Yao Bred for Basketball?

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets' started by durvasa, Jan 19, 2006.

  1. durvasa

    durvasa JBB Rockets Fan

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    Not sure how accurate this account is, but it's interesting nonetheless.

    http://www.insidehoops.com/yao-ming-china-011806.shtml

    <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">
    A book by an experienced writer claims it was no accident Yao Ming became a basketball player; that the powers that be in China steadily pushed him and held him to that pursuit.
    ...
    </div>
     
  2. Brasco

    Brasco JBB JustBBall Member

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    Damn, yeah i saw an article mentioning that book yesterday, i was going to post it. It seems really weird, but if you think about i've heard something about how yao was introduced to his girlfriend by the chinese government. and his girlfriend i believe is like 6'2". Its almost like their trying to breed giants or something. Yao even said something like "i'm worried my son will be too tall".
     
  3. bbwSwish

    bbwSwish Harder. Better. Faster. Stronger.

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    I heard this a long time ago. The rumors I heard were that the Chinese government did tests on Yao's bones and once they found out how tall he was going to be, they constantly pushed him and basically made him play basketball even if it was against his own will. I've also heard that he was given different supplements that made him taller then he was supposed to be. I think this is horrible and I don't know why they would want to do this kind of stuff.
     
  4. Trip

    Trip 2000000000000000000000000

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    <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Johnnybrasco:</div><div class="quote_post">Damn, yeah i saw an article mentioning that book yesterday, i was going to post it. It seems really weird, but if you think about i've heard something about how yao was introduced to his girlfriend by the chinese government. and his girlfriend i believe is like 6'2". Its almost like their trying to breed giants or something. Yao even said something like "i'm worried my son will be too tall".</div>
    In Yao's own biography, he claimed that he courted his girlfriend, and got to know her because the men's team and women's team practised in the same arena.

    You guys are saying you hear this and hear that, but back it up.

    With parents who are both national team players, it's obvious you'd know how to play basketball. Yes, there are specialized sports schools in China and they do come around to the public schools to check for talent, but it's still the parents' decision whether to send the child there. I have a cousin who was accepted for gymnastics at age 6 but her parents chose not to send her because the training was too grueling.

    The Chinese government doesn't test every kid's bones to find a basketball talent, Yao's bones were tested but it was voluntary.

    The concept of a Big Brother watching over every aspect of your life is very intriguing, but you've got to be eight to believe it. How could Brook Larmer, a guy who probably never even met Yao before, know the underdealings of Chinese government? Absolute made-up stuff to sell books.
     
  5. Shapecity

    Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

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    Both of Yao's parents played for China, and both are tall. The genetic makeup for Yao is from his parents not supplements.

    Maybe the government did push him into playing basketball. Most tall people get pushed into sports, specifically basketball. Whether it's pressure from a high school coach, friends, parents etc. It's really no different in the U.S. than in China.

    I'm not saying it's right or ethical. However, I don't think we should be so quick to judge and not realize this happens in every country, not just China.
     
  6. durvasa

    durvasa JBB Rockets Fan

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    <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Locke:</div><div class="quote_post">
    The concept of a Big Brother watching over every aspect of your life is very intriguing, but you've got to be eight to believe it. How could Brook Larmer, a guy who probably never even met Yao before, know the underdealings of Chinese government? Absolute made-up stuff to sell books.</div>

    The Chinese government is repressive and authoritarian. I'm not saying that the allegations in the book are true, but they certainly seem plausible.
     
  7. Trip

    Trip 2000000000000000000000000

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    <div class="quote_poster">Quoting durvasa:</div><div class="quote_post">The Chinese government is repressive and authoritarian. I'm not saying that the allegations in the book are true, but they certainly seem plausible.</div>
    It is that sort of illusion some have that makes this book seem "plausible". As bad as Communist governments might be, there's not a lot of conspiracies. Yes, the Chinese government has been known to change a player's birthdates, but not to this extreme. No one "forced" Yao to play basketball. Sure, a coach might have pushed him harder than appopriate, but I just don't see how the government could put a gun to Yao's head and make him get better at his game. They do get scouted and get sent to sports schools where that sport is equally, perhaps more, important as their education, but as I've said before, it's voluntary.
     
  8. durvasa

    durvasa JBB Rockets Fan

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    [accidental post]
     
  9. durvasa

    durvasa JBB Rockets Fan

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    <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Locke:</div><div class="quote_post">It is that sort of illusion some have that makes this book seem "plausible". As bad as Communist governments might be, there's not a lot of conspiracies. Yes, the Chinese government has been known to change a player's birthdates, but not to this extreme.</div>

    The Chinese government does a lot more than just change birthdates. Just take a look at the Human Rights Watch or Amnesty International website. There isn't much I would put past them. Probably not a good idea to get into a lengthy discussion on it in this forum.

    <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">No one "forced" Yao to play basketball. Sure, a coach might have pushed him harder than appopriate, but I just don't see how the government could put a gun to Yao's head and make him get better at his game.</div>

    I don't think it would be that blatant. People can be pressured to do things in more subtle ways.
     
  10. TmacGarnett

    TmacGarnett JBB JustBBall Member

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    Just goes to show you that China is trying to take over the world. [​IMG]
     
  11. Brasco

    Brasco JBB JustBBall Member

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    Its weird but why is it that for a country not really known for the height of its people it seems to only produce 7'+ centers? no guards or forwards just centers. As for yao's girlfriend apparently the chinese government encourages its athletes to marry each other. She plays for the women's team i believe. Just like Yao's parents were both tall athletes and produced a tall offspring.

    So i dont know bred but definetly encouraged.
     
  12. Trip

    Trip 2000000000000000000000000

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    <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Johnnybrasco:</div><div class="quote_post">Its weird but why is it that for a country not really known for the height of its people it seems to only produce 7'+ centers? no guards or forwards just centers. As for yao's girlfriend apparently the chinese government encourages its athletes to marry each other. She plays for the women's team i believe. Just like Yao's parents were both tall athletes and produced a tall offspring.

    So i dont know bred but definetly encouraged.</div>
    That country also has 1.3 billion people. Even if only one person out of 100 is above 6 feet (and it's definitely better than that), you'd still have 130,000 people above 6 feet, almost half of Canada's population. It really isn't a surprise that China has tall people. Also, China's national team roster doesn't have 12 seven-footers. They have a 5-8 point guard and mostly have 6-2 to 6-8 players.
     
  13. durvasa

    durvasa JBB Rockets Fan

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    More information on this:

    http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentSe...ol=970081562040

    <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">
    ...
    Yao's father, Yao Zhiyuan, was 6-foot-9; his mother, Fang Fengdi, was 6-foot-2. Both had been national team basketball players and, on retirement, "encouraged" to wed.
    ...

    "It wasn't a national breeding program," Larmer recently told Agence France-Presse. "It was a desire among Shanghai officials for them to get together."

    The wire service story also mentioned that scientists fed the young Yao a "steady stream of mysterious concoctions" designed to make him taller, raising the spectre of possible hormone treatment at a time when China was suffering a series of doping scandals."

    "In Yao's case, I don't have any proof ..." Larmer was quoted, "(but) in that period of time in the 1990s, they were using all kinds of experimental stuff to enhance players' stamina and strength."
    ...
    </div>
     
  14. Trip

    Trip 2000000000000000000000000

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    Read that article this morning, and I wasn't impressed. The author's basing his whole novel on speculation and guesses at a conspiracy.

    "In Yao's case, I don't have any proof ..." Why the hell would he write a book about Yao's "steroid use" if he didn't have anything to back it up?
     
  15. dingking

    dingking JBB JustBBall Member

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    Hey guys, where are you from? As non-chinese people, you cant make a sweeping generalization based on some rumors and information which lacks credibility. I recommend reading Yao's biography "a man in two world", then you'll get a clue about this.There are about 2 chapters in that book verify that the information you guys heard is not true. Locke is right. If Yao got forced to play basketball, it's his parents.Chinese officials is not that powerful to decide a child's future at that early age.In addition,Yao even spent several years chasing his girlfriend YE Li. You can even have the details of the whole process which describes how they have been falling in love. BTW, please dont get misled by media and insult a forgein country's government. We dont need politics here, we need basketball only. I am Chinese, so I think my words are at least more reliable than some BS rumors and comments.
     
  16. Brasco

    Brasco JBB JustBBall Member

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    Man i just read that article durvasa posted, that's some major stuff there. If the chinese sports system really is soviet style, i believe the soviets were known for trying to dope up their athletes. Man if this is true i feel sorry for yao.

    and dinking, just because its an official book doesn't mean there aren't lies. Why would yao put that stuff in his book, i wouldn't. i'd try to hide it as well.
     
  17. bryce40ww

    bryce40ww JBB JustBBall Member

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    The Sept. 26, 2005 Si makes a pretty convincing argument that China engineers people to be basketball players. Basically it says how Yao's mother was put through rigorous mental and physical preparations for a life of basketball. Chinese officials matched her and Yao's dad up because of their size. Yao was literally bred for basketball by the government. His birth had been anticipated for years, and as soon as he was old enough he was sent to train for basketball. Yao Ming was always intended to play basketball and was completely engineered to succeed.
     
  18. dingking

    dingking JBB JustBBall Member

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    People like to believe some plausible things and like to make up things.Especially media person, they made those stuff for money. In your opinion, Yao's parents were arranged to be married by the officials and so will Yao? They are all oversized people,so male and female basketball players suit each other better. Imagine if yao marry a normal sized girl, it's definitely gonna be a joke. To me, it's absolutely normal for two oversized people to marry each other. More than that, whatelse can Yao do when he was 6'1 tall and only 9 years old other than B-Ball? The best thing for him to do is getting some basketball training and trying to be a b-ball player. B-BAll is the best profession for Yao
     
  19. Trip

    Trip 2000000000000000000000000

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    <div class="quote_poster">Quoting bryce40ww:</div><div class="quote_post">The Sept. 26, 2005 Si makes a pretty convincing argument that China engineers people to be basketball players. Basically it says how Yao's mother was put through rigorous mental and physical preparations for a life of basketball. Chinese officials matched her and Yao's dad up because of their size. Yao was literally bred for basketball by the government. His birth had been anticipated for years, and as soon as he was old enough he was sent to train for basketball. Yao Ming was always intended to play basketball and was completely engineered to succeed.</div>
    That rigorous training thing is exactly the sports schools I've mentioned above! Yes, it is rigorous, but the eventual goal is to have the students represent their country in the future and maybe make a career out of it. It's VOLUNTARY! That means when Yao got accepted, his parents gave him permission to go!
     
  20. superman32

    superman32 JBB Banned Member

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    <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Locke:</div><div class="quote_post">That country also has 1.3 billion people. Even if only one person out of 100 is above 6 feet (and it's definitely better than that), you'd still have 130,000 people above 6 feet, almost half of Canada's population. It really isn't a surprise that China has tall people. Also, China's national team roster doesn't have 12 seven-footers. They have a 5-8 point guard and mostly have 6-2 to 6-8 players.</div>

    so Canada now has only 260 000 people? are you on crack? last time i checked it was 32 million
     

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