While it seems unlikely that Paul McCartney, 70, would ever fail to remember the words to one of his most well-known songs, why take the risk when you’re live with two billion viewers? But some lyrics, when flashed upon a small screen intended for one and broadcast to two billion, are funnier than others. BJC... Read more »
Take note, Park Tae Hwan: this is how you congratulate someone for becoming his country’s first Olympic gold-medal winner in a sport. Park, of course, said yesterday after Sun Yang’s Olympic record-setting win in the 400-meter freestyle: “I lost the race, but I am glad that it was an Asian who won. It is something we can... Read more »
Sun Yang made history last night by becoming the first Chinese man to win an Olympic swimming event, beating defending champion (and favorite) Park Tae Hwan of South Korea in the 400-meter freestyle and setting a new Olympic record of 3:40:14 (video here). After the race, he straddled a lane buoy and let out a primal scream as the CCTV announcer called him a "Chinese manly man."
NBC Universal is fascist when it comes to Olympics content -- my old YouTube got deleted for posting too many videos from live events in 2008 -- so you're in North America, you're on your own for moving pictures. For those in China, enjoy London's cauldron-lighting: 200-plus copper petals on fire, rising.
Kate Middleton visited Bacon’s College in Rotherhithe in southeast London yesterday to do some Olympics-related promotion, and — because why not? — engaged in some good ol’ table tennis. Her Royal Highness proved most excellent. Good on you, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. (H/T Alicia) Youku video for those in China after the jump. Buzzfeed is also on... Read more »
The Jordan brand is producing a series of mini-documentaries about basketball around the world, with the inspirational hashtag #RISEABOVE. Of course they had to go to China, and of course they had to borrow the narrative from Greg Mortenson's Three Cups of Tea: lone traveler finds himself in remote part of the world; traveler is injured, healed by "shaman"; traveler returns to isolated village to build something Western -- a basketball court, in this case. But don't let the fact that this is essentially an infomercial to sell shoes discourage you too much. It's a nicely produced video, and check out the moves on some of these kids.
Eh. Could’ve been worse. Wasn’t exactly a bus wreck. Bayern Munich vs. Beijing Guo’an, 6-0 7′ Zhang Junzhe (own goal) 10′ Arjen Robben 43′ Claudio Pizarro 74′ Thomas Muller 78′ Mario Mandzukic 80′ Mario Gomez Youku video for those in China after the jump.
YouTube user Cassetteboy has posted a hilarious cut-up of Boris Johnson -- who we last saw on this blog trying (and failing) to operate a Sina Weibo account -- welcoming people to London for the Olympics (opening ceremony is Friday, in case you've forgotten). Some of our favorite parts:
First of all, it’s eight minutes. Say what you want about “Survival,” London’s official Olympics song, but at least Muse had the courtesy to stop at a reasonable five minutes and 20 seconds. For what is essentially an overproduced, commercialized ditty, what couldn’t you possibly do in five minutes that you need eight? Actually, we... Read more »
Unlike Shanghai teammate Nicolas Anelka's rather tepid Chinese Super League debut, Didier Drogba made quite the impact yesterday in his first CSL match. Coming on as a sub after halftime, Drogba's first touch of the ball was a 40-yard free kick that AFP aptly described as "outrageous" (video of this strike appears after the jump). The former Chelsea striker would go on to set up his team's only goal, a beautiful through-ball into the box that teammate Cao Yunding converts in the 68th minute, to help Shenhua earn an away draw vs. Guangzhou R&F.
