Operation Yao Review
Here's a good read for you...
I wrapped this one up a couple of weeks ago, but I haven't been able to get a review to you. I've also posted a review here on my site.
I've been waiting for the real story on Yao Ming for a long time. Ever since my first sighting of Yao in a Marriott Courtyard lobby during an AAU tour stop in '98, I've always wanted to know the 'true' story behind the giant boy wonder. I was wowed by the secrecy around the guy at the hotel. And even though, you would see little tidbits in USA Today or you would hear stories a la 'BigFoot' stories around basketball circles, the stories felt a little too exaggerated for me to believe them.
After reading this book, I not only received the story behind Yao's emergence, but also I received a lot more from Brook Larmer about what's going on in Shanghai sports culutre, the creation of sports marketing for Nike in China, Chinese economic development, and the sociological ramifications of Mao in China through one fell swoop. Larmer coorelates the emergence of Yao to the development of the Chinese economic boom. That's why I have to give major kudos for Operation Yao, The Chinese Sports Empire, American Big Business, and the Making of a NBA Superstar. ...
My personal bump-in aside, I first saw Yao play against the USA World Championship Team that featured Ben Wallace and Antonio Davis. After that game, I knew there was something more to Yao's game than the fact he was a freak of nature. The guy can shoot with a soft touch, pass, plays hard, and more importantly, plays a team game.
My questions were; what developed him as a person to play the team game in today's 'Me-Me-Me' basketball world? How did he develop his skills under the Chinese sports culture umbrella? Did Nike have a big influence on his development? Where did he get his height? Are there more players to follow in his footsteps?
After reading this book, you'll be able to answer those questions with more authority. You will also understand why Yao is the type of player that he is in the NBA. He's a team guy first and foremost.
Critics have been killing Yao for becoming too soft or for not stepping up to the mantle. After reading this book, my requests are.
Please read this book to learn about the environment that surrounded Yao and Shanghai during his development. Please realize that Yao is from an entirely different culture that professes team, not the "I", which the majority of today's NBA superstars are developed under. He's a product of Soviet Training which emphasizes the group's interests above personal accolades...For a cultural comparsion, does anyone remember the late '80s version of Arvydas Sabonis?
Larmer touches it all by detailing politics, the reign of Mao, alternative health and herbs, Soviet training methods, Nike, academies, agents, the NBA and sports marketing. Overall, I give it a 4.5 stars out of 5 on the Amazon Star Level scale. Tie this in with 'World is Flat', and you'll grasp a better glimpse of sports in the 21st century.
Now get Yao to a real 'TEAM',
Irondog
I wrapped this one up a couple of weeks ago, but I haven't been able to get a review to you. I've also posted a review here on my site.
I've been waiting for the real story on Yao Ming for a long time. Ever since my first sighting of Yao in a Marriott Courtyard lobby during an AAU tour stop in '98, I've always wanted to know the 'true' story behind the giant boy wonder. I was wowed by the secrecy around the guy at the hotel. And even though, you would see little tidbits in USA Today or you would hear stories a la 'BigFoot' stories around basketball circles, the stories felt a little too exaggerated for me to believe them.
After reading this book, I not only received the story behind Yao's emergence, but also I received a lot more from Brook Larmer about what's going on in Shanghai sports culutre, the creation of sports marketing for Nike in China, Chinese economic development, and the sociological ramifications of Mao in China through one fell swoop. Larmer coorelates the emergence of Yao to the development of the Chinese economic boom. That's why I have to give major kudos for Operation Yao, The Chinese Sports Empire, American Big Business, and the Making of a NBA Superstar. ...
My personal bump-in aside, I first saw Yao play against the USA World Championship Team that featured Ben Wallace and Antonio Davis. After that game, I knew there was something more to Yao's game than the fact he was a freak of nature. The guy can shoot with a soft touch, pass, plays hard, and more importantly, plays a team game.
My questions were; what developed him as a person to play the team game in today's 'Me-Me-Me' basketball world? How did he develop his skills under the Chinese sports culture umbrella? Did Nike have a big influence on his development? Where did he get his height? Are there more players to follow in his footsteps?
After reading this book, you'll be able to answer those questions with more authority. You will also understand why Yao is the type of player that he is in the NBA. He's a team guy first and foremost.
Critics have been killing Yao for becoming too soft or for not stepping up to the mantle. After reading this book, my requests are.
Please read this book to learn about the environment that surrounded Yao and Shanghai during his development. Please realize that Yao is from an entirely different culture that professes team, not the "I", which the majority of today's NBA superstars are developed under. He's a product of Soviet Training which emphasizes the group's interests above personal accolades...For a cultural comparsion, does anyone remember the late '80s version of Arvydas Sabonis?
Larmer touches it all by detailing politics, the reign of Mao, alternative health and herbs, Soviet training methods, Nike, academies, agents, the NBA and sports marketing. Overall, I give it a 4.5 stars out of 5 on the Amazon Star Level scale. Tie this in with 'World is Flat', and you'll grasp a better glimpse of sports in the 21st century.
Now get Yao to a real 'TEAM',
Irondog
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