TEP is spot on re pioneers, with Tang and Hou being the prime examples. Not sure about cricket and the Chinese though. "The current trend of ex-Indonesian players leaving their shores to play for other countries is not something new. They are just following the path of the first great migration of Indonesian players to China in the sixties. Without these first pioneers who went to China, do you really think China would know what badminton is, let alone dominate it? Badminton to China in the fifties and sixties was what cricket is to them now. I hope this larger perspective throws some light."
Also, today's fast-paced game is Indonesian in origin. That was how they plotted the downfall of Malaysian badminton in the late fifties and sixties. The Chinese have now made the game even faster.
who cares? does it matter how many passports he has? none of your business anyway...I'm sickened tired of indonesians who mind other people's business, especially in this kind of issue
Remember Mia Audina after she moved to holland? when she played in indonesia open,some indo audience threw some bottle for her and when she started to serve some audience said HUUUUUUUU. I can't imagine if Tony in indonesia. believe it or not almost all my friend and my teachers watched this match yesterday. we were so glad when llyana/nova and taufik hidayat won and then.......:crying: some of my friend very disappointed when tony/bach won. sure for now in indonesia there is assuming that tony doesn't love his own country. I'm sure that he still love indonesia, Tony said that after he finishing his study in the US, he will back again to indonesia. and the most important is tony's wife is indonesian too. I'm sorry is my english is bad[/QUOTE] from what i read from other pose...tony will represent US for 2008 olympic once he gets US passport
Whatever, he sure outdid Lin Dan and this is good for badminton! He sparks up the atmosphere without causing too much disruptions!
Tony still loves INA I spoke to Tony last year during the TUC-Finales in Jakarta and asked him, why he did not play. He said, that he would not make upset the indonesian fans. He would work during the tournament only as a coach. It is great for Badminton and pitty of Indonesia, that a former player won a the gold medal at Anaheim. On the other side, you should not forget what he had done in the years for his country before he moved away. And the first years in USA were not easy for him and his wife Etty Tantra. Now he is succesfull and I hope for him, that he can promote our sport in the USA. And the same time I hope, that Indonesia can win back the Thomas-Cup next year. Remember Mia Audina after she moved to holland? when she played in indonesia open,some indo audience threw some bottle for her and when she started to serve some audience said HUUUUUUUU. I can't imagine if Tony in indonesia. believe it or not almost all my friend and my teachers watched this match yesterday. we were so glad when llyana/nova and taufik hidayat won and then.......:crying: some of my friend very disappointed when tony/bach won. sure for now in indonesia there is assuming that tony doesn't love his own country. I'm sure that he still love indonesia, Tony said that after he finishing his study in the US, he will back again to indonesia. and the most important is tony's wife is indonesian too. I'm sorry is my english is bad[/QUOTE]
Honestly, I don't know how the issue of whether Tony Gunawan loves Indonesia or not comes into play. People move to other countries for a host of reasons and Mr. Gunawan's initial one, ie. to gain some lifeskills outside the badminton court is as legitimate as any other. Many times, the decision to do so is based on entirely personal reasons and has little to do with patriotism, or the lack thereof. I suppose this has been blown out of proportion because we are talking about a public figure whose career people actually follow. Personally, I can understand why some Indonesian fans feel hurt or offended. For one, he left the country at the peak of his career, leaving the Indonesian men's doubles in a pretty bad state thereafter (which isn't to say that the PBSI's lack of talent-development programs isn't to blame). Then, there's the fact that he defeated his former teammates with a relatively unknown player. I'm not Indonesian myself, but watching him carry the US flag at the end of the game felt plain weird because my most enduring (and endearing) image of Tony was him celebrating the 2000 Olympic victory with Candra. Not to mention that I always thought he was coming to the States to pursue his degree and not to play badminton, as he has done. But people do move on, and this is something fans have to come to terms with. If playing badminton is something Tony is capable of doing, and doing exceptionally well at that, it doesn't make sense for him stop at it out of consideration for other people's feelings. Tony Gunawan shouldn't have to bear all the weight of fan expectations (and neither should anyone else, if I may say). Btw, I do not seem to have come across any posting - at least on this thread - with an overtly political or religious slang, and to lump all detractors of Tony wearing a USA jersey in that category (with threats of deletion to boot) is about as productive as a discussion on Mr. Gunawan's patriotism.
That's the thing, as i mentioned before, during the Press Media conference after the match, i can sense a bit of awkwardness in the room, esp. when Tony started speaking to the media. The atmosphere seemed like there are "3 Indonesians" out there sitting/playing. It could've been "4 Indonesians" out there if not for the fact that Halim can't play for team U.S. Maybe if someone out there still remember the atmosphere when the 4 Indonesians were playing against each other 4 yrs. ago in AE2001 MD Final.
