ehmm... what is your definitions of sizes for women, chris ? & make it clean please maybe your sizes and my sizes not the same here lol my size here would be the 'appropriate' height/reach and nothing out of the extraordinary as for the japanese ladies, of course i agree but seeing them playing like that i wonder if they ever wish for a couple of inches taller
Japan has won the Uber Cup 5 times . What I was thinking was; So far, only 5 countries have won the Uber Cup; *China (11 times) * Japan (5 times) * Indonesia (3 times) * United States (3 times) * Korea (1 time) .
There's been some speculation on the forum recently (post-Japan Open) that Lin Dan may not evn be around come OG2012. And that LYB is already pulling out all the stops to ensure that he has enough depth and strength in the MS squad to compensate for that possibility, and yet ensure he gets the gold. This sounds about in line with what I had mentioned earlier in this thread about commitment.
Off topic: Per 2012 OG Qualification ruling: MS - A national association with players in the top 4 WR (by May 3, 2012) would be eligible to have 3 representatives. My feeling is, CHN/LYB will make sure they have 3 MS representatives by that date.
Unless LD is hurt, as George Bush said, 'make no mistake' LD will play OLY12, and that is the only reason why LD is still playing today. LD already has the money, the fame and if it is not for OLY12, LD would have packed it in, after all OLY12 is like 19 months away. Winning more SS does not increase his endorsement value, while losing SS would hurt his star status so if LD does not plan to play OLY12, why not retire at the top? The payout to win OLY12 gold is simply too enticing and the chance of history making too tempting to miss out OLY12. And while waiting for OLY12, might as well go for more majors like WC, 2 AEs and AG to build up his legacy that it will be incredibly difficult for anyone to eclipse him in future. LD lost to LCW in JO12, the game could go either way, not that LD was totally routed by LCW. LD is still the co-favorite come OLY12
About commitment from CBA to keep Badminton as one of China's strongest sports . I have to agree with you about CBA's dedicated commitment. IMHO, CBA considers the Thomas Cup and the Uber Cup events as their most important events for their players to win. Here, players perform their best, playing for CBA (the association). But when we talk about the Olympic Games, players would now be thinking of winning GOLD medals for China (the country), not only for CBA (the association). Surely CBA would like its players to win as many Olympic GOLD medals as possible, therefore keeping Badminton as one of China's strongest sports. .
Hmmm. Interesting observation by onetoughbirdie. If what you propose is correct, it would also possibly mean that: 1. The powers-that-be will have decided that one man's quest for glory will outweigh the country's quest for dominance. 2. LYB will probably find himself saddled with an aging, visibly slower rock star who may or may not deliver. And there will plenty of wolves in opposing camps waiting to pounce on him and make a meal of him. :crying: 3. No other player in the Chinese camp between now and OG2012 is capable of challenging LD. 4. The only guaranteed way to achieve personal (LD's) glory is to have 2 CHN players in the MS finals. And even then, it may not work out, because it may send the wrong signals to the other top CHN players: no matter how good you are, you toe the party line. But the party line has not been about personal glory... As for the JO 2010 final, I watched the video, and my lasting impression was one of hesitancy, nervousness and unwillingness to commit oneself fully, on the part of both the players; but more so on LD's part than LCW. Eventually, he who dared more, won. Postscript: What is truly frustrating and pitiful is that outside of China, and with the exception of LCW, there is not one single MS player who can show that single-minded determination to really step up to the plate (how I wish TH and PG could, but reality strikes, people!) And that is really a horrible, horrible situation. :crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying:
possible, possible nothing is impossible and everything is also possible lee yong bo almost always played his card right to bring china dominance in baddy. just hope he doesn't slip on a banana skin because the next lyb may not give us this kind of entertainment
OLY is only a short 19 months away, LD is still the current #1 in CHN. I can't see how CHN can find 3 other players better than LD to play in OLY12. CHN MS for OLY are based on WR points, so is CHN going to send all 6 MS players to play in SS next year to get those points? LD is still the most bankable MS player in CHN. I am with you that LD is not playing the way he did in OLY08 and TC10. Those are brilliant performances, even LCW admitted he has no clue and nothing worked. So, if LD lose a step and LCW hit top form as in JO10, we have a new winner, even though the score could go either way. On the other hand, if LD plays standing on water the way he did in OLY08, he would be almost unbeatable. So, can LD repeat that, we await to see but for sure, losing in JO10, LD knows he has work to do. I have posted many moons ago, that after LCW, MAS will be in the wilderness despite all the heavy funding invested and top coaches hired. Ditto for INA, DEN and KOR. Only country producing top talents is CHN and with CBL, CHN will have more players coming up while the rest of the world, including the other top 4 nations, are still waiting for the NEXT great hope to come forward. In WS, the rest of the world is a write-off now, CHN WS players know the real competition is among themselves. Badminton is like table tennis, CHN WS and MS against the rest of the world tournament, believe that, it actually happens and the women score is CHN 4, rest of the world 1, and more importantly, CHN did not field her top 2 WS players. Scary.
I totally agree with you on the issue of dominance by China in the singles. That is what worries me. The thing that keeps any game ALIVE worldwide, is COMPETITION. Lack of serious competition is not in the best interest of the game. If you ask me, most of the National Associations need a really hard kick up their backsides. They are clueless and unimaginative as to how to deal with the threat of more lucarative sports, and there lies the problem. Unless you bring in younger people with brighter ideas on how to revitalize the game at all levels, things are not going to look good. On the LD thing, 19 months is a long period - enough for a person to lose form terminally. Most ex-top players have slid down the rankings and never recovered over that period of time. CBA has shielded LD so far by bringing him on only selectively, but that's always a two-edged sword.
I would agree with you a player can lose form and never recover in a 19-month span, if you refer to TH. TH won WC05 convincingly, he took a sabathical and skipped training, even missing AE. In 2006TC, TH never won a single game for INA, he panted throughout the tournament and a step too slow. All this occured in a 12-month span. I saw live WC05 in Anaheim and I caught the entire TC on live TV when I was in KL. Today, TH cannot recover his WC05 form and the result speak for itself This would not happen to LD or put it this way, LYB would not let that happen, LYB will make sure his team is totally prepared to win OLY12, his bonus depends on that. LD played terribly in EAG and many said he is Done. LD came back with his OLY08 form in TC, so I would not say too fast that LD is history, my friend, LD will be the co-favorite in OLY, bet another loonie on this
oh no, not implying that LD is history. He is an all-time great, no mistake. However, all good things have a best-before date, and we are not privy to all the machinations and dynamics variables in the CBA camp, and all the various influences on any single player. So your loonie is on. Also remember, TH is still in the mix for his love of the game, ditto PG. TH did win the AG 2006 and ditto 2007, made LCW look foolish Macau 2008. None of the other top players have been shielded so well for so long as LD has been by LYB. But the slide will be inevitable, and (the good news is) CBA are yet in a better position to cope with it than the other countries coped with their top players' slide...
The bottom line is CBA has done well over the last 3 decades . Not to worry. The bottom line is CBA has done well, comparing to National Associations, over the last 3 decades. .
That's putting it mildly! I would be blunt to say that the CBA has put other National Associations to shame! And that is the tragedy that world badminton is facing. Oh yes, most people will want to look at the glass as half full, but that is being in complete denial about the other half, and that is where the problem lies: people see what they want to see, per their convenience most of the time. One win and a whole country is happy all over again, and all the problems that never went away, are forgotten! Anyway: good for China!
chris-ccc take a bow! I must say, I have quite enjoyed the exchange of views and ideas with everyone on this particular thread, especially when compared to some of the scrappy (and completely brainless) topics that have got quite a bit of attention recently. And Chris should take a bow for the superb way he has conducted this thread.
I just came upon this old video on Youtube; it's very relevant, and only confirms what most of us have known. But still, it is worth viewing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDZdU236Y80&feature=channel
