I found this story about Yao Ming and what he's gone through to promote basketball in China on the Olympic stage. It reminds me of my middle school glory days. My basketball coach was on my case all the time trying put some meat on my feeble bones to make me more of a presence on the court. He would stop by my lunch table, almost daily, with extra rations of mashed potatoes and gravy. I don't know if I ever ate them or not, but my friend Andrew was always up for extras. In Industrial Arts class, I was coach's favorite. Whether it was using me to demonstrate some new carpentry skill or sending me out for his refreshments with the familiar phrase "Jarrod, get me some coffee!", I was his bitch. The other kids made fun of me behind his back, but I pressed on. I was determined to be the best 'student' I could be.
Back to Yao, his body is broken, yet he soldiers on. While my body is not broken, it definitely feels the effects of all those trips up the steps to the teacher's lounge under the strain of an extra helping of mashed potatoes. Yao, if you're reading, my only advice would be to get out while you've got what's left of your health. If you're lucky, you can get some kind of engineering degree and a desk job that affords lots of meetings, a respectable salary, and plenty of time to email your friends.
From one broken down cager to another, I say "Hang in there buddy, things are bound to turn-around for you."
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