Interview: Grace Before Meals post-rocking Shanghai
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Around Shanghai: No more airplane temperature checks, but we're getting a Wall St. Bull and Linkin Park!
Anyway, Huang Jianxiang, the idiot in question, has apologized:
"I reviewed the video of last night after waking up this morning," Huang said, "and felt my words were biased and inappropriate and that they may have hurt or displeased a lot of Chinese soccer fans.""Here, I apologize to all viewers for my improper and biased comments," Huang said. "I will try to remain as objective and impartial as the referee who ruled the game on the pitch as a sports broadcaster."
As objective and impartial as the referee. That leaves a lot of wiggle room, eh, Australia fans? All the links above include English translations of what Huang said screamed. But just for kicks, here are some of his more colorful statements (they were taken from different sources, so they may be out of order and may overlap a little):
"Penalty! Penalty! Penalty! Grosso made his contribution. Don't give Australia any chances.""The great left back has inherited Italy's glorious tradition. His body is possessed by Maldini's spirit at this moment."
"Goal! The game is over! Italy is victorious! They eliminated Australia! Great Italy! Great Italian left back! Happy birthday, Maldini! Long live Italy!"
"Definitely it was an undisputed penalty. Penalty! Penalty! Penalty! Grosso's done it, Grosso's done it!"
"Great Italian left back! Grosso succeeded in the long history and tradition of Italian soccer! He is not fighting alone at the moment!"
"Totti! He is about to take the shot! He shoulders the expectations of the whole world!"
"Goooooal! Game over! Italy win! Beat the Australians! They do not fall in front of Hiddink again, who led South Korea to knock out Italy in the 2002 World Cup!"
"Italy the great! Left back the great! Happy birthday to Maldini! Forza Italia! Long live Italy!"
"Go home! Go home! But they don't need to fly back to Australia. It's too far away. Most of them live in Europe anyway. Bye-bye!"
Later, Huang tried to explain his words in an interview with Xinhua:
"I am a human being, not a machine, and I can't be impartial all the time. Australia reminded me of a lousy team which eliminated China in the 1981 World Cup qualifiers. Australia is just like New Zealand team that beat us in 1981."It (Australia) is full of neutralized Australians who play and live in Britain. I don't care about the Australian team and don't want to see Australia have good results."
Evidently Huang's comments have been a hot topic of debate on the Chinese internet. A poll on Sina.com showed that 60 percent of respondents sided with Huang, a famous broadcaster who has covered Italian soccer for a long time. The Shanghai Daily said some people are downloading Huang's tirade and making it their ring tone.
In other soccer news, nine deaths in China have been "caused by the World Cup." The most recent story involves a man in Shaanxi who jumped to his death from the seventh floor of a hotel because he was too distraught after his favorite team, Holland, lost to Portugal:
The police found a small piece of paper on the man containing his last words that he's too disappointed with the team and decided to die. He refused any rescues because he was poor and was an orphan. He also mentioned he was willing to donate his organs.
Related:
Crazy CCTV football commentator; Fictional foreign news? (Danwei)
Chinese commentator's anti-Socceroo rant (Sydney Morning Herald World Cup Blog)
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Well, he's just an over reacting mortal. Take it easy.
Cedric, got no audio at your place? Huang Jianxiang is an apoplectic half-wit.
When the world cup was hosted in America in 1994 the Irish football team was largely made up of English and Scottish nationals. Most of the team weren't even formerly Irish naturalised, Huang Jianxiang would have screamed himself hoarse!
After the 1994 world cup FIFA launched an investigation and was very critical of Ireland and at least this time the Australian players were all naturalised.
What a c*ck. Never mind the fact that it was a blatant dive, and that the Italians are cheating, whining, diving fakers, (just ask the USA's Brian mcBride) the guy isn't even Italian.
For me the Aussies have lit up the world cup with their spirit and determination, we all know CCTV is not a bastion of impartiality but its pretty sad to see such bais during an Italy v Australia match when the commentator isn't Italian or Australian.
If you are going to support another team, support one which at least tries to follow the rules, unlike those primma-donna cheating tossers. C'mon Ukraine!
Nice comments Cameron....it really shows how much of a football expert you are.
I am not a football expert and never said I was. I'm just a fan like everyone else... and fans have opinions - in my opinion the Italians are cheats, I'll say that to anyone's face, as well as on the web. If you don't agree, say why.
No-wonder Americans think soccer is for cissies and play-actors. The Italians are not the only ones but it's time the do-gooders at Fifa started using video evidence to punish fakers and cheats severely.
You don't have to be a football expert (though I am one) to know that the Italians are cheating diving cheats. The penalty actually could be considered a penalty under FIFA's rules, but you could also say that it was cheating for the Italian player to needlessly trail his leg very slowly over Lucas Neill, therefore it was "simulation", therefore it wasn't a penalty.
Even as a football purist, I believe that live video evidence should take place, because players would not dive if they knew they would be yellow carded within 20 seconds as someone in the stands was watching the replay.
Chinese like the best teams as they enjoy even a fake victory so they can be happy. The guy is clearly apologising to keep his job. He is probably the Bosses nephew. Hopefully he jumps out of a window WHEN Italy are eliminated.
Well said Nick. I think though, that there's no need to delay the game American-style for replays - just have some offical-blokes watch the game afterwards, then dole out harsh punishment for cheats.
Also, Italy's Gattusso is a total knobber, we shouted reams of abuse at him from the sacred terraces of East End Park, after he committed one too many dives at the feet of my heroes, Dunfermline AFC, when he used to play for Satan's XI (Rangers). But, er, I couldn't possibly repeat the song we sung on here.
As for the Italian national team, they are an embarassment to football. I'm so incensed with those cheating fancy-dan mummy's boys I will even support England if they come up against them.
Cornithian spirit, chaps, what?
HUANG IS NOT AN IDIOT. YOU DICK.
Nobody called him an idiot. We called him a "dick", a "half-wit" and a "cock". Oh, hang on, we did call him an idiot -- twice.
i don't know much about football (i even mistakenly referred to it as soccer once) but i have to say that those remarks are uncalled for just from the standpoint of journalistic or media ethics. You can get into the game, that's fine, and as long as you do, there' a chance you might tilt to one side or another, but something this blatant -- well what's the point of that, i could have gone to bar or a friend's house if i wanted to hear opinions.
Not only is he a dick, a half-wit a cock and an idiot - he is a knob!
Did you see the video of the cheating Italian Football team training?
http://madaboutshanghai.blogs.com/mad_about_shanghai/2006/06/we_were_robbed.html
Bunch of frilly dak wearing nancies!
What was with the 2 minute 'blackout' after the national anthems? There were pictures of the crowd from previous games for a few minutes, then it cut back to the game a minute after kick-off.
A Chinese friend tells me it was due to an 'anti-China' banner (yawn) that was in amonst the Aussie supporters. Apparently, this then fueled Huang Jianxiang's animosity towards Australia to such an extent that he couldn't hold back his bias towards Italy.
Anyone confirm this, I cant find a link.
The black out was merely a drop out in the sat link. It affected all broadcasts here - nothing to do with a banner.
Firstly - why on earth would any Aussie that made it to Germany to watch the world cup hold up an anti China banner!? Der. These are Aussie's watching the team in the second round of the world cup having a crack at going to the 1/4's.
Secondly - thats simply a way for people to spread the rumour and try to save some face for Huang - "the glorious sportcaster was merely angry for the affront hoisted upon the nation of China by the Australian barbarians" that sort of thing will win him a lot of support here.
Good point on thew face-saving aspect of that, but the satelitte link wasnt actually lost on all broadcasts here, I confirmed this by phoning a friend watching the game at the pub during the blackout.
Anyway...