Sporting News

I've had a good dose of LA sports in my life lately. Here is how it relates to China.

In case it didn't make the headlines back home, the LA Galaxy came here to play an exhibition game with a made up Shanghai-Hong Kong team. Being the daughter of Galaxy season ticket holders I felt obliged to go. It should have been called the "David Beckham puts on white shoes and runs around a bit for your pleasure" exhibition b/c no one has ever heard of the Galaxy let alone any other players on the team. AND the team they played- The Shanghai-Hong Kong All Stars is not even a real team. So my Euro/Australian friends and I went, paid my homage to LA, cheered for Becks and left, all in about 15 minutes. BTW: I definitely got an earful about how amateur American Soccer is compared to European soccer. Here are the pics to prove I was there!

How is he on the field AND right in front of me at the same time?? Amazing!

I head to Beijing tomorrow to see my Boys in Blue play the Padres (or the minor league Dodgers play the minor league Padres). At least Torre will be there. Special thanks to Matt Wendt for connecting me with tickets! The teams are playing here in an effort to steal some of the market share the NBA has on sports in China. They're trying to convince the Chinese kids that they are not going to be tall like Yao Ming and therefore better suited to play baseball. Mmm hmmm. I'm going with my friend Andrew from NY..a Torre fan. 

Of course in true Nicole fashion and wanting to get as much attention as possible, I emailed the LA Times Dodger reporter letting him know that I would be at the game and am available for comment as a true blue LA girl in China :) Shockingly he never responded!!  I guess I'll just have to jump in front of every camera I see in my Dodger hat. Look for me!

Finally in sports, I can't believe I am missing the Madness of UCLA!! :( I went to the largest sports bar in Shanghai and met the manager (a canadian) and made it very clear that ALL UCLA tournament games MUST be shown live regardless of the time difference. He laughed and said he'll "try". I don't think he appreciated my sincerity (a Canadian- go figure). Andrew has illegal satellite cable so he said he'll figure out a way for us to watch the games.  If a game is played at 7pm in Phoenix it will be 10am here. Perrrrfect. Hopefully we avoid morning and afternoon games. Not good for me. Someone mention that to the NCAA selection committee for me, OK? Go Bruins!!