This apparently is an actual editorial from the Chinese media, translated into English on the Xinhua site. I guess they're all out to get the Lakers too. No matter which side you support, parts of this article are pretty funny... http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2002-06/13/content_438826.htm Losers Los Angeles Lakers, helped by referees in beating the best team of the Sacramento Kings in the Western Conference finals, put a quick ending to the most stupid finals of the National Basketball Association by sweeping New Jersey Nets 4-0 Wednesday evening. Without any suspension but fan-cheating tricks, the Lakers downed the Nets 113-107 for a 4-0 sweep for their third consecutive title, much anticipated by the world after the referees killed the Kings earlier this month. The Nets, a lottery franchise last season, were still much happy as they played their first ever NBA finals since joining in the league in 1976. No one in the world even anticipated the Nets to beat the Lakers, and everyone knows that the best-of-seven Finals could only be stretched to five or even six games on commercial considerations from the league. However, even the American audience were turned away from the Finals after the Kings were deliberately killed by the referees in Game 6 and Game 7 of the Western Conference finals. Shaquille O'Neal did lead the Lakers for their triple crown, as the NBA calls it as WORLD CHAMPION, but the title will carry into NBA history with a dirty asterisk to recommend the great contributions of the referees who put the losers into the WORLD CHAMPION. After the most ugly officiating in the Western Conference finals, the Lakers thus accomplished their "three-peat" dynasty to the disgusting of NBA fans around the world as the NBA games are being stripped of any aesthetic merits and becoming more and more a battle of monster-like bodies instead of basketball skills. In NBA history, only five teams have achieved triple crowns in a row, but on team was like the Lakers of the season -- losers were enshrined by referees, and coach Phil Jackson has thus collected a total of nine NBA rings, with six from Michael Jordan and three from O'Neal, including this shameful one.
I dunno. This may be hate for American basketball dominance given a more solid and believable form. Either way, these guys know how to embrace the hate. Thumbs up from me. Now, if they could only come up with an equally scathing review of that non-jumping little b*stard, Tony Parker...
That article is a commentary on NBA Basketball and as to American society as a whole. It's just trying to spout off more stuff about how America is a land of cheat and deceit unlike Big Red. By the way, the most popular jersey worldwide? Kobe Bryant.
