2011 Dec 09 Talking Balls: Win, Lose & Draw
The Wall Street Journal's China Real Time Report sent Loretta Chao to meet the coolest man in Beijing this week. Subway-riding, Weibo-loving shoe peddler Stephon Marbury allowed the reporter into his home. You can watch the interview below but don't go expecting anything like MTV Cribs. In fact, don't go expecting anything by way of excitement. We're pretty sure the WSJ would take the fun out of any interview, but the Beijing Duck comes across fairly well.
Starbury and J.R. Smith have both given an early Christmas present to CBA fans. They've stated that they have no intention of returning to the NBA, whose strike-stricken season begins on Christmas Day.
The Beijing Ducks are what Americans call seven-and-oh. That means that they have won all seven of their opening fixtures. Well done to them and well done to basketball for being so black-and-white about winning and losing being the only outcomes for a game.
Back in the world of draws, moneybag CSL champions Guangzhou Evergrande have hit a spot of bother in their AFC Champions' League group-stage draw. They got former AFC champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (South Korea), J-league Division One winners Kashiwa Reysol and whoever will win the Thai league. This is where any sports journalist worth his salt would bandy around the term "Group of Death." You can decide on that but Beijing Guoan (hooray) got a slightly better ride (hooray) in Group F (hooray). After calming down, we can tell you that Brisbane Roar, Ulsan Hyundai and "Cup Champion (JPN)" will bring some class to Gongti before knocking our boys out.
It looks like Nicolas Anelka will be moving to Shanghai. The Frenchman has been linked with a transfer window move to Shenhua and the British press are all over the rumour. Let's hope they get him. Anything that will raise the standard of the CSL is a good thing and it's more reason to hate Shanghai. The queue for Gongti season tickets starts now.*
And finally, there's been no Who's Hot and Who's Not in Chinese Sports in the China Daily recently. Boo. To make up for that absence, here's our own.
HOT
Talking Balls
Starbury
Beijing Guoan
Li Na
NOT
China Daily's Who's Hot and Who's Not in Chinese Sports
Yao Ming
Guangzhou Evergrande
*Don't. It's freezing and the season is an age away.
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Talking Balls: AI, Transfer Records & The Champion Ducks Smashed
In football news, Guangzhou have completed the signing of Lucas Barrios from back-to-back German Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund. He's cost EUR 8.5 million - a new CSL record - and was the German league's topscorer during Dortmund's first championship. Chinese football has finally gotten its first star player.
Talking Balls: Ducks Flying, Guoan Too Green & This J-Lin Stuff Gets Silly
Good evening, sports fans. Let's get right into it. The CBA playoffs are at their semi-final stage and Beijing Ducks are back in the series after winning game two. Stephon Marbury dropped a colossal 52 points to send them on their way to besting Shanxi by 132-123. Thanks to NiuBBall for the alley-oop on the video you'll see below. Don't forget to check out the 2011-12 NiuBBall Awards. Spoiler alert: Starbury gets what he deserves.
Talking Balls: Champs and Chumps
Beijing Guoan are playing their third game in the AFC Champions’ League tonight. Their opponents are Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma of Korea. Chances are that it will be as snowy an affair as their previous away game in Japan.
The CSL kicks off this weekend. Guoan start with a match against Nanchang Bayi on Saturday at 7.30pm. Apparently there will be an opening ceremony too.
Guoan have two home games in April. April 4 is the visit of Shenzhen Ruby and April 18 is Shaanxi Chanba. Tickets available at Workers' Stadium and 5905 9082.
Talking Balls: A Smoking Rocket, Marbury Mania & The Olympic Underground
The Olympics are around the corner, or should we say, further along the line. Transport London, which runs the capital's world-famous Tube, have decided to cash in on the Olympics. They've released a map with a twist: All of the stations are now named after famous Olympians. We admit that it's better than the 2012 mascots but as merchandise goes, it's still pretty bad. There are 13 Chinese Olympians on the map:
Talking Balls: Shame On Shanxi, Ghastly Guoan & Some Sports Shorts
The Beijing Ducks and Shanxi Brave Dragons have gone to game five in their CBA playoff semi-final. The game was originally set for March 14 but was postponed until March 18 so that everyone could enjoy St. Patrick’s Day. No, actually it was put back because of a near-riot in game four. Shanxi’s fans also took that meeting as an opportunity to shower the court with debris. They've been fined nine times for similar incidents over the last four years. They have just added another RMB 60,000 to the CBA's Christmas party fund. You stay classy, Shanxi.
