OT: Hines Ward

[mikey]

Half-Korean Super Bowl MVP Hines Ward of the Pittsburgh Steelers, poses with his mother Kim Young-hee after a press conference in Seoul, Tuesday, April 11, 2006. Ward said Tuesday he will return to South Korea next month to work on establishing a foundation that will help children of mixed race here.

Half-Korean Super Bowl MVP Hines Ward, left, poses with his mother Kim Young-hee, right, as they wear traditional dress at the Korean Folk Village in Yongin, south of Seoul, Sunday, April 9, 2006. Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Ward was given a red carpet welcome Monday as he arrived in the land of his birth amid intense media attention.

 

[smg93]

Those are cool pics. I'm sure because of this, there will be a surge of interest in Korea for Football. The general population is obviously smaller in size than the states of course, but they've got a lot of speedsters there and are incredibly mentally tough.

 

[Phokus]

Those are cool pics. I'm sure because of this, there will be a surge of interest in Korea for Football. The general population is obviously smaller in size than the states of course, but they've got a lot of speedsters there and are incredibly mentally tough.

I dunno, football hasn't exactly caught on internationally like basketball or baseball have...

 

[Hoodie]

good for Hines. I wonder where they found traditional clothing big enough to fit him.

By the way, the Pats have a Pats.com site in Mandarin Chinese. So the NFL is definitely reaching out to Asian markets.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Great photos -- there's no mistaking real, unforced smiles of happiness! The traditional costume makes Ward look very good.

But I don't think we'll be seeing many Koreans in the NFL any time soon. They're very passionate about soccer, though (did remarkably well at the last World Cup, when they were co-hosts, losing only in the semi-finals).

 

[dryheat44]

Wow. That's an amazing resemblence. If she stood on a stool, shaved her head, grew a moustache, and spent a little more time in the sun, I don't know if I could tell them apart.

Thanks for posting. Hopefully he can do some good work over there. Asian culture, from what I've read, is very intolerant of people from other cultures...especially other Asian cultures.

 

[smg93]

Hopefully he can do some good work over there. Asian culture, from what I've read, is very intolerant of people from other cultures...especially other Asian cultures.

Not any more than the English are against the Germans or the French are with Americans.

 

[Patjew]

He looks fat.

 

[PATSNUTme]

They both look American to me.

 

[Patjew]

His dad must have been enormous.

 

[BradyBirdYazOrr]

You know why dont we just all start a Hines ward fan club here...we can post our favorite pics of him travelling around the world ...oh and maybe some candid pics of him at home...and then we could all sit in a circle hold hands and cry around a big fat buddha(bettis)...seriously though I love the guy....

 

[maverick4]

re

Not any more than the English are against the Germans or the French are with Americans.

Exactly. Seeing as there are higher percentages of inter-marriage for Asians than any other ethnicity, I'd say Asians are probably more tolerant than the European cultures when it comes to race.

 

[maverick4]

re

His dad must have been enormous.

Ha, I was thinking the same thing. I am imagining a Black version of Andre the Giant or Arnold Schwartrwgroghsglfgar.

 

[Seymour93]

Exactly. Seeing as there are higher percentages of inter-marriage for Asians than any other ethnicity, I'd say Asians are probably more tolerant than the European cultures when it comes to race.

I've been to Japan before, and I can tell you that there's some truth to what dryheat said. I wouldn't call them bigoted since they're probably the friendliest people on earth, but Orientals have more pride in their ethnicity and culture than westerners do. For example, any non-Japanese born citizen of Japan has a special status and can never be fully Japanese according to the government.

To this day, the Japanese are not very popular amongst East Asians because of their atrocities in the War. Also playing a factor is that the people of the poorer countries are somewhat jealous of Japan's post-War successes. The Chinese are not thought of too highly either due to the expanding influence and power of the Chinese government. The Koreans are admired the most, IMO.

 

[maverick4]

re

Hmmm... interesting, did not know that. But I've never heard of Asian countries doing things like the US did with the Chinese Exclusion Act, or even in Isreal today where it's against the law for Jews to marry outside their race/religion. So I guess that's what I was trying to say.

This is getting off the topic of football, I know, but thanks for the info, it's interesting stuff.

 

[g-fresh]

...I wouldn't call them bigoted since they're probably the friendliest people on earth, but Orientals have more pride in their ethnicity and culture than westerners do...

We try not to call people "oriental" anymore...

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Hmmm... interesting, did not know that. But I've never heard of Asian countries doing things like the US did with the Chinese Exclusion Act, or even in Isreal today where it's against the law for Jews to marry outside their race/religion. So I guess that's what I was trying to say.

This is getting off the topic of football, I know, but thanks for the info, it's interesting stuff.

I'm way off topic, but without disagreeing too strenuously here, Mav, I'd like to make sure we're clear on our understanding of intermarriage in Israel.

The State does not recognize intermarriages; officially it would rather see both parties be Moslem, Jewish, or Christian. As far as Jews are concerned, Israel only recognizes Orthodox marriages, which obviously negates the possibility of intermarriage.

It's pretty creepy from my perspective, and causes a great deal of hurt to many people - but when I hear "It's against the law," I think of people being tossed in jail. It's not against the law in that way, it's just not legally binding or recognized.

Sorry to split hairs, and continue the off-topic veer, but I didn't want to leave an impression out there that's even weirder than the truth.

PFnV

 

[spacecrime]

We try not to call people "oriental" anymore...

I know. It is way out of favor, and akin to a racial insult if spoken in front of a terminally PC person. But why? It basically means Easterner, doesn't it?

 

[BradyBirdYazOrr]

I'm way off topic, but without disagreeing too strenuously here, Mav, I'd like to make sure we're clear on our understanding of intermarriage in Israel.

The State does not recognize intermarriages; officially it would rather see both parties be Moslem, Jewish, or Christian. As far as Jews are concerned, Israel only recognizes Orthodox marriages, which obviously negates the possibility of intermarriage.

It's pretty creepy from my perspective, and causes a great deal of hurt to many people - but when I hear "It's against the law," I think of people being tossed in jail. It's not against the law in that way, it's just not legally binding or recognized.

Sorry to split hairs, and continue the off-topic veer, but I didn't want to leave an impression out there that's even weirder than the truth.

PFnV

I totally agree with you marry in your own religion...because if I marry a non-Christian not only will her soul be damned to hell but probably mine as well...we Virginians think alike huh