Magic beats Knicks 112-102

Magic beats Knicks 112-102

Stephon Marbury of New York Knicks drives to the hoop during Knicks' NBA game against Orlando Magic in New York, the United States, Nov. 9, 2007. Knicks was defeated 102-112.
Players of Orlando Magic (in blue) and New York Knicks vie for the ball during their NBA game in New York, the United States, Nov. 9, 2007.
Rashard Lewis (C) of Orlando Magic tries to catch the ball from Nate Robinson of New York Knicks during an NBA game in New York, the United States, Nov. 9, 2007.
Stephon Marbury (R) of New York Knicks tries to break the defense of his opponent in an NBA game against Orlando Magic in New York, the United States, Nov. 9, 2007.
Eddy Curry (L) of New York Knicks vies with Dwight Howard of Orlando Magic during their NBA game in New York, the United States, Nov. 9, 2007.
Dancers of New York Knicks perform in the break of an NBA game against Orlando Magic in New York, the United States, Nov. 9, 2007.
Dancers of New York Knicks perform in an NBA game against Orlando Magic in New York, the United States, Nov. 9, 2007.

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Yao's Rockets rout Yi's Bucks 104-88

Yao's Rockets rout Yi's Bucks 104-88

Milwaukee Bucks Yi Jianlian (L) of China and Houston Rockets' Yao Ming (R) battle for position in the fourth quarter of their NBA basketball game Nov. 9, 2007. The Rockets beat the Bucks 104-88.

BEIJING, Nov. 10 (Xinhuanet) -- "Yao" is longer than "Yi", and Houston Rockets showed it in a 104-88 victory over visiting Milwaukee Bucks with Yao's 28 points Saturday morning.

Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian each had their good performance in the much-anticipated first matchup of two best basketball players from China.

Milwaukee Bucks Yi Jianlian (L) of China and Houston Rockets' Yao Ming (R) battle for position in the fourth quarter of their NBA basketball game Nov. 9, 2007.

Yao, the all-star player of Houston Rockets, had 28 points, 10 rebounds and three assists. Yi, the sixth pick of draft 2007 by Milwaukee Bucks, had 19 points and nine rebounds. Yao's Rockets routed Yi's Bucks 104-88 on Saturday morning.

Over 200 million watched the game from TV or websites. The game starting early in the morning was an enormous event here.

Before the game, Yao and Yi shook hands at midcourt and posed for many reporters, including many Chinese photographers. It was a staged photo opportunity, and Yao waited a few minutes before Yi came out of the Bucks locker room. With a kidding smile, Yao said afterward, "You know what? Rookies should not do that."

The two slapped hands and smiled before the opening tip. The game began. Both players had impressive performance in the game. Big Yao is as good as usual and he dominated the paint in the game.

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Houston hype building for Yao vs. Yi

Houston hype building for Yao vs. Yi

Houston Rockets' Yao Ming (11), of China, shoots over Portland Trail Blazers' LaMarcus Aldridge in the fourth quarter of their NBA basketball game in Houston Nov. 3, 2007

According to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, more than 100 million Chinese fans are expected to watch the game via a national telecast on CCTV or regional telecasts on networks in Shanghai and Guangdong province, to be aired live on Saturday morning in China.

Milwaukee Bucks rookie forward Yi Jianlian, from China, drives the baseline against the Chicago Bulls in the third quarter during NBA basketball action in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Nov. 3, 2007. Michael Redd scored 27 points and rookie Yi Jianlian added 16 to help the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Chicago Bulls 78-72 on Saturday night for their first victory of the season.

Projected Starting Lineup for Nov. 10(9:30 a.m.Beijing time)
Position	Rockets Players	Bucks Players
G	Rafer Alston	Mo Williams
G	Tracy McGrady	Michael Redd
F	Shane Battier	Desmond Mason
F	Chuck Hayes	Yi Jianlian
C	Yao Ming	Andrew Bogut

Yao is from Shanghai, and Yi played the past five seasons for the Guangdong Tigers in the Chinese Basketball Association.

The report said by quoting Bucks guard Charlie Bell: "Yi and Yao. I'm sure there's going to be more Chinese media there than American media. Just to see how he (Yi) is handling it. Sometimes you look at him, you don't know he's that young, just the way he plays out there on the court."

Yi scored 12 points and added four rebounds, three assists and three blocked shots in the Bucks' 112-85 victory over Toronto on Tuesday. That followed his 16-point, eight rebound performance on Saturday in a victory over the Chicago Bulls.

The newspaper also quoted Bucks guard Michael Redd as saying "we've just got to keep him focused, though. You've got to play basketball; it's Houston vs. Milwaukee. It's not Yi vs. Yao, even though it will be built up like that."

Yao scored 28 points and also had 13 rebounds and six assists in the Rockets' 89-81 victory over defending champion Spurs on Tuesday. "Yao definitely is a force now. You've got to double-team him now," said Redd.

Houston is off to an impressive 4-1 start under new coach Rick Adelman, with its only loss coming at Dallas on Monday night.

"Houston is one of those teams, when they're healthy, they're tough to beat," Bell said.

Yao vs. Yi in Debut Game
Yao Ming (Rockets 82-91 Blazers)	VS.	Yi Jianlian (Bucks 83-102 Magic)
11	Minutes	25
0-1	Field Goals	4-5
0-0	Free Throws	1-4
2	Rebounds	3
0	Assists	0
0	Steals	1
2	Turnovers	3
0	Blocks	2
3	Personal Fouls	6
0	Points	9

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Yao vs Yi: I Know How China Will Be Spending It's Saturday Morning

Yao vs Yi: I Know How China Will Be Spending It's Saturday Morning

Just a meaningless early season game between the Rockets and the Bucks that will go unwatched by most in the United States. Oh, except for the fact it might be the most viewed NBA game in the world. Ever.

It's Yao Ming vs Yi Jianlian. Can you feel it? OK, so maybe you're not as excited as the rest of the world.

"The game will be on 19 networks in China, including CCTV-5, Guangdong TV, Guangzhou TV, and ESPN Star Sports in Hong Kong and Taiwan. It also will be available live through two Webcasters.

Though ratings estimates in China are difficult and vary widely, today's game is said to be certain to draw 150 million viewers and could reach 250 million. CCTV-5 alone is available in 210 million households.

Yao's first game against Shaquille O'Neal in 2002 drew an estimated audience of 220 million and the largest cable television ratings in the United States for a regular-season game since the 1995 comeback of Magic Johnson."

Think how excited we are to watch the Super Bowl, and then add even more sizzle to it. That's the mindset in China tonight. I still won't pay attention, but I'm definitely interested in seeing the TV numbers.

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World watches Yao vs. Yi NBA game today

World watches Yao vs. Yi NBA game today

Yao Ming (L) from Houston Rockets and Yi Jianlian from Milwaukee pose for a photo by holding a basketball on a press conference Nov. 9, 2007
Yao Ming (L) from Houston Rockets and Yi Jianlian from Milwaukee pose for a photo Nov. 9, 2007


In China, yesterday's NBA game between the Milwaukee Bucks and Houston Rockets is expected to draw massive TV ratings.

The excitement in China will be as palpable as that peculiar American quasi-holiday when virtually the whole nation stands glued to their television sets, amid parties and wild celebrations.

In a similar fashion, fan clubs of both Yi and Yao will host game parties around the country. The early-season showdown could change Chinese people's traditional definitions of watching a ball game, as they flock to bars and playgrounds with beers and basketballs in their hands.

"It's the two best basketball players in the country coming to play in the best basketball league in the world," said Wang Meng, a sports writer who covers the Rockets for Titan Sports, a Beijing-based newspaper. "It doesn't matter who wins. It's the best thing that can happen in China, because people will be excited either way."

Wang said the game is expected to draw more than 200 million viewers in China.

"The numbers are just extraordinary," said Heidi Ueberroth, the NBA's president of global marketing partnerships and international business operations. "It's very significant. It's showing how much the globalization of the league is on the rise."

"You don't always see Chinese fans watch a game in bars together, do you?" said Xiao Siyun, member of the basketball union at the University of Economics and Business in Beijing.

"We always stay at home and watch the game, but A-lian (Yi's nickname in China) and Big Yao gave us a passion we want to share, so we will go out and enjoy the game together for the first time."

Compared with sports-crazed Western fans, who routinely go out to bars and restaurants for major sporting events, Chinese fans tend to be more introverted and are somehow not as willing to share their feelings.

That's why you won't find any major fan parties like the ones at The Den earlier this year, where Australian and Indian fans battled it out during the Cricket World Cup, a sports gala that very few Chinese even know about.

But the upcoming Chinese NBA derby is about to change things. According to Yaomingfanclub.com, there will be about 50 fan parties with some 2,000 fans getting involved tomorrow morning in Beijing. And the locations are everywhere - from bars and restaurants to college gyms.

NBA China will also stage its coming-out party at the Goose and Duck Pub. They expect to attract as many as 300 fans.

"I am not shy to say this is a big step for me," said Shen Ye, a 16-year-old fan of Yi. "Stepping out of my private space and into the crowd is an exciting move for me. I don't know how it feels to watch my idol with 100 guys like me, but I am sure it would be more interesting than watching my small television on the sofa."

And these would-be barflys couldn't care less about the end result of the game.

"Man, forget about that, we are not watching the Olympic Games," Shen said. "I just want to shout and shout and enjoy this great atmosphere. I am proud of sharing my passion with friends out there."

Cultural shift

Amid all the excitement, the game will be - as fans have called it - a clash of Chinese cultures; tradition verses trend; modesty against flamboyance.

Leading the Houston Rockets is Yao, a man born to one of the most traditional sports families in Shanghai. He received strict and systematic basketball training over the years without ever getting to see an NBA game on TV or wear name-brand basketball shoes.

At the other end, Yi: a post-1985 generation from Shenzhen, China's vanguard city in reform and opening-up. The youngster idolizes Michael Jordan and spent most of his childhood playing street basketball until he was noticed by a pro coach in a three-on-three street-ball national tournament.

While the two have their share of similarities on the court, off court they are as different as can be.

The showdown is actually the third Chinese derby in the NBA. In 2002, the Dallas Mavericks, featuring forward Wang Zhizhi, played against the Denver Nuggets and center Menk Bateer. And two years later Yao faced off with Wang's Miami Heat, even though Wang hardly got off the bench in that game.

But Saturday's game is by far the most anticipated since both players play key roles on their respective teams.

Yi's NBA career is only four games old, but he has already impressed his teammates, coaches and opposing players. Yi ranks as the team's fourth-leading scorer at 9.8 points per game, and he is averaging 26 minutes in his starting role.

Yi and Yao are teammates on the front line with the Chinese national team and will be key figures in the Beijing Olympics next summer.

"This one is a little more built up," Bucks assistant coach Jarinn Akana, who was with the Nuggets during the first all-Chinese game, told JSOnline.

"Yao has established himself, and Yi was a top pick (sixth overall) in the draft. For me, I'm happy for China, to tell you the truth."

Alongside the prevalent fan parties, the game will air on 16 television stations, including the government network CCTV, as well as two webcasts on NBA.com and Sohu.com.

Basketball is getting to be a big business in China as the NBA has deals with 51 TV stations in the country. In addition, the NBA has marketing deals with 20 different companies.

Millions of Chinese watch NBA games, and 30% of the traffic to NBA.com comes from China.

"Six years ago, people saw Dodger (Wang) and Bateer, and now they get to see these next two guys. Who knows what is going to happen in the future?" added Akana.

Not for China

The Rockets drafted Yao with the top overall pick in 2002. His first matchup with Shaquille O'Neal drew more than 200 million viewers back home.

He's since developed into one of the game's top centers, a five-time NBA All-Star who's increased his scoring average every season. He had 28 points and 13 rebounds against Tim Duncan and the champion San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday.

And now comes Yi, the No. 6 pick in the draft. The two played together at the Athens Olympics and Yao sensed immediately that Yi would be a star.

"The first time I saw him, in 2004, for Olympic training camp, I know one day he would play here," Yao said. "He has huge talent. Already, he's shown some part of it, in his first four games."

The two haven't kept in touch much since Yi arrived in Milwaukee. When they did speak, Yao didn't give him much advice on life in the NBA.

"Just try to work hard," Yi said Yao told him. "First season is going to be not easy."

Yao said Yi was going to have to learn on his own, like he did.

"He's going through it in a different place," Yao said. "I don't know much about Milwaukee, I can't tell him too much. I don't want to give him too many pressures, or the wrong messages. Different people get different experiences."

Yi was reportedly disappointed that he wasn't picked by a team in a city with a larger Asian population. He seems to be adjusting just fine, scoring 16 points and grabbing eight rebounds in the Bucks' 78-72 win over Chicago last weekend.

They'll meet again in Milwaukee on February 2 and will team up for the Olympics in Beijing. Neither is thinking that far ahead.

"It's the NBA season," Yi said.

But they can't wait in China, where Wang thinks Friday's game will be long remembered as historic.

"When people talk about this, they will think about the game they watched where two Chinese players started in an NBA game," Wang said. "This will help Chinese basketball a lot, just like Luis Scola and Manu Ginobili watched Michael Jordan win the championship back in Argentina.

"Every kid who loves basketball has a basketball dream. For them right now, maybe some of them want to be like Kobe. Maybe some of them want to try to be LeBron James. Now, why not think about being like Yi? This will open their eyes. This is such a great thing."

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China's official maintains low tone at Olympic medal perspective

China's official maintains low tone at Olympic medal perspective

BEIJING, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- China's top sports official kept a low tone at Team China's medal perspective at the forthcoming Olympics by denying the ambition to lead the medal tally here on Friday.

"We have never said that we wanted to take the first position of the gold medal table," said Cui Dalin, Vice Minister of China's General Administration of Sport and Vice President of the Chinese Olympic Committee, at the press briefing about the preparations of the Chinese athletes toward the Olympics next year.

"It is unrealistic for us to earn more gold medals than the United States, which had won more and more golds in major international competitions in the past three years, so I have to say that the gap between China and the United States has been even larger."

China had its first Olympic gold medal in Los Angles in 1984 and won 32 gold medals in Athens 2004, more than any other teams except the United States.

Expectations for Team China to topple the superpower of the United States in 2008 thus had been arisen, when Olympic Games is to be held for the first time on their home soil.

"The United States got 31 gold medals from track and field and swimming pools this year, showing their dominative abilities in those two biggest storehouse, where China has little hope of gold medals except for Liu Xiang's 110m hurdles," said Cui. "As for Russia, they had won gold medals in 64 sports in the past three years, which is a lot more than we did."

However, Cui did not mention the number of gold medals Chinese athletes had won, but only pointed out the advantages of Team China maintained in diving, table tennis, shooting, women's taekwondo and weightlifting, which earned a total of 18 golds for China in 2004.

"In those sports, foreign athletes have made more progress than we have and are much more of a challenge for our athletes," said Cui.

The diving team, which took six out of eight golds in Athens, is one of the "dream team" in China's Olympic squad.

"Ten of our 14 divers, competing in the World Championships in Melbourne in March, had their international debut there," said Li Hua, Director General of Swimming Administrative Center. The divers grabbed nine out of ten golds on offer in Melbourne, with men's 10m platform the only nick.

"Those young athletes have to face great challenges next year when they compete as the host," Li added.

To be the host has been recognized as a "two-edge sword" to Team China. "Joining the Games as the host nation produces significant psychological pressures for our athletes to overcome, for example, they will be more nervous when there are relatives and friends watching," said Cui. "These pressures have increased the difficulty of our athletes to win gold medals on many of our superior sports like shooting, gymnastics and diving."

Chinese athletes have made breakthroughs in some sports such as boxing, rowing, sailing, fencing, men's wrestling, pentathlon and trampoline, but the results are considered as fluid by China's officials.

Liu Xiang, defending champion and world record holder of the men's 110m hurdles is the only star in China's track and field team.

"We will also strive for golds in women's marathon and walk," said Luo Chaoyi, Director General of Athletics Administrative Center.

However, the declarations of the Chinese officials were partly considered as a way to release the pressures of the athletes.

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U.S. Olympic hockey roster includes three Lakers

U.S. Olympic hockey roster includes three Lakers

Grahame makes U.S. team for the first time

	Doug Weight

Dec. 21, 2005

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - USA Hockey today announced the 23-player roster for the 2006 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team that will compete at the XX Olympic Winter Games Feb. 15-26 in Torino, Italy.

"We are extremely pleased with our team and feel very confident that we've put a solid group together that will best put us in a position to compete for the gold medal," said Don Waddell, the general manager of Team USA and also the executive vice president and general manager of the National Hockey League's Atlanta Thrashers. "The selection process was an extremely difficult one and that's a terrific statement for hockey in the United States. It means our talent pool in this country continues to grow."

All players on the roster come from NHL teams and the group includes 11 players with Olympic experience, including two three-time Olympians and four two-time Olympians.

Among the 13 forwards selected to represent the United States are USA Hockey veterans Mike Modano (Livonia, Mich.) and Doug Weight (Warren, Mich.); and rising stars Brian Gionta (Rochester, N.Y.) and Erik Cole (Oswego, N.Y.). Both Modano and Weight are two-time Olympians, having competed for Team USA at the 1998 and 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Modano leads the Dallas Stars with 30 points (10-20) in 30 games, while Weight tops the St. Louis Blues with 23 points (6-17) in 27 games through Dec. 18.

While Gionta and Cole are Olympic newcomers, both represented the United States at the 2005 International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship this past spring. Gionta leads the New Jersey Devils with 33 points (18-15) in 32 games, while Cole has totaled 25 points (9-16) in 32 games through Dec. 18 for the NHL Southeast Division-leading Carolina Hurricanes.

Team USA's defense includes both experience and youth, as three-time Olympian Chris Chelios (Chicago, Ill.) and 25-year-olds Jordan Leopold (Golden Valley, Minn.) and John-Michael Liles (Zionsville, Ind.) will help man the United States blue line. Chelios first played on a U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team in 1984 and was a member of both the 1998 and 2002 Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Teams. He has played on 11 U.S. National Teams, including competing for the United States at the World Cup of Hockey 2004.

Leopold and Liles each carry an impressive USA Hockey resume including being members of the inaugural class of USA Hockey's National Team Development Program and the U.S. Men's National Team that competed at the 2005 IIHF World Championship. Leopold currently ranks tops among defensemen on the Calgary Flames with a plus-eight rating in 32 games, while Liles leads all Colorado Avalanche defensemen with eight goals and 24 points in 33 games through Dec. 18.

The United States' three goaltenders will be Rick DiPietro (Winthrop, Mass.), Robert Esche (Utica, N.Y.) and John Grahame (Denver, Colo). DiPietro joins Leopold and Liles as a member of the NTDP's inaugural class and most recently helped backstop Team USA at the 2005 IIHF World Championship, compiling a 1.68 goals-against average and .942 save percentage in four games. Esche has been a member of five U.S. National Teams since 1997 and posted a 2.53 GAA and .909 save percentage for Team USA at the World Cup of Hockey 2004. Grahame owns a 14-10-0 record for the Tampa Bay Lightning this season with a 2.86 GAA and .890 save percentage.

John Grahame

The selection of the U.S. Men's Olympic Team is subject to the approval of the United States Olympic Committee's Games Preparation Division.

The U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team will begin its quest for gold on Feb. 15 when it takes on Latvia at 3 p.m. EST.

NOTES: Peter Laviolette (Raleigh, N.C.), head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes, is the head coach of the U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team. Mike Sullivan (Duxbury, Mass.), head coach of the Boston Bruins, and Keith Allain (Centerville, Mass.), goaltending coach for the St. Louis Blues, will serve as the team's assistant coaches ... Three NHL teams have three members each on the roster, including the Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders ... In 2002, the United States captured its first Olympic medal since winning gold in 1980 when it earned a silver medal at the XIX Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah ... Chris Chelios (Chicago, Ill.) and Keith Tkachuk (Melrose, Mass.) could be the first four-time Olympians in the history of U.S. men's ice hockey ... Team USA's average age is 31.2, average height is 6-0 and average weight is 201 ... Players with Olympic experience include Chelios, Derian Hatcher (Sterling Heights, Mich.), Aaron Miller (Buffalo, N.Y.), Brian Rafalski (Dearborn, Mich.), Mathieu Schneider (New York, N.Y.), Chris Drury (Trumbull, Conn.), Bill Guerin (Wilbraham, Mass.), Modano, Brian Rolston (Flint, Mich.), Tkachuk and Weight ... If he is on the ice in Team USA's opening game on Feb. 15 vs. Latvia, Chelios, who will be 44 at the time, will be the third-oldest participant ever in an Olympic ice hockey tournament. Only Hungarian Bela Ordody and German Alfred Steinka (both competing at the age of 48 in 1928 Olympics in St. Moritz) are ahead of Chelios in the age category.

Brian Rolston

ADDITIONAL NOTES: Goaltender Rick DiPietro, 24, is the youngest player named to the 2006 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team ... Chelios will become the first ice hockey player to have participated in an Olympic tournament 22 years after having played in his first. Chelios' first Olympic appearance came in 1984 as a 22-year-old collegian out of the University of Wisconsin. Chelios will break the record of Switzerland's Bibi Torriani, who was the first hockey player to have 20 years between his first and last Olympics (1928-1948, both in St. Moritz). Chelios, who already became the oldest hockey medalist four years ago in Salt Lake City at the age of 40 and 30 days, was named both Best Defenseman by the Olympic directorate and to the all-star team as selected by the media in Salt Lake City ... Team USA's roster features six players born in New York, five born in Michigan and three each born in Minnesota and Massachusetts ... From a collegiate standpoint, both Boston University and Lake Superior State University have three former players on Team USA, while Boston College, Clarkson University and the University of Wisconsin all have two.

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Beijing opens hi-tech command hub for 2008 Games

Beijing opens hi-tech command hub for 2008 Games

BEIJING, Nov. 5 -- Beijing's first government data pool and emergency command center has commenced operations.

The center will operate during and after the Olympics.

The Digital Beijing Building, located a few hundred meters northwest of the National Stadium, the main stadium for the Games, will be the central powerhouse of all statistical, visual and audio information from all 37 venues nationwide during the Olympics.

The center will be able to receive live images from spectator stands at all venues, sources told China Daily.

The center, 11 storeys high and two levels below ground, will continue to be the government's command headquarters in the event of an emergency after the Games.

"Here we have access to the cell phone network, the land phone network, the government's network and the police network, either cable or wireless networks. That's why we are able to respond as the command headquarters in times of an emergency," an official from the municipality's IT office, who requested anonymity, said.

"Because we have been working with five telecom and Internet service providers, we are basically a telecom headquarters."

Experts said that with such a network, the city would be able to track phone and Internet communications in the event of a terrorist attack.

"Unlike the US where reportedly 100 percent of phone communications and 80 percent of Web communications are monitored, our country has not obtained advanced technologies like that," said Liu Jianwei, an electronics information expert from Beijing-based Beihang University.

"At the moment, problems like web communication filtering have not been solved. But I believe both citizens and the technical personnel should conduct themselves under the framework of the law."

What's in a name is more than just the Games

The Beijing Olympics has become so embedded in the national psyche that nearly 3,500 children have been named after the Games by their parents, a newspaper reported Sunday.

Most of the 3,491 people with the name "Aoyun," meaning Olympics, were born around the year 2000, when Beijing was bidding to host the 2008 Summer Games, the Beijing Daily reported, citing information from China's national identity card database.

The vast majority of people named Aoyun are male, the newspaper said. Only six live in Beijing, though the report didn't say where the others live.

Names related to the Olympics don't just stop with "Olympics." More than 4,000 Chinese share their names with the Beijing Games mascots, the Fuwa.

The names are Bei Bei (880 people), Jing Jing (1,240), Huan Huan (1,063), Ying Ying (624) and Ni Ni (642). When put together, the phrase translates to "Beijing welcomes you!"

Chinese have increasingly turned to unique names as a way to express a child's individuality.

In a country with a population of 1.3 billion, 87 percent share the same 129 family names. That's why 5,598 people have the same name as basketball player Yao Ming and 18,462 share a moniker with star hurdler Liu Xiang, according to the Beijing Daily report.

(Source: China Daily)

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Sculpture themed on the Forbidden City

Sculpture themed on the Forbidden City

Photo taken on Nov.1 shows a large group wood sculpture themed on the Forbidden City at the China Top-Grade Industrial Arts Expo in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province.

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Franchised shop of red-crowned crane souvenirs

Franchised shop of red-crowned crane souvenirs

A salesperson introduces delicate craftworks in patterns of red-crowned cranes at a franchised shop just opened in Qiqihar, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, on October 31. With many red-crowned cranes, Qiqihar is normally called as "Town of Red-Crowned Crane".

A salesperson introduces delicate craftworks in patterns of red-crowned cranes at a franchised shop just opened in Qiqihar, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, on October 31. With many red-crowned cranes, Qiqihar is normally called as "Town of Red-Crowned Crane".

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Successful braking of Chang'e-1: breakthrough for China's space industry

Successful braking of Chang'e-1: breakthrough for China's space industry

China launches first lunar orbiter

BEIJING, Nov. 6 -- China's first lunar probe, Chang'e-1, is now orbiting the moon. Scientists at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center instructed the satellite to brake Monday, enabling it to be captured by lunar gravity.

Chang'e-1 was traveling at a speed of 2.4 kilometers per second at around 11:15 a.m., Beijing time Monday when it reached perilune.

Scientists then slowed the satellite down to 2.1 kilometers per second. The probe was captured by the Moon's gravity and entered the 12-hour lunar orbit after a 22-minute maneuver.

Scientists say the success of the braking procedure is significant to China's space industry.

Niu Hongguang, Vice Gen. Commander of Chang'e-1 Project, said, "The successful brake is a new breakthrough in our nation's aerospace measurement and control capacities. It also demonstrates that we have the ability to accurately control our orbiter at a distance of 380,000 kilometers."

After this first entrance into the Moon's orbit, Chang'e-1 will brake two more times in two days. The Commission of Science Technology and Industry for National Defense held a press conference in Beijing Monday afternoon. There, experts said the orbiter still has challenges to face before it reaches its destination.

Long Jiang, Vice Gen. Commander of Satellite System, Chang'e-1 Project, said, "We must keep the orbiter circling the Moon while maintaining its position towards the Earth so as to control it. And at the same time, we have to keep its wings positioned towards the Sun for energy. It's a challenge to maintain the probe at a tri-position at all times."

Chang'e-1 will be slowed down after it enters the moon's orbit. It is scheduled to send back the first picture of the Moon later this month and will conduct scientific exploration of the moon for one year.

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2007 New York Marathon

2007 New York Marathon

Paula Radcliffe, of Great Britain, celebrates as she crosses the finish line to win the women's division in the New York City Marathon in New York, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2007.
Paula Radcliffe of England holds her nine-month-old daughter Isla after winning the Women's division of the 2007 New York City Marathon in New York November 4, 2007.
Runners cross the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge after the start of the 2007 ING New York City Marathon in New York on Nov. 4, 2007.
Martin Lel of Kenya wins the men's division of the 2007 New York City Marathon in New York November 4, 2007.
Kurt Fearnley of Australia celebrates winning the Men's Wheelchair division of the 2007 New York City Marathon in New York Nov. 4, 2007.
Kurt Fearnley of Australia celebrates winning the Men's Wheelchair division of the 2007 New York City Marathon in New York Nov. 4, 2007.

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Olympic tickets to be sold by draw next month

Olympic tickets to be sold by draw next month

BEIJING, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- Olympic ticket sales will resume next month and tickets will be allocated by a random draw after huge demand forced the suspension of sales on a first come, first-serve basis last week, organizers said on Monday.

Residents of mainland China can submit applications to buy the 1.8 million tickets between Dec. 10 and Dec. 30, according to a statement posted on BOCOG's official website (www.beijing2008.cn).

The date of the lottery would be announced later, said the statement.

"The ticketing policy modifications aim to reflect a people-oriented policy and to adhere to principles of fairness, impartiality, and convenience to the public," BOCOG said in the statement.

A total of seven million tickets for the Aug. 8-24 Games are available to the general public with nearly three quarters reserved for domestic sales.

Only 43,000 tickets were sold last week. The first batch of 1.6million tickets were allocated by lottery earlier this year.

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The U.S. Olympic Marathon ....

The U.S. Olympic Marathon ....

The U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials will long be remembered for the triumphs of three Beijing-bound runners, who emerged from one of the deepest fields in history, as well as the tragic death of their friend and fellow Olympic hopeful. NBC Olympics recaps the events through stories.

Hall's Trials record marred by death of friend Shay

By Joe Battaglia, NBCOlympics.com

He has been called the next great U.S. marathoner.

Now he can be called an Olympian.

After running with the pack for 17 miles, Ryan Hall pulled away en route to winning the U.S. Olympic Team Trials marathon in an event record 2:09:02. The time by Hall, who had never run a marathon before April, shattered the previous Trials record by one minute and 17 seconds.

Dathan Ritzenhein, a 2004 Olympic in the 10,000m, finished comfortably in second in 2:11:07, a personal best by over three minutes. Brian Sell placed third in 2:11:40 to grab the final qualifying spot for Beijing. It will be the first Olympic marathon for all three.

(Full race results here.)

Place Bib Name Age Hometown Affiliation Finish 1 2 Ryan Hall 25 Mammoth Lakes, CA 2:09:02 2 9 Dathan Ritzenhein 24 Eugene, OR 2:11:07 3 5 Brian Sell 29 Rochester Hills, MI Hansons-Brooks Distance Project 2:11:40 4 1 Khalid Khannouchi 36 Ossining, NY 2:12:34 5 47 Jason Lehmkuhle 30 Minneapolis, MN Team USA Minnesota 2:12:54 6 127 Daniel Browne 32 Beaverton, OR Nike 2:13:23 7 20 Nathaniel Jenkins 27 Lowell, MA 2:14:56 8 4 Meb Keflezighi 32 San Diego, CA 2:15:09 9 126 Josh Rohatinsky 25 Portland, OR Nike 2:15:22 10 24 Jason Hartmann 26 Boulder, CO 2:15:27 11 128 Matthew Gonzales 26 Albuquerque, NM Nike 2:16:14 12 15 Mike Morgan 27 Rochester Hills, MI Hansons-Brooks Distance Project 2:16:28 13 38 Fasil Bizuneh 27 Flagstaff, AZ 2:16:47 14 125 James Carney 29 Boulder, CO New Balance 2:16:54 15 92 Steve Sundell 25 Redwood City, CA 2:16:54 16 87 Christopher Raabe 28 Washington, DC 2:17:01 17 28 Nick Arciniaga 24 Rochester Hills, MI Hansons-Brooks Distance Project 2:17:08 18 11 Clint Verran 32 Rochester Hills, MI Hansons-Brooks Distance Project 2:17:10 19 46 Matt Pelletier 28 Warwick, RI Running Heritage 2:17:17 20 14 Chad Johnson 31 Rochester Hills, MI Hansons-Brooks Distance Project 2:17:58 21 23 Joshua Ordway 27 Dublin, OH Columbus Running Company 2:18:10 22 27 Jacob Frey 26 Oakton, VA 2:18:19 23 42 Joe Driscoll 28 Blowing Rock, NC ZAP Fitness 2:18:22 24 53 John Mentzer 31 Monterey, CA U.S. Navy 2:18:23 25 99 Allen Wagner 27 San Diego, CA 2:18:25 26 65 Patrick Rizzo 24 Rochester Hills, MI Hansons-Brooks Distance Project 2:18:30 27 132 Sergio Reyes 26 Los Osos, CA Asics Aggie Running Club 2:18:31 28 22 Patrick Moulton 25 Rochester Hills, MI Hansons-Brooks Distance Project 2:18:35 29 58 Mikhail Sayenko 23 Bellevue, WA 2:18:35 30 49 Donovan Fellows 28 Woodbury, MN 2:18:45 31 21 Miguel Nuci 28 Turlock, CA Transports Adidas Racing Team 2:18:47 32 32 Michael Reneau 29 Rochester Hills, MI Hansons-Brooks Distance Project 2:18:51 33 109 Macharia Yuot 25 Chester, PA 2:18:56 34 34 Dan Sutton 27 Madison, WI Wisconsin Runner Racing Team 2:18:59 35 102 Nicholas Cordes 28 Ashland, OH Brooks 2:19:01 36 52 Teren Jameson 30 Taylorsville, UT 2:19:05 37 31 Chris Lundstrom 31 Minneapolis, MN Team USA Minnesota 2:19:21 38 88 Eric Post 28 Centreville, VA 2:19:25 39 77 Matthew Folk 31 Canfield, OH Team Good River 2:19:47 40 41 James Lander 28 La Habra, CA 2:20:09 41 108 Michael Cox 32 Princeton, WV 2:20:12 42 95 Greg Costello 26 Chicago, IL Nike Central Elite Racing Team 2:20:28 43 18 Luke Humphrey 26 Rochester, MI Hansons-Brooks Distance Project 2:20:34 44 43 John Lucas 27 Eugene, OR Team XO 2:20:48 45 103 John Service 27 San Jose, CA Asics Aggie Running Club 2:21:12 46 123 Adam Tribble 27 Fayetteville, AR 2:21:21 47 89 Todd Snyder 30 Shelby Township, MI Hansons-Brooks Distance Project 2:21:30 48 26 Nick Schuetze 25 Portland, OR Team XO 2:21:36 49 121 Alan Horton 27 Knoxville, TN 2:22:03 50 90 James Nielsen 28 Palo Alto, CA Transports Adidas Racing Team 2:22:11 51 100 Robert Cannon 24 Toms River, NJ 2:22:23 52 117 Daniel Ellis 24 Birmingham, AL 2:22:26 53 36 Paul Petersen 28 Logan, UT 2:22:34 54 39 Steve Meinelt 24 Winchester, MA 2:22:40 55 83 Christopher Zieman 35 Chapel Hill, NC West Valley Track Club Inc. 2:23:04 56 50 Justin Young 28 Superior, CO 2:23:06 57 116 Nathan Wadsworth 25 Andover, KS Kansas City Smoke 2:23:08 58 124 Konrad Knutsen 31 Carmichael, CA Transports Adidas Racing Team 2:23:31 59 51 Steven Moreno 30 Oakland, CA Transports Adidas Racing Team 2:23:34 60 35 Ryan Meissen 29 Mukwonago, WI Wisconsin Runner Racing Team 2:23:38 61 82 Terrance Shea 33 Cambridge, MA Boston Athletic Association 2:23:44 62 66 Matt Levassiur 26 Alamosa, CO 2:23:58 63 75 Zachary Schendel 29 Minneapolis, MN Team Ortho 2:24:10 64 70 Aaron Sharp 27 Port Hueneme, CA Nike Team Run LA 2:24:15 65 72 Corey Stelljes 26 Madison, WI Wisconsin Runner Racing Team 2:24:19 66 133 David Williams 36 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin Runner Racing Team 2:24:57 67 37 Cecil Franke 39 Dublin, IN 2:25:01 68 94 Eric Heins 30 Cape Girardeau, MO Kansas City Smoke 2:25:01 69 122 James McGown 33 Sidney, NE Team Nebraska Brooks 2:25:10 70 64 Marzuki Stevens 33 San Francisco, CA Transports Adidas Racing Team 2:25:18 71 56 Lance Parker 26 Austin, TX 2:25:32 72 57 Jason Delaney 27 Golden, CO Boulder Running Company/adidas 2:25:57 73 33 Michael McKeeman 31 Ardmore, PA 2:26:15 74 67 Andy Martin 32 Los Osos, CA Asics Aggie Running Club 2:26:23 75 63 Trent Briney 29 Rochester Hills, MI Hansons-Brooks Distance Project 2:26:29 76 93 Thomas Kutter 27 Loganville, GA Atlanta Track Club 2:26:34 77 104 Edward Baker 28 Palo Alto, CA 2:26:37 78 76 Nick Stanko 26 Haslett, MI 2:27:23 79 84 Chris Wehrman 31 Chicago, IL Nike Central Elite Racing Team 2:27:33 80 12 James Jurcevich 31 Columbus, OH Columbus Running Company 2:27:33 81 96 Thomas Greenless 25 Walnut Creek, CA 2:27:44 82 86 Pete Gilman 32 Rochester, MN Gear Running Store 2:28:09 83 19 Casey Moulton 25 Pelham, NH Greater Lowell Road Runners 2:28:29 84 114 Matthew Byrne 32 Philadelphia, PA Philadelphia Runner Track Club / PUMA 2:28:40 85 106 Danny Mackey 27 Portland, OR 2:28:45 86 115 Brad Poore 29 Davis, CA West Valley Track Club Inc. 2:29:14 87 74 Karl Dusen 25 New York, NY 2:29:31 88 54 David Danley 27 Roosevelt, UT 2:29:32 89 111 Christopher Banks 29 Albuquerque, NM 2:30:22 90 44 Sean Sundwall 34 Snoqualmie, WA Club Northwest 2:30:41 91 79 Jeff Jonaitis 26 Tinley Park, IL Universal Sole-Reebok 2:30:45 92 105 Michael Wardian 33 Arlington, VA Pacers/Brooks 2:30:54 93 73 Marc Jeuland 28 Carrboro, NC Carrboro Athletics Club 2:31:31 94 91 Kyle Baker 31 Grand Rapids, MI 2:31:37 95 80 Donnie Franzen 28 Chicago, IL Fleet Feet -Nike Racing Team 2:31:53 96 55 Jason Ryf 36 Oshksoh, WI 2:32:26 97 113 Jonathan Little 26 Kansas City, KS Kansas City Smoke 2:33:03 98 29 Martin Rosendahl 29 Rochester, MI Hansons-Brooks Distance Project 2:33:58 99 81 Nicholas McCombs 26 Toquerville, UT 2:34:56 100 78 Ben Rosario 27 St. Louis, MO Big River Running Company 2:36:09 101 69 Justin Patananan 27 Palmdale, CA Nike Team Run LA 2:38:36 102 71 Antonio Arce 30 Santa Clarita, CA 2:39:20 103 119 Steven Frisone 36 Placentia, CA 2:39:32 104 101 Thomas McGlynn 35 Burlingame, CA 2:42:41 -- 131 Matthew Downin 30 Madison, WI New Balance DNF -- 112 Logan Fielding 25 Ogden, UT DNF -- 3 Abdi Abdirahman 28 Tucson, AZ DNF -- 8 Mbarak Hussein 42 Albuquerque, NM DNF -- 130 Edwardo Torres 27 Boulder, CO Reebok DNF -- 68 David Gramlich 25 North Canton, OH DNF -- 17 Brandon Leslie 31 Albuquerque, NM DNF -- 107 Zachary Freudenburg 29 St. Louis, MO DNF -- 118 Michael Heidt 24 Shoreline, WA Club Northwest DNF -- 25 Hobie Call 30 Toquerville, UT DNF -- 62 Matthew Hooley 25 Madison, WI Wisconsin Runner Racing Team DNF -- 97 Garick Hill 26 Winston-Salem, NC Twin City Track Club DNF -- 85 Josh Cox 32 Laguna Beach, CA DNF -- 7 Peter Gilmore 30 San Mateo, CA DNF -- 6 Alan Culpepper 35 Lafayette, CO DNF -- 40 Chris Graff 32 Crofton, MD DNF -- 48 Carlos Carballo 25 Cathedral City, CA Transports Adidas Racing Team DNF -- 59 Michael Smith 27 Flagstaff, AZ Team Altius DNF -- 45 David Ernsberger 25 Mt. Pleasant, MI DNF -- 98 Nathanael Usher 24 Lansing, MI Front Line Racing Team DNF -- 120 Edward Callinan 33 Haddonfield, NJ Philadelphia Runner Track Club / PUMA DNF -- 10 Simon Sawe 33 Santa Fe, NM DNF -- 129 Westly Keating 25 Edinburg, TX DNF -- 16 Kyle O'Brien 27 Shelby Twp, MI Hansons-Brooks Distance Project DNF -- 61 Dan Kahn 28 Durham, NC DNF -- 110 Sage Canaday 21 Sheridan, OR Cornell University DNF -- 30 Chris Seaton 28 Raleigh, NC DNF -- 134 Gene Mitchell 40 Franklin Lakes, NJ The Running Company DNF -- 60 Andrew Cook 26 Denton, TX DNF -- 13 Ryan Shay 28 Flagstaff, AZ

Their jubilation was soon replaced by sadness when it was announced that Ryan Shay, 28, had died. Shay, a 2002 Notre Dame graduate running in his second U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, collapsed just 30-minutes into the race, and was taken by ambulance to Lenox Hill Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 8:46 a.m.

"Today was a dream come true for me," Hall said. "I've been dreaming about this moment for 10 years. But as great as the moment is, my heart and my thoughts are with Ryan Shay and his family."

Shay's father, Joe, told the Associated Press that his son was first diagnosed with a larger than normal heart at age 14, was cleared for running this spring by doctors, but was told he might have need a pacemaker when he is older.

After Shay was in a car accident as a 16-year-old, Joe Shay said doctors re-evaluated Ryan's heart and determined it had gotten even larger. Each time, he said, they believed it was because Ryan was a runner.

"But he never complained about it," Joe Shay said.

Shay collapsed near the boathouse at the East Side of Central Park, a popular Manhattan tourist spot. It was on the second lap near East 75^th St, about 5 1/2 miles into the race. At the 5k mark (3.1 miles), he was in 21st place, part of a large pack between 16:44 and 17:02.

"I got a call that Ryan had fallen down ... then I got another
call that his heart had stopped," said Joe Shay, who received the call while driving to Michigan's state cross country competition.

"We have absolutely tragic news confirmed that Ryan Shay passed away today," Mary Wittenberg, CEO of the New York Road Runners Club said. "We ask you to join us in extending our very deepest condolences to Alicia, to Ryan's family and the Notre Dame running community. It's certainly not the way we expected any part of the race to go."

According to Runner’s Gazette photographer Clay Shaw, who was nearby, emergency medical personnel responded swiftly, using a defibrillator to try to revive him.

"He just hit the ground," Shaw said.

Wittenberg said Shay received immediate medical attention.

"There were several layers of medical response," she said. "It was very quick."

A recreational runner died during last month's Chicago Marathon. This death, however, was especially startling considering Shay was an elite athlete.

USA Track and Field CEO Craig Masback called Shay's death a "tremendous loss for the sport"

"We all are devastated over Ryan's death," he said. "He was a tremendous champion who was here today to pursue his dreams. We are heartbroken."

Shay was born May 4, 1979, in Ann Arbor, Mich., the fifth of eight children in a running family. His parents are the cross country and track coaches at Michigan's Central Lake High School.

Shay won the 2001 NCAA 10,000m title at Notre Dame, the first national individual title won at the school. He was a favorite going into the 2004 trials but was hampered by a hamstring strain and finished 23rd. He was the 2003 U.S. marathon champion and was third at this year's U.S. 25K championships. He also won the U.S. half marathon in 2003 and 2004, and took the 2004 U.S. 20K road racing title, making him a four-time national champion.

It was in New York two years ago while watching the marathon that Shay met his future wife, Alicia Craig, also an elite distance runner. Alicia was a two-time NCAA champion and the collegiate 10,000-meter record-holder during her days at Stanford, and was hoping to make it to Beijing in the women's 10,000m.

Shay and Craig were married on July 7. Sara Hall, Ryan Hall's wife, was a college teammate at Stanford with Craig and was a bridesmaid in their wedding.

"He had an incredible ability to push himself to the limit," Sara Hall said of Shay, with whom she and her husband used to train.

"It's a big loss for the running community," said 2004 women's marathon Olympic bronze medalist Deena Kastor, who once trained with Shay. "It's a day we should be celebrating. It has cast a pall. The distance running community is very close."

"If you probably asked him if there was any way he wanted to go, it was out on the race course," said Terrence Mahon, who coached Shay in Mammoth Lakes, Calif.

Abdi Abdirahman, who dropped out of the marathon because of injury, trained with Shay for the past 3 1/2 months in Flagstaff, Arizona.

"I'm speechless. I still don't believe it," he said. "I probably was the last person to talk to him. We ate breakfast together, we ate lunch together, went to bed at the same time."

Shay had high hopes entering these Trials. In 2004, he ran a personal best of 2:14:08 while finishing ninth at the ING New York City Marathon, and was looking forward to running in blustery conditions.

"The heat and I do not get along," Shay said. "Now if it’s cold that day, then that works to my benefit. I know a lot of runners who don’t like the cold, but I love the cold. Hopefully, the weather will be beneficial. If it’s weather that I can run well in, 2:11 or 2:12 is not out of my range."

Hall, 25, had no problem getting under that time range. Hall broke away from the leading pack of five runners with a 4:32 18th mile, believed to be the fastest ever run in Central Park. Hall continued to run sub-five minute splits the remainder of the race. He looked relaxed and fresh the entire race, pumping his fists, high-fiving spectators, and bellowing as he drew closer to the finish.

"I'm just thrilled with the day the Lord gave me and thrilled to be part of this Olympic team," Hall said. "I was thinking about the Olympics when I was out there on that last lap and the fitness it will take. The last mile, I knew I was going to be OK. I know I can run considerably faster. There's definitely more gears in there. I'll get to test those in Beijing."

When Hall made his move, none of the other five runners was able to go with him. Although he couldn't keep Hall's blistering pace, Ritzenhein was able to separate himself from the remaining runners over the final eight miles, building a 30-second lead over the third-place contenders.

"My hat's off to Ryan," Ritzenhein said. "That time is amazing on this course."

Sell was unable to keep up with the race leaders early in the race and it appeared his hopes of making the Olympic team were slim. But Sell, who said before the race that he would quit competitive distance running if he did not qualify for Beijing, surged passed Daniel Brown with about six miles to go to punch his Olympic ticket.

"The original plan was to let the field determine the pace for the first couple of miles," Sell said. "When we were out in 11 flat for two miles, I knew I Had to keep it honest to have a chance at all. Honestly, I was trying to run around 5 flat [per mile]. I didn't have too many miles above 5 flat. That tells you how fast these guys were up front. I was just fortunate to pick up the carnage from (Hall and Ritzenhein)."

Khalid Khannouchi, the 35-year-old former world-record-holder who has never made an Olympic team, finished fourth in 2:12:34, nearly a minute behind Sell. Khannouchi, who has battled injuries, could still earn a spot on the squad if Ritzenhein later qualifies in the 10,000 meters and chooses to compete in that race instead in Beijing.

Meb Keflezighi, who won silver at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, was in contention for the third and final qualifying spot for more than half of the race, but faded late and finished eighth in 2:15:09.

"It was rough," Keflezighi said. "I would like to have made the team. At about 1:19, both of my calves cramped up. My breathing was great, but I couldn't go on."

Alan Culpepper, the 2004 Olympic Trials marathon winner, was forced to pull out of the race with cramping in both hamstrings.

"Within the first four miles, both of my hamstrings had the same sensation I usually get with 4 miles to go," Culpepper said. "I was baffled. I kept trying to work through it, but I just never felt right."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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