Indazone
03-11-2011, 12:01 PM
http://blogs.chron.com/nba/2011/03/yao_ming_will_try_another_come.html
March 10, 2011
Yao Ming 'will try' another comeback. In Yao-ese, he might have explained why.
In some ways, Yao Ming had seemed to make his peace with his fate.
He might not be able to make it back. He might not be able to stay healthy when running up and down NBA courts. His career might always carry the asterisk of what could have been.
More than ever, however, he seemed OK with that. And that seemed to bring him a freedom to give it another try, as if he by accepting that with so much out of his control he did not have to worry about being devastated again if he once again breaks down.
"It's never an end," he said. "Even when it's an end, it's a new start, a new beginning."
At first, I did not know what he meant by that. But I think it means he does not have to end his career to avoid the crushing disappointment that would come if he tries it again unsuccessfully.
That might be why he was ready to admit that he does want to try again.
"I'll try continuing. I'll try continuing," Yao said. "A lot will depend on this foot."
Asked if he believes he will play again, Yao said, "That's the direction.
"I cannot tell you now because I am still in very limited workouts. I still cannot walk on my full weight. I have to try on the court running up and down and then see how it's going. We need to go into workout, rehab, and this sort of thing. Let's go step-by-step."
His latest injury itself was not considered career threatening. It did have the potential to be the last straw. After so many injuries, surgeries and long, arduous rehabilitations, no one would blame Yao if he decided to live his life in peace and in one piece.
Yao, however, just doesn't seem ready for that. He laughed again with his teammates on Thursday. He kidded about his weight gain after the surgery. He joked about having become unaccustomed to the bright lights in his eyes as he was surrounded by media at the Tux & Tennies Gala.
He was not auditioning to step in for Charlie Sheen on "Two and a Half Men," but he was far from the despondence that he described in the months after his previous injury and surgery.
"When you lay on a bed and eat hamburgers and drink soda, actually your day is pretty easy, not too hard," Yao said. "One day, you realize you already gained 20 pounds. The tough part is always come back, always slowly start the engine again. The good side is I have experience. The bad side is I know how hard it is. I know how painful it is ahead of me."
Yet, he sounded as if he would go through it, not just to rehabilitate his foot as anyone would after the surgery but to give playing in the NBA another try. There will be no guarantees. He seemed ready to accept that. He just does not seem ready to call it quits.
"While I believe this 'if' is a possibility I will not be able to come back and play," he said, "I will always tell myself I always did everything I could."
I like his dedication. As an athlete and person. Kinda like those Rocky movies.
March 10, 2011
Yao Ming 'will try' another comeback. In Yao-ese, he might have explained why.
In some ways, Yao Ming had seemed to make his peace with his fate.
He might not be able to make it back. He might not be able to stay healthy when running up and down NBA courts. His career might always carry the asterisk of what could have been.
More than ever, however, he seemed OK with that. And that seemed to bring him a freedom to give it another try, as if he by accepting that with so much out of his control he did not have to worry about being devastated again if he once again breaks down.
"It's never an end," he said. "Even when it's an end, it's a new start, a new beginning."
At first, I did not know what he meant by that. But I think it means he does not have to end his career to avoid the crushing disappointment that would come if he tries it again unsuccessfully.
That might be why he was ready to admit that he does want to try again.
"I'll try continuing. I'll try continuing," Yao said. "A lot will depend on this foot."
Asked if he believes he will play again, Yao said, "That's the direction.
"I cannot tell you now because I am still in very limited workouts. I still cannot walk on my full weight. I have to try on the court running up and down and then see how it's going. We need to go into workout, rehab, and this sort of thing. Let's go step-by-step."
His latest injury itself was not considered career threatening. It did have the potential to be the last straw. After so many injuries, surgeries and long, arduous rehabilitations, no one would blame Yao if he decided to live his life in peace and in one piece.
Yao, however, just doesn't seem ready for that. He laughed again with his teammates on Thursday. He kidded about his weight gain after the surgery. He joked about having become unaccustomed to the bright lights in his eyes as he was surrounded by media at the Tux & Tennies Gala.
He was not auditioning to step in for Charlie Sheen on "Two and a Half Men," but he was far from the despondence that he described in the months after his previous injury and surgery.
"When you lay on a bed and eat hamburgers and drink soda, actually your day is pretty easy, not too hard," Yao said. "One day, you realize you already gained 20 pounds. The tough part is always come back, always slowly start the engine again. The good side is I have experience. The bad side is I know how hard it is. I know how painful it is ahead of me."
Yet, he sounded as if he would go through it, not just to rehabilitate his foot as anyone would after the surgery but to give playing in the NBA another try. There will be no guarantees. He seemed ready to accept that. He just does not seem ready to call it quits.
"While I believe this 'if' is a possibility I will not be able to come back and play," he said, "I will always tell myself I always did everything I could."
I like his dedication. As an athlete and person. Kinda like those Rocky movies.