I know the screw-up and my apology...here's what happened...I was replying to Chris post and in between typing, I took off and came back 20 minutes later, finished it and submit. My reply to the post disappeared, got lost. So, I compose again on Microsoft Word and then posted, that explains the screw-up and all these Fonts stuff. It wouldn't happen again, next time I just 'copy' my post before submitting, if lost, can 'paste' again. The key to LCW's retirement is the RM3000 pension lifetime. He can risk and lost his savings, business, investment, etc...but the pension will sustain him and that is his back-up and security.
I dont know about whether LCW is milking his status to the fullest. But I will say this, playing in a couple of tourneys in between training is a blessed life. It aint no working as a rubber tapper or contract labourer. I reckon LCW has about 2 years of decent badminton left in him, as such on the pro circuit, I feel it is wiser financially for LCW to win as many tourneys as possible in view of LD being selective. Forget about pacing himself to win a major because if LCW is good enough to win a major it would have happened sometime ago. The lad just dont have the mental strength like LD when it comes to the big ones. To cut down on tourneys means cutting down on his potential prize winnings and bonuses from BAM and etc. Aside from the pro circuit, there are also opportunities to make $$ from private bodies/individuals who are into private 'gaming'. Yes, I mean side bets or private bettings. And the money available from this group is certainly more than the winnings from the SS/BAM etc. There are big time punters in Malaysia and these folks would love to be LCW's god daddy as long as the lad is relevant. Being relevant, LCW got to be active in playing tourneys and maintain his #1 status. Another plus point is that $$$ from this group is cash upfront thus it is tax free, if you know what I mean. What is getting a RM3.5k monthly penchant or RM45k quarterly bonus compared to a nice 'ang pow' from the punters? I agree it is up to LCW to decide. And if the direction is reactive i.e. follow LD and be selective, it is gonna be interesting.
The wisest choice is to select tourney that LD isn't participating for most money and ranking points.
In Malaysia, I dont think we have anything that is outright illegal. Just certain grey areas. I give you an example below: Mr Ah Chong is a loan shark with several health spas in Bukit Bintang. Mr. Ah Chong loves sports and he engaged LCW to play a game against his close buddy, Mr Ah Kow, who is a big time dvd distributor in Klang. Mr. Ah Kow engaged a young chinese player whose badminton skills is above advance level to play against LCW. Say the bet is RM200k with LCW giving a handicap of 11 points to the young shuttler. Incentive for LCW is to win that game and he will get an angpow of say RM25k. Anything wrong or illegal? Its just a private match amongst two adults. The thing is Malaysia is a haven for punters. As such, there are opportunities everywhere.
Even if LD is participating, there are also $$ to be made if LCW make a surprise exit in the early round to some unknown shuttler .
Reality is, DLCW will be playing w/ literally 1 bum leg/knee from here on out... (i nearly got lost there again with your post...okay, OTB, time to just make a direct reply in BC w/out using Word program). - Part of the reason he hasn't won a major tourney is because he's been playing way too much (yes, the other part is his mental). This yr alone, he's only won 3 SS titles plus a few other tourneys. The result, 1 bum leg/knee with a prognosis of him playing less & less tourneys. Yes, time is running out on him, thus it's time for him to really buck up and focus on getting the "Big prize". - If i'm in DLCW's shoes, i would concentrate and focus on winning the major tourneys; at least 1. It's not so much that my suggestion is a noble thing or not. It's about reality and how much more time i've got left to capture an AE or a WC title. I would go for the big jugular, "kill as many birds with 1 stone" approach. Knowing well also, i'll be playing, literally, on 1 bum knee/leg from here on out. ..ditto with above reply abt DLCW's injury.. If so, how is he going to play in more tourneys w/out further damaging his other leg/knee??.. It's best for him to just capture at least 1 major title or maybe 2 and set himself up for even more rewards from BAM/sponsorships. He'll do that & i'm sure he'll retire a happy camper..
As for that leg/knee, have some rest, recover and then off to the tourneys to make $$. I may be wrong but I think badminton is not a sport where you have physical contact as in football. LD, for example cant dish out bone crunching tackles at LCW. Plus, being reactive just because LD is being selective may not be the right path for LCW. I doubt its the schedule, its more on the mental side in the case of LCW. As for em' major titles, again if the lad cant win it at his peak, he wont win it on his way down. Anyway, the next major is the AE, right? Its gonna be interesting...
Hmmm ... how do I explain this ... ahhh ... ok ... ok ... do you remember the 2002 Football world cup in Korea/Japan?? The S Korea vs Italy match ... big upset, right?? Something similar la.
AE is up next, go get it, DLCW.. - The closest i've seen DLCW come close to winning a major title is last yr's OG. If i recall, he was pretty much fresh prior to the Olympics.. - That's the whole point of me suggesting he should focus on the major tourneys. - He won't be making much $$ if he attends less tourneys. That's what he'll be facing. Even then, there's no guarantee he could win all of those SS or GP or GP Gold tourneys (with or without LinDan). - DLCW's plan of playing in less tourneys has more to do with his current injury than him being "reactive just because LD is being selective". - As for his failure to get a major title, I do think it's partly the rigorous schedule he went through esp. after what happened in this yr's WC. And as i mentioned before, mental is partly also. - I wouldn't say DLCW is on the way down, yet. But with this injury, i don't know. AE is up next and he still has a chance to capture it, provided he's well prepared for it.
To the AE it is then! For once ... for just once ... I would love to be proven wrong. I predicted in 2008 that LCW wont win the AE & OG gold. In 2009, I again predicted that LCW wont boleh at the AE & WC. So, here's my prediction for AE 2010 ......... LCW will not win. Hmmm ... let me stick my neck out a little further ... I say LCW wont even make it to the final of AE 2010. Now, let me put the ball back onto your court, what would your AE 2010 prediction be?
^^Sorry..^^ ..i won't fall into the same boat as X_Ball... Btw, any prediction on who will win the 2010 AE MS title??..
Be a sport This has nothing to do with XBall. I just want to know your thoughts about AE 2010. Who do you think will win?
^^Be a sport??..^^ ..i could say i'd foresee the same thing as you foresee, but it's too early too tell... ..i'll let others jump in and entertain you..
I hope it will be taufik hidayat, then he complete his journey won all the major tittles. But he can do it if he show something impressive on this time. As ussual prediction, it will be Super Dan , or Chong Wei ...
AE10, my prediction is LCW will be out at SF. LD will win to add to majors as LD is targeting AE so best bet is on him. As for TH, he will win if punters can fix the game as Pemuda said...TH win AE and retires, LD win $$$ and go home happy, LCW win $$$ and go shopping with stewardess...win-win for everyone Talking about XBall, heck, he bet on Dato even if Dato has a broken leg, but then again he doesn't pay up anyway Caution though, my predictions usually go haywire, more wrongs than score...Alamak!!!
