(words: Paul S. Hendren)As a part time sports writer my take on things usually evolves from the sports section of any broadsheet. It is a twisted way to look at life but a necessary escape for me from the rigors of daily routines, including the challenges of parenthood.
While sitting delayed on the tarmac at Shanghai’s splendid new airport I had the opportunity to devour China Daily – a quirky little state controlled newspaper to appease the English speaking folks in China. To my surprise the name Stephon Xavier Marbury was infiltrating many column inches in the sports section. It appears that Marbury, a former two time NBA all-star who developed his skills on the tough asphalt basketball courts of Coney Island, New York, had also made his way to China.
The well tattooed Marbury, infamous for his controversial and bombastic career in the NBA, had not travelled to China as a tourist. He was there to play some serious ball joining the Shanxi Zhagyu Brave Dragons of the Chinese Basketball League. At 32 years of age Marbury became the highest profile American to play in the CBA.
“I’ll communicate with the fans through my basketball,” Marbury said of his adventure in Northern China. “I think this will be a unique experience. To go overseas to play ball, to live, for me it’s a challenge.”
Marbury has a shroud eye for business seeing the exploding Chinese sportswear market as a place to hawk his own brand of sneakers. He makes no bones about his intentions to crack a marketplace ripe for some American pop culture.
Upon my return to Canadian soil I quickly learned that the New York Red Bulls, a professional soccer club situated in one of New Jersey’s predominantly Portuguese speaking neighbourhoods, had lured a very high profile Frenchman and Mexican into their fold. Thierry Henry and Rafael Marquez had aborted the lifestyle of the rich and famous in European football for the uncertainty of America’s premier soccer league. Henry, once considered one of international soccer’s most marketable personalities, was even spotted on the train on route to his first game at Red Bull Arena.
Some people might think I am going to go there for vacation — I do actually go there for vacation — but it won’t be for vacation this time,” Henry said in a video interview on the club’s website. “I’m a competitor and I don’t like to lose.”
I was breaking bread in Hong Kong with my Toronto neighbours, a ghetto kid from Coney Island was playing professional basketball in Communist China and two international soccer stars were taking their talents to the colonies. Our sphere is shrinking and the world is now an upside down , inside out borderless puzzle
