It must not have been an easy feat to have a whole nation's pride and glory in the sport front resting on his lone shoulders. For Asians who generally have shorter, slimmer build, the tall poppy of Yao Ming who breaks away to join the NBA league is something of an anomaly. Surely, there must be another Yao Ming lurking amidst its 1.1 billion population. Even statistics should give it a higher probability to find another Yao Ming....right?
But the Chinese establishment has a way to beat even the remote statistics of Yao Ming. In ten years, China fails to produce another Yao Ming. Now that he's retiring, there is no one he can past the torch to. It's a true pity, that the rigid Chinese establishment has failed to produce more heroes in sports that its denizens so sorely need, in order to hold on to the Chinese pride.
No matter, China can now turns its star-gazing to another sport - tennis. Li Na, the newly minted champion of Australian Open, the first Chinese from China (nope - Michael Chang is technically more American than Chinese) to win any majors, provides the much needed relief for the mainland Chinese populace to feel that they can make it too in the sports arena.
But if the Li Na story is any guidance, it is that her success comes in spite of her breakaway from the official Chinese sports establishment. That says volume about the competence and effectiveness of that establishment. China's 1.1 billion people need better than this, and deserve better than to wait for another 10 years to see if it is capable of producing another Yao Ming or Li Na.
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