Fists of Fury: Yi, the Milwaukee Tourism & Travel Board Welcomes You

Holy shit, Yi finally did it. Milwauke got the big Chinaman signed, or China "teen" and all they had to do was go to China--who'd have figured? This took so long we didn't even care when it happened.

So it was about guaranteed p/t all this time... are you kidding me? Not big huge paper bucks. Because, like Wang Zhi Zhi should have proved, China ain't watching if you get scrub minutes. Abbott at TrueHoop has Hollinger's assessment of Yi. And one thing he's absolutely right about, is that sixth pick curse. Hopefully, Brandon Roy, broke it, but that's a lot of wishful thinking on our part. The forecast is dark, Yi... may the force be with you.

KJ Choi Won't Duck Your English Questions

This has little to do with basketball other than invoking the whole Shaq-Yao imitating the Chinese language thing, but TravelGolf.com blogger, Chris Baldwin, makes a nice point on behalf of English as a second language speakers all over the U.S. in criticizing those in the media who have been recently mocking Korean K.J. Choi's English skills. Baldwin writes:

Choi came to the U.S. late in his life, learned the language while trying to make a living in pro golf and make sure his family adjusted to a new country. Unlike many foreign athletes who know English perfectly and still hide behind an interpreter because it's easier to dodge media questions that way - see Ichiro and for years Yao Ming - Choi will do interviews in English. Which gives the fans much more truthful answers and a much better feel for the real guy behind the golfer.

And Choi speaks fine English. He's engaging and insightful - see his story on using that $49 infomercial putter grip in Tour competition. He's actually one of the better interviews on Tour. He even tells a good joke.

Got Old Kicks?

Scoop Jackson has a Page 2 post over at ESPN about modern day heroes. It's an inspiring piece no doubt, as it sets out to be, and he mentions Bobbito and his affiliation with Hoops-4-Hope. He's got a basketball court in Zimbabwe named after him... for good reason. But this also ties into a recent fund-raiser I attended for H4H hosted by the Brian Yang and the Dream League, which came about because, Marshall Cho, one of our friends and former player in both the Dream League and our own Fastbreak NYC, has been out in Africa working with H4H since August of last year.

Bobbito actually had mentioned H4H to me awhile back during some pickup, but for some reason, I didn't put together that it was the same program Marshall had been working with until the fundraiser. Anyway, we've been trying to get more involved with the program. I also like Books-4-Hoops program in IL that Scoop mentions. We'll look into that. At any rate, the fundraiser seem to go off well. Dropped a donation for Fastbreak NYC and Marshall even personally e-mailed a thank you.

It's a great cause, to say the least. Here's the link to the website. If you got some old kicks, or if you sneaker heads just think them shits is out of style, you could get a kid playin' ball out there that would otherwise be hoofing on bare feet. Ship them kicks.

Nothing says love and devotion like a new set of rims

Nothing says love and devotion like a new set of rims
from Yao Central

Shaq is on tour in China, and his is well-documented, so naturally, the Chinese news media asked Shaq what he thought about Yao's recent wedding. This is what he had to say to China Daily:

"I've heard the news that Yao has married a beautiful basketball player. If you let me choose a wedding gift for him, I would give Yao four 24-inch customized rims at his wedding ceremony."

Very generous of the Dieze, only China Daily follows up by saying Yao really isn't in to all the customizing that, "a number of NBA stars are crazy about." The only thing Yao has customized on his BMW 7-series is Y&Y logo on the rear that stands for Yao and Ye Li. That's right... awwwwww. Adorable.

Shaq goes on to talk about Yao, newcomer Yi Jianlian and Chinese basketball. And you'll notice the increased diplomacy while in the middle of his Li-Ning sponsored tour. When was the last time Shaq gave an untested rookie like Yi any love at all? Scary what a shoe contract and tour of China can do to change minds... or at least, mindsets. Now if only they can get Charles Barkley to sign.

Yao vanquishes fiery spirits at wedding

Yao vanquishes fiery spirits at wedding
from Yao Central

Malaysia's The Star Online accounts Yao Ming's drinking statistics during his wedding earlier this week in Beijing. Apparently, he and his mates downed six bottles of "a fiery Chinese spirit" called Mao Tai, which I've never heard of (maybe the equivalent of a $6.00 bottle of bad Mexican tequila? That's fiery.).

Apparently, he got a little tipsy, but not drunk, and then hunkered down to bed. Which makes one ask, or at least me, how much "fiery spirit" would it take to get the Big Red One-One off the chain? We Asians are not notorious for our alcoholic tolerance--and a great number of us turn bright red upon touch to the tongue, for one reason or another--but Yao is a big Asian, so... how many licks would it take to get to the center of a drunken Yao? More than six bottles of Mao Tai, more from Wikipedia.

Globes, scepters and very tall Chinese

Globes, scepters and very tall Chinese
from Yao Central

Call it naivete, but there's only two really good reasons to get married. There's that whole expression of your undying love, faith and devotion stuff, that's great... and there's the swag. Yao Ming Mania has pics of wedding gifts given by friends and teammates from a Thursday reception in honor of newlyweds Yao and Ye Li.

There's also pics of the guests themselves and they really brought some nice stuff, but who knew that scepters were still in. Fashionable or not, they look wicked. We gotta get some for our rec. league.

Scepter or elaborate "smoking" paraphernalia... which would you rather have?

Yao Cuts the Honeymoon Short

Yao back in business
From Yao Central

Barely a day after the wedding, Yao gets back to work doing what a celebrity athlete does, namely making public appearances and smiling for the cameras. Yao Ming Mania has your pics of the big man appearing at the 2008 Olympics one-year countdown celebration in Beijing (Andy Lau and Jackie Chan!) and at a Coca-Cola sponsored event with 110 meter world record-holding hurdler Liu Xiang. Meanwhile, both world-class Chinese athletes are angling to be the one who lights the 2008 opening ceremony's Olympic flame.

• • •

In unnecessary news, the China Daily reports that Yao and Ye Li have no current plans to have a baby. Reuters India quotes Yao:

"Having children...there's no plan at present. I will be concentrating on preparing for the NBA season and next year's Olympics," Yao said in comments published on official media portal Chinanews.com on Wednesday.

"To participate in the Olympics in your home country, it's an opportunity I will really cherish," Yao said.

Mazel Tov!

Mazel Tov!
From Yao Central

"China's most eligible bachelor" finally took the plunge with his long-time girlfriend, Ye Li in a three-hour ceremony at the Shangri-La Hotel in Shanghai.

The ceremony stopped short of tabloid fodder, at least here in the 'States, but it's getting covered perhaps in some unexpected ways. KXnet.com has the most romantic: "Minneapolis church service...Iraq bombings...Yao getting hitched...

Pravda Online reports that there were only 100 close relatives attending, with an equal number of security guards working the event. No teammates, coaches or basketball officials were invited to the nuptials

Meanwhile, back in the U.S., Yao's teammates are playing charity softball. Yao Ming Mania has your pics. If you always wanted to see Aaron Brooks singing karaoke, click here.

There is Indeed a Mike James Day

First, a shout-out to Shamsul Chowdhury and Sportsvite for dropping the dime. When we finally figure out just what it is your site does, we'll tell everyone we know... which sadly isn't many people.

Anyway, yes, former-and-now-current-Houston-Rocket-for-now Mike James has his own day, Mike James Day. To be celebrated every July 28th in his hometown of Amityville, NY until presumably he is no longer a professional athlete and worthy of his own day. No, we hope they still give them his day, and he still spends half of it shooting jumpshots. Check the video.

Best part is the scrawny, white kid who times his entrance just as Mike is fanatically repping the "'hood" and how he's clearly making the kids give him all the basketballs while he shoots jumpers.

Who Made Who, Yao or Team China?

Who made who, Yao or Team China?
From Yao Central

China's official sports association has "issued an unprecedented public criticism of Yao Ming for reporting late to national team training."

Without Yao, the Chinese Nationals can't beat the Boston Celtics... summer league team. It could be argued that Chinese basketball does not exist on the international stage without him. Why then, you ask, would Team China criticize their golden goose?

"No matter how lofty public welfare activities are, they can't be allowed to take first place in a player's life," says the China Sports Daily. Yao might be the busiest man in show business right now with most of his work in the off-season having to do with social reform in China, that and his wedding. But the Daily's statement seems to infer that in China a player is just supposed to play basketball. That's a fundamental way of life that may not resonate to Americans. It's not that all American athletes think they need to diversify or that the first thing they need to do after entering the NBA is to give back to the community, but it's almost a requirement to do so at some point in their career. Say what you want about the rapping, the acting or the celebrity, in America, an athlete is never just an athlete.

The second quote Chron.com singles out: "No matter how sweet personal life is, it can't be compared to the exultation of capturing glory for one's nation."

That's some old-school Mao-era rhetoric. Another fundamental difference to our thinking here, where the personal life is sacred, to everyone but Paris Hilton. Yao has been a little preoccupied with his wedding. Surely no Mr. Longoria affair, but an event nonetheless. Could his public denunciation stem from the fear that China is somehow losing influence over Yao with his continual exposure to Western culture?

Click here for the rest.

Fists of Fury: Alice Cooper Loves Milwaukee and So Should Yi

We're not sure if Yi's PR people are just throwing Yi's agent, Dan fegan under the bus, but now newspapers and fans all over China are saying the jig is up. Sign with Milwaukee and play ball. Fans and media are blaming Fegan for the hold-up.

NBA.com has a little Q&A with Yi and our boy, Sun Yue, who's put up modest numbers in the summer league so far (3.7 ppg, 3.7 apg), and meanwhile, Lakers' guard Javaris Crittendon is looking pretty solid, but we're still pulling for Sun to make the LA roster.

After their buzzer-beater vs. the Cavs, Sun says he wants to play like Daniel Gibson, which is great, we love our H-town boys, especially if they're called Boobie, but Sun... you could aim higher.

Fists of Fury: Yi-Watch 2007

As a blog that claims to be about basketball from an Asian American perspective, we've been sorely lacking coverage on Chinese forward Yi Jianlian. Why is not important, we've posted on him before. I supposed we're taking a wait and see attitude before we start calling Yi the next... Toni Kukoc (a far cry from the "next KG" he used to get). But that's still no excuse for our lack of coverage.

So, we begin Yi-Watch 2007.

AOL Sports scooped what looks like a cell-phone mini-clip of Rudy Gay "welcoming" Yi to the NBA, but it's widely available now via YouTube.


It's pretty impressive and it's true they didn't show Yi's less impressive dunk over Gay, but the Grizzlies won... against the Chinese National Team. The Chinese Nats can't beat the Memphis Grizzlies... summer league team. Granted, no Yao Ming, but it was the summer league team... that's just terrible. So Yi was welcomed, or did he welcome himself, I guess it depends on how you look at it.

And then Yesterday, the Kings summer league team beats the Chinese Nats 73-47 and Kings rookie center Spencer Hawes dropped 19 pts, 7 boards. Terrible.

Finally, though, Yi has begun talks with Milwaukee. We knew he couldn't pull the Steve Francis for that long. It takes a special kind of personality to pull that off. And now, Milwaukee's bringing in the big guns... or a gun named Stern.

Fists of Fury: Hey Yi, Milwaukee has a Chinese Kung Fu Center

And a Chinese-owned sports bar called Long Wong's... what else do you need?

Searching for Bobby Jackson

Searching for Bobby Jackson
From Yao Central

Daryl Morey is a genius. A stat guru if you will. No doubt he has a horde of interns stashed away in some dark place hammering out the latest in stat-based qualitative algorithms. But Aaron Brooks was Rick Adelman's guy.

Speed. That's the dimension that Adelman wants to add.

A lot been said, obviously, about the surprising to everyone but the Rockets selection of Aaron Brooks at the 26th pick, but all the Rockets did was hold fast to what they set out to do, draft for talent instead of need. But the perception of talent if subjective. Admittedly, my own initial reactions to the selection of Brooks and Newley were of disappointment, but that was largely due from the left-field nature of the picks, and shock really. I retract the statement that Brooks was a "terrible" pick, I thought he was a great player even then, just not right for the Rockets. John at Yao Ming Mania has his own take on why the picks make no sense and its financial. But actually, the surprise at Newley was only because I hadn't known about the trade for Landry until later. Newley might actually be the kind of slasher/shooter the Rockets need when he finally becomes available. He's an Aussie, too, so tough as nails, but if its speed they wanted, they didn't get it. Obviously, Spain's Rudy Fernandez would have fit the bill if the Rockets had been able to finagle the position, but they didn't.

For rest of post, clickee here.

And with the 26th pick, the Houston Rockets select....

And with the 26th pick, the Houston Rockets select...
From Yao Central

Less than 3:00 min now and both McRoberts and Big Baby are still on the board... then again, so is Nick Fazekas... who will it be?

Aaron Brooks?!?! ...the quarterback!?! No, the Oregon point guard nobody's heard of... Why did we trade our only real power forward for Mike James?

This makes no sense at all... another little guard to add to James, Alston, Spanoulis... isn't that why we have Lil' John Lucas... who's a far better shooter? What a terrible and disappointing pick. What a waste of a chance to get some solid bigs... I would have rather had Thiago Splitter.

Well, the Rockets still have the 54th pick (acquired from Orlando)... which they should have been using to pick Aaron Brooks.

Holy crap, it just got worse... Brad Newley? That's it. I'm shuttin' down and goin' to watch Planet Earth on DVD. I'm on Disc 3, Rainforests. The whole thing is endlessly fascinating... can't say the same for this draft. For gadsakes, Herbert Hill was on the board.