Wrenched.........

[TheComedian]

There's a glaring Elephant in the room that everyone - including foaming-at-the-mouth patriot Malaysians - don't really seem to be aware of. Read this slowly so it sinks in.....

In our lifetime, China will own EVERY SPORT THERE IS.

Okay let me clarify - every sport that has commercial leverage within the populous. Those that don't eventually will - it will just take longer.

The reason is simple. China has the recruitment network, and a talent base, that every other country doesn't even come close to. And they have the burgeoning middle class to keep the coffers stoked. The only thing that keeps countries like Denmark and Malaysia in the game is the sheer popularity of the sport.

The harsh reality is.....make the most of it.

Win or Lose, I love LCW, and it's not dependent on him winning. He's the hard working, human face of Badminton. He has frailties and weaknesses as do us all. Part of the joy of watching him play is the playing out of his 'self', and actually watching him grow and develop as the years roll on. I like the fact that he clearly has nerves. I like the fact that he has a new found confidence and less passive type of play than he had, even a year ago. At the end of the day, it's good television.

The flip side to that coin, is Lin Dan. A methodical by-product of the Chinese sport-military complex. A poster boy for the ruling party - pure propaganda. Just look at the cheering minions, even in London.

It would be easy to argue I think, that LCW in a different environment would be better than Lin Dan. Technically and physically they're both on-par, but the difference is largely the external factors. For example, LCW actually has to work for a living, so he plays more competitions than LD, he works harder than LD. Badminton China has an overall gameplan for cherry-picked tournaments for LD, as well as a large repository of 'domestiques' to muddy the waters, which we're seeing clearly in the lead up to the Olympics.

The thing that I've noticed even at a club level is that there is really a lack of the appreciation for the sport, and like all human endeavours, there's a visceral humanity to everything that we do, and when it's taken out of the equation, we all lose. Who could get joy from watching Lin Dan win, aside from the callous, well indoctrinated, the brutal? There is no joy, no melodrama, no journey. Just by-product.

Malaysians? Enjoy it for what it is, while you can.

To a degree, I agree with this. You know, I am currently living in China for badminton training. LD is on every bus, in every badminton gym, on every friggin' advertisement space there is. You can't walk 50 feet without seeing him holding a can of Red Bull. He is in TV adds for gum, red bull, and Li-ning. Lin Dan IS "pure propaganda" and a sell out. It is almost impossible to go a day in China without see Lin Dan somewhere. Even if you stay home for a day, You will see him in some add on the internet. QQ or whatever (QQ is Chinese MSN).

But how is it any different with any other sport? remember the Vancouver Winter Olympics? The amount of money that went into adds, commercials, and billboards for the Canadian Hockey team? If we didn't win it would have been embarrassing.

I am sick of watching Lin Dan win. I am also sick of watching LCW beat every other player on the planet in 2 straight games. Less than 15 points.

I am sure LCW has enough prize money by now to be set for life. I'm sure he has investments and Swiss bank accounts :P If LCW stopped playing badminton, we wouldn't have to work for the rest of his life.

[Maklike Tier]

It really is incredibly delusional when LD says thinks like "I'm an ambassador for the sport", because being a dominant player is BAD for the sport simply because it makes it less interesting for everyone except the rabid fanbois. The thrill of a competition is, as you say, with the excitement of a close match, not with there only being room for one player. Two isn't much better, unfortunately, but that's what we're lumped with. Luckily, we don't have two players with the same well indoctrinated style or it would be a complete yawnfest just as it was when Lance Armstrong was dominating cycling, or Federrer before everyone else caught up, or that golfing guy who's adulterous ways we won't mention.

Great for marketing, not so great for the real fans of the sport.

Granted, there's not exactly a lot LD can do to make the matches closer, because to do so would contravene the plan for the overall picture that Badminton China has, and LD knows who butters his bread (Not that he would ever dream of acting on his own such as Taufik has.).

[TheComedian]

i think Peter Gade is the best ambassador for Badminton. He is the oldest player on the circuit. Oldest, wisest, and most experienced. Lin Dan is not an ambassador for badminton. he is everything that's wrong with Badminton.

[cobalt]

I really really like LD as a player and a competitive professional and sportsman. But as a thinking person, he leaves a lot to be desired. Unfortunately. If indeed as attributed by someone in this thread, he uttered the words to the effect that he is "an ambassador of the game and therefore his responsibility..." etc etc he needs a reality-check.

Maybe he can start by not throwing matches against his compatriots; or pleading sickness by cold water; or so much more; maybe he can begin by taking a stance against this kind of fixing like an earlier champion Table tennis player did. That would earn him more respect in the eyes of the world, more than all his medals put together.

Insofar as he and LCW divvying up all the titles available go between them, I dont blame them for it at all. They play their best. They are entitled. Its up to the rest of the pack to improve. Cue BAM, PBSI, BAI. BE, BD and the rest of the lot...

Which is I believe, the real point of this thread...

[MilGauss]

The problem with other/someone playing and giving their best is, their best simply isn't at the level wherein they can afford to tank (team orders) it for the betterment of the whole and still come up trumps. Imagine...

[laonong]

i think Peter Gade is the best ambassador for Badminton. He is the oldest player on the circuit. Oldest, wisest, and most experienced. Lin Dan is not an ambassador for badminton. he is everything that's wrong with Badminton.

I think LD should be the ambassador for badminton. Just becasue he is the best player. The popularity of badminton in China in recent years is becasue of LD, not other people. China will be the biggest market in near future. So the popularity of badminton in China is important for this sport.

[TheComedian]

I think LD should be the ambassador for badminton. Just becasue he is the best player. The popularity of badminton in China in recent years is becasue of LD, not other people. China will be the biggest market in near future. So the popularity of badminton in China is important for this sport.

That absolutely 100% pure BS. Lin Dan is HATED by most badminton players and coaches in China. Badminton players in China love Taufik, Peter Gade, and Bao Chunlai. They HATE Lin Dan. They hate what he stands for, they hate that he plays for China. They hate that his coach treats him like his little baby. Chinese players Hate Lin Dan. Other national team Chinese coaches left because of Lin Dan. They coach in Indonesia, Korea, and Malaysia. Lin Dan is hated in China.

Badminton became popular in China because of Yang Yang and some other guy who played during the time of Morten Frost. Typical American. Opening your mouth on a subject you know nothing about. Do everyone a favor and keep quiet next time.

[hiho1961]

this was a great battle and good that it was not 1 sided. it would have been good for badminton if LCW had won and this would have lifted Malaysia pride and injected more enthusiam into the sport. I guess nwe need to take a leaf out of the chinese book and copy its model a bit. 1: take the sport more seriously 2: make badminton our No1 sport 3: train like for the worst possible tournament draw and always a 3 setter like LD. It is also good to at least see Europe make Semis and finals would have sucked to see china in all the finals

[hiho1961]

If you are sick of see these people then who do we use as roll models and who we aspire to ,be guys that have been runner-up or also ran with lovely trick shots , competition is about winning and sometimes you can be a little selfish to what you want.you have to respect these guys as it is their livelyhood and they should be allowed the fruits of their labour. as did Tiger Woods in his earlier years

[hador7]

That absolutely 100% pure BS. Lin Dan is HATED by most badminton players and coaches in China. Badminton players in China love Taufik, Peter Gade, and Bao Chunlai. They HATE Lin Dan. They hate what he stands for, they hate that he plays for China. They hate that his coach treats him like his little baby. Chinese players Hate Lin Dan. Other national team Chinese coaches left because of Lin Dan. They coach in Indonesia, Korea, and Malaysia. Lin Dan is hated in China.

Badminton became popular in China because of Yang Yang and some other guy who played during the time of Morten Frost. Typical American. Opening your mouth on a subject you know nothing about. Do everyone a favor and keep quiet next time.

I think you have mental issues hating on one player so strongly.

oh wait a minute... Li Mao? Is that you?

[hcyong]

Why is LD everything that is wrong with badminton? He's just playing his best, which is the duty of every badminton pro. If he happens to dominate the field, then the onus should be on his rivals to close the gap.

When LD is purposely not at his best, or give walk over, then something is truly wrong. But that's the team orders, not LD's fault.

[hcyong]

But I do agree that as far as ambassadors go, LD is not suitable. There's a world of difference between him and someone like Roger Federer in terms of on-court and off-court demeanor. Peter Gade would get my vote.

[hcyong]

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But the Malaysian country and government are the culprits for putting too much pressure on him.
Even MAS Prime Minister has to give him a call before LD match to tell him how important it is to win WC,LOL.

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Gosh, so typical of Malaysian politics. If LCW had won, he would have taken some credit for it. That's sick. He only thought about the consequences for himself, not for LCW.

[yayachico]

Is it just msia or other countries as well that has been playing the blaming game whenever a player cant win in a tournament? I'm a malaysian and therefore I only know news bout malaysian players/coaches getting blamed/bash when players lost a match. I dont remember reading news that other countries do the same thing. Like, players will blames coaches for giving improper advice during the match, coach put too much pressure on me, therefore cant play my best, doesnt have strong sparring partners, doesnt have to 'feel' and blah blah blah...
I mean other countries' players lost all the time and do they do all that?
Since the world championship ended, I've been reading news bout 'should we get a new coach for KKK&TBH?', 'Should we split KKK&TBH up?' and blah blah blah and then the BAM should review this and that, this and that.

[pjswift]

So true! Life does go on, and we must retain perspective. This result however, is an indication of the malaise that affects the institution that runs MAS badminton. I viewed the BWF upload of the finals 3 times already, then just double-checked with the games played earlier in the tornament. The LCW playing the finals is nothing like the LCW playing upto and including the semi-finals. LCW always gives 101%. His "loss" in the finals was not due to lack of commitment, or incorrect tactics. It was the change in his mental/emotional/psychological state. Watch how his legs moved from the very start: just too much adrenaline there, creating instability, minute indecisions, affecting reactive reflexes. Look at his face, the worry lines appearing so early, the doubt in the back of his mind; the hang-dog expressions; the deer-caught-in-headlights eyes. Who said what to him? Compare it to the other games: all you would see was serenity in the eyes and a ready smile. There was no doubt in his mind then. I agree with Morten Frost: LCW is already the best player on this planet. He did not lose this game; he was just mismanaged. Again. BAM has known about this weakness for many years. Heck, all of us at BC have known about it for long now! They have not yet cured this situation. I'd be tempted to call it almost criminal negligence.

When LD faces LCW, his on court expressions also different when against other opponents. Look at that match again. Don t tell me LD maintained a cool front throughout. If you are looking for evidence to back up your perception, there s always plenty of evidence for ANY perception. Like how the press lifted out G3 scores indicating times when LCW was ahead yet could not close out the match to prove LD s mental edge. Well, they ignored scores when LD was ahead and LCW caught up because those scores would not support their belief.

[pjswift]

I think LD should be the ambassador for badminton. Just becasue he is the best player. The popularity of badminton in China in recent years is becasue of LD, not other people. China will be the biggest market in near future. So the popularity of badminton in China is important for this sport.

How can LD ever be a badminton ambassador with his habit of walkover acting and lying? And it s not LD s fault because he s on orders? Well, if he were more passionate about being an ambassador than maximizing endorsements , he would have taken a stand. He can talk all he want about being an ambassador and lose credibility instantly with a walkover. He should just shut up about ambassador talk to prevent further loss of credibility.

[volcom]

I think you have mental issues hating on one player so strongly.

oh wait a minute... Li Mao? Is that you?

Indeed lol!!!!
Well spotted