The700Level.com - Philly Sports & Minutiae

Your (My) Saturday Morning Hangover

Because I'm unable to muster any creativity in my current state, you all get an Olympic update on this horrible, horrible Saturday morning.  Enrico recently discovered beach volleyball is an exciting sport, something I've known for at least a couple years now.  The major difference between him and I is, as a rule, I only watch the women play.  You know, because they're better...

Programming note: I had the opportunity to watch some of the Eagles last night, and for what it's worth, they looked great.  I'll have a full game report Monday morning.  Also coming to help fill the void next week, we'll be breaking down the NFC East with individual team previews.  It's football week at the Level.

Enrico on WIP at 11:30ish (Update: Audio Link)

After watching the Americans take down Germany on the hardwood this morning, Enrico's continuing his evening by calling Glen Macnow and Ike Reese at around 11:30-11:35 our time. Tune in. Turn on.

Update: Here's a link to the interview with Enrique.

LeBron and Team USA Owning The Germans

You are looking at my view from section 305, row 2 as the US hoops team is handling Dirk and Germany by 24 at the half.

The crowd at this game is silent compared to the Spain vs China game.

I'm curious what the interest levels in the Redeem Team are back in Philly?

Usain Bolt, Tyson Gay, and the Price of Rice Beer in China

Enrico's adventures in Beijing continue, and I think he may have found his Chinese kryptonite: cheap beer.

Enrico's Adventures in the Water Cube

Without a doubt, the story of these Summer games has been the swimming events, dwarfing even men's basketball to many fans stateside and worldwide. Obviously this is fueled by Michael Phelps, the American many are calling the best Olympian ever now that he's won more gold medals than any competitor ever, and he may win more than anyone in a single games. His six golds in Beijing have all been earned with record times.

The home of the swimming events this year is aptly called the Water Cube, and Enrico has managed to get inside for a peek at the water sports, albeit for a prelim event. Read here for more.

Strange Things in Beijing: Posed Pictures

Anybody know what the deal is with the posed pictures? [FH]

The Olympics Are Pretty Fun

As many of you may know, I'm in China. That is a couple of miles away from the Delaware Valley. I hit up the China vs. Spain game on Tuesday and tried to track down the Redeem Team this evening to no avail. Despite my hopes to buy Chris Paul a glass of "Sing Sao" as it sounds, I did get to hang out with the incredible Dan Steinberg of D.C. Sports Bog.

Agent Steinz was in search of team U.S.A. hanging out at a club in Beijing but he had to settle for the common folk telling him a story or two.

Dan's camera work is severely lacking but this shortcoming made up for in his ability to quote random drunk people with interesting tales to tell.

A video demonstrating China's ability to cheer on their hometown squad below (note: this video did not upload in time for this posting. look for it in a subsequent post. Blame Canada).

Read Dan's recap of part of my evening at D.C. Sports Bog here.

Cross Promotion Across the Globe

Dan Steinberg is in the middle of the best blogging month in the short history of sports blogs. As I wrote this morning on my site:

Steinberg has one of the best sports blogs in the country day in and day out. But, if you’re not into the DC sports scene, it can get a little too inside the Beltway for your liking. Well, the past week has been, in this podcaster’s opinion, the best sports blogging ever. If there was Olympic gold for sports blogging, Steinberg would be Michael Phelps and the rest of us would be going down to the basement to compete for silver.

His latest post is about his quest to see the Redeem team out at a Beijing bar called Block 8. Steinberg breaks down his party-going entourage which includes one Enrico Campitelli, Jr. You can read his adventure here.

You can also listen to Steinberg. Coincidentally, I had the great pleasure of interviewing Steinz today for my show, On the DL. Maybe you've heard of it. I think I may have mentioned it once or twice in the last few days.

We talk about all things Olympics, but it sounds like he's in the next room. It's amazing. He honestly sounds like he's right next to me, and he's actually 12 hours into the FUTURE. Or something like that.

So raise a glass in hopes that Enrico posts some video of LeBron and Kobe doing body shots soon. Until then, feel free to give the interview a listen, and the Beijing Sports Smog a thorough read.

Taxi Rides in Beijing Are Fun

Getting anywhere in a Beijing taxi can be quite challenging yet a fun adventure as well. This is a video I took of us trying to get our cabbie to drive us to the opening ceremonies. He's also familiar with Yao Ming as you'll notice at the one minute mark. Read more at FanHouse.

Opening Ceremonies: A Good Vantage Is Hard to Find

Enrico's travels in Beijing continue, and like most Americans, he had to watch the Opening Ceremonies on TV. But not for lack of effort...

I spent about three hours on Friday trying to get as near to the Bird's Nest in Beijing as possible to find an up close look at the opening ceremonies. We had hoped to find an outdoor area nearby -- maybe a park? -- with a TV screen of sorts so we could catch a glimpse of the pageantry on TV as well as the fireworks above the stadium. That mission was a failure but it didn't stop us from enjoying the festivities. A recap of our attempt after the jump.
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My First Real Beijing Experience

So I had a pretty fun adventure in Beijing on Thursday night. Here's what I wrote over at FanHouse and check out the video after the jump.

So the guy on the corner giving us directions speaks great English and my buddy compliments him on it and we get to chatting. Turns out he's an art teacher at a local university and is planning to work at a museum at Harvard in the fall. True story. So anyway, some how the conversation turns to his art studio in the hotel nearby and we agree to check out his gallery. We walk through this shady looking entrance to the "hotel" where they are selling strange types of cigarettes and tobacco products, go up an escalator, through a "lobby" and through a "bar" where twenty-something locals are drinking and smoking. Finally we go through two more rooms and get to an art gallery where he paints my name "Enrico."

Excerpts Taken from Sun Tzu's The Art of Water Polo

Sun Tzu said:  The art of water polo is of vital importance to the State.

All water polo is based on deception.

Hold out the yellow ball to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, then pass it.

If he is floating at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, swim to the other side.

It is the rule in water polo, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to splash him; if five to one, dunk him; if twice as numerous, steal his goggles.

The onrush of a conquering force is like the bursting of pent-up waters into a chasm a thousand fathoms deep. Thus, always keep plenty of chlorine on hand.

Appear at points which the enemy must hasten to defend; swim like a bastard to places where you are not expected.

Therefore, just as water retains no constant shape, so in water polo there are no constant conditions.

He who can modify his tactics in relation to his opponent and thereby succeed in winning, may be called a gold-medal captain.

Strange Things In Beijing: Naked Babies

So I can't really get The700Level.com to load in Beijing. I blame Mr. C. Davis for that. I thought a little mini series on strange things seen in Beijing would make for some quick fun. Be sure to check out a few other posts I've been throwing up at FanHouse.

So apparently clothing is very optional for babies in China. Instead there are like bibs with holes in the front for easy disposal of liquids and the backs are well... nonexistent. After the jump see what kind of ease of use these outfits make for.

In Which Olympic Event Would This Famous Chinese Historical Figure Compete? (Part I)

In honor of our Fearless Leader's journey to the Far East, we who were left behind to help tend to his baby have each been charged with the task of contributing something, anything, to try and fill the void that, inevitably, Mr. C. will leave as soon as the Beijing authorities discover his extensive stockpile of Tibetan porn.

Thus, my humble contribution to this effort will consist of an ongoing series entitled: "In Which Olympic Event Would This Famous Chinese Historical Figure Compete?"

Our first subject: Mao Tse-Tung.

Famous, among other things, for his 1934-36 "Long March" across the inhospitable terrain of the Chinese Mainland during the country's Civil War. Chairman Mao is clearly in prime condition for any and all long-distance events. Named his patented long jump the "Great Leap Forward."

So I jump ship in Hong Kong, make may way over to Tibet...

and I get on as a looper at a course over in the Himalayas. A looper, you know, a caddy, a looper, a jock.

I’ve never been to the Olympics, but more importantly I’ve never been to China. That will all change this week as I’m getting on a plane this evening to fly to the lovely country that you can get to apparently if you just dig a hole in your back yard (It just takes a while). Instead of getting out my shovel, I thought it’d be more fun to leave my country on a Tuesday and fly to China with stopovers in L.A. and Seoul, Korea before getting to China on Thursday. Where do the hours go?!?

My itinerary (which doesn't include Hong Kong, despite the post title) is quite filled with all different types of stuff. The main reason I’m heading to the Olympics is to take a class for my graduate school program in which we will study the business aspects of the big games. I won’t bore you with that but of course I’ll be blogging away. I’m FanHouse’s only blogger on the scene in China so my content should be featured fairly prominently over there. Don’t worry, I’ll link you.

The good thing about China is that you don’t have to think real hard about the time difference. When it’s 7:00 pm in Beijing and I’m checking out a riveting kayaking event, it will be 7:00 am in Philadelphia and Matt  P. will be brewing his morning coffee before an exciting day of work.

So that’s one good thing about China.  After the jump, a few more good things and the plan for this here website over the next month or so.