Battle of the Titans Electrifies China

2008/08/11 20:22:42 @NBA.com: News

Matthew Sekeres of THE GLOBE & MAIL writes, "For Mother China, Yao Ming is a torch runner, a flag-bearer, a hero, a philanthropist and a symbol of the country's economic modernization. The government called him a "model worker" even before his $2-million (U.S.) donation to Sichuan earthquake victims, and today the centre for the NBA's Houston Rockets stands as a symbol of the new Middle Kingdom - assertive, prosperous, marketable and fluent in English. `One thing that is great about these Olympics is that Yao is playing," U.S. forward LeBron James said. "He is their heart here.' On Sunday, in a game as much spectacle as sport, China lost 101-70 to the United States in the opener for both countries in the Summer Games basketball tournament."
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