Ed Wang

[indianwhite]

The guy's got a Yao Ming-like following in China. This was Yahoo front page news in fact. But let's keep in mind that, despite his potential groundbreaking success, there WON'T be an sudden influx of Chinese NFL players anytime soon. The same obviously true Tiger Woods (golf), and Yao Ming (NBA). Still, I wish him success all the same.

Bills' Wang ready to help NFL gain ground in China</font>
By JOHN WAWROW, AP Sports Writer 4 hours, 5 minutes ago

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP)â€"Ed Wang(notes) wants to make it big in China. To do so, the Buffalo Bills rookie offensive tackle knows he first has to make his mark in the NFL.

At 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds, Wang is already turning heads and upending stereotypes by becoming the first player with direct Chinese ancestry to be selected in the NFL draft last month.

The son of former athletes in the Chinese Olympic program was selected in the fifth round out of Virginia Tech, realizing a childhood dream instilled by his disciplinarian parents growing up in Virginia. They prepared him well for challenges that lie ahead.
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Aside from making the Bills' roster, he's more than ready to become the flag-bearer for the NFL in its bid to crack the Chinese Wall and bring American football to the lucrative market beyond.

"There's no reason to beat around the bush and sidestep it,"Â￾ Wang said, referring to the buzz he's already generated in China, where he's been told his Bills jerseys are already on back order. "People are talking about it. So you might as well answer the questions."Â￾

The NFL certainly isn't ignoring the topic, believing Wang has the potential to do for the league what Yao Ming did for the NBA last decade.

"Absolutely,"Â￾ Michael Stokes, NFL China's managing director, said in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "Ed is a gifted athlete with tremendous potential and we look forward to seeing him play for the Buffalo Bills. At the appropriate time, we are also excited to work with Ed on growing the game of football here in China."Â￾

Stokes said there have been 300 articles on Wang in the Chinese media since he was drafted.

Wang's arrival comes at a timely juncture for the NFL's Chinese outpost, which was established in 2007. Stokes said 28.3 million viewers watched the Super Bowl in February, while Sunday and Monday night games are also being broadcast regularly.

"We, along with our partners in China, are excited at the news,"Â￾ Stokes said. "For many people here in China, there is the belief that Chinese people are not well-suited to play football because they lack the physical size and strength. Ed certainly disproves that theory."Â￾

Wang gets his size from his parents. His father Robert, a former high jumper, stands 6-foot-2. His mother Nancy, a former Chinese national champion hurdler, is 5-11.

And that's not all he got from his parents, who emigrated from China in the 1980s. Wang is the product of a strict upbringing, during which he abided by numerous rules while buying into his parents' belief that he would one day develop into an elite athlete.

It was no different an upbringing than what his parents encountered working their way through the Chinese Olympic program.

"We taught them that an athlete has to be disciplined,"Â￾ Robert Wang explained, also referring to younger son David, an offensive lineman who completed his freshman season at Virginia Tech. "We told them, ‘An athlete has to put in a lot of extra effort. You're different than normal people. You have a big future."Â￾'

It wasn't easy.

Ed Wang wasn't allowed to have a girlfriend until he earned a scholarship. He couldn't attend movies with his friends, or go over for sleepovers. And then there was waking up at 7 a.m. every Saturday to run sprints.

"I was mad as a child,"Â￾ Wang said with a wide smile. "I was like, ‘Oh man, not this again.' But every Saturday we did it. And I just got accustomed to it. That's how life is."Â￾

And he's grateful for it.

"They really prepared me for everything, all the life challenges that I've been through,"Â￾ he said. "They told me, life wasn't easy. Nothing comes free. And I always took that with me. And it's been a part of me ever since."Â￾

The training allowed Wang to develop his footwork and speed. Regarded as the Hokies most consistent blocker, he's credited with being quick and agile for his size.

Wang opened his college career as a tight end before making the switch to tackle after his freshman season. He wound up starting at left tackle for his final two seasons.

Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer recalled how Wang made a solid impression the first day he took over the new position.

"He was just more athletic than most of the guys on the offensive line, so he gave you hope right away,"Â￾ Beamer said. "I think it's all in front of him. I think he'll do well. I'm pulling for him."Â￾

Wang has spent this weekend's Bills minicamp playing on the left side. Buffalo lacks depth at tackle, and he's expected to compete for a backup spot behind Demetrius Bell(notes), who's coming back from a season-ending knee injury.

For Wang, getting drafted was simply the first step.

"It's not finished yet because I haven't done anything yet,"Â￾ he said.

Wang's also able to put his goals and career in perspective beyond his ancestry.

"I'm just another guy trying to make it, to be honest with you,"Â￾ he said. "That's what I'm trying to do."Â￾

 

[Fightingtowin]

I hope he becomes All-Pro and shatters all kinds of stereotypes. Wasn't there a better Asian drafted as a tackle in the 1st round in the 90s, but had a knee injury?

 

[jcolec02]

Eugene Amano plays for the Titans and he is Asian

 

[white is right]

I hope he becomes All-Pro and shatters all kinds of stereotypes. Wasn't there a better Asian drafted as a tackle in the 1st round in the 90s, but had a knee injury?

Eugene Chung was ethnic Korean and was a bust. He did hang around for a few years in the NFL and was a back up lineman for the Patriots and might have been on the team that went to the Super Bowl against the Packers. Edited by: white is right

 

[Colonel Callan]

How many whites with stats as good or better than Wang's have been ignored over the years?

Not to pick at Wang, but it seems any time I read about a non-white, of any background, being compared to whites, he's "... simply more athletic," than his white teammates, etc.

I guess we'll simply see what happens.

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

I'll be rooting for Wang. Amazing that there have been zero people of 100% Chinese ancestry to make an NFL roster. East Asians are victims of this BS caste system too, though not nearly as much as whites b/c their interest in pursuing college football culturally is significantly lower and Chinese men are 4 inches shorter than white men on average.

The average Chinese man is 5'6, which would equal the smallest player in the NFL right now, Darren Sproles, although Trindon Holliday is 5'5 if he makes the cut this year. I hope Wang opens peoples eyes that Chinese men can play football- and not just huge linemen!

 

[Jimmy Chitwood]

i'm just as excited about Wang as the chinese are excited about Austin Collie ... or Mike Hass ... or Blair White ... or Toby Gerhart ... or AJ Hawk ... or Matt Jones ... which means i'm not excited about Wang at all.

other than providing cheap sophomorichumor involving his last name, as i see it all Wang is doing is taking a spot away from a White player with better credentials and better talent.

he may be a nice guy, but he's just the latest example of how the PTB will do anything to provide an opportunity ... as long as its not a Whiteman who'll get the chance.

 

[Fightingtowin]

i'm just as excited about Wang as the chinese are excited about Austin Collie ... or Mike Hass ... or Blair White ... or Toby Gerhart ... or AJ Hawk ... or Matt Jones ... which means i'm not excited about Wang at all.
<div> </div>
<div>other than providing cheap sophomoric humor involving his last name, as i see it all Wang is doing is taking a spot away from a White player with better credentials and better talent. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>he may be a nice guy, but he's just the latest example of how the PTB will do anything to provide an opportunity ... as long as its not a White man who'll get the chance.</div>

I think any Asian aware of the caste system and its favoritism toward black athletes would be excited about Collie, Gerhart, etc. Asians are caste busters and I'll root for them over a black athlete.

 

[Jimmy Chitwood]

I think any Asian aware of the caste system and its favoritism toward black athletes would be excited about Collie, Gerhart, etc. Asians are caste busters and I'll root for them over a black athlete.

you really think so? tell me again exactly how big a fan favorite Yao Ming is over in China, and then tell me if the Chinesecheered onDavid Lee with the same fervor. or how about another uber White athlete, Joe Alexander who spent a big portion of his life living in China and even speaks Mandarin. hmm ...

the Chinese stuff the NBA all-star ballots every year for Ming, despite his often being injured for half the season. do they put in a lot of votes for Lee or Alexander? no.

the Chinese aren't dumb enough to love "others" more than their own. it's only idiot White people who cast(e) aside their own kind in order to worship the "other." this idiocy is a HUGE component of White people's problems and integral to the continuance of the Caste System.

 

[C Darwin]

i can't wait to see the DWFs rockin' their 'WANG' jerseys. could there be anything more appropriate?

 

[Fightingtowin]

I think any Asian aware of the caste system and its favoritism toward black athletes would be excited about Collie, Gerhart, etc. Asians are caste busters and I'll root for them over a black athlete.

<div> </div>
<div>you really think so? tell me again exactly how big a fan favorite Yao Ming is over in China, and then tell me if the Chinese cheered on David Lee with the same fervor. or how about another uber White athlete, Joe Alexander who spent a big portion of his life living in China and even speaks Mandarin. hmm ...  

 </div>
<div> </div>
<div>the Chinese stuff the NBA all-star ballots every year for Ming, despite his often being injured for half the season. do they put in a lot of votes for Lee or Alexander? no.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>the Chinese aren't dumb enough to love "others" more than their own. it's only idiot White people who cast(e) aside their own kind in order to worship the "other." this idiocy is a HUGE component of White people's problems and integral to the continuance of the Caste System.</div>

I said "if" they are aware, which almost none of them are, but we are. As young as middle school I remember being annoyed by racial stereotypes in sports (the slow, nonathletic, smart, savvy, "just knows how to get open," overachiever, etc), but didn't start rooting for white athletes (as well as Hispanics, Asians, Indians) solely because they are white until I became aware that the system was firmly in place and having a major effect. For example, I was a Pistons fan so loved Bill Laimbeer, but hated Larry Bird because he was a rival (now I love Bird). But I was a major fan of white guys like Stockton and Dan Majerle because I liked the way they played, but not because they are white. Today I root for all white athletes and all non-black athletes to varying degrees to simply break down the system and open doors for those more deserving.

 

[Deadlift]

You like "Hispanics"..?

Regardless of their bloodlines?

 

[Fightingtowin]

You like "Hispanics"..?

Regardless of their bloodlines?

I didn't say anything about liking or disliking Hispanics. I wrote that I root for them over black athletes. And to clarify, I root for non-black Hispanics.

 

[white is right]

I think any Asian aware of the caste system and its favoritism toward black athletes would be excited about Collie, Gerhart, etc. Asians are caste busters and I'll root for them over a black athlete.

<div> </div>
<div>you really think so? tell me again exactly how big a fan favorite Yao Ming is over in China, and then tell me if the Chinese cheered on David Lee with the same fervor. or how about another uber White athlete, Joe Alexander who spent a big portion of his life living in China and even speaks Mandarin. hmm ...  

 </div>
<div> </div>
<div>the Chinese stuff the NBA all-star ballots every year for Ming, despite his often being injured for half the season. do they put in a lot of votes for Lee or Alexander? no.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>the Chinese aren't dumb enough to love "others" more than their own. it's only idiot White people who cast(e) aside their own kind in order to worship the "other." this idiocy is a HUGE component of White people's problems and integral to the continuance of the Caste System.</div>

Culturally the Chinese have been racist against against Blacks. Who can forget the no Black/Mongolian ban at night clubs and bars in Beijing. I would put their interest on Whites as most likely neutral. Unless they have a bet on a game/fight....

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Great posts JC, and I agree with you!

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

Colonel, what happened to your liking for the Asian caste buster? I recall you used to list Asian players like Cheng Ho in your "anti-caste" college football write ups.

I will cheer for Wang b/c he dispels the myth of black athletic supremacy. Asians are probably actually looked at by society as more nerdy and less athletic than whites.

Growing the NFL in China could only help weaken the caste system due to Chinese sentiments about the NFL. I don't think most Chinese "buy" (double meaning here) this NFL at 70% black (in a 13% black country) BS. I highly doubt there will be a HUGE influx of Asian players taking away from whites. At most you will see the same percentage of Asian players in the NFL as in the NBA. This can only be a good thing for debunking stereotypes and to bring new "non drunk" Asian fans.

 

[indianwhite]

The Chinese are very ethnocentric and xenophobic, every non-Western country has that racist policy.

It's only Western countries like USA, that has lost that important element for survival. I wish Wang any NFL success, but I'm not excited nor do I want any Chinese influx to the NFL. The NFL needs to stay American, black, and especially, WHITE!!!

That's exactly what the NBA's doing, accept some foreigners, but maintain a true American flavor. The problem with that flavor is it's too black. The NBA needs more and more American whites to really establish it's American flavor.

The MLB is fast becoming the chaotic UN, very disturbing how the league allows many who not only have a slight grasp on the English language, they show little or no respect for the great nation of America itself. Truly a pathetic sight to see, these players are only after the money, and not the American dream.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Tough, you have exaggerated and/or misunderstood my opinion towards Asian players. Me listing an Asian in a couple of team previews a couple of years back does not mean I believe them to be caste busters or that I root for them to take up a roster spot that could be held by a White player. They can't be caste busters for White players. The caste system doesn't work that way, and besides there are hardly any of them playing college football, especially at the most caste positions like RB, WR, and CB. Truth be told, they take away a potential White starter from a team. Most DWFs won't look at a successful asian RB and say "well, if that dude can make it, then so can a White man." Everything non-white is lumped into one category and everything White is lumped into another category. Our brains have been so bombarded with anti-white athlete messages that most people are so biased that they won't give it a thought or make the connection. Its something akin to cultural Marxist induced functional fixedness. White players have to be their own caste busters. No other race will be able to do it for them. While I'd rather see an Asian play in front of blacks or piers (my new name for pacific islanders; many do set foot in the US on a pier), I'd still rather see a White man playing in front of them all. I support White athletes first and always, all the time.

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

Colonel, thank you for clarifying. I agree with a lot of your post, but not all of it. I think that the NFL growing in Asia could weaken the caste system a little. The market would be more likely to expand there (and in Europe too- ie. Gerhart is popular there) if the NFL was less blatantly pro-black. I agree that most DWFs think the way you have explained, but I think there would be some that would think..."wow if a "nerdy" Asian can be a great DT, o-lineman (and to an even greater extent) a great RB or WR, but there are no others maybe the same thing's are happening to my race!"

I don't think the caste system will weaken dramatically- unless the NFL takes a financial hit or a VERY FAMOUS writer or Hollywood producer launches an attack on it that most people would hear about and ponder over.

But to get back to what I was saying; the NFL may think about diversifying it's product to expand into Europe or Asia and that has to do with finances (but in this case financial gain). I think that typical Chinese men although most are ethnocentric, would not be enthusiastic about how rabidly pro-black the NFL is. I'm sure they'd prefer more diversity with Caucasians- as a second desire to more Asians. Asians IMO, also seem to mix and mingle better with whites than with blacks.

 

[Deus Vult]

I hope he becomes All-Pro and shatters all kinds of stereotypes...

How does one Chinese player making All Pro "shatter all kinds of stereotypes?"

It has been a couple decades since Warren Moon, and establishment propaganda notwithstanding, there are still very few blacks who play QB the way whites do. There are some blacks under-center, playing the position where a QB would be, but very few who actually play QB.

Moon, you see, along with Doug Williams, was supposed to have shattered stereotypes...

 

[Deus Vult]

...I think that typical Chinese men although most are ethnocentric, would not be enthusiastic about how rabidly pro-black the NFL is. I'm sure they'd prefer more diversity with Caucasians- as a second desire to more Asians. Asians IMO, also seem to mix and mingle better with whites than with blacks.

Why would this be good? Is mixing and mingling ultimately what we want? I say we facetiously -- I know it is not what I want for my family

I read a lot of comments on this site that lead me to conclude that many posters are less-than-enamored with Negroes, but would meekly accept mass integration/misgcegenation of whites with other, less offensive races. For the record, I bear no other group any particular ill will. But none of them are "us." As Jared Taylor famously said, we deserve to be us, and only we can be us.

 

[Fightingtowin]

I hope he becomes All-Pro and shatters all kinds of stereotypes...

How does one Chinese player making All Pro "shatter all kinds of stereotypes?"

It has been a couple decades since Warren Moon, and establishment propaganda notwithstanding, there are still very few blacks who play QB the way whites do. There are some blacks under-center, playing the position where a QB would be, but very few who actually play QB.

Moon, you see, along with Doug Williams, was supposed to have shattered stereotypes...

I think they did shatter stereotypes. They played at a time blacks were nearly locked out of the position. Currently, the number of black starters in the NFL reflects the national average and over the past 10-15 years or so usually 2-3 black quarterbacks have been in the top ten in passing, exceeding the average. Blacks have been given opportunities largely because of them. Today, the only very good black quarterback is McNabb, then the rest are average to bad. But that is maybe an aberration, since we're dealing with such a small sample size.

When I read an article about Japan having a football league and they were starting to produce players who were borderline NFL talent, I told a DWF of mine. The first thing he said was "Asians are too small." Having an OT Asian make a Pro-Bowl is going to shatter some stereotypes, provide a further blemish to the caste system and make people think that, hey, maybe these stereotypes aren't all right. Having an Asian OT won't be a watershed moment, but it will be a contributing factor in ending the myth of black athletic superiority.Edited by: Fightingtowin

 

[white is right]

In the 1950's a Chinese Canadian played fullback in the CFL. Normie Kwong was called the Chinese Clipper and was a Larry Csonka, Alstott type of running fullback. He is CFL hall of fame member and former executive. Obviously he is from a different era and it's Canada. But that stereotype is largely based on the area of China most North American immigrants are from. In the North Chines nationals can get as large as Caucasians and have powerful stocky builds. Koreans from the north have similar frames.

 

[Deus Vult]

I think they did shatter stereotypes. They played at a time blacks were nearly locked out of the position. Currently, the number of black starters in the NFL reflects the national average and over the past 10-15 years or so usually 2-3 black quarterbacks have been in the top ten in passing, exceeding the average. Blacks have been given opportunities largely because of them. Today, the only very good black quarterback is McNabb, then the rest are average to bad. But that is maybe an aberration, since we're dealing with such a small sample size.

There was no rule locking blacks out of the QB position, but there may have been a bias against taking a chance on a black QB, though there were blacks at QB before Warren Moon. Moon's style was similar to that of white QBs. Most black QBs do not fit that mold. They play a "black style," which itself confirms part of the stereotype. The other part of the stereotype, a lack of aptitude, holds true on average. Your sample size is not the population at large, but the number of black players who play professional football. Of that number, how many are QBs? And of that number, how many are gimmicky "athletic" QBs? Having blacks play QB -- far from "shattering" racial stereotypes -- vindicated the Al Campanis-minded observers.

The exception tends to prove the rule.

 

[SteveB]

I think any Asian aware of the caste system and its favoritism toward black athletes would be excited about Collie, Gerhart, etc. Asians are caste busters and I'll root for them over a black athlete.

<div> </div>
<div>you really think so? tell me again exactly how big a fan favorite Yao Ming is over in China, and then tell me if the Chinese cheered on David Lee with the same fervor. or how about another uber White athlete, Joe Alexander who spent a big portion of his life living in China and even speaks Mandarin. hmm ...  

 </div>
<div> </div>
<div>the Chinese stuff the NBA all-star ballots every year for Ming, despite his often being injured for half the season. do they put in a lot of votes for Lee or Alexander? no.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>the Chinese aren't dumb enough to love "others" more than their own. it's only idiot White people who cast(e) aside their own kind in order to worship the "other." this idiocy is a HUGE component of White people's problems and integral to the continuance of the Caste System.</div>

True, I work with a Chinese based company and have discussed the NBA with them. They tell me that Kobe Bryant is just as popular as Yao in China, which surprised me.