Yao Ming said his team has become too soft, and that is the reason for their under-performing this season. To rectify this he recently brought the team to the streets of China to compete in the secret underground sport of arm-wrestling in hopes of making them tougher.

China is known throughout the world for its brutal arm-wrestling matches, conducted in dirty run-down drug houses and alleys. Things such as thumbtacks, battery acid, and even fire are placed on the sides of the competitors, awaiting the arms of any losers. Many Chinese arm-wrestlers don't last more than a few matches into their careers due to extreme injury.

Yao Ming decided exposing the Houston Rockets to their lifestyle was the only way to harden them up and get them ready for the rest of the season. He took them there to challenge them to a competition himself, to show them how tough the Chinese are. Once in one of the more famous arm-wrestling houses he sat down across from each teammate and dueled them, with the loser's hand being slammed into a pile of hot coals.

Shortly into the first match with Tracy McGrady, Yao remembered he has arms like a 14-year old girl and lost within a matter of seconds. After playing all members of his team, and losing handily to each one, Yao no longer had use of his right hand. But, his teammates all learned a little lesson about toughness.