“还有很多事情要做。”迪肯比-穆托姆博(Dikembe Mutombo)说，“这需要点时间。我不想现在就立刻去直截了当地说点什么，毕竟我才刚刚回来。但是我想让大家知道，我是这里最年长的球员，他们应该听我的。”

自从回归以来，穆大叔一直都在静静地观察着火箭队内古怪的气氛。

“本来周一晚上我们会有一个私下的晚宴，不过后来因为其它一些事情取消了。”穆托姆博笑着说，“所以现在我得重新安排一下了。我打算私下约一些队友一起吃个饭，我们可以聊聊当今的时事，比如副总统切尼。我已经选定了几个我打算邀请的球员，我会跟他们一起试着把问题都解决掉。”

“别担心，我会把事情搞定的。”

对主教练阿德尔曼而言，穆托姆博的回归有两个重要作用。“一，他在场下在更衣室里面对整个球队的影响都是巨大的。另外，万一姚明出了什么状况，那穆托姆博也是顶上中锋位置的绝佳人选，当然，但愿不会有这种状况发生。”阿德尔曼说。而在对穆托姆博的常规使用方面，阿德尔曼也已经有了打算：“当我们的身高处于明显劣势的时候，他会轮替姚明上场的。不过大多数时候，我想还是用小个阵容更好一些。”

在昨天与湖人的比赛中，穆托姆博打了4分半的时间，他似乎还有些意犹未尽。“我本来希望还能打久一点。我猜教练还在担心我的身体状况。但是我完全没有问题，我在训练中状况很不错，我知道我已经准备好了。”

穆托姆博对更衣室的气氛到底带来怎样的影响？看看麦迪的表现吧——比如与尼克斯的那场比赛，虽然麦蒂没有出场，但是他还是来到了更衣室，他在自己的衣柜前短暂逗留，随后穿过更衣室走向穆托姆博给了他一个大大的微笑。

“我们现在有很多问题需要解决。”巴蒂尔说，“我觉得现在一些问题已经有所好转了，不过这是一个循序渐进的过程。我想穆托姆博回来的时间还不够长，他还没那么快能解决所有问题。毕竟，这支球队已经今非昔比了。许多人都不了解他。现在，穆托姆博回来了然后提醒我们这些后辈。这对球队非常有好处。如果说有人能做这桩事情，那就只有穆托姆博了。”

穆托姆博说：“现在我明白有很多事情要交给这些年轻球员，然后我才能宣告离开。我还有未完成的任务呢。”

简译 by SlimForce

Mutombo ready for Cheney-style politicking
Recently signed Rockets center says he'll 'take care of things'
By FRAN BLINEBURY Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle


There was no need for background checks, lobbying efforts or Senate confirmation hearings.

The only voice vote that counted was that Cookie-Monster-gargling-razor-blades-in-a-blender rasp that let everyone know the Secretary of the State of the Rockets was back at his post.

"There is much work to do," said Dikembe Mutombo. "It will take time. I don't want to be stepping on anybody's shoes, because I just got back. But I will find my space to let them know I am the oldest guy here, and they should listen."

He had sat at his locker listening and stood by in practices observing through five games and for nearly two weeks and had intended to pursue his first round of détente amid a fractured atmosphere prior to the game against the Lakers.

"It was going to be a secret dinner Monday night, but it didn't happen because other things came up," Mutombo said, grinning. "So now I have to set up another one. I'm planning to get people under the ground and into the bunker, and we're going to discuss the problems like Vice President Dick Cheney. I've got the people that I'm planning to pull out, take them into that bunker and try to get things straight. Don't worry. I will take care of things."

In his 18th trip through the NBA, the 42-year-old Mutombo's role is part backup center, part psychologist and part warden on a team that this season has buzzed off in more directions than a hive of drunken bees.

After the injuries to Tracy McGrady, Ron Artest and Shane Battier ruined any hope for a smooth start, the constant change of rehab plans, the ins and outs, and 15 starting lineups produced the chaotic atmosphere that might as well have sent the "Bat Signal" to Mutombo in Gotham City.

"I had so many guys on the team calling me, all the way to the trainers and the equipment guys, saying, 'Deke, you better get here quick. It is a state of emergency.'

"Since I've been back, I've been more outspoken and I can see things are changing a little bit here. But we are not there yet. We are still far away from what we need to be as a team in the locker room to get ready for games."
Mutombo got his first taste of action this season in the second quarter against the Lakers, playing just under 4½ minutes, hitting a layup and a tip-in and grabbing one rebound. But he didn't get a blocked shot or a chance to wag his finger.

"I was hoping I was going to get more than that," Mutombo said. "I think the coach is hesitant about my conditioning. But my conditioning is there. We had a wonderful practice, and I know that I am ready."

Coach Rick Adelman does not intend to use Mutombo to spell Yao Ming nightly. He feels comfortable with the production and the effort that he's getting out of Luis Scola, Carl Landry and Chuck Hayes on the front line.

"I think you'll see him (Mutombo) against certain people, for sure, behind Yao when we really get undersized," Adelman said. "But against a lot of teams, we're really better off with the smaller people at both ends of the court.

"I said at the time, to get Deke back, there were two important reasons. His impact on the team off the court and in the locker room is huge. But I think, God forbid, something should happen to Yao for a period of time, Deke's a perfect guy to put in there.

"Right now, it's tough for him to get going, playing three or four minutes at a time. That's why I say it's really important to have him for insurance — and his impact in the locker room is enormous."

The respect Mutombo gets from his teammates is obvious. Before Saturday night's game against the Knicks, McGrady, who wasn't playing, stopped by his locker briefly and then walked across the room toward "the godfather" with a smile.

"We've got a lot of things to work out right now," said Battier. "I think we've stabilized things a bit, but it's a process. I don't think Deke's been around long enough yet to just fix things. Remember, this is a different team from last year. Everybody doesn't know him.

"That may be the answer: Deke coming in here and knocking around a few heads. If he does, I think it will be beneficial. If there's one guy who could do it, it would be Deke."

Mutombo let out a deep sigh that turned into his trademark roaring laugh as he considered the burden of his so many tasks.

"My hands are full with all the things I need to reach all of these young guys before I leave the game. I'm not done yet. Just let me get them into the bunker like Vice President Cheney. I won't start any wars. And I won't shoot anybody in the hunting field either. Everything's gonna be fine."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/6211241.html

BIG BOSS~

大叔是个好老师啊

另外一种意义上的搓气的老大