A dinner for Yuan Meng

August 25, 2007 at 11:31 am · Filed under Sports ·Tagged

Dong Yi Feng 东溢丰 698 Cafe / 新東溢豐
135-29 37th Ave,
Flushing, NY 11354

We had dinner last night with Yuan Meng 袁梦, Dream Girl and her entourage, Ras and Yu at Dong Yi Feng Seafood.  More than 20 of us showed up.  Tony collected more than $5k for her.

It’s my second time meeting Yuan and her coach/manager Yu. Both are warm.

After Dick gave a short welcome speech, Yu spoke, mentioned that there are many sponsors chasing them, but they refused. This $5k  donation was different, very heart felt … Over the course of 10 (?) years, Yu said she never hide anything from DG, except tonight’s dinner.

“I didn’t tell her a thing.”

So its a bit surprise to DG. After fumbling with words, DG got emotional, cried. They lived in a family style hostel in Flushing because of tight budget. Yu blamed the landlord’s fight late in the night, “I heard knife ..”

So they didn’t sleep well at all. DG lost in the first qualifying round.

If she’s still at it, next year they certainly can stay with any of us. I’ve a few moments to chat, I found DG to be genuine, content, talkative (mostly about herself), acting younger. She certainly isn’t like the scary kitten Yu first encountered – distrusting everyone.

Jonathan said to DG, as long you tried your best, we’re here to support you. Is this experience talking?  Yu was circling the room, asked me for videos of the night to bring home for the media.

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Anna, Michelle, now Dream Girl

August 21, 2007 at 12:07 pm · Filed under Celestial Empire, Sports ·Tagged

Anna K has long retired comfortably from tennis without winning a single title.  Her career was so short, I didn’t even have a chance to practice her last name, Kournikova.  When I goggle her on the net, all I have to do was type in Anna K.  I got my girl.  There is also a Michelle, with so much fanfare and firework, turned out the prodigy can’t even make it in the lady’s tour, LPGA.  They all had huge endorsement contracts, with real money, not just some free clothing and equipments.  I’m not privy to their contracts, but wondered do the advertisers put in some clause for protection, like you’ll get this level of $$$ only after you won X among of tourneys or reach certain ranking?  It’s safe to say that their good looks have gotten them lucrative deals, made the advertisers being more than generous.  (On this topic, I also often wondered, the look is part of you, then why when people taking that into consideration .. deemed shallow?)

Anyway, Tony called last night, asking donation on behave of Yuan Meng, saying she need financial help, that they are sleeping on the floor at the hotel, etc.  (Doesn’t US hotels all equipped with either king size or 2 twins???  Does it cost less if you forgo bed?)  According to Tony, the top 50 ranked players could make a comfortable living (it’s crucial that you’re able to remain at that level week in and week out), within 100 is no.  Yuan’s highest rank was 92, and brief.  He also mentioned that there are few tourneys held in Asia, mostly in US and Europe, hence it’s very expensive (travel expenses, jet-lag – earlier arrivals..) for the Chinese to break into the top rank.  For their European peers, all they have to do was get into a car and drive there. Also marketing in China is not as mature as in the USA.  Could all those obstacles be over come should the athlete has the talent, mental toughness plus gorgeous look, plus a savvy manager? 
Lisa Raymond has turned pro in 1993, over the years, she has made $7m in prize money.  I like her, but not many people know who she is, even she briefly held the #1 ranking back in 2000.  Doubtfully she signed any lucrative endorsement deals that offered to Anna and Michelle.  In any event, I’ll sponsor Yuan, questions aside.

.. .. Oh, their cute names.  Yuan Meng, Yan Zi .. etc. Tony laughed.
“Most of them changed their names once you gain a little fame, you pick a new name. A common practice in China.”  Just learned one more thing.  He went on to say – actually I wondered myself – “most those athletes are from poor and under-educated families .. the rich kids don’t want, don’t have to sweat.”

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The holy land of ice hockey

August 20, 2007 at 5:57 pm · Filed under Ice hockey

hockey_hall_of_fame.jpgI couldn’t grasp the reality that the ice hockey isn’t as popular as say the drug ridden, slow motioned baseball, or half naked basketball in the USA.  The ice hockey has grace, finesse, speed, drama, fight, blood, goons and heroes, and is elegant and clean (years ago, a promising rookie caught using drugs: he’s banned for life — kiddo, you’re in the wrong sport, switch to baseball, you not only get 2 more chances, also get longer shelf life!!)  All the ingredients that makes a sport exciting .. .. but unfortunately the Yankees just don’t take it the way they take to baseball or basketball, and it certainly dictates the fate of that sport.  Ice hockey players seemed never show up on the top ten (best-paid athletes) list.

It’s summer, and news is all about ice hockey in Toronto. Do the Canadians have other thing on their mind? The Maple Leafs has new home .. .. Anyway, Toronto is the seat of hockey, so first thing first.  We visited the it as soon as we arrived.  The building that bears the Hockey Hall of Fame on the corner of Front and Yonge Street is very elegant, but the museum is housed in the basement at the adjacent mall.  Hockey news dominated their newspapers and airwaves, even in the sweltering summer: Mark Bell has pleaded no contest to felony drunken driving and hit-and-run, will face jail time after the season; Sam Pollock has passed away on 8/16 .. ..

The media room in the museum was showing a documentary on Mario Lemieux as we walked by.  I always prefer him over the more famous Gretzky, whom I thought on the girlie side.  Super Mario also battled cancer and came back to play again.  The last time I saw him playing was at the MSG Madison Square Garden against the Rangers in May 1993 – I remembered it by heart: pregnant with King in the 8th month.  Mario scored 5 goals and the Penguins eventually won 8:1 or something like that.  I was wildly happy and cheering for him loudly.  That had irritated the Rangers fans that packed the house.  Few of them fixed me with the menace-est looks.  I supposed if my belly weren’t visibly enlarged they’d throw me onto the ice in no time.

I left the meseum early to entertain the kids – they refused to go to the Hall.  Golfer stayed longer.  Our local rings at home are always packed to almost 24/7: mens league starts at 11pm and boys’ starts at 5 or 5:30am; girlie figure skaters always get up before school.  Is the lack of rings or hockey is indeed popular at grass root?  Parents would kill for it.  You hear term ‘soccer moms’ when soccer isn’t popular at all.  (David Beckham made to the top ten in 2004 as the Mr. No. 8th, beating out A-Rod the 9th and Kobe Bryant the 10th.)  Another myth.

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A story: dreams fulfilled

August 18, 2007 at 11:28 pm · Filed under Sports ·Tagged ,

A grieved one.  Or, a happy one .. .. about Yuan Meng 袁梦 (yuan meng 园梦 means a dream fulfilled). file 22885

I found few Chinese tennis pros’ names are all sounded whimsical – regardless how they were written. Yan who played in Toronto, Yan Zi = swallow, and Yu Fengming 于凤鸣.

Yuan Meng is a 21 years old pro who made into US Open main draw last year but has to play the qualifying round this year. Tony brought her to SAndy’s house to practice this afternoon. So after lunch and shower, we all went back there again.

Tony was hitting with a youngster, then Yuan walked onto the court, and started practicing with the youngster.  She would stop and confer with the lady who remained on the court all the time while she’s playing.  The lady looks in her 50s, very tanned too.  To my common sense, there wasn’t any tennis – so to speak – in China back 30 or 40 years ago (however I did have a classmate in Beijing who came from Sichuan province played tennis there in an athletic school), so I said so to Tony.  He laughed,

“You’re right .. .. she doesn’t play tennis at all.”  Then added that she’s also from Zhongguancun’s CAS??

Is she a manager or 保姆  Nanny?

“That’s bit offensive.” Tony looked at me.

Well, they are basically groupies, managers and coaches.  IMHO, managers are pretty much a nanny, 一脚踢 in Hong Kong lingo – who does it all.  Not a derogatory term in my dictionary.

During a water break, I chatted with the lady who couldn’t wait to tell me why she’s here.

Yuan came from a farming family (a.k.a. un-educated) in Hunan province (Mao’s home province).  She was selected to attend an athletic school, playing tennis.  When she’s 11, she stole a perfume bottle from her roommate. “It’s cute .. she didn’t know anything .. it cost on 11.40 RMB.”  So the coach singled her out as the trouble maker, and made the environment poisonous for her for the next two years.  Her fellow players would hide their wallets around her .. .. She had no way out but to leave.  When the athletic school refused to issue a certificate for her to attend school elsewhere, Yuan’s really done for.

A family friend in Beijing took her in to practice with their child.  Few months later, when the child gained admittance to the athletic school, her service was no longer needed.  So Yu’s brother-in-law asked her to take the 14-years old in for few days. It stretched into few weeks, then few months.

“I was really at my wits end.  She tied me down, stayed home all day with nothing to do … she lied all the time, didn’t trust any one .. I wondered out loud when would she leave … then she started calling me gan ma – god mother ..”

As we were chatting, Yuan came over.  Yu immediately massaged her right hand with both her hands.

So the burdened lady who knew nothing about tennis became coach/shrink/financier.  She learned on the job, moved to Shenzhen for the warmer climate, sold their house to finance their travel.  For a while, Yu’s grown son was supporting them.

Today, they both clad in Adidas.  Yuan did well in Aussie Open (in January) and was signed by Adidas right on the spot. Tony was more blunt in asking as how much the expenses are, like $150k a year?  Yu didn’t give an answer.  Then she started complaining as how much the hotel cost, very expensive, like $100 a night .. the prize money would only cover the entrance fees …

Does her prize money plus the endorsement cover the expenses?

Yu said, “we’re still in talk.”  ?? (Her post on Adidas in 2012)

Either she’s a true Mao’s trooper – looked like one (sounded like one too), or just a lousy manager who doesn’t know her way around.  She told me that Adidas only supplies clothing.  I was very surprised to hear this. Hello … even Golfer’s high school classmate got free clothing/sneakers and equipment, for only playing high school tennis.

Anyway, I am definately not the one who analyze things or people, believing what other tells me.  Yuan’s profile on US Open showed her career earning is US$136,817.  Not bad for a farmer’s daughter who got kicked out of the system, under no professional coach thereafter.

During the time we were at the court, I saw one thing strange: Yuan takes a lot, I mean A LOT breaks. Yu said,

“OH ya. I won’t let her to practice more than two hours at time. One to two times a day, to preserve her physical energy.”

Another hello. I though all the pros practice 7-8 hours a day, 6-7 days a week to build their stamina. Oh well, Irene doesn’t know tennis. I think she’s out of her mind. Yuan needs to practice a lot longer and a lot more, if she wants to have any kind of future, in tennis.

They met by fate.  A lovely story, touchy.  Sorry the story teller has limitations, :).  .. .. Relationships fascinate me. ____________

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Verbalizing it

August 18, 2007 at 9:12 pm · Filed under Sports

Yuan Meng squats very low to hit double hand back hand.  It’s amazing that on TV you’d think the girls tennis is in slow motion, but in reality, they’re powerful and fast.  And watching mens would like ice hockey.  Did anyone watch FedEx playing Blake this afternoon?  Very enjoyable but too short!  This morning I played 4 sets, 3x loser, :(, lol .. every time Andy hit a winner, he’d say ‘I’m yuan meng-ing’, :)).  My partner was great, stood by me for the entire 3 sets.  We’ll get there soon, :)).  There were often long rallies and every time I stick out my hand, the point was over.  Errrrrrhhhh, what a party pooper.  I should just walk off the court and watch, :).

Sandy perhaps is the one who has the biggest green thumb.  Her garden has all kinds of veggies and fruits .. my take ..above.  Pls don’t ask me what’s the green leaf on the left, I have no idea.  Am I stupid or what, didn’t realize chives are grew from the dirt directly.  I should have known since the roots are always dirty.  Shhhhiiiish … … She uses a knife to cut them.  Neat.  Anyway, my 百分娘子军们, next Saturday if the weather holds up, I’ll get chives for dumplings with da regular pork, ok??

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Rogers Cup

August 15, 2007 at 5:01 pm · Filed under Sports ·Tagged

A great day here in Toronto so far: had dim sum in Chinatown (so so), but then found a marvelous dumpling house on Spadina Av, bought 2 dozen of them.  Golfer couldn’t believe it – feeding this family needs a lot of dough, :), chives and dill. Initially, I wanted to go to the dumpling house for lunch but was nixed by King. Turned out, he loved it.

Why didn’t New York have such wonderful dumpling house? The set up is pretty neat here in Toronto – the store front has the door and two working girls making the dumplings. Passer bys could see what’s going one. A great way to advertise, for those who don’t know what’s dumplings. They taste great. ..(PS.. we ended up eating there 3x during our short stay.)

We’re watching the Rogers Cup, Dubois vs Petrova. This city or country runs by Rogers. Nadia Petrova, the Amazon (in the nicest sense) had won. She has soft hands and charges net. For the same reason I liked the slimmed down version of Lindsay Davenport, I like her too,

北方的憨妹 She is gigantic but very agile, with pair good looking legs.

 
I went to the game last night at York University.  Nothing to write home about.  It is certainly not as big as at New Haven, where it has Yale.  Years ago, a sports journalist wrote about his experience as ball boy at the New Haven event for the SI.  He recounted as an incoming Yale freshmen, serving towels hands up to others was bit humbling; the decency of Edberg and nastiness of .. what’s his name … whose wife slapped an umpire?  Tarogon?  Right now, a Chinese Yan is playing the pretty Ana Ivanovic, on serve.  The network or the camera men are doing the felting for us, they don’t give much face time to the girls like Petrova or Yan (actually Yan is not that bad looking, just bit odd in form, wearing odd color sneakers).

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There you go ..

July 30, 2007 at 10:35 pm · Filed under Saga, Sports ·Tagged ,

cimg5814.JPGWork is for People who don’t Play Tennis. How right and .. WTG .. This cute button was at the USTA office @ NTC. I’ve a chance to chat with the lady who runs the summer camp where Pump is taking. Two weeks long. It’s three days into the first week but Pumpkin wanted to quit the 2nd week: too many kids and the staff is less disciplined.  I arrived early, and went to the court to pick Pumpkin up on Wednesday.  It’s only 7:10 and they were already dismissed – the official time was till 7:30pm.  Naturally, I asked why did you leave so early. Pumpkin replied “we have to ..” The older coach who ran the younger coaches was happened to be around, and he immediately pull the two young staff aside, told them in a lower voice that they shouldn’t be doing this.  And turned around, telling the kids all getting back to court 7.  There were 15 or so, they used to have 2 courts.  Now court 6 was taken up by 4 adults.  I guess that the big men came early to play and the young coaches were all too happy to leave. Ok, here is what annoyed me: if the camp dismisses the kids at 7:10 or 7:15 every day, I won’t have too big a problem – other than feeling a little cheated.  But the older guy obviously knew it’s not right and pulling kids back to continue, doing it just to pacify me, it’s a big problem, a big cheat, its wrong.  And I told the lady at the office so, who looks smart and able.  She thanked me for reporting such thing, and that I should separate the camp and the coaches.

This is Pump’s first camp at NTC. Previously she attended camps elsewhere. I supposed USTA @ NTC would be the holy grail since the Open is being played there.

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ATA tourney

July 26, 2007 at 2:04 pm · Filed under Sports

This year ATA is held in NY.  Kids around country are competing in the big Apple, in their appropriated age groups.  The little cutie from DC told me that she’s already lost, came with her family.  It’ll be a great experience for the youngsters.  Most of them do look and act confident and mature for their age.  I’ve seen the ATA sign last weekend, now I found out what it is.

Kerner is running his summer camp at the park, and asked if we’d like to join.  He works the kids on the court in the AM and bus them to the pool in the PM.  I might do it, since his camp ends in late August.

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NYC Parks

July 25, 2007 at 10:42 pm · Filed under Sports

cimg5713.JPGIrene L is the one who got me started to play in the city parks.  It’s more expensive than our home courts, $100 vs $35 annually, hard court vs har-tru.  Many times, the courts can be messy.  But I enjoy it, for the company, except only the ugly man.  There is a huge contingent of Filipino players at Cunningham.  Most of them play at arond 3.5 and 4 level.  They’re fun to play with and to be around.  I’ve heard from other players that there are few city courts on the USTA ground.  Today I got a chance to check it out.

Years ago when Dinkins was the mayor, I saw him playing at the USTA often, in the late mornings.  Watching him play was painful, his style was more of taiji quan, slow and measured; and the entire city was in disarray under his reign.  Supposedly, he rushed to negotiate the USTA contract before being beaten by Guiliani (Rudy probably could have beaten him on tennis court as well, won with his left hand, lol) which put NYC in disadvantage.  I’m not sure the city courts were there prior to the new contract.

cimg5714.JPGBurt is an elderly gentleman working at the park office.  He couldn’t stop talking. I only had couple of questions, but within 15 minutes, I learned about all his family, grand kids included.  6 courts in front of the office are newly done, with 5 layers of rubbers, used by Reebok urban youth league.  Reebok is still in existence?  The other five are re-surfaced, open to public.  I got to hit with Vicky, a college girl on the Stoney Brook’s team.  She has the build of Amanda Coetzer, bit looks like her too.  What strikes me the most was her lifeless demeanor.  Finding a player there is hard, Burt said everyone comes with their partners.  Oh well, I have 10 days to go, maybe I should put an ad on Craigs List, looking for temp partner.  I saw Paul and Xiao Lee when I went to pick up.  Should ask them to come early, :).
Contrary to Vicky, this busload kids screamed in joy when they saw the courts.

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Little woman

July 24, 2007 at 11:30 pm · Filed under Saga, Sports

Little Princess took a week off, and started her camp for two more weeks at the USTA.  Only 3 hours a day.  She got bit excited, anxious.  Playing in the shadow of the Center Court at Flushing Meadow is an experience.  But the teaching staff is very young, the student/coach ratio is high, hence the half price tag.  On the way home, she said that sooner or later, she’ll have to take a camp at the USTA .. .. but next year she’d rather have it at Port Washington if nowhere else is better.  She commented off handedly that most kids there are Hunter students.  Frank’s daughter is attending Hunter, and both his kids are there too.  First thought came to my mind was, how do they go to school?  She laughed, “Mom, I’m sure they take bus or subway .. ”  “By themselves?”

“Ya, Mom, by themselves. .. that’s how city kids live.. .. without their parents following around .. ..”  A pause, then she said quietly, “I knew you’d stay for the first day.” It rained yesterday, so we didn’t go.  At that moment, I felt little naked and vulnerable, she’s no longer a little wa wa baby.  Do I still treat her as a baby?  Of course you’re not Mom!  Do I follow you around too much?  Not really.  She assured me.  “I know you want to know what’s going on … it’s great that you know what’s going on in the world …”  Last time we were in the city, downtown, saw few gay couples.  I said so, as matter of fact, we don’t see many in the burb.  She replied, “Mom, I notice that, of course .. .. I’m not that oblivious to the world around me.”  Oblivious?  Gosh, I just learned a new vocabulary, now I need to learn how to pronounce it.

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