Excellent translation. Based on the title, I don't feel like the reporter has reported 100% of what Yao Ming said. The reporter must have twisted certain meanings to meet the ego of the Beijing readers. Otherwise, he won't come up with such a title, which does not highlight the essence of the discussion at all.
What is this Francis problem that the Chinese media is talking about? It looks like Yao is defending SF. But from what?
Honestly, I really really don't think that last statement with Divac is done with cockiness. He was asked about how he was manhandled last time and how he was gonna respond. His reply was around "yeah I did bad last time, but you saw how I responded to the Spurs, I believe i can do the same against Divac". How else was he suppose to respond? "Yeah, I was manhandled last time and you can expect the same this time too"?
I totally agree, after reading the interview. There is not a hint of cockiness in the whole interview, especially in the answer regarding playing Divac. It was all confidence. I just hope he is not over-confident... well that is part of learning, growing up I guess.
I will say, the conversation did happen, but most of the stuff there just fake. Articles in Chinese newspaper just don't treat anything seriously except those political related. This conversation is totally different from the one live on Sohu.com
Nothing wrong at all if Yao or any baller is confident but aware of his limits/weaknesses. That's not the same as trashtalking which has a more negative connotation of putting others down regardless of whether you can back it up or not. Sure, it's entertaining and in this age, may not even be considered unsportsmanlike, but I guess some of us are more old school.
Good to see a W&S thread. But I don't know what to think about this article either. This is the kind of "casual conversation" interview that could give this young man some major grief in the American sports media. But part of it could be the difficulty in literal translation. It's only a matter of time before ESPN starts digging up these articles and making hay with their own translators. The Todd Mac remark is Shaquillian, the Divac remark is great chalkboard material, and the SF intelligence/court awareness remark is fodder for all of people around the NBA that think Steve's out of his element as a pg and as a leader, even though he was being compared to the "great AI". Ugh. I admit we could slightly reword these quotes and and I wouldn't have a problem with them, but I don't know... Yao's a rookie in the NBA and someone in the Rockets organization had better be monitoring the Chinese media and advising Yao about how much trouble the American media can cause high-profile athletes. God, I hate to say this, but even Shaq showed great deference and respect to the NBA as a rookie. Now Yao's telling CBA phenoms that the NBA is just hoops? The more I type, the more trouble I'm having believing this. W&S your 1000th post was a doozie. Er..., but I am glad Yao's comfortable, I think.
First of all, I'm in my brother's s/n. Okay, now that that's clear..... So, you're a woman rockets fan?! Whoop de doo. Do you know how many women there are that follow basketball? A lot. For the most part, people don't care what your gender is as long as you know ball. By drawing attention to the fact that you're XX chromosome, you made an issue about it. Speedy (also a girl)
Hi all! As a lurker, I have not posted anything really worthwhile here yet... But I would like to have a go at the translation of this particular interview. Hopefully it will help clarify some of the points raised in previous posts, like Yao is being too cocky etc... You see, even Chinese can interprete their own language differently. I will add my 2 cents worth whereever appropriate. ----- Connecting with our reporters through an overseas line, Yao said frankly: "Don't treat it like NBA." - When I first started, I would think: let me first get two points today. But now I know for sure I can score; I can also do a lot more other things - In the future there will be more Chinese coming here to play basketball, what I can tell them is: this is ordinary basketball. (ED: by that I don't think Yao thinks NBA is ordinary, he just wanted to say that basketball is basketball - whereever you play it) Scoring 18 points 12 rebounds to chop down Philly 76ers, and in the last 3 games averaging 20.3 points/12.3 rebounds, Yao Ming is not only the hottest rookie in December; according to NBA's statistics on centers, he is just second to "Big Shark" O'Neal. Over the Pacific Ocean in Houston the night is still deep; hidden in the calm voice of first draft pick is a trace of excitement. Yangyi: Scored "double-double" for the 3rd game in a row, against 76ers (you) played only 27 minutes... Yao: Macculloch (76ers' center) moves slowly, it is comparably easier to play him. The key is my offense foul in the first quarter - that made me play much less minutes. But I felt that I didn't commit a foul in that play. Yangyi: Don't be greedy now, in actual fact, the refs have been treating you nicely on the whole. Yao: This I agree. (It) can be said that the treatment that the refs have given me is unlike those for a rookie. A long time ago, I have heard that the refs watch rookies very closely and are harsh on you. When Bateer first arrived, it was like, refs gave fouls all the time - but it has not been the same case to me. Maybe it is because I get along relatively well with others. (ED: This is definitely not about being popular, though it is easy to mix up being popular and getting along well with others when translated). I heard that when we played Dallas, Mavericks' boss yelled at the refs, "He is still a rookie! You guys are treating him like legendary stars!" Yangyi: That's why you have this solid feeling in your heart, is that right? Yao: Heh heh, the refs cannot give you this solid feel. When I first started I thought, "let me first score 2 points this game", once I scored 2 points I would not "hand in blank papers". But now I no longer have this expectation of feeling relaxed and relieved (after scoring). I know that I can definitely score, not only can I score, I can score many points; not only can I score many points, I can also compete for the rebound, block, assist in the attacks, I can still do many other things. Everytime I did a hook or a dunk, everytime I did a beautiful pass, I feel that I enjoyed it a lot. From that time I know, this basketball court now belongs to me. Yangyi: This kind of solid feel, or say, this kind of enjoyment, did it begin after you scored 30 points in one go at Dallas? Yao: Just after that Dallas game, when we played Cavs. Do you still remember? In the second quarter of that game I used my (single) right hand to pull down a rebound, right above the head of Ilgauskas (Cavs' center). When I caught that ball in my hand, I knew that my feel(ing) has arrived. Yangyi: At this stage, maybe you have really got some what they called "experience"? Yao: I dare not say whether it is experience or not. But the most important is that kind of understanding. I know that in the future there will be more Chinese coming here to play basketball. I have told Rockets' boss about the two players that is Tung and Yi. What I can tell them is: Don't treat the game like a NBA game; don't think that this is what you have always been watching on the TV since you were young; what made you dizzy - like looking up high at a mountain. This is normal basketball. Perhaps they have to face some pressure, like Yi (sp), so young yet the media has hyped so much about him - this is only his first year playing in the CBA, I am afraid that the pressure on him, would not be less than the pressure on me when I played my first NBA game. Yangyi: Playing to this stage, is it not a time that you should face the problem between you and Steve Francis? Yao: I have read a lot of what the country (China) had to say. What I wish to say is: noone should underestimate Steve Francis, it is like noone should overestimate me. We played against the 76ers yesterday, I feel that Francis' ability, his body strength is actually stronger than Averson; perhaps he is less in "creative spirit" (ED: wow now that's a hard word to translate without distracting from the original meaning), but he definitely is one of the best guards in the NBA. I don't want to discuss who is the "big brother", I am only a rookie who has played 1/4th of the season. If someone wants to say that we play well, I hope that they will say it is the combination of "Yao Ming -Francis". Yangyi: If you continued this kind of performance, there is little doubt that you will be the best rookie of December. Yao: Best rookie? he he he. Yangyi: Next game (the 11th) you are facing the Kings again, do you remember how Divac bully (or take advantage of) you last time? Yao: You wait and see. You noticed my change playing Spurs for the first and second time? You saw how I played the 76ers the first and second time? This is the second time playing the Kings. I can tell you, I have known the method to go against Divac. I won't lose to him this time. (Wow, this is harder than I first thought, but here you are.) Soulsong999
Because the Chinese media believe that Yao should be, sooner or later, become the first option of the team, while SF would be his 'obstacle'. It's silly, I know, but that's the media.
There is a subliminal message in the text. I decoded it. Some of you may have missed it, but I blacked out all the letters that didn't fit, and it leaves you with this vague message... T-h-e r-o-c-k-e-t-s w-i-l-l w-i-n t-h-e c-h-a-m-p-i-o-n-s-h-i-p t-h-i-s y-e-a-r. Y-a-o.
Thanks. They should worry more about Kenny "No pass" Thomas. He has not passed to Yao on many occasions for easy layups/dunks. I was screaming at the TV numerous times. How can he not see him! He is 7'6"!! I guess this is what we can expect from a "contract" player.
First Timer Caller Long Timer Listener I just want to try to clearify the article a little. Others have done a good job of translating but as the case with all translations, little nuiances get lost. About Steve Francis. Yao said that there are lots of speculations in the Chinese Media about their roles, but one shouldn't underestimate Francis. Compared with Iverson,he thinks Francis is better and stronger. Iverson is flashier and has more flair, but Francis is still one th best guards in the NBA. (I think Yao is saying thats why Iverson is better known and a bigger star than Francis in China.) I hope this helps
I just hope some so called YM's friends like Mr. Yang Yi (I know they will got some easy money and fame for doing that) will not further embarrase YM. Be truthful to your friend if you consider you are a friend of him. If you believed what said is true in this article, you would believe Charles Barkely would kiss YM' a** ( This news hit more that one week in every Chinese newspapers and internet sites), and you would believe that Phil Jackson said YM would tear Shaq apart after that Laker game. Just be careful anything came from Chinese sports media.
Uh, the reason it was an "issue" with W&S is because everyone on this forum spent many-a-thread trying to figure it out. She was a huge contributor this summer, and for some reason her gender became an issue of much debate. She wasn't just a basketball fan, she was *the* primary force for informing this site of everything Yao Ming related. No one, as far as I know, is really interested in the gender of everyone else on the site.
Slow down speedy. If you followed this bbs since summer, you'd know that windandsea's gender has been in question since she first appeared on this bbs. It's been part of the mystery. She has alluded to being female in the past, so it wasn't that big a shock to some of us, but it's not as if she came out of nowhere saying "look at me, I'm female".
I love this part : Poetry. Almost sig - worthy .Every time comes one to collude or to buckle the basket, every time spreads one attractive ball, thinks oneself very enjoys. That time I know, this field was belongs me.
