Shanghaiist Sunday Show: An Hour with Lee Kuan Yew —The Charlie Rose Show
Time to stock up on face masks
This week in Shanghaiist
Former Olympic gold medalist hurdler and golden boy for millions of Chinese, Liu Xiang, limped off the track today, taking away with him the hopes of defending the gold and reclaiming his world record from Cuba's Dayron Robles.
Within minutes there were already 8000 Chinese commenting on the shocking turn of events. Some understanding, others, not so much. Perhaps among the angry ones are those who placed their bets on Liu and failed to pay heed to his hamstring injuries that were reported last month.
The star athlete took to the starting blocks with grimaces of pain etched across his face and reached back to slap his right achilles. NBC Olympics reported it as an achilles injury, with a report from Liu Xiang's coach last week claiming that the runner was "very close to his best form."
VIDEO UPDATE: For those outside of China who were unable to catch the five minute blip of airtime given to this by NBC, we certainly found it hard to believe that he was faking after watching this clip a few times...
VIDEO UPDATE (8.19.08): A collected Sun Haiping gives another press conference.
The original press conference moments after Liu Xiang pulled out
UPDATE (1:39 PM): Sun Haiping, Liu Xiang's coach, bawls his eyes out on national TV commiserating the feelings of millions of fans, and at least one CCTV reporter.
Followed quickly by a video montage of Liu Xiang set to Liu Huan and Sarah Brightman's "You and Me"
UPDATE (1:40 PM): GlobalVoices translates some of the initial reactions from the Chinese Fanfou community. Among these are the superstitious who attribute the injury to an Adidas ad curse that has taken down China's women's volleyball team, and football (soccer) player, Zhengzhi, and now Liu Xiang...
Others suggest conspiracy theories:
这一招实在是高
这几天我一直在想罗伯斯实力如何强劲,已经超过了刘翔,刘翔如何应对,如果输了(很大可能),商业价值必定大打折扣,人气肯定一落千丈,如果我是刘翔,该当如何?
谁知出现这种结果,这是刘翔所能做出并得到最大利益的结果,赢得了大家的同情,并保住了自己的人气,最重要的是,商业价值.
让人不能不佩服他身后的团队,实在是佩服(真心话,毕竟是同行)!This really is a wonderful conspiracy!
These past few days I have been thinking constantly about how strong Robles is, much stronger than Liu Xiang. How can Liu deal with this? If he loses the race, which is highly probable, then his commercial value would of course plummet, as would his popularity. What would I do if I were him?
And what we have seen today is what Liu can do to achieve maximum profitability. He retained people’s compassion and his popularity, and most importantly, commercial value. I really have to admire the brains behind this operation.
UPDATE (2:20 PM): The Guardian picks up the story while trying to create a new trend in shortening those pesky Chinese names? They refer to coach Sun Haiping as "Haiping," and Liu Xiang, as "Xiang." We are skeptical whether this will catch on.
UPDATE (2:30 PM): Some observations from Chinese Twitterland shows the aftermath of Liu Xiang's sudden departure.
@celia1205 (in translation): "I was in the M photography area, very near Liu Xiang, when he entered the Bird's Nest the entire sea of people began shouting his welcome, when he left people quickly changed from amazement to anger. Before the event was even finished, many people left. This country really cannot stand to lose, it's terrible."
@buchimifan (in translation): There are people who are actually talking about getting a refund! Geez! When it was discovered that parts of the opening ceremony were fake no one talked about getting a refund, but when Liu Xiang withdraws which is completely normal within the realm of sports they start hollering for a refund! Is it that these people will not be satisfied until Liu Xiang has run himself into a total cripple before deciding they have gotten their money's worth?"
VIDEO UPDATE (8.19.08): Wall Street Journal interviews people on the streets of Beijing about how they feel about the Liu Xiang's withdrawal.
UPDATE (8.19.08): Various reactions from English language and foreign media...
- Forget about long-term disability, what about the sponsors? New York Times speculates on how Liu Xiang's multi-million dollar endorsements will find a way to market upon misfortune or pull themselves out of the game as well.
- Liu Xiang's former coach, Gu Baogang, rails against the China sports system which he claims destroys athletes while they are still in their prime.
- Chinese netizens continue to flood the forums and BBSs with their reactions, but the overwhelming majority are sympathizers.
- So much for insurance... Liu Xiang's 100 million RMB policy with Ping An Insurance does not cover the injury that has taken him out of the Olympics.
Addendum: Thanks to reader Michael Darragh for pointing out the fact that Liu Xiang is not actually sponsored by Adidas. He endorses Nike.
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China destroys its athletes for the glory of the motherf***erland, the CCPee and the PLgay.
Yao Ming is playing on several broken bones and torn ligaments in his foot and ankle for China which will shorten his NBA career and the well being of his entire family but no matter, as long as that big pile of shit known as the PRC can bask in master race glory.
Liu Xiang can come over to the US and once we get him fixed up he'll win a few more championships as a healthy, happy American.
I'm sorry for Mr. Liu's injury, but CCTV is covering this story as if Wen Jiabao just passed away...
That version of "You and Me" sounded like a dirge. I was wondering if he passed away after retiring from the race while watching the montage.
NBC is covering Michael Phelps's story as if Obama and McCain just get married...
Oh... snap! that was a good comeback @Titro Going to have to agree with you on that one. But what can NBC do, USA is not exactly kicking ass and taking names in any of the other events. :)
No big deal. China team can go without Liu Xiang. But can you imagine a US team without Phelps?
It's a bit disappointing. Would've been a great race between Liu and Robles. Guess I'll go back to ignoring the Olympics as usual.
@eastman
Considering that not many Americans knew who Phelps was before the Games, yep it's easy to do. The difference is, USA creates heroes, China just wind-up robots whose cowardice in the face of absolute defeat is simply pathetic. Not to mention the fact that so many of them lack soul, grace and passion.
Liu Xiang has no association with adidas and has certainly never featured in their advertising.
Hopefully he just has a bye into the finals
To puhlease,
"USA creates heroes, while CHina bla bla..."? LOL! I only hope the topless Rambo will not be the last hero you produced.
Well before the Olympic, most of Americans knew what Phelps meant to them and to the billboard. Some of idiot like you just treat any gold as a defeat of "Commie". But sorry, you America just got less this time while going down down down.
Liu Xiang means only one gold while Phelps means eight. So count with your fingers to see how your folks would feel without him. (But I repsect him as a businessman)
But who give a damn to this Olympic. Let's look forward to the closing ceremony when hijacked China will be set free), OK?
Here is a must-see piece for your health and mental intact. Enjoy it when it is still there. Do you US government is deleting thousands clips on Utube, of course they called it porno control, to prevent your type from seeing, lol!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8XI2Chc6uQ
Personal attacks here are just so lame.
uh, lamb boy - you know that Terrance Trammell (same event, only American) also had an injury and pulled up during the race as well?
These guys are athletes, not living and breathing embodiment of their countries.
Liu and Yao play for China because they want to. Trammell runs for the US because he wants to.
But they also want to do well for themselves.
puhlease - I'm not sure you're correct. Li Ning, Lang Ping, Liu, Yao, Lin Dan, Chen Jianhua, Zhang Ruirui (amongst others) have all demonstrated soul, creativity, passion and drive. Sure the gymnasts are sometimes a little wooden, but to dismiss them as souless robots is making an Cold War argument - which wasn't even true 30 years ago. Look at the anguish when Zhu Jianhua misses his final jump in LA.
How about enjoying the athletic competion?
@ T
Trammell won't be cursed by the fen qing masses on the US internet or be questioned by the authorities for not contributing to Chinese glory.
I am pretty sure that's not the same guy Sun Haiping in both those interviews on Youtube, or the grief made him miraculously grow a lot of hair in one day!
This was a rigged withdrawal of Liu Xiang.
Facts
1. Filmed training day before at speed with no evidence of injury
2. Chinese Athletic Association placed pressure on Liu Xiang to withdraw for purely financial reasons. It receives by law 15% of Liu Xiang's sponsorship endorsements. It knew full well had Liu Xiang raced and lost or not made final, sponsorship monies and advertising contracts would have dried up. It therefore persuaded Liu Xiang to withdraw. That way Liu Xiang remained an undefeated champion and with this still attractive to advertisers.
3. The pressconference was held within 5 mins of his withdrwal clearly pre-arranged with Beijing olympic officials and his coach had all the answers rehearsed.
IOC should investigate and ban him if he withdrew Knowing that he was not in form and to run and lose would fall foul of fickle corporate sponsors sponsorship interests.Perhaps Chinese athletic association pressured him to do so to protect their financial interests. Either way the truth will out.
Fortunately, China is a more tolerant society now. Besides, China has gotten enough gold so far, nearly double the US’s. We don’t depend on Liu to get this extra one. After all, his health is much more important than anything else. He will have the chance to regain glory in four years if his injure could be healed.
NBC devoted half of its time showing the face of Michael Phelps. That is quite sick. Disgusting media, it can make a nice face ugly.
nbc is covering phelps cause he won 8 medals. cctv is covering liu cause he didnt win 1.
What Michael Phelps did is simply amazing. He deserves all the attention and coverage from NBC. Olympics comes around only once every four years. His name may not surface for a while after all this.
puhlease..not all Chinese athletes are gov't manufactured wind-up bots. plus who needs the government when they have getting millions a year in endorsements as motivation. This not much different from American athletes.
@ blicket
Liu Xiang races with the permission of the CCPee and collects royalties with more permission.
@ Dextrum
If the IOC won't come down on China for having multiple 13 year olds on the gymnastics team or a boxing incident in which a Chinese fighter spend 2 1/2 rounds running from his opponent, 1/2 of the last round locking up and the Chinese fighter still won, then they certainly won't "upset" China by banning Liu Xiang from a face saving whoopin' at the hands of the American or Jamaican blacks.
Forget about Liu Xian for a second.. the larger concern is why is a stupid activity like horse riding is a medal sport in the Olympics? Or better yet, why the hell is Trampoline in the Olympics?
@nanheyangrouchuan
and now you have problems with their non-privatized agents? so what's the problem? not everything is black and white in this world nanheyangrouchuan...just because US athlete have 'normal' agents? do you have any idea how much US agents, laywers, pr-marketing collect, not to mention taxes? i don't think so. These guys make out hand over fist if not more so.
Horse riding would be considered a classical sport because warriors had to demonstrate horse riding skills. I believe chariot races were part of the original Greek games, wouldn't be surprised if there were a few other horse events as well.
As for trampoline? Probably a feel good move for countries that suck in mainstream sports (like China).
'mainstream' sports meaning? if that even matters. i wouldn't consider any of these olympic sports being mainstream besides basketball and maybe cycling. I'm curious to find out what from your feeble mind what is mainstream? soccer btw in the US is a joke, far from mainstream considered queer and will probably never catch on. it's boring and lame. You also should check the what chinese medalled in before opening your pie hole.
I wouldn't call gymnastics (including trampoline) feel good events. try telling that to Mary Lou Retton, Shannon Miller, and the us mens and women's gymnastic teams...you joker.
for the naive (looking at you nanheyangrouchuan) Nadia Comaneci was 13 when she won european championships. Not long ago in barcelona 92, Kerri Strug who took bronze was only 14. The age limit was only recently raised in olympics. this whole thing smacks of being poor losers.
Dextrum..... you have hit the nail on the head. It's time these other plonkers here woke up and understood the reality of China!
blicket: wow I didn't know that.. that really puts things into perspective. Thanks!
"China just wind-up robots whose cowardice in the face of absolute defeat is simply pathetic. Not to mention the fact that so many of them lack soul, grace and passion."
That is so untrue and such a hideous stereotype. I've seen real passion and soul from these chinese athletes, both in winning and in defeat. They are on their home turf and they are all expected to be heroes. That's a lot of incredible pressure and I'm amazed at the athletes that have handled it so well and I've seen the real pain from those that fell short of the mark. They are all terrific.