I'm curious as to how the North Korean officials are spinning this to the public. I would be shocked if the North Korean team loses. They are probably telling the public that the US team is made up of the best players in the world. It's not like the North Koreans would know otherwise. This is a stunt to gain more nationalism. I still hope Dennis Rodman believes that this can open North Korea up at least a little bit to the outside world and he's not just doing this because he's crazy. I understand what he wants to do, but I needs to lay down on the accusations and calling Kim Jong Un his beloved friend and all that, at least here in America.
This is going to end in a hostage crisis. Maybe they're announcing Rodman is actually President Obama. "Look at this tattooed, demonic, pierced, freak! This is the president of the United States of America!" Anyways, yes. This is exactly what is going to happen. Whatever happens, the news leaked to the North Korean people will be that the Americans lost like 200-0 and that Kim Jong Un himself graced the basketball court and scored 101 points.
You made me curious, so I went hunting. I found this website http://www.kcna.co.jp that apparently publishes English translations of the Korean Central News Agency, the official NK state paper. The site is crappy, so I had to use a domain search in Google to find references to Rodman. I did not find any mention of Rodman's new visit, which is a little weird seeing at Kim Jong-Un's birthday is today. But, the site has stories only through Jan 7, so maybe we'll see an article in the next edition or 2. But here's an article from his visit with the Globetrotters. I noticed a couple of things. 1. They mention the NBA without explaining it. Do the North Koreans already know what it is? 2. They mixed the American and North Korean players on the teams, so there was no us-vs.-them dynamic. 3. Even so, the game ended in a tie. The outcome was likely rigged so no one had to lose. I think that suggests it's more likely that the ex-NBA team will be instructed to lose when they play. Or maybe they will also be mixed. 4. All the ridiculous adulatory things they attribute to Rodman in this propaganda piece have been confirmed in western media out of Rodman's own mouth. How sad is that? 5. You can also read the Dec 13 article on Jang's 'treason' which is pretty incredible as far as transparent propaganda goes. It's incredibly long, non-specific but accusatory, and such a baldfaced made-up piece of garbage that I can't imagine what it must be like to be a common man in North Korea reading that. Do they know it's manipulative garbage? Or is it possible that they can't tell? http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2013/201302/news28/20130228-23ee.html [rquoter]Kim Jong Un Enjoys Basketball Game of DPRK, American Players Pyongyang, February 28 (KCNA) -- A mixed basketball game of the visiting American basketball players of Harlem Globetrotters and Korean players belonging to the Hwaebul basketball team of Korean University of Physical Education took place at Ryugyong Jong Ju Yong Gymnasium on Thursday. Among the American players was ex-player of NBA Dennis Rodman. Sports fans and other Pyongyang citizens packed the gymnasium to watch the game with great interest. Among the audience were foreign diplomatic envoys, representatives of international bodies, military attaches and other foreign guests here with their families. The dear respected Marshal Kim Jong Un, together with his wife Ri Sol Ju, came to the gymnasium to watch the game. The players and audience broke into thunderous cheers, greatly excited to see the game together with Kim Jong Un. Dennis Rodman went up to the auditorium to bow to Kim Jong Un. Warmly welcoming him, Kim Jong Un let him sit next to him. Brett Dennis Meister and Jeffrey Raymond Munn also sat near him. American basketball players first played a demonstration game amid great attention of the audience. They showed a variety of special basketball skills to be highly acclaimed. Then a mixed game of DPRK and American players took place amid elated atmosphere. Divided into red and white teams, the players carried out fierce seesaw battle. In the first and second rounds, the red team players won 60:47 with long-distance shooting, dunk shot and other skills. The audience enthusiastically cheered the players as they showed amazing skills. During breaks, women's brass band presented glamorous rhythmic formations. National dances by Korean women artistes and a demonstration performance of Taekwon-Do players added to the cheerful mood. Korean basketball players played the game well with American players of their teams in a coordinated way by fully displaying their techniques. American players made a good job of the game to give good impressions to the audience. The white team combined man-to-man defence and fast break. The game ended in a draw 110:110. Kim Jong Un applauded both teams for their nice game. Dennis Rodman expressed thanks to Kim Jong Un, saying over the mike with excitement that his impressive Pyongyang visit is quite satisfactory and it is a great privilege for him. He said he was very pleased to mix with Pyongyang citizens, adding that it is regrettable that the relations between the U.S. and the DPRK are not good, but Korean people are his friends and in particular, he considers Marshal Kim Jong Un a close friend. Kim Jong Un was presented with a uniform of the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team as a gift by the American guests. This evening Kim Jong Un was invited to a dinner hosted by the DPRK Olympic Committee in honour of Rodman and his party. He met and conversed with them in an amicable atmosphere. He was pleased they visited Pyongyang to provide young people of the DPRK who are fond of basketball with an opportunity of enjoying the nice game, he said. He expressed his expectation that such sports exchange would be activated, contributing to promoting mutual understanding between the peoples of the two countries. He welcomed their visit to the DPRK, hoping that through the visit they would become familiar with the DPRK people, especially with basketball fans. Rodman said that it was the greatest pleasure for him to meet with Kim Jong Un and his wife for the first time for Americans. The American basketball star hoped the sports exchange would continue between the two countries. He wished Kim Jong Un good health, heartily thanking him for warm hospitality. The dinner proceeded in an amicable atmosphere.[/rquoter]
Dennis Rodman’s buffoonery in North Korea edges into treason http://www.thestar.com/sports/baske..._in_north_korea_edges_into_treason_kelly.html If he really wants to do humanity a favor, he'd get in close and assassinate lil Kim who likes to torture and kill by the 10's of thousands
Haha that was completely a pro wrestling interview. He even ended it like a wwe interview when he calmed down and ended on a somber note.
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It's pretty surreal seeing actual North Koreans having fun and enjoying some entertainment. Albeit these people in the video are literally the top elite of the country and actually would have access to running water unlike 99% of the citizens. The lobby in the video did look nice though.
A country like NK is treated like they are for legit reasons. Mostly unspeakable crimes against humanity. You can say all you want about the US committing crimes as well but anything legit pales in comparison to the tragedy that is NK. Rodman is not a diplomat. He should exercise more common sense.
I've always thought that you can't punish an entire country for the actions of a few. The citizens of NK are still people who are victims of a tyrannical government and don't know any better. Rumor is they are just as curious about the rest of the world. It's good that Rodman brought a little bit of our culture for them to see. After all, sports are a way to unite people independent of politics hence the Olympics. The interview stinks of sensationalist journalism. He was just prodding Rodman to see if he would blow up on camera. The CNN interview stinks of sensationalist journalism. He was just trying to per
Americans lose, thank goodness. Here's North Korea's article on it: http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2014/201401/news08/20140108-24ee.html [rquoter]Kim Jong Un Watches Basketball Game of DPRK, American Players Pyongyang, January 8 (KCNA) -- A basketball game was played by the American basketball team of ex-NBA stars and Korean players of the Hwaebul team of the DPRK at Pyongyang Indoor Stadium on Wednesday. The American team is now on a visit to the DPRK for sports exchange. The match was watched by sports fans, people from all walks of life and youth and students. Among the spectators were foreign diplomatic envoys, representatives of international bodies, military attaches and their wives, staff members of various embassies, foreign guests and overseas Koreans staying in the motherland. Supreme leader Kim Jong Un came out to the stadium together with Ri Sol Ju to watch the game. He was warmly greeted by Dennis Rodman, American ex-NBA star. Kim Jong Un welcomed the American basketball players' visit to the DPRK and said that the game served as a good occasion in promoting the understanding between the peoples of the two countries. Rodman presented Kim Jong Un with a gift he prepared with the deepest respect for him. In his speech made before the match, he said he felt the Korean people were respecting Kim Jong Un while staying in the DPRK. He sang a song reflecting his reverence for Kim Jong Un, touching the spectators. The first two rounds of the match were held between Hwaebul Team of the DPRK and the team of ex-NBA stars and its last two rounds were played as a mixed game of players of the two countries. Dennis Rodman also played in the match, revving it up. The Hwaebul Team beat the team of ex-NBA stars 47:39 and the White Team trounced the Green Team 63: 54. Commemorative cups and medals were awarded to the players of the two teams. At the end of the match, Kim Jong Un met the players of the two teams. Kim Jong Un said he watched a good match and wished the American basketball players pleasant days in the DPRK. He had a photo taken with the American basketball players. Pak Pong Ju, Choe Ryong Hae and Kang Sok Ju watched the match together with their wives. [/rquoter]
This wasn't engineered to unite anyone. It's basically akin to the the Roman elite watching a circus on the emperor's birthday. So Rodman is basically a horse in a chariot race....a buffoon used to present the American people as weak and unbalanced. You say "you can't punish an entire country for the actions of a few". Turd Jong-un is the one that's punishing all the people in his country. Most of the people in that country didn't see ****. Only a few handpicked elites watched the game. This is a country where children are born in labor camps and they never leave. They are starved, beaten and forced to work under horrible conditions their whole lives until they die at an early age. I applaud your idealism, but you need to open your eyes to see what this really is. It's a puppet show with Rodman playing the clown.
Supposedly the public was allowed to watch from the translation of that north Korean article, but who knows? Let me ask you this. What do you expect from Rodman? Be a diplomat? Negotiate prisoner releases? Be a spokesperson for world peace? Rodman is just being an attention w****. But as a byproduct he's showing American basketball to an otherwise isolated people. I don't see any harm from what he's doing. What will cause trouble is if you turn him into a political puppet. If Rodman asks for political favors, it will obviously be for the US government. (No one believes he cares about missionaries.) At that point forward anything he says will be viewed as on behalf of the United States and you now have an admitted drunk hot head speaking on behalf of the US in north Korea.
Anyone catch Kenny Anderson's interview with Piers Morgan? Piers Morgan was constantly attacking the guy for saying he's only donating a portion of the money made.
lol Rodman thinks this is all fun and games up until he gets locked in a cage or turned into a court jester.
