1. He was watching the heavy rain when he talked to Yang Yi (reporter) on the phone. 2. He has one dunk, two blocks at the first practice and was blocked three of his shots. (so Erik lied. ) He felt good about his practice. 3. He had seen the tactics charts of Rockets when he was in Turkey two months ago. 4. He will use Barkley's closet in the locker room. 5. He will play at least one preseason game. And he felt he will play at the game tomorrow for a short time. 6. physical test is only a formality since he has gone through tons of physical tests recently. 7. There is a lake in front of his house. http://sports.sina.com.cn/k/2002-10-23/0628338877.shtml
Yao also mentioned that Barkley critizised him during the draft in New York, now he's using Barkley's locker.
Yao Ming Interview http://sports.sina.com.cn/k/2002-10-23/0628338877.shtml Quick translation: At 10 in the morning (Beijing time), Yao Ming called for the first time; he said, "I'm sitting in front of the window, watching the rain." This is 9 PM Houston Time, and Yao Ming had just finished his first full day with the Houston Rockets. Interviewer: You just finished your first day; how's Houston? Yao Ming: Still don't have much of an impression, just thunderstorms, so much rain that the ground is steaming. Interviewer: You practiced for the first time with the team today, how do you feel? Yao Ming: Right, I did. I slept for 7 hours, and got to the gym at 9. At 10, officially started practice. The contents were fast-break drills (I think) and 5 on 5 scrimmage; my feelings aren't bad. Rudy T repeatedly said he wants to give me more time; right now, I still know almost nothing about the Rockets strategy. But it's really not that serious, before the exhibition game against Turkey before the World Basketball Championships, Rudy already faxed me tens of pages of the Rockets play-charts, telling me to look at them when I had free time. Although I've only just started officially receiving the material, I will learn it very quickly. Interviewer: During practice, did you show off your trademark signs? That is, blocks or dunks. Yao Ming: I blocked two shots, but also let others block 3 of mine. In China, being blocked by someone is a depressing thing, but here it's not much of a big deal. No matter I block someone, or I am blocked, it doesn't feel like it counts for much. Everyone is going all out, so there's no time to feel depressed at all. The first one I blocked was (Ge-lun-lai-si?), but he grabbed the ball immediately and shot again. I'm not sure who blocked my shots, I just know that there were people all over the basket/backboard. I only dunked once; I grabbed a rebound and dunked mid-air. Interviewer: After practice, you should have gone for your physical? Yao Ming: That's right. In the morning I practiced for an hour and a half, one time my left foot was hurt a little; in China, we definitely would've kept practicing, but here they immediately stopped me from moving. The physical in the afternoon is just for appearances (formality), since May I've been given so many physicals. Interviewer: Is the Rockets locker-room beautiful? Before, the Mavericks and Nuggets were all pretty good, and Zhizhi/Bateer's lockers were all on the very inside of the room... the Mavericks even setup their players with video game machines. Yao Ming: Ah? They treat'em so well. I don't have a video game machine here, otherwise before games wouldn't I just play games all the time? The Rockets locker-room is pretty good, once you go in the front door, my locker is right to the right. They told me that this used to be Barkely's place, and before and after every game, he'd sit here blabbering (rough translation!). At the New York draft he just said bad things about me, and now I'm sitting in his place. Interviewer: Your new home isn't too bad, I heard 500K. Wang Zhizhi rented an apartment, and Bateer just lived in a hotel, but you're the first to buy a house. Yao Ming: This house is not bad, especially since there's a piece of the lake in front. Just my room itself has a small library, two big closets, and the bathroom has a jacuzzi tub (slight translation: he literally said 'electric powered bath-tub'). My house's garage can park 3 cars, but right now we don't have a single one. That car I ordered while in Indianapolis still hasn't come. Interviewer: The Rockets still have two exhibition games left, the next one being on the 23rd in San Antonio, against the Spurs. Is there a chance this could be your first match with the Rockets? Yao Ming: That should be the case. Even if I don't play in the first game, we play the 76ers on the 24th, and no matter what I'll be playing. I'd guess that I'll play a period (assume he means a quarter) on the 23rd, because there's less pressure at an away venue. I heard that Bateer still has a few days before coming to the US, so I definitely won't be meeting him in this game. But I saw that on our coach's gameplan, they have his name written wrong! (Bateer vs. Batere?) On the 23rd we'll be going to San Antonio, and I'll get to see our private charter jet. Wang Zhizhi and Bateer have already sat in one, but I still haven't received this special treatment. ... There ya go! Love how personal/casual/intimate the conversations in the Chinese press can be.
Whoops, you beat me! Well, there's a slightly expanded translation of the interview at: http://bbs.clutchcity.net/php3/showthread.php?s=&threadid=43539
Thanks Heech. Enjoyed it. Yao's shot blocked by Rice? Well, that's good material for the coaching staff, and no doubt interesting fodder for his critics. I'm glad he didn't say that on television.
No, he blocked Rice's shot. He didn't remember who blocked him. heech, good job. I was going to fill in some details for the English readers when I saw w&s's thread. But then I saw yours. This one is one of the best articles I saw since Ming arrived.
Literal translation: They told me that this used to be Barkley's place. He just sat here before and after every game and open his big mouth to BS.
"He didn't remember who blocked him." "Easy" I bet it was EG seeing as he is are best shot blocker and can jump higher than any other post players we got.
Good, let him get blocked by our boy. He'll learn to keep that ball away from the reach of others, and how to pump-fake, etc. Granted, he knows this stuff, but now the competition is that much better...and taller, faster, etc.
