柯登朗／親愛的NBA，你有改變世界的力量（嗎？）
（※ 文：柯登朗，旅美NBA數十年的球迷）
親愛的NBA，
這幾個月來一定很難熬吧，你們跟中國是怎麼了？想必是風水犯沖了吧。美國隊在中國的世界盃籃球賽怎麼可能被電成這樣？就算你們最尊貴的美國球員們不屑出賽，全美第九隊來也應該可以輕鬆拿下正港世界冠軍的啊！現在，莫瑞的事真的讓《南方四賤客》那些傢伙看起來像是天才預言家一樣，但也來的太快了吧！
我們台灣人喜歡NBA，你們是知道的。我們感謝NBA球星們每年夏天來來去去來賣我們球鞋，我們喜愛NBA，就算哪天Curry說他討厭臭豆腐、Kobe不喜歡夜市牛排、或是Harden不愛珍珠奶茶，我們還是會愛你的，尤其你還知道台灣人對於我們的美食是多麼自豪的。
我們愛NBA，即使你把我們的業務放在NBA中國之下，即使你把台北和北京、上海、香港並列為你所謂的全球城市，那都沒有關係，我們懂的，我們習慣了。我們常常被稱為中華台北、甚至更慘的「台灣，中國的一省」（我們不是！）。我們的確被冒犯，但我們懂，真的，因為那就是中國做事的方式，我們早就知道了，我們在他們的陰影下已經數十年了，誰叫他們是我們的鄰居呢？終於換你們來親身體驗箇中滋味了。
當史特林造成你們麻煩和馬丁被槍殺時，你們的巨星們紛紛起身並高聲疾呼，當Steph、CP3、LeBron成為民權肖像，他們卻沒有為那些在海外替他們生產高價球鞋而被血汗工廠剝削的孩子們發聲，我們懂的，生意嘛！黑人的生命當然重要，但亞洲的生命也是，你們曾經挺過康特，你們也可以挺莫瑞。
你們跟騰訊的齟齬大概會造成不小的損失吧，但是現在人家可也把你們當成敵人了，現在正是挺身而出並撐下去的時刻，你們可以成為運動世界裡面對中國的典範，生活嘛，哪那麼簡單，我們總會有些雙重標準的，但這或許是向全世界球迷展現風骨與格調，要比幾分錢要來的重要的時刻。
而且，你也知道的，不用擔心那些中國球迷的，對啦，他們錯過了西門斯的三分球，但只要正規球季一開打，他們總有門路可以找到他們摯愛的Curry和LeBron的，就像他們會找到莫瑞的推特一樣。
曼德拉曾說，「運動有改變世界的力量」；至於變好或變壞，那掌握在你手中。正當烏雲密布蔓延時，背後那道銀光已然乍現。
祝 安好
一名台灣的NBA球迷
|
Dear NBA,
It must’ve been a tough few months for you. What is wrong with you and China? It must have been that fengshui thing, right? Otherwise, how could Team USA got their butts kicked so badly in China in the FIBA World Cup? Even though your top American players were too prestigious to play, your 9th team could still have won the genuine World Champs, right? And now, Morey really made those guys from South Park genius prophets, didn’t he? But, boy, can prophecy become reality any faster?
We Taiwanese love the NBA. And you know that. We appreciate that NBA stars come and visit us every summer, even just to sell shoes. Even if Curry hates stinky tofu, Kobe dislikes steaks in nightmarkets, or Harden does not enjoy his cup of bubble tea, we will still love ya.And you know how proud we Taiwanese are about our food.
We love the NBA, even after you made NBA China in charge of business in Taiwan, even after you put Taipei alongside Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong as “global” cities. We get it. We are used to it. We are called Chinese Taipei, or worse, Taiwan, province of China, all the time (btw, we are NOT). We might be offended, but we understand. We really do. Because that’s the China way. We feel it all the time. We have been under their growing shadow for the past few decades. After all, they are just at our door. It’s finally your turn to experience it firsthand.
Back in the days, when Donald Sterling caused you trouble and Trayvon Martin got shot, your biggest stars stood up and spoke out. While Steph, CP3 and Lebron became icons for civil rights movement in the States, they have been silent on those kids who made their overpriced sneakers in sweatshops overseas. We get it. Business is business. Black lives surely matter. But, please, so do Asian ones. You once got Kanter’s back. You can also get Morey’s now.
The spat with Tencent is probably going to cost you more than ten cents. But for the time being, you NBA is nothing but animosity to them. It is time to stand up and hang on. NBA is not just America’s or China’s. You could become an example for the sports world by showing how to face China. Life ain’t easy. We all have double standards at times. However, it is time to show the world that integrity and character weigh more than ten cents.
And please, don’t worry about your fans in China. Yes, they missed Ben Simmons’s three pointer. But when regular season comes, they will find ways to see their beloved Curry and Lebron. Trust me, they will. Just like they know how to tweet on Daryl Morey’s page.
Sport has the power to change the world, as Nelson Mandela famously said. But, for better or worse, it’s totally in your hands. While big, dark cloud is looming, we see a silver-lining.
Sincerely, An NBA fan in Taiwan
|
