Colin Pine will never be mistaken for Yao Ming. Pine never will be
7'6" 310 pounds or Chinese. He never will be an international
superstar. One gets the feeling, however, that Pine is comfortable
existing in the background, in the shadow of giants, putting his
5'10" frame, blond hair, and typical American looks to use for
other more public personalities.
Yin and Yang
Many may know him from the popular 2002 film Year of the
Yao, a documentary that chronicled Yao's arrival in both
America and the NBA. It's Pine who frantically zooms around the
movie screen, a 28-year-old having assumed the immense
responsibility of assimilating China's Yao into America's NBA.
Acting as an interpreter from 2002-05, Pine had unparalleled access
to Yao Ming, watching his maturation from a 22-year-old Shanghai
Sharks player to a 26-year-old NBA powerhouse. In many ways, Pine's
understated and demure approach acted as perfect yin to
Yao's front-and-center physical yang. This is the story of
two unlikely friends.
Having graduated from James Madison University in Virginia USA
(1996), Pine auspiciously took his English major to Taipei, to
learn Mandarin. He enrolled in the International Chinese Language
Program at Taiwan University after several years at a trading
company.
"I studied Spanish at (James Madison)," said Pine, "without ever
actually learning to say anything." Mandarin, however, was a
completely different beast. After only three years in Taiwan, Pine
was translating Chinese newspaper articles for the US State
Department. It was then, in 2001, that the name Yao Ming changed
everything in Pine's life.
"I was looking for personality, technical skill, and a firsthand
knowledge of China," said Erik Zhang, member of Team Yao, on the
selection process for an interpreter. "I was looking for someone
who wouldn't melt under public scrutiny or go to a bar every night
and someone whose age gap wasn't too great from Yao."?
"Initially, we had a little concern because he can be a nervous
person," Zhang said. "But then we realized part of that is because
of his desire to perform on the job." Ultimately, it was an
over-the-phone performance by Pine that won the confidence of
Zhang. Pine did an English-to-Chinese translation of an ESPN
article on Yao, and then translated a non-sports Chinese newspaper
article into English. Out of nearly 60 candidates, Pine was
selected. That's when the adventure began.
"He spoke very basic English and wasn't very comfortable," said
Pine, referring to Yao's initial months in both America and the
NBA. That "uncomfortable" feeling, however, could very well
describe Pine's initial experience as well.
A daunting experience
"The first time you have to translate in front of 50
journalists, knowing that what comes out of your mouth is going to
print, is a pretty daunting experience," Pine said in a recent
interview with China Daily. "After a while, however, it
almost becomes mundane. Almost."
"I would have to say that Yao made it easier for me because of
his poise," said Pine.
What didn't make it easy was the very public profile of both Yao
and Pine, and the great responsibility both of them carried. But as
Pine has attested to in several interviews, it's one's ability to
adapt that defines success or invokes failure.
"I adapt to new circumstances very well," said Pine, who in 2006
still spoke like a metaphysical mouth-piece of Yao Ming's inner
thoughts. For just as Pine had to adapt, so did Yao. This reality,
arguably above everything else, explains the strong bond between
these two men.
"It's all about feeling comfortable in one's environment," said
Pine, again channeling Yao. "If you can't adapt, you're not going
to be a happy and successful person."
Fortunately for both Yao and Pine, both soon adapted to the NBA,
and both have wild success because of it. Asked if he has any
regrets about his experience with Yao, or anything he would do
differently, Pine responds with mellow humor.
"I wish I had some time to do some other things (than NBA
related business)," said Pine, "like learn to play the glockenspiel
or write a novel about the underground culture of Houston."
Working for Team Yao "afforded a lot of down time," said Pine,
and although he did a lot of reading to pass time, he notes that he
should have used his free time "more wisely". Refreshingly absent
in his "Do Different List" is anything involving his direct
experience interpreting for Yao. With that experience, apparently,
Pine has no regrets.
It is shocking, however, that Pine complains of an abundance of
free time during his Team Yao employment. In addition to
interpreting between Yao, the media, the Houston Rockets, and the
world, Pine also was a 24/7 live-in guest of Yao's, responsible for
sorting Yao's bills, teaching him to drive, running various
errands, and helping Yao understand American culture, among other
things.
One wonders whether Pine folded Yao's boxer briefs out of the
dryer as well, having seemingly assumed every other daily task.
'Not soft at all'
But nearly five years after befriending Yao Ming, Pine is still
very much a fan of the big man. Even in 2007, Pine defends Yao
against critical nay-sayers with an earnestness that is both
sincere and a bit frustrated. When questioned on the popular
putdown that Yao is a "soft player", lacking the tenacity required
of NBA giants, Pine is strong in his defense.
"I wholly disagree with that assessment," said Pine
emphatically. "He is not soft at all. One has to account that Yao
was in a new environment (in 2002), and that he arrived in the
middle of the season."
And yet despite putting up MVP-caliber numbers of 25.9 ppg, 9.4
reb, and 2.2 blocks in this 2006-07 season, Yao's detractors still
accuse him of being a "gentle giant". Most surprisingly, this
accusation comes from arguably Yao's greatest fan, coach Jeff Van
Gundy.
"He is hyper-sensitive to the supposed 'how well we did without
him'," Van Gundy said, referring to Yao's three-month injury and
the Houston Rocket's improved play during his absence. "He has
thought far too much about that, instead of being a more arrogant
self-centered player where you only think about yourself. Because
that would serve him best." If being a "hard player" means being
"arrogant" and "self-centered" perhaps it's in Yao's interest to
continue employing a "hip to be square" mentality.
So what has allowed Yao to weather the criticism? Better
performances, better language proficiency and maturity, said
Pine.
"His personality is coming out the more confident he is at
speaking (English)," said Pine, a confidence he believes can be
attributed to Yao's better play. His "great work ethic" and
basketball improvement also have allowed Yao to relax, proving with
his on-court numbers what critics try to disprove with their
off-court criticisms. This combination of hard work and cultural
assimilation undoubtedly feeds Yao's confidence, and subsequently
his performance on the basketball court, said Pine. It also,
naturally, lessens the sting of criticism.
While Yao has grown a lot since 2002, it's only natural that
Pine would mature step-in-step. "I would say the most important
thing I learned was how to deal with pressure," said Pine of his
experience. Being the mouthpiece of the world's most popular
Chinese person is a weighty responsibility, Pine learned. The
confidence and stamina acquired from 2002-05's Team Yao experience
has aided Colin Pine in 2007.
Pine currently lives in Beijing. He has been here for a year and
a half. "The word 'permanent' has an awful finality to it," said
Pine, "but yes, I'm in Beijing full time." So for the moment at
least, Pine remains working in Beijing, a full 15 time-zones ahead
of Houston and his friend Yao Ming. But while Pine is no longer
employed by Team Yao Yao can speak English well enough now to not
use an interpreter Pine nevertheless continues to advance the game
of basketball here in China. He may not have Da Shan fame, but
surely being the "Number Two" to China's Yao Ming experience has
embedded Pine in the hearts of the Chinese. Having moved
immediately to Beijing from Houston, that feeling of appreciation
and respect is no doubt reciprocal in Pine's mind.
Pine now works with the NBA in China as the senior manager of
government and community relations.
"Basically, since July 2005, I interact with relevant government
organizations (Beijing Administration of Sport, for instance), and
work on our community outreach projects," said Pine.
"I keep in touch occasionally with Yao," said Pine. "We exchange
e-mails every so often, and whenever we're in the same city we try
to get together and catch up." But now it will be Yao coming home
to China to meet up with Pine, as opposed to their initial United
States rendezvous.
"He's a pretty funny guy," said Pine of Yao Ming. He has a "dry
sense of humor. He'll surprise you."
(China Daily March 30, 2007)
