Yao Ming Is Really Really Big

"Obviously."

Well, yeah, he's 7'6. What'd I expect? But, you really don't have any grasp for quite how big 7'6 is until you're standing near the guy. I was almost in awe of the sheer magnitude of this man. Almost. Professional to the end instead.

I do have a bone to pick with Yao, though. His presence coupled with the Rockets announcement of their exhibition game against the Magic on October 5 and Training Camp in the RGV starting October 3 made me really busy and effectively torpedoed my chance to be on the air tonight. I simply had too many other things to do. Man, the nerve of that guy. He think just because he's a six-time All-Star and the straw that stirs the Rockets' drink he can do whatever he wants. Oh, wait, yes he can. He's Yao Ming (and this is the Catalina Wine Mixer!).

In all seriousness, though, it was a fun visit. I think the coolest moment was during the pre-game when Mike Harris walked in during Yao's NBA TV interview. Yao got up and "ran" (moved quickly for a guy in his condition) over to Mike to share a hug and a have a shot conversation. It was kind of awkward only because they were surrounded by media and staff, so although they kept their voices low, they were standing in the middle of the room with all eyes on them. Ah, the life of a celebrity. No such thing as a private conversation. Perhaps fame and fortune aren't all they're cracked up to be?

I'll say this for that moment, though. It'd made them both human. It's easy sometimes to look at athletes and think of them as statistics or simply as players and not people. When you think Yao, you think All-Star. When you think Harris you think League MVP candidate. You don't think, human being, or, friend. Well, maybe you should.

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Finally got my chance to meet Toros team President and fellow Boston University alum Peter Lubell today. Ironically, it was fairly brief. I just didn't have time to talk to him. Hopefully, though, I'll be able to squeeze him in next time. Who would've thought all of the Jimmy Kimmell-Matt Damon references would've actually come true?

Well, to make up for it, I asked Peter to write a guest blog to go at the bottom of this entry.

But I'm all out of room. We'll try to squeeze him in next time.

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P.S. I pick any bracket that a BU team is in, so here is how I think the NCAA Tournament will unfold for women's ice hockey:

Quarterfinals:
#8 BU over #1 Mercyhurst (wouldn't be the first 8 over 1 upset)
#4 Harvard over #5 Cornell
#2 Minnesota-Duluth over #7 New Hampshire
#3 Minnesota over over #6 Clarkson

Semifinals:
#8 BU over #4 Harvard (wouldn't be the first 8-seed in the Championship game)
#2 Minnesota-Duluth over #3 Minnesota

Championship
#8 BU over #2 Minnesota-Duluth (did you honestly expect me to pick against BU? But, I can justify this. It's a bit of poetic justice after Duluth won the 2007 Championship as an 8-seed, beating Boston College in the championship game)