I was watching Taiwanese news just now and they showed the Sengalese soccer team departing from CKS airport. One of the players seemed to be upset and yelling something in French or heavily French-accented English. I think he was bitching about something and mentioned Taiwan. Does anyone know what’s that about?
On another note, I think it’s kind of sad that Taiwan has to go all out to establish relations with small tiny countries by shelling out millions of dollars in aid to them, a.k.a. dollar diplomacy. For a nation that’s the world’s 13th largest economy in the world and 4th largest IT producer (since China recently took it over with help of Taiwanese IT firms!!) and $60+ billion invested in China alone not counting billions in rest of world and the only democratic Chinese society ever, you’d think it would deserve a tad more respect. Aah, if not for that bully nemesis across the strait…
The disgruntled dude was an agent, not a player, and he was pissed off for a few reasons: He had to fly economy class because there were no seats left in business class, he hadn’t eaten that day - at least he said he was still hungry, and finally, he hadn’t wanted to come to Taiwan in the first place - apparently it was a deal put together by the two governments and the players had had a good deal of pressure on them to comply. The media made it sound like the whole team was bitching when it was in fact just one agent. When he was ranting, one of the players gently reminded him that he was on camera, and he burst out “I know - I want them to hear this!!!” Really, it’s a case of a prima donna agent who didn’t get a first class seat, and has nothing to do with the players. Also, consider this - in the media they were referring to Senegal as a “backwards nation” that should be grateful to Taiwan. Well, these particular Senegalese are about as representative of their nation as the Dominicans who play for the Toronto Blue Jays. These guys all play for European clubs, they make a hefty income, and after a gruelling World Cup, they probably weren’t too interested in coming to Taiwan, a nation that doesn’t even HAVE a football team, and is probably considerably more backwards than the countries that they live in. But you can be sure that people here will use this incident to promote their own agendas of anti-dollar diplomacy (which is a good thing) and xenophobia (bad).
What that agent said was in fact (I taped in here in Taoyuan): “Moi, je vous regarde comme un backwards coontrie et je vous asssure que si je suis jamais sur une aeroplane encore une fois, je dois vraimwent fais la col sur tous les reporters et batards de la press parce ce que je suis un agent first-class et je ne vol jamais dans le economie classe! Je fais la haine pour la Taiwane parce que la presse ice , la media, et folle! Faitez moi le con!”
You really don’t want to translate that because it’s full of 4-letter words, according to my French roomate!
Another media circus, I guess. And why didnt they team play a real game here, as the adverts said? It would have been great PR for everyone, even the prima donnas and prima peters!
The guys were playing alittle “bedroom soccer” with the local lasses…don’t you just love how everything in Taiwan eventually revolves around who’s being screwed by who?
According to the newscast, a junior government officer of Senegal complained that he did not get a seat in the business class. He yelled at the cameraman (and at Taiwanese officials too, if they were also there) saying that it’s the government(don’t know he was talking about Taiwan or Senegal) that asks them to come, and that it is Taiwan government’s fault for this to happen (that he did not get a business class seat), and that Taiwan should be ashamed…
Reporters in the newscast says that the Senegal ambassy has appologized to Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan for that individual behavior.
And MOFA said that the number of business-class tickets were offered based on the list that Senegal team or Ambassy provided.
It’s ok that MOFA paid US$100,000 to invite the Senegal team to visit Taiwan. But still we can see how incompetent MOFA and the National Council on Physics Fitness and Sports are. I want to focus this whole farce on one point: NCPFS explained that they never told the press that Senegalese soccer team would hold a game with a Taiwanese team as everybody had expected. Instead, they just arranged the Senegalese team to “Teach and Demonstrate” how to play soccer toward a Taiwanese team and the audience. The problem is, when the Senegalese team showed up without their sport jersey or shoes in, at least the NCPFS should have explained to the audience at the stadium right away and then protested to the Senegal after the “show”. Afterall, we’ve done our part (pay you the money and “show hospitality”) so at least you should do your part too. But NCPFS and MOF just said, oh, it’s ok, it’s worthy to pay this money inviting such a good soccer team to come, and oh, it’s ok, it’s just a matter of miscommunication…blablabla.
When you pay a lot of money(espeically citizens’ money) to invite somebody or a team to come, at least you have to make sure the party you invite know what their duties are and fulfill their duties. Right? But this event ended up the player shopping, enjoying big feast, getting gifts from the govenment and airlines, but what does our soccer team and audience get?
Anyway this is not the first time that Taiwanese officials solicit insult after giving out money. I don’t dislike the Senegalese soccor team after this event. But for those Taiwanese government officials who make policies for their country, all I can say is “You must respect yourself before other people can respect you.”
quote:Originally posted by O'Brian:
The guys were playing a little "bedroom soccer" with the local lasses.......don't you just love how everything in Taiwan eventually revolves around who's being screwed by who?
What I found amusing was the fact that the media had one of the alleged hookers on tape with her voice altered, and she said that her ~ahem~ client [b]"WANTED TO DO IT FROM BEHIND BUT SHE SAID NO CUZ IT WAS TOO [i]BIAN TAI[/i]!!!"[/b] sob. Those poor hookers. Doesn't anyone just want to cuddle anymore?
[img]images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]
quote:Originally posted by Maoman:
[b]The whore said, "WANTED TO DO IT FROM BEHIND BUT SHE SAID NO CUZ IT WAS TOO [i]BIAN TAI[/i]!!!"[/b] sob. Those poor hookers. Doesn't anyone just want to cuddle anymore?
Oh, well…I guess there was no “pistol whipping” going on in that brothel (sigh)…and how did they EVER find condoms the right size???
Excuse the vulgarity above, but all in all, it was rather presumptuous of both governments to expect the players would want to go on a diplomatic errand on the heels of defeat.
quote[quote] how did they EVER find condoms the right size??? [/quote]Uh sorry. I did my bit for Taiwan and lent them. [img]images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]
The “players” didn’t go to a brothel. The hookers went to their hotel room at the Grand. That’s what I heard from local reports here. You can see the adverts in the This Month In Taiwan and in the all three English papers too: “Sweet young thing for massage, call 09340343343 etc etc. Deborah.”
Transexuals, too. Maybe they “played” with the futbol men too?
Ah, this is too much. And it’s only Wednesday! Imagine what NEXT magazine will have on Thursday with real black and white grainy photos!
Question: were the hookers the young sweet things you can find in some places (18-25) or were they the middle aged butt ugly “misses” / obasan ladies of the night?
quote:Originally posted by mergatroid:
...or were they the middle aged butt ugly "misses" / obasan ladies of the night?
well, if they wanted to do it from behind…
But this is so ridiculous, isn’t it? I mean, it’s an acceptable part of Taiwanese business culture to treat male visitors to piano bars, karaokes, barber shops, etc, where they can ‘check out’ women!!!
Sooo, perhaps the foreign ministers arranged it for them. And room service would have eased the high profile aspect of a group of black athletes being spotted in such an establishment.
And if the government DIDN’T arrange girls for them, wouldn’t that sort of be discrimination?
Or is the government above all that?
This case is an interesting case study of cross-cultural miscommunication.
From today’s Taipei Times:
quote: In regards to other local media reports that alleged the players procured sexual services from call girls, Chang said the ministry knew nothing about the allegations.
She said the ministry hosted a banquet for the team Sunday evening, after which the ministry sent them back to their hotel and does not know what occurred later.
quote:Originally posted by Maoman:
...Taiwan, a nation that doesn't even HAVE a football team, and is probably considerably more backwards than the countries that they live in. But you can be sure that people here will use this incident to promote their own agendas of anti-dollar diplomacy (which is a good thing) and xenophobia (bad).
Ya, I think that agent needs to get some class. To criticize the host country who paid for your food, hotel, transportation, and other expenses in public and to the media for all to see is beyond acceptable, especially for a govt. official. If he had complaints, he could have done it in private. I hope he got fired.
Maoman, what did you mean when you said Taiwan is probably more backwards than the countries they live in?
quote:Originally posted by thyrdrail:
Maoman, what did you mean when you said Taiwan is probably more backwards than the countries they live in?
Not trying to provoke anyone here, but if anyone is playing in Barcelona, Munich, Milan, or Amsterdam, and used to the standard of living afforded footballers in those places, then Taiwan must seem to be a bit of a backwater. It probably didn't help that they were parked in Taipei's dumpiest "5-star" hotel. The rooms in the Lai Lai don't really compare to the Hyatt, the Regent, the Westin or even the Sherwood. Heck, the Howard Plaza is a step up.
quote:Originally posted by thyrdrail:
Maoman, what did you mean when you said Taiwan is probably more backwards than the countries they live in?
Most of the Senegal team live in Europe and play for big French clubs. Their contractual and insurance obligations would have definitely prevented them from playing any kind of “unofficial” game.
The Foreign Ministry was retarded in even thinking for one second that they could have played. The National Fitness bunch should have known the details beforehand. And whoever failed to knock the media on the head for reporting that a match would take place is doubly retarded.
(There’s no need to mention the retardedness of the media – that’s been a given for many years).
quote:Originally posted by Maoman:
Not trying to provoke anyone here, but if anyone is playing in.....or Amsterdam, and used to the standard of living afforded footballers in those places, then Taiwan must seem to be a bit of a backwater.
Ah…ganja, beer and Dutch whores in the windows…well, the ganja and beer are ok.
Yes, Taiwan is a damn BACKWATER. As evidenced by the hopeless coverage of the games with their split screens, annoying ads. I have watched games this year in Indonesia & Thailand (where the people actually like sport)and it craps over this abysmal telecast in Taiwan.
It makes me verrry angry. If you tried this crap abroad, there’d be letters to editors, and it would be the hot topic on every talkback show. No not here, you’d hardly be aware it was on at all for all lack of interest by Taiwanese! The only exception seems to be all this hu ha about Senegal’s visit.
NFI, you need to relax a little. You say that Taiwanese don’t care about the game, and then complain that the local stations insert split-screen commercials during the matches. We’re lucky to see the games at all.
After all, the games have been broadcast here on regular – not pay – cable channels. And all of them have been broadcast. This compares very well to, say, soccer-loving non-backwater Germany.