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Donald Trump defied at Wembley as Jaguars and Ravens kneel for anthem | Sport | The Guardian

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Donald Trump defied at Wembley as Jaguars and Ravens kneel for anthem | Sport | The Guardian

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Twenty-seven players from the Jacksonville Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens took a knee during the singing of the US national anthem at Wembley Stadium on Sunday as the protest against the US president, Donald Trump, intensified. It was the most ever in a single NFL game.

Trump had increased his criticism of NFL players on Saturday, not only suggesting that fans of the sport should "refuse to go to games until players stop disrespecting our Flag & Country" but also urging any players who took a knee to be fired or suspended.

"NFL attendance and ratings are WAY DOWN," he added. "Boring games yes, but many stay away because they love our country. League should back US."

However Trump's testy demands were ignored by more than 80,000 fans at Wembley as well as a large number of players from the Jaguars and Ravens, who took a knee. The Guardian counted around 12 players from the Jaguars and 14 from the Ravens. There did not appear to be any white players taking a knee. However many players, coaches and even the Jaguars' owner Shahid Khan linked arms instead as they stood, showing unity for their black team-mates against Trump.

The Ravens' players and coaching staff were also supported by their owner Steve Bisciotti, who said: "We respect their demonstration and support them 100%."

The NFL's rules encourage but do not require players to stand for the playing of the anthem. Several team owners have issued statements over the past 24 hours condemning Trump's comments as divisive and supporting their players' ability to express themselves.

The latest came on Sunday morning from the New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who said he was "deeply disappointed" by the president's views.

Kraft, who has previously called Trump a very good friend when the Patriots visited the White House in April, said in a statement: "There is no greater unifier in this country than sports, and unfortunately, nothing more divisive than politics.

"I think our political leaders could learn a lot from the lessons of teamwork and the importance of working together toward a common goal," he added. "Our players are intelligent, thoughtful, and care deeply about our community and I support their right to peacefully affect social change and raise awareness in a manner that they feel is impactful."

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Donald Trump defied at Wembley as Jaguars and Ravens kneel for anthem

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Twenty-seven players from the Jacksonville Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens took a knee during the singing of the US national anthem at Wembley Stadium on Sunday as the protest against the US president, Donald Trump, intensified. It was the most ever in a single NFL game.

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Don’t Pedal for Israeli Crimes: Tell Giro d’Italia to Steer Clear of Apartheid | BDS Movement

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Don’t Pedal for Israeli Crimes: Tell Giro d’Italia to Steer Clear of Apartheid | BDS Movement

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Organizers of the famed Italian cycling race Giro d'Italia have announced the start of the 2018 edition from Israel, starting in Jerusalem followed by stages from Haifa to Tel Aviv and in the Naqab (Negev).

The race will 'celebrate' the 70th anniversary of Israel's establishment on the ruins of the Palestinian homeland and through the ethnic cleansing, or Nakba, of a majority of the indigenous Palestinians.

We have to act to stop this sports-washing of Israel's occupation and apartheid, dubbed by the media as " a big political coup for [Israel], which has been striving to paint a picture of 'normal' life."
Join us in telling organizers RCS to #RelocateTheRace
and cycle away from Israel's occupation and apartheid.
The Giro d'Italia will serve to institutionalize Israel's hold on Jerusalem. One Israeli official after another laid claims to Jerusalem as Israel's capital during the announcement ceremony, something no other country in the world recognizes. The Jerusalem Municipality is actively involved in the illegal gradual ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, including through home demolitions and forced expulsions as a matter of policy.

In the Naqab (Negev) in the south of present-day Israel, dozens of Palestinian Bedouin towns are refused recognition and basic services, and subjected to repeated demolitions, some over 100 times. Israel is also revoking the citizenship of Palestinian Bedouins for no reason, leaving them stateless.

Starting the race anywhere under Israel's control will serve as a stamp of approval for Israel's oppression of Palestinians. Would the Giro d'Italia have considered starting a race in apartheid South Africa in the 1980s?
Take action now to pressure RCS to respect international law and relocate the race.
Fill out the form on the right to send a letter to RCS.

Let's make sure RCS and cycling teams get the message: stop sports-washing Israel's egregious human rights violations, move the race start to another country!
#RelocateTheRace Campaign

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Don't Pedal for Israeli Crimes: Tell Giro d'Italia to Steer Clear of Apartheid

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Organizers of the famed Italian cycling race Giro d'Italia have announced the start of the 2018 edition from Israel, starting in Jerusalem followed by stages from Haifa to Tel Aviv and in the Naqab (Negev).

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Why are comic cons no longer about comics? | Books | The Guardian

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Why are comic cons no longer about comics? | Books | The Guardian

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On the website of a recent comic con in Lancashire, the big draws were: a puppeteer who worked on Star Wars and The Dark Crystal; an actor who was in Space: 1999 and played the Stormtrooper in Star Wars who said: "These aren't the droids we're looking for"; a child actor who appeared in Game of Thrones. Oh, and Knight Rider's car was there, as was The Simpsons school bus and Luke Skywalker's Land Speeder. There was a gaming area. All of which, I hasten to add, sounds absolutely brilliant to a geek like me. And yet ... this was a comic con, right? What became of the comics?

I find myself annoyed by the ever-growing number of comic cons that don't seem to be about comics at all. The five comic creators named on the aforementioned con's website were tucked away at the bottom: two from the Beano, one at Marvel, a Jack Kirby expert and the fifth who was more a fantasy illustrator than a comics artist. Again, all great - but isn't it a bit disingenuous to continue to call these events comic cons?

We can probably blame San Diego for all this. The godfather of comic cons began life in 1970 and was then entirely devoted to comics, thus earning its name. Actually, it was called the Golden State Comic Minicon back then. But over the years it has morphed into a glossy, media-led event where we get first looks at huge movies and TV companies announce new series. It's very possible now to spend a day at San Diego Comic Con without getting so much as a sniff of an actual comic.

The myriad events around the world that use "comic con" as a term for "loads of cool geeky stuff and autographs at a tenner a time from some guy who once made some coffee for the cast of the Tomorrow People" are really just taking their lead from San Diego - and why wouldn't they? It works for them, it works for the people who go there and get to sit in an old Ford Cortina pimped to look like Zebra Three from Starsky and Hutch.

It's at times like this I thank Galactus above for Thought Bubble, a Leeds-based festival, now in it's 11th year that will devote this coming weekend fully to comics. Yes, you'll see the odd Ghostbuster or Terminator cosplayer, but Thought Bubble - along with the Lakes international comic art festival, which takes over Kendal next month - is one of the few events that not only focuses on, but joyously celebrates the form.

And they don't stint on guests. Heading in from the US this year is Gerard Way, former frontman of alternative rock band My Chemical Romance and current curator of DC comics' Young Animal imprint, who now writes Doom Patrol. He's backed up by a veritable who's who of international comic talent: Brian K Vaughan, Sara Pichelli, Jody Houser, Hannah Berry, Becky Cloonan, Paul Cornell, Andy Diggle, Duncan Fegredo ... Suffice to say, if you're into comics of any kind, there'll be someone you'd like at Thought Bubble this year.

Thought Bubble is the brainchild of Lisa Wood, an artist of some renown under the pen name Tula Lotay, who decided a decade ago to create the kind of event she'd like to attend - one focused on artists, writers and readers.

"I always think it's really bizarre that you have all these events around the country called comic cons when they really don't have much to do with comics," says Wood. "People do enjoy them, and that's great. But ... I want to see writers and artists, I want to see the creators that help the medium flourish. We've always wanted to celebrate comics in their purest form."

This year, the biggest test for Lotay's "pure and simple" ethos will be Way, with his hinterland in music. But as Wood says, his presence has the potential to draw newcomers to comics: "He'll pull in a whole new audience for us ... But if these people come, and maybe pick up the comics he's involved in, then perhaps investigate others as a result, that's what we're all about - bringing along the next generation of comics readers, to help the medium survive and thrive."

All without a 10-quid-a-go Batmobile in sight.

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Why are comic cons no longer about comics?

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On the website of a recent comic con in Lancashire, the big draws were: a puppeteer who worked on Star Wars and The Dark Crystal; an actor who was in Space: 1999 and played the Stormtrooper in Star Wars who said: "These aren't the droids we're looking for"; a child actor who appeared in Game of Thrones.

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Behind the scenes at Bristol Harbour Festival 2016 - Event Industry News

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Behind the scenes at Bristol Harbour Festival 2016 - Event Industry News

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Affluent and professional consumers of culture

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Conceptualizing audience experience at the literary festival: Continuum: Vol 29, No 1

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Conceptualizing audience experience at the literary festival: Continuum: Vol 29, No 1

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Wasteland: The Mad Max Festival That Makes Burning Man Look Lame | WIRED

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Wasteland: The Mad Max Festival That Makes Burning Man Look Lame | WIRED

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For a fun, wholesome weekend activity, you really can't beat the apocalypse.

Chaos is the norm at Wasteland, the "world's largest post-apocalyptic festival" that turns the Mojave Desert into a glorious vision of hell on earth. For four days each September, thousands of survivors maraud a patch of dirt and sand east of Bakersfield, California, in wild jalopies and wage epic bungee-battles in a two-story Thunderdome.

Wasteland combines the coolest parts of Mad Max and Fallout with a dash of *Dune *in a simple premise: The end of civilization has left a scrappy band of survivors to pillage a scorched, dead planet. Some 2,500 people-the largest crowd in the event's seven-year history-braved this brutal world last weekend, settling into themed tribes like Skulduggers and Vermin Vagabonds.

Wasteland is fully immersive. Costumes are mandatory-no gawkers allowed-and must be in character. Don't even think about crossing over from another universe like Star Wars. Attendees come from all over the country and spend the year before planning their get-ups and car mods. And if the world ever really does go to hell? "Some will be well prepared," says Jared Butler, Wasteland's event director and cofounder. "The others, well, they'll be poorly prepared, but they'll look fabulous."

During the day, the sun transforms every metal surface into a sheet of fire. The grime is inescapable, coating tents, vehicles, and bodies alike in a sheen of sweat and sand. The noise never lets up, the bass-heavy thud of the dance pit joining the roar of engines and the cheers of those watching fighters clash in jugger matches. And when night falls, things really get crazy.

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Welcome to Wasteland: The 'Mad Max' Festival That Makes Burning Man Look Lame

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For a fun, wholesome weekend activity, you really can't beat the apocalypse. Chaos is the norm at Wasteland, the "world's largest post-apocalyptic festival" that turns the Mojave Desert into a glorious vision of hell on earth.

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Iron Maiden announce first UK tour using paperless tickets - Priority Tickets

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Iron Maiden announce first UK tour using paperless tickets - Priority Tickets

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Iron Maiden have announced their new UK tour will be their first in the country to use paperless tickets.

Bruce Dickinson's band are aiming to cut down the amount of tickets listed for "ludicrously inflated" prices on resale websites. Fans will not receive printed tickets for the group's May arena tour, but will have to present photo ID and a credit card when they arrive at the show.

"We do not want our fans being ripped off either by counterfeit tickets or through costly mark-ups on so-called secondary ticketing websites," manager Rod Smallwood said in a statement.

The band have previously used paperless ticketing in America.

In May 2017, they will embark on a 11 date tour, beginning in Nottingham and concluding with a date at London's The O2.

Priority Tickets for Iron Maiden are available from Wednesday, September 28. O2 customers get tickets 48 hours before general release. Search 'O2 Priority' for tickets.

Nottingham, Motorpoint Arena (May 4)
Manchester, Arena (May 8)
Sheffield, Arena (May 10)
Leeds, First Direct Arena (May 11)
Newcastle, Metro Radio Arena (May 14)
Glasgow, The SSE Hydro (May 16)
Aberdeen, GE Arena (May 17)
Liverpool, Echo Arena (May 20)
Birmingham, Barclaycard Arena (May 21)
Cardiff, Motorpoint Arena (May 24)
London, The O2 (May 27)
https://link.brightcove.com/services/player/?bctid=114711745001

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Iron Maiden announce first UK tour using paperless tickets - Priority Tickets

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Iron Maiden have announced their new UK tour will be their first in the country to use paperless tickets. Bruce Dickinson's band are aiming to cut down the amount of tickets listed for "ludicrously inflated" prices on resale websites.

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I was paid to party all summer | Times2 | The Times & The Sunday Times

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I was paid to party all summer | Times2 | The Times & The Sunday Times

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When she applied for her dream job, Ella Crockett did not dare to hope that she would actually get it. Thousands of applicants were chasing the position, which involved spending two months on Nantucket, a charming island off the coast of Cape Cod, in Massachusetts, the playground of many wealthy Americans. The 21-year-old from Hertfordshire was overjoyed when she was picked to be a "seasonnaire", one of the cool, young people paid to spread the word about the clothing brand Jack Wills.

Crockett has spent the summer implementing marketing strategies and building brand awareness for the British retailer, tasks that might sound boring but in reality mean barbecues on the beach, partying till all hours and generally living the young and carefree life depicted in...

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When she applied for her dream job, Ella Crockett did not dare to hope that she would actually get it. Thousands of applicants were chasing the position, which involved spending two months on Nantucket, a charming island off the coast of Cape Cod, in Massachusetts, the playground of many wealthy Americans.

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Catnip Festival - Catnip Festival | London's first cat video festival

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Catnip Festival - Catnip Festival | London's first cat video festival

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There are significant problems at West Ham United's new stadium, the re-purposed Olympic Stadium in East London. Conflict between rival groups of fans and the failure of a third-party contractor to effectively police the interior of the stadium have been creating problems during home matches.  The Metropolitan Police have refused to police matches because of ineffective radio communications while the relocation of fans has led to disagreements about both standing up during games and to feelings of being squeezed out by long-term, traditional supporters as the football club becomes ever-more commercial.

Some follow-up reading and ways to begin to make sense of this story include a paper concerning  "Risk, security and technology: governing football supporters in the twenty-first century" and another, by Tim Edensor, entitled "Producing atmospheres at the match: Fan cultures, commercialisation and mood management in English football."

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This was not how it was advertised in the brochure. Nor in the glossy online videos fronted by the vice-chair Karren Brady. Or, for that matter, in the hi-tech glass and chrome season ticket reservations centre in the Westfield shopping mall next to the Olympic Park where West Ham's new 57,000-seat stadium nestles. Their move to what we must now call London Stadium (at least until a much-delayed naming rights deal is announced) is a dream that is threatening to turn into a nightmare.

It is unlikely David Gold, the club's co-owner who has sworn until he is claret and blue in the face that the move is not a prelude to cashing out, enjoyed his 80th birthday much. Not only did he see West Ham, so fluid and thrilling last season in those intense night matches when they bid farewell to Upton Park, throw away a 2-0 lead against Watford but the issues that had been bubbling away with the stadium move burst into the open.

As a minority of West Ham fans fought with each other and Watford supporters, leading to 20 being banned on Friday, others shook their heads at what they saw around them. Nor would the soundtrack have been exactly that Gold dreamed of when the protracted, controversial battle for the £701m Olympic Stadium was finally won following a succession of legal tussles and political bungles.

"Stand up if you love West Ham," chanted some fans; "Where were you at Upton Park?" sang others, as frustration with a dream seemingly turning sour before their eyes became ugly.

Some current and former stewards, with decades of experience at Upton Park between them, and who spoken to the Observer last week, have variously described the situation as a scandal and an accident waiting to happen.

The clashes between West Ham fans have been styled by some as a showdown between new football and old football, the prawn sandwich brigade pitched against those who favour a pie, a pint and some industrial-strength language. That is a grave oversimplification. Many of those most troubled by the move were longstanding season ticket holders at Upton Park.

Similarly, others have tried to boil a complex situation down to a face-off between those who want to stand and those who do not. But the safe standing issue is a separate debate, albeit one whose time appears to be coming amid positive noises from the new FA chairman, Greg Clarke. Had the so-called "migration" been better handled, the issue of persistent standing would not have turned into quite such an early flashpoint.

For all that, there is an undeniable feeling that, if the situation is not resolved by the time West Ham play Southampton next Saturday, the entire rationale for the move is in danger of being undermined. Things like the new club crest incorporating the word London, the decision to swap Ken's Cafe and market stalls for upmarket eateries and a huge new megastore sometimes feel like a stark experiment on a grand scale.

To some, it seemed West Ham were too eager to cast off the past, that the stage-managed farewell to the Boleyn Ground was an attempt to draw a definitive line under the east London club as it was. Such arguments would have likely remained a low-key undertow to the move had things gone better. As it is, they will fester and grow if the situation is not addressed.

Since the Watford game, meetings have taken place between the club and the stadium operators, LS185, set up by Vinci, which has a 25-year contract to run the stadium. "There is a lot of testosterone flying about, it's an awful relationship," said one well-placed source. All sides are insistent that money is not an issue when it comes to fan safety and it would do them a disservice to suggest otherwise. But it cannot be denied that the fractious relationship between the stadium operators (and the London Legacy Development Corporation/Newham "special purpose vehicle" that sits above them) has contributed to the current situation.

Tensions that built throughout negotiations over the tenancy agreement, which resulted in West Ham paying £2.5m a year for the stadium, have led to a far from straightforward working relationship. West Ham seem aggrieved that they were not consulted more fully about how their new home would be run. One of the more surprising lines of defence from the stadium owners was that many other sporting events have been held at the stadium - as though a one-off motor racing exhibition or a Rugby World Cup match is in any way analogous to the prospect of West Ham facing Tottenham or Chelsea.

Under the deal LS185 is responsible for all matchday costs, including stewarding and policing. With Brady having struck a characteristically hard bargain, there is an underlying irritation at being blamed for the latest problems.

There is plenty of blame to go around. While the club and the stadium owners have tried to play the situation down, the most troubling views have come from the 140 Upton Park stewards who made the move with the club. Already, 40 are said to have quit. Their tale is a sorry one. They claim that they have not been listened to and that while at Upton Park stewards were stationed in the same place and built up a rapport with fans, learning to quell trouble before it started; at the London Stadium they have been shunted around to different spots.

Anecdotal evidence tells of home and away fans mixing freely on their way into the stadium, of minimal searches taking place, of the automatic turnstiles not distinguishing between adult and concession tickets, of fans buying cut-price season tickets to sell on, of fans sitting in seats that are not their own. Somewhere along the way the migration of season ticket holders from Upton Park, and the addition of up to 20,000 more into the mix, has been mishandled.

So those in the self-styled "chav corner" - a rowdy bunch at the intersection of the Trevor Brooking and West Stands at Upton Park - were told they would be relocated to a similarly atmospheric part of the new ground only to find they have effectively been told to sit down and shut up.

Conversely, those who wanted a family-friendly environment were told that the entire upper tier was designed to be welcoming to them.

One of the biggest mysteries of the game of blame and counter-blame played out over the past week is the case of the incredible reappearing family section. Under Premier League rules, clubs are required to have an official family section. West Ham say that two blocks in the Bobby Moore Upper that house season ticket holders moved from the family area in Upton Park fulfil that criteria.

But many fans who have contacted the Observer say they specifically asked if there was a family section and were told there was not.

West Ham are trying to move on to the front foot and have insisted on a police presence within the ground. They will hold a meeting with fans after the Southampton match, have moved more than 250 dissatisfied with their new seats and are insistent that the issues will come to be seen as teething problems as the season progresses.

The danger for the West Ham board and for Brady personally, is that a painful few weeks will set the tone for the entire season. That part of a fanbase who had largely been convinced of the need to move to the new stadium as part of a vision to turn West Ham into one of London's biggest clubs is already wondering whether they have been mis-sold.

On his Twitter feed Gold has swung between defiance - "It is a different stadium and we love our new home. It takes time to adjust" - and railing against those who criticise. One fan who accused him of selling the club's soul was told that they had just moved into a "new iconic stadium" and to "pull yourself together" and go for a "lie down".

For the owners and for Brady, this has become personal. If they are to rescue the bold move on which they have staked their reputations and the future of the club, they will have to move fast.
Topics

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West Ham's home discomforts risk bursting bubble around new ground | Owen Gibson

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This was not how it was advertised in the brochure. Nor in the glossy online videos fronted by the vice-chair Karren Brady. Or, for that matter, in the hi-tech glass and chrome season ticket reservations centre in the Westfield shopping mall next to the Olympic Park where West Ham's new 57,000-seat stadium nestles.

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The WWE, a one-time professional wrestling promoter, has begun expanding into the potentially lucrative Chinese marketplace with a major event in Shanghai. The strategic move into an unproven wrestling market is being facilitated through tactically employing Chinese athletes with a vision of creating domestic superstars as well as introducing Chinese audiences to major international talents. Such a move is well-worn path as evidenced by the success of NBA in China as well as the (English) Premier League.  In terms of the internationalization of the WWE, this initiative follows a long-standing model of international events and tours as well as the international expansion of the WWE Network service.

Here is an interesting academic journal article concerning the growth and branding of the Ultimate Fighting Championship brand - Co-evolutionary Processes and Positive Feedback in the Growth of the Ultimate Fighting Championships.

Here is another journal article looking at the processes through which NBA basketball became established in the Chinese market -  Glocalisation of Sport: The NBA's Diffusion in China.

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At 6-feet 3-inches tall, with 220 pounds of lean muscle, 22-year old Wang is a giant among his Chinese countrymen.

His handsome, expressive face and impressively imposing physique is why World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) wants to make him one of its "superstars."

Wang is the first Chinese pro-wrestler to sign a developmental contract with WWE.

He's spent the past three months training at its "Performance Center" in Orlando, Florida and was back in China last week to have his first match at a WWE live show in Shanghai.

"I'm having my debut WWE match in my motherland. I'm so excited and very happy," Wang, a native of Anhui province, told CNN a day before his big match.

"My family and friends will come to the arena and watch me compete."

China strategy

WWE's shows are a lively mix of athleticism, drama and comedy.

Wrestlers with over-the-top personalities punch, kick and throw each other around a 20 x 20-foot ring to settle scripted storyline feuds, or compete for a coveted championship belt -- all before thousands of screaming fans who cheer for their heroes and heckle their villains.

The company has millions of fans around the world, but a combination of regulatory restrictions and an obvious language barrier have been challenges to growth in China, where it has a fiercely loyal but comparatively small following.

Over the past six months, WWE has made some big moves to expand in the world's biggest marketplace -- home to a massive and increasingly wealthy middle class.

In April it hired Jay Li, its first vice president and general manager for China. In June it signed Wang as a performer and announced a deal with Chinese streaming service PPTV to carry its two premier weekly programs, "Raw" and "Smackdown," live with Mandarin commentary and Chinese subtitles.

"Our strategy is fairly consistent," said George Barrios, WWE's chief financial and strategy officer. "We come into the market. We're really consistent to building the brand. We bring the video in. We localize it in the language."

Stars in training

Last week, WWE announced it had signed seven more Chinese nationals to developmental contracts. They'll be joining Wang in Orlando and begin training next year.

"I think its super important," Li said. "Signing a Chinese superstar generates additional interest for the casual fans who've just heard about us. Now they all of a sudden have a reason to log on and check it out."

Li said he's found the best way to explain WWE's product to Chinese people is by comparing it to Kung Fu novels. "And they get it immediately," he said. "It's scripted entertainment that's full of action."

John Cena, arguably WWE's most popular active performer, is known and loved by many Chinese fans for being able to say his catchphrase "You can't see me" in Mandarin. Although he admits, he doesn't say it correctly.

After his first visit to China in 2010, he started studying Chinese to connect with his fans.

"Shanghai is a beautiful city and it's the most massive city that I've ever visited," Cena said.

"I figured if I could learn to speak the language, even in its most basic form, I could communicate with the culture better and be able to describe what we can do."

There's no guarantee that Wang Bin and the seven other Chinese signed to WWE will actually become fully-fledged superstars like Cena, and perform on its weekly televised shows and monthly pay per view events.

Not only will they have to learn and perfect wrestling moves like bodyslams and suplexes, but they'll need to develop characters that connect with a global audience -- a process that could take years.

"We believe that to be a WWE superstar, you have to be able to transcend your own culture. You have to speak to everyone," George Barrios explained.

Uphill battle

For Wang, who speaks minimal English, communication has been an uphill battle. "My trainers and I cannot directly communicate in words. We express ourselves in body language," he told CNN.

In addition to the hours of physical training, Wang also has to study English as part of his daily routine.

On Saturday night, he got his first chance to show fans what he's learned.

Debuting his new ring name -- Tian Bin -- he pinned established WWE wrestler Bo Dallas after a powerful running slam -- and celebrated along with several thousand excited Chinese fans.

Wang knows as WWE's first Chinese performer he's got a lot to live up to.

"I definitely feel the pressure. We have so many fans in China," Wang said.

"But gradually, through my training, my opportunities, and my progress that comes from that, I'll take this pressure and turn it into power."

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wwe in china: will pro-wrestling fly or flop?  - cnn

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WWE's push into China: Will pro-wrestling fly or flop?

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At 6-feet 3-inches tall, with 220 pounds of lean muscle, 22-year old Wang is a giant among his Chinese countrymen. His handsome, expressive face and impressively imposing physique is why World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) wants to make him one of its "superstars." Wang is the first Chinese pro-wrestler to sign a developmental contract with WWE.