks is a team without center, during the first quarter Yao fought hard for 13 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists, which propelled Rockets to a 30-20 lead with 10 points cushion. But Larry Smith benched Yao the whole second quarter. During this time Bucks caught up with Rockets with their 2.08m forward Kukoc connecting inside-out. At the beginning of forth quarter, Bucks used the same strategy to beat Rockets 106-99. After the back to back loss, Rockets fell 1.5 games behind Suns. At Milwaukee's locker rooms, nobody was making any noise. Every player was busy packing their stuff. Larry Smith was surprisingly quiet. " I was thinking, we really shouldn't be dying this way. Actually we had chances, but chances are only for people who can grab them. After Milwaukee game, a lot of us didn't want to try any more, perhaps that includes me." The next stop was Philadelphia. Yao got 20 points and 13 rebounds, Rockets beat Iverson's 76ers. That was their last sun shine before dying. April 8, Rockets lost to Potheads at home; a day later, they got b****-slapped by Jassholes. Total melt down of Rockets; during these two games, losing a total of 36 points. Yao had 6 points each game, making only 5 out of 22. Rockets flew home the night after Salt Lake city waiting for the death sentence. Brave Suns beat Dallas Little Cows. The next night Yao watched NBA live. The visiting Suns beat Spers miraculously. After beating two top-seeded teams, Suns lead Rockets by 3.5 games, but Rockets only have 3 games left --- The 8th play-off berth is etched with Sons. When Marbury and Marion poured beers onto their bodies in San Antonio's locker room crazily, Yao tossed TV remote onto the sofa and snapped: "Over, done." That night, Yao drank his mom's soup, taking time savoring every spoonful ( little did we know JVG would bring Weather-spoon this season). He looked very happy. Yao's parents said: " Have some more soup, don't be too heart-broken." Yao said:" I am all right, I am fine. " Yao Zhi Yuan (his father) said:" You played fine. Come back next season." Yao nodded. The last game was played on Colorado high plateau. This is Rocket's second game. When he was first time here, he made his very first 2 points, he did not know how long it was going to take him to establish himself. 2nd time around people have acknowledged his value, but Houston Rockets had come to an end in the 02-03 season. Play the cellar-dweller Denver was not much meaningful. Players were talking about where to go for vacation, it's as if everybody became slack and lazy. Yao tried to be smart, just killing the time on court. But during one of the FTs, Mobley stood in front him, staring at him and said:" Hey, Yao. Do you still want to play? If not go to the bench." Mobley's name is Cuttino, rhymes with Cat. His childhood favorite cartoon is "Cat in the Hat", so everybody calls him "Old Cat". Old Cat is really like a cat. He likes purring in the locker room: meow, meow, meow..... the sound is scary, his round eyes radiate lights (?!) . When Yao arrived at Compaq center first time, it was Mobley introduced him to the fans with microphone. Yao says: "Old cat is a good fellow but little hysterical." After the Denver game, Yao called Mobley in the locker room. Holding his hands, Yao said:" Thank you, old cat. Thank you for telling so. I will never be like this again. This is NBA, no slack is allowed. Next season we will move into new center. Hope we will play great." Old Cat gracefully smiled and whistled in the shower (?! Was Yang Yi eavesdropping in the next cubicle ?). Yao got 13 points, 16 rebounds, his last double-double, the 27th double-double. The Rockets ended the season with a 43-39 record. 15 more wins than last season. Suns record was 44-38. A few days later, at Westline Tennis club Basketball training court. Now it's late spring, just another sunny morning. GM CD and LM each gave players a speech of how Rockets sucked another season, then the it's officially over. Rockets is on vacation without play-offs. Some players plan to go away, some will train hard to work their arse off; some will still be here next season, some don't know where their future is. After the speech, players slapped hands and dismissed. Yao said, he stood there and thought. Oh, this is holiday. Should I go to farewell many people? Some will be back with me in the new play center(Toyota Center), some will not be here, at least not in the Rockets locker room, they will be opponents (Posey ! Posey!! ) Who will be gone? He picked up his shoes and clothes and went home. Somebody gave Yao a set of golf clubs to let him learn some upper echelon sports ( What? To get acquainted with Tiger Woods ?) Francis ran over, with his thick hide he tentatively asked : " How about give them to me? (For God's sake Steve, you make 10 times Yao does! ) Yao shook his heart hole:" No problem, take them." Francis didn't hesitate a second. He tossed the clubs onto his back, ran away shaking his butts. Yao stuck his tongue out:" He really took it. Americans are so honest." Farewell is in a Spring, although there is no happiness of victory, but the life goes on. Nobody collapses, including Yao Ming. (To Be Continued...)
Wow, this is quite a story. Not sure how much of it is accurate however. The story really shows Larry Smith in a VERY negative light and if true does shed a lot of light on why the Rockets had problems at the end of last year. Glad all of that is behind us now.
I was wondering why a thread with the name Yang Yi can be worth so many stars... Now I know why! It makes me think long and hard on how far we have come this season. It's certainly pleasing that Yao is no longer Shaq's B. SS999
I always thought the rockets would of made the playoffs last season if Rudy was there for the whole season, but I had no idea that it was that bad. Its a shame that it ended like that.
Just read the book and here are some of my observations: 1) Yao likes SF a lot and they are really in good terms. Their on court and off court friendship probably develops more this season. 2) Cat is not afraid to get in your face and Yao thanks him for that. 3) Yao is very grateful to Rudy. And the whole Rockets franchise should own thanks to Rudy for being so positive and helpful to Yao in his first season as a Rockets. 4) We would have made the PO last year if Rudy had been healthy. 5) Rudy should have been given a chance this year. I guess that Rudy would have imployed more of an inside-out game plan if he were the headman this season. However, Ewing really made a tremendous effort in making Yao the player he is right now. 6) Shanghai really wanted Yao to go to New York badly and was doing everything with Chicago/NY to make sure that Yao go to the Big Apple. The game was not over until the day of the draft pick.
absolutely outstanding thread. this is the kind of info that makes cc.net the best bbs on earth. that said, i keep looking for pops or doc rocket to post a comment or two on what yang yi has written here. it'd provide an interesting counterviewpoint, i'm sure.
I'll just be happy when YM signs his contract extension. Until then, I can't truely consider him a RFL. Raven
Same here. At the very least, I hope Yao signs with the team with which he wants to sign. Not with the team someone in Shanghai tells him to sign.
Wow, this is tremendous. heh heh, it actually got me searching the web for more translations. Here's one (by sinoball) about why Yao signed with Nike. It's a great read. Enjoy. http://www.yaoming**********/forum/...ce&PHPSESSID=183a7b9138d7055c16e14dbb654bb1ce Part 3 (originally by Yang Yi, translated by sinobball) Note----this passage has nothing to do with Nike deal, but goes on to show what a person Yao Ming is. In order to understand it fully, you have to realize that the Chinese culture is very much oriented around eating. It’s also a custom to treat others to eat, but the Chinese, as friendly as they are, are (or used to be) very poor and stringent, so who pays the bill at a restaurant is a big issue over there in China. Hope that helps a bit. To give up that much money was hard, but to live with that money is harder. In Beijing, he once went to eat roasted beef with (teammates) Guo Shiqiang, Liu Wei, Xue Yuyang and Jiao Jian. When it was time to pay the bill, Yao Ming took money from his wallet, he said he’d pay, but Guo Shiqiang also took out money, he said they’d already decided long ago he would pay. So Yao Ming let him paid the bill, he didn’t force it. Before Yao Ming went to the NBA, he’ll usually fight with other people to pay the bill, but he won’t do it any more. Because before that he earned about the same as everyone else, but right now, what he earns in one year, others can’t earn in one lifetime. He said: “I don’t like people to realize that I am so rich, because it’ll make them feel the distance between us is huge.” Between Yao Ming and his friends, the balanced bill-paying custom (when eating out) is still kept. He would buy me one meal, and I’ll buy him one meal. When we pay the bill, sometimes he would say: “How about I’ll pay this time.” And I will usually say: “What, you think you’re a noble with all the money? You think you’re better than everyone else with all that money?” He’ll usually smile: “Yeah, I’m better, better.” And he’ll take the money back to his pocket with a big smile. Such Yao Ming probably only cares about two things, one is how he feels, another one is the future world. In the night scene of the “Icy City” (Note: Harbin), Yao Ming was already wearing his red/white Reebok shoes under his feet. He was wearing that pair of shoes, and he became the only king in Asian basketball history, he became the Tim Duncan of the Asian Basketball Final. In that hard-fought China-Korea battle, when Korean shoot the three’s like fireworks, Yao Ming screamed angrily, he became the lighthouse that illuminated China basketball’s bright future. When he stepped on the pinnacle of Asian basketball, it was on the night of the National Day. The last dinner When Yao Ming won the Asian Championships that night, I went to see him in the Huayuanchun Hotel where the Chinese team stayed. That was the hotel for very high officials, not many people could go in there. That night, all the players went out with friends to celebrate the victory, only Yao Ming stayed in the quiet villa, all by himself. The Houston Rockets training camp already started on October 2nd, Yao Ming didn’t have time to waste, he would go back to Beijing the next morning, and fly to Shanghai on the 4th, and after one day flying back to Houston. So, on that day before I left the Huayuantun, in his room, I said, “You’ll go back to Beijing, I’ll treat you a meal, to say farewell to you.” He blinked his eyes, “How about I treat you…” I said, “You’re leaving, of course I treat you. You think you’re better just because you have money?” He laughed. And then he shamelessly said he wanted to eat the western food in “TONY ROMAS Oriental New World”, that’s probably one of the most expensive places to eat western food in Beijing. When Lu Hairui was still with Nike, one time he took Wang Zhizhi over there, and Wang Zhizhi said he wanted to eat the hamburgers there. Lu Hairui thought the hamburgers were cheap, but once he took a look, 98 RMB, Wang Zhizhi ate one, and took one out, and Lu Hairui felt pretty distressed. I remember when I left (him), Yao Ming said something like “Let’s see how I’m going to eat your money tomorrow” behind my back. To tell you the truth, I regret now. But it was already late. The second evening I took my girlfriend to pick Yao Ming and Ye Li up in Heavenly Temple Villa. He was wearing a blue pullover, and he hid in my car. Yao Ming and Ye Li two big people, crowding in the back of my (VW) Santana 2002, they’re already squeezing themselves, shoulder next to shoulder, leg next to leg. Even so, you can’t stop him from talking. Yao Ming is such a person. If someone treats him a meal, he won’t stop talking. Even in the Jinshancheng when we ate chafing dishes, he would constantly say: “I want to eat lobsters, I want to eat crabs, I want to eat…”, then he would ask the waitress to come, “Do you have ear shell (Note: a very expensive fish), give me several pounds, let me taste it.” So ever since he got on the car, he started to discuss with Ye Li loudly, “Hey, how about the steaks we eat last time, the 200RMB/1 piece kind.” Then he patted my shoulder from behind, “First let me have 5 pieces, you don’t have any objections, do you?” Then he would say: “Hey, those 130RMB roasted lobsters are good too.” Finally I stopped the car at a red light, and I turned and pointed my finger to his nose: “You better shut up quickly, otherwise I’m not going to give you one rice granule.” He then laughed. TONY ROMAS is actually just beneath the Oreintal Yunyue Hotel, but we didn’t find the right place at the underground parking lot. When we walked up one floor, we had to walk an additional several hundred meters. I was with Yao Ming when I said, “O ******”, my girlfriend was still baffled by what I meant until she saw hundreds of people shopping in the Oriental New World running this way. No matter where direction they were heading originally, they were all coming and shouting: “Yao Ming! Yao Ming!” Yao Ming started to walk much faster, and I was afraid to get stepped on, so I followed him from a distance with my girlfriend and Ye Li. I just saw so many heads before me, as if all people in the entire mall have ran outside. Yao Ming was crowded in the middle, and as he was walking he turned back to us, “Come on, faster!” We were following him, suddenly my girlfriend turned her back, looked at Ye Li and said: “So sorry.” Finally we went to TONY ROMAS, we rushed in and found a table to sit down. But the waitresses could not contain the ongoing crowd who followed in. When we were about to order, there were several hundred people standing about 10 meters from us. They would not come really close, but they would not disappear either, they would watch, and then talk. I stood up and said loudly: “Thanks everyone for liking Yao Ming so much. I’m his friend. He’s just won the Asian Championships, now he’s about to go back to America. We’re gathering here to eat one meal, so we would not appreciate so many people watching us eat like an exhibition. Right everyone? I know you all like him, but I hope off the court everyone can treat him like an ordinary person, to allow him enjoy an ordinary life. How’s that?” Nobody said anything, and nobody left. Suddenly Yao Ming raised his head: “Are you all done with watching?” Still, nobody said anything, and nobody left. The second time was an angry roar: “Are you all done with watching!” The people started to draw back, and they disappeared slowly. I was watching Yao Ming, he sighed lightly. Finally the evening started to get quiet. I can’t remember what exactly we talked about on that day during dinner. I only remember him saying: “Nowadays many things are different than before. When I’m in Shanghai, I don’t dare to go to the “New World” to drink coffee like I used to. Everything happening now, I couldn’t have predicted few years ago. Even I myself don’t know where the world will take me in the future.” Finally he said, “Come to Houston next year, I’ll show you what the playoffs are like.” Then we toasted the beer in our hands. When I paid the bill I was mentally ready. 1008RMB. Yao Ming extended his neck, “Did you all discounted for him, we didn’t ask for a discount.” Then he added: “I’ll treat you tomorrow, how about at Shunfeng before I go?” I said, “OK, I’ll eat 2008 (Olympics) RMB for you.” I walked to the underground parking lot to get my car, and drove to the door to pick him up, then we emerged in the traffic in Chang-an Avenue. The bright lights showed the National Day spirit. We headed south, Chang-an Avenue was getting wider and wider. Yao Ming lowered his window shade and looked at the red wall and green tiles from a distance. He said, “Have to go, haven’t seen Tian-anmen Square for so long.” The second afternoon, I received a call from Yao Ming. He said quietly, full of apologies: “I say, how about we cancel tonight…” I laughed and said: “I understand. Good luck to you, take care of yourself.” Of course, there was only one day left to spend with Ye Li before he went. On the morning of October 4th, he flew back to Shanghai. At noon of the 5th, I woke up from my sleep, Yao Ming was already several thousand miles above the ground. On the evening of the 6th, I was driving when I received his call from Houston. He said— “I already slept once. Yesterday when I first arrived in Houston, Colin took me to the hospital for a physical---the same physical that I did my MRI last season, you’ve been there. Just when I got off the car, I saw a bald old man standing on the doorsteps of the hospital, wow it’s van Gundy! He came over and told me “You must have been very tired from the trip, the team’s waiting for you to join,” and he patted my shoulder and left in his car. Colin then told me, the team had already started practice in Galveston. From there to Houston takes about 1 and a half hour by car, and another 1 and a half hour going back. So he (van Gundy) drove for 3 hours just to say those two words to me. Actually he knows my telephone number.” “I’m now on the way to Galveston, it’s south of Houston. My car? I have been driven for a long time, that new Toyota SUV.” As the SUV was heading southward, he began his 2003-04 season.
oh, and i really do hope the rockets hang on to rudy in some capacity at least until yao has a chance to resign.
The earlier section... also by sinobball. http://www.yaoming**********/forum/...ce&PHPSESSID=183a7b9138d7055c16e14dbb654bb1ce Part 2 (original by Yang Yi, translated by sinobball) It's not a matter of money When he decided to take off the Nike shoes he wore for 6 years and change them to Reebok, was 2 days before the Asian Championships. It was a hard decision. At that time the Chinese team was already occupied in Harbin. In those two days, Yao Ming's voice on the telephone always sounded very deep, nothing could spurred his enthusiasm. He said: "Don't talk to me about this, don't make any comments. I told everyone else the same thing: Nobody should bother me, let me make the final decision myself. Because he had a long relationship with Nike. In 1997, when Yao Ming first came to the scene, he was bony and couldn't take a blow, many people thought he sucks. But Nike China CEO Lu Hairui was determined he would develop into a big thing with a bright future, so he supported him unfalteringly. Nike sent Yao Ming to Europe, and then to America. When Yao Ming was still a kid, Nike's first deal with him was 120 thousand RMB (Note: 8RMB is about 1USD) a year. To Yao Ming today, 120 thousand RMB is nothing but ash, but water starts from a fountain, a person should not forget the favors he received. Although after Lu Hairui left Nike, Nike was conservative in resigning with Yao Ming, but Yao Ming did not forget what they did to help him. When Nike competed with Reebok, Yao Ming said: "I have a limit set in my mind. If the two's offers differ in less than 5 million USD, I will choose Nike." Then he should sign Nike, so why was he hesitating in the race between the two companies that lasted for several months? Actually, Yao Ming almost made the decision, Nike almost won Yao Ming, which means also the future China and NBA supermarket. An insider who had participated in the shoe deal race said: "At that circumstance, Nike almost acquired Yao Ming's words. They wrote the detailed offer, and they handed the documents to Yao Ming. You can almost say, they've passed through Yao Ming. However, in the last minute, they found problems in one of the articles in the deal. I can't confirm whether the problem was intentional or just due to neglect, but it eventually caused Nike losing the almost-won battle of Yao Ming." Eric Zhang Mingji, Head of Team Yao which dealt with Yao's many issues, said: "I have to say, Nike's performance was very professional in the whole race. But they neglected something during the final stage." When Yao Ming made the decision, he said: "It's not a matter of money. You can give me less money, but you have to face me honestly." When he was making that decision, he seemed sad but determined. At that time, all Nike Beijing Ltd. staff, led by the former 110 meter hurdle star Li Tong, stayed in Harbin, to act on the instructions from Nike headquarters in Portland instantly. An insider said, when Yao Ming told Nike he would sign with Reebok, Nike Headquarters were very shocked. Losing Yao Ming meant losing the entire Chinese market and future development in China. They began their last struggle, they handed Yao Ming their second offer. He said: "The second offer was so large you couldn't have imagined. Nike right now has two superstars Lebron James and Kobe Bryant, but the offer to Yao Ming was equal to Lebron James + 2/3 of Kobe Bryant." This offer was really rare. In fact, the offer Reebok signed with Yao Ming was only about 40% of Nike's 2nd offer. The Reebok deal also had a condition on whether to extend Yao Ming's contract in the 7th year. And it's not an easy task---in the next 7 years Yao Ming had to appear in the All-Star Game at least 3 times in order to renew the Reebok contract. In contrast, Nike's offer was much higher and without any conditions. In an evening in Harbin, an employer in Nike China called me: "What the headquarter wanted is, it doesn't matter how much they pay, they'll have to make Yao Ming change his decision. We offered him such high price, do you think it's useful?" I said: "Too late already." Yao Ming eventually didn't look back for money. On the second night the Asian Championships started, ESPN first told the world that Yao Ming had signed with Reebok. Yao Ming smiled: "You know, I as a person, would rather have something to spur me forward, than having to sit back at the same place for a pile of money." In his room, he held on Reebok shoe with his left hand, a famous Nike YAO11 with his right, and he sighed lightly. "Nike looks good, Reebok feels good." He said, "I'd rather choose the comfortable one, it's more actual." Eric Zhang Mingji later told me, "On the matter of money, I really admire Yao Ming's standards. If it were me, that big a lure, I probably wouldn't have done that (what Yao Ming did.)" (There's still a considerably big portion that I haven't translated, but I can't do it any more.)So go steal from the other forum if you can
Let me say something about this book and Yang Yi: I can read Chinese and this is so far the best Rox insider info at any level I've ever read, and I believe 95% of those are trustful. Actually I know that this book has been out for a while and there is English translation available through chapter 15, which is done by a member at yaoming**********. One of reasons I don't feel comfortable to post a link here is because Yang Yi has a bad reputation here as a symbol of bragging his close relationship with Yao. Unlike most sports writers in China, Yang Yi is few of those young and well-educated. He speaks and reads English well. Yes, he writes a lot of astonishing insider info of Rox because he is a close friend of Yao. The reason people here are ridiculously critical on him is because they don't realize how close he and Yao actually are. I don't want to say too much. But please trust him, or you guys will miss a lot.
