6/24/2010

ERA TV (年代綜合台) Commentator Claims Everyone Hates America

Is it true that everyone, as ERA Taiwan's commentator 丁元凱 (Ding Yuan-kai) claims, 大家都討厭美國, hates America? At the 20th minute and change of the Algeria versus the United States World Cup soccer match, after the US had a goal disallowed (an off-side goal was the call even though replays showed it to be clearly on side), 丁元凱 (Ding Yuan-kai) shouted over Taiwan's air waves several times the reason for this was "Everyone hates America! Everyone hates America! 大家都討厭美國!" This, I'm afraid, was the same 丁元凱 (Ding Yuankai) that exuberantly cheered on the South Koreans, for reasons unknown, against the Greeks: http://patrick-cowsill.blogspot.com/2010/06/era-taiwans-lousy-world-cup-soccer.html

Ding Yuankai (丁元凱), I take exception to your comments. First of all, I don't believe everyone in the world does indeed hate the US, like you claimed 20-plus minutes into the match, with 討厭美國! Why? Well, I (part of the "everyone" you claim) don't hate the American side at all. I think that instead of celebrating injustice, like an on-side goal being called off-side, you should take a less biased and more grave position.

I also know lots of people from a multitude of countries who do not 討厭美國, as you have expressed. There are even many people in Taiwan who like the United States, or at least who wish there World Cup soccer players no such ill will. They remember the 7th Fleet of the American Navy bailing out Taiwan in 1950 when it looked like China would attack. They probably recognize the US donated $44 billion in aid, from 1949 to 1965, to help jump start the economy. Wasn't it American academics that came up with the land re-distribution policies of 1950, a comprehensive plan that possibly saved Taiwan from revolution? Even today, as we know from looking at the Green Book, America donates around one million US dollars to Taiwan annually. There are people of Taiwanese descent living in the United States. If they're 大家討厭美國, what are they doing there? I, for one, am not buying it. When will an honest accounting of history catch up with you?

丁元凱 (Ding Yuankai), hit the bricks. The second half of the US versus Algeria game, you were gloating that Landon Donovan was nowhere to be seen, that you couldn't "realize his flavor." What say you to this, then? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XmRx-mMm94  Enough of your soccer, and political, humbuggery.

6/12/2010

ERA TV 年代綜合台 Taiwan's Lousy World Cup Soccer Coverage

Is it just me, or you also feeling that Taiwan's ERA TV's 年代綜合台 (Channel 45) coverage of the World Cup is a bit one sided? 

I've just been watching the first half the Greece versus South Korea game and I'm speechless. Whenever South Korea attacks, the two commentators practically climb over each other in their excitement. Even a measly shot from 30 meters out is "extremely beautiful"! The first half closed with a nifty Greek strike with the South Korean goalkeeper barely knocking it down. But now the two commentators changed their tune: it wasn't a terrific chance 好厲害, but instead 哎呦那麼糟糕! meaning "What the fuck?! My God! We're lucky to escape that."

Why on earth are our Taiwanese, commentators like Ding Yuankai  (丁元凱), so biased? Why are we pulling for South Korea? My wife figures we are pulling for Koreans because we're Asian, but I figure that is just plain racism. Is that really the way to roll as a sports' announcer?

What gives  年代綜合台? I pay my cable bills and watch your silly ads just as much as the next guy. Give us an honest account of the game. 

As I close this post, the two Taiwanese commentators on ERA TV 年代綜合台 are shrieking because South Korea has "scored again - how wonderful!" They are chanting "Very beautiful! Very beautiful. What a great ball!" 
 
LOL, I'm still here and the commentator on the right (the one, if you watched, wearing the pink polo shirt) keeps on bugging me. According to him, Ding Yuankai (丁元凱), "South Korea is ranked 49th in the world. Greece is ranked 17th. It should be the opposite! Korea 好厲害!" Then the same commentator says this: "The Japanese have great energy! The Chinese have great energy! But why is it that the Koreans have such great energy?" 

Tropic of Cancer Taiwan

  The Provincial Highway 9 Ruishui Marker (above) marks the Tropic of Cancer, 23.5 degrees on the northern latitude, in Taiwan. The spot was...