姚明退役:回顧大姚人生幾大亮點
7英尺6英寸，有着夢幻腳步和柔和投籃手感的姚明於2002年夏天來到美國。他作爲當年選秀的狀元秀選手，被休斯頓火箭隊選中，此時火箭隊的新球館將由豐田公司贊助。這個日本汽車製造商剛剛在中國開立一個新工廠，並且堅信姚明的球迷會很快成爲卡羅拉車迷。（姚明代言了卡羅拉車）
For many Americas, Yao was their initial exposure to the Chinese economic engine. He was a government project, nurtured from a young age in order to showcase the new China to the world. China fulfilled its promise; since those heady days of 2002, through the Beijing Olympics and beyond, the country has stayed on its path towards superpower status. Yao, sadly, fell short.
對於許多美國人來說，姚是他們對中國經濟引擎的首次瞭解。他年紀輕輕，作爲政府計劃向世界展示新的中國。中國已經實現了自己的目標：自2002年那段令人興奮的日子以來，經歷了北京奧運會之後，這個國家繼續保持着向超級大國的發展的良好狀態。姚明，卻很遺憾的退出了。
According an initial report from Yahoo! Sports, which was confirmed by several other news organizations, Yao is going to retire. He just couldn't conquer the injuries. A stress fracture in his left foot sidelined Yao after just five games last season. A broken foot forced him to miss all of the the 2009-2010 season. In fact, due to foot and knee injuries, Yao played in more than 55 games just once over the past six seasons.
根據雅虎體育最早的報道，以及隨後確認該消息的其他新聞媒體，姚即將退役。他無法戰勝傷病。左腳應力性骨折使姚上賽季只打了五場比賽。腳傷讓他缺席了整個2009-2010賽季。事實上，因爲腳傷和膝傷，姚在過去6個賽季中只有一個賽季打了超過55場的比賽。
Prior to Yao, players over 7'4" were usually one-dimensional freaks. Manute Bol, at 7'7", blocked shots and, during one stretch, started hoisting awkward three-pointers. Shawn Bradley, 7'6", had skills, but was far too meek to be a star. Yao, however, could do it all. At his peak, in 2006-2007, he averaged 25 points per game. His turnaround jumper was unstoppable. His post-passes were usually on the money. (It helps when you can see over everyone.) Yao, who played in just eight seasons, finished his career averaging 19.0 points, and 9.2 rebounds, per game. His Rockets never advanced further than the second round of the playoffs.
在姚之前，超過7尺4寸的球員往往都是“一招鮮”。7尺7寸的馬努特·波爾（Manute Bol，前NBA中鋒球員，曾效力於華盛頓奇才隊），幾乎只會蓋帽，並且在一段時間裏只能作爲一個尷尬的三分手。七尺六寸的肖恩·布拉德利（ Shawn Bradley，前NBA中鋒球員，曾效力於達拉斯小牛隊），雖然具備一些技巧，但遠不能使他成爲一名球星。而姚明，卻是無所不能的。在他2006-2007的巔峯賽季，他場均得到25分。他的轉身跳投無法阻擋，他的高位傳球總是非常及時到位（你會發現它能夠越過任何人）。姚只打了8個賽季，職業生涯場均19.0分，9.2籃板。他的火箭隊從來沒有跨過季後賽第二輪
Whatever on-court milestones Yao's body never allowed him to achieve, he more than made up for off the court. Yao was so much more than a basketball player. To the Chinese public who adored him, he was a symbol of his home country's possibility. Yao carried the Chinese flag at the Olympic opening ceremonies, soaking in the love of his country.
雖然姚的身體狀況讓他無法實現自己球場上的目標，他在球場外卻做得更多。姚不僅僅是一名籃球運動員。對於崇拜他的中國公衆來說，他是祖國潛力的一種象徵。姚在奧運會開幕式上作爲中國代表團的旗手，沉浸於對自己祖國的熱愛中。
The NBA, and basketball in general, has greatly benefited from Yao's emergence. Hoops is hot in China — just witness the Nike-clad kids on the Beijing blacktops, showing off their crossover dribble — largely because of him. Nike executives, and NBA commissioner David Stern, should genuflect at Yao's size-18 feet. A 1.3 billion-strong market is not a bad place to be booming.
NBA，甚至整個籃球界都受益於姚明的出現。只需看看那些在北京室外球場上穿着耐克、玩着交叉步運球的孩子們， （就會發現）籃球在中國如此火熱，而這些幾乎都可以歸功於姚明。耐克公司的決策者們，以及NBA的總裁大衛·斯特恩，都應該對姚明偉岸的身影頂禮膜拜。13億人的大市場可是難以尋得的啊。
Yao just got it. He became conversant in English, and could crack wise on Jimmy Kimmel's show or play pitchman for Visa. Teammates loved him. Sure, it's easy to dream about what might have been. Maybe a healthy Yao could battle Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki for Western Conference supremacy.
姚明是成功的。他精通英語，他能夠在吉米秀（美國ABC公司的一欄脫口秀節目）上展示富有智慧的幽默，他還擔任visa的代言人。隊友們都喜歡他。也許一個健康的姚明能做與科比·布萊恩特和德克·諾維茨基爭奪西部聯盟霸權。
But you must acknowledge what Yao Ming did accomplish. The game, and its fans, think more globally, thanks to him. No broken bones sully that enormous achievement.
但是你必須承認姚明的成功。無論是比賽還是球迷，都是由於他，而進一步的全球化。小小的骨傷根本不能掩飾他巨大的成就。
