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Beijing Olympic opening ceremony to "carry conception of harmony"

The Olympic ceremonies will convey the "conception of harmony from an international perspective", Chen Weiya, deputy general director of the opening and closing ceremonies for the Beijing Games, said Tuesday.

"Preparations for both ceremonies are progressing as planned. We are getting used to preading the essence of Chinese culture and conception to the world," said Chen, a member of the 11th National Committee of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

"The higher we stand, the more we appreciate our own possessions," he noted.

Chen acknowledged that it is really a big challenge for the directors to have China better known to the world through the performances lasting more than one hour.

With the Olympics some 150 days away, Chen said he was under tremendous pressure, working more than ten hours a day and suffering from insomnia at night.

"Everyone conceived an ideal opening ceremony in mind and the Chinese people have pinned too much hope on the galas. The hardest thing for us is to present the fruits of Chinese and world civilization harmoniously," Chen said.

Chen Weiya and Zhang Jigang were selected as assistants to director Zhang Yimou to mastermind both the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics.

The three-and-a-half-hour opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics slated for Aug. 8 will include four parts — opening addresses, performances, entrance of athletes and lighting of the main flame, among which the performances are planned for one hour and a half.

China is resolved to make the ceremony a success. The first full dress rehearsal will be held on July 10 at the National Stadium, according to an earlier report.

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Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony / China Olympics Opening Ceremony

Beijing’s TV viewers spoke highly of the Doha Asian Games opening ceremony on Friday night but expect a better performance from the 2008 Olympic Games.

"It combines different Asian cultures in the opening ceremony. The performances of China’s Beijing Opera player, Japan’s geisha and Arab dancers are all fascinating," said Han Junwen, an editor from Beijing-based Qunzhong Publishing House.

The opening ceremony kicked off at midnight Beijing time but many people watched the show on TV.

"I felt excited seeing the fireworks explode in Doha," said Lei Tiantian, a student of the Beijing Medical University. "It was an amazing moment when 1,900 Qatari school children ran into the stadium carrying illuminated doves to form the words "Peace" in Arabic and English. I felt stunned."

Li Xiaolei, a 27-year-old journalist, was glued to the TV during the show. "I cannot move my eyes away from the TV. It was fantastic," she said.

Many people hope that Beijing can also stage a similarly exciting opening ceremony for the 2008 Olympic Games.

"The Beijing Olympics’ opening ceremony should also combine our traditional culture and the modernization," Han Junwen, an editor also from the Qunzhong Publishing House.

Gui Yumin, a student from China’s Tsinghua University, echoed Han’s view, saying: "The opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics should not only show the world our old and mysterious tradition but also an open and fashionable side of our country."

Li Xiaolei said that the Beijing Olympics organizers should learn from Doha’s success. "We should also make the opening ceremony a story, which has Chinese features and is understandable to foreign audiences," she said.

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HAVING planted David Beckham at LA Galaxy, super-agent Simon Fuller is now trying to persuade football legend Zinedine Zidane out of retirement to join his former Real Madrid team-mate in the US soccer team. Fuller, who brokered Beckham’s $10m-a-year deal, has made a similar offer to the controversial French star, who was sent off in the World Cup final for head-butting Italy’s Marco Materazzi.

While Galaxy insiders say Zidane is playing hard to get, if anyone can coax him into signing the deal it is Fuller: after orchestrating the Spice Girls and creating Pop Idol, the multi-millionaire agent-manager is used to having his own way.

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Fastest Soccer Goal - Man, that team is sporting Lisbon, and I’ve watched that game and the commentaries and the talk about that game! That ball shot by Rony entered the goal at a supposed speed of 222 Km/h. It is the fastest football goal in history! I bet you that if the goalkeeper had got his hands on that ball, his hands would have been ripped off!

But I might be wrong as well cuz we cannot forget Romario’s shot that ripped the goal’s net! And also a Ronald Koeman a legendary player from Netherland. Acknowledge by football players for his very strong kick. If I’ve not mistaken, he has broken several fingers of the opposite goalies who tried to stop the goals. Search more about him on Google!

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Overview

Chelsea will be desperate to regain their Premier League crown after finishing second to Manchester United last season. Former manager Jose Mourinho, bankrolled by owner Roman Abromovich’s millions, brought the first title to Stamford Bridge for 50 years when the Blues lifted the trophy in 2005. Chelsea became only the second team to win back-to-back Premier League titles when they clinched it a year later. Mourinho left the club by mutual consent in September 2007.

Although Chelsea reached the FA Cup Final in 1994, they hardly set the world alight in their early Premier League days. Ruud Gullit became manager in 1996 and steered the Blues to an FA Cup triumph in 1997, while his successor Gianluca Vialli guided the team to victory in the League Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1998.

Shortly after, he led the team to the UEFA Super Cup after a 1-0 win over Real Madrid. The FA Cup followed in 2000. Vialli was replaced by Claudio Ranieri in 2000 and he led Chelsea to another FA Cup Final appearance in 2002.

Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich bought the Blues for £140 million. After a trophyless season, he appointed Mourinho as new Chelsea manager and there was instant success. In 2005, Chelsea won the Barclays Premiership and League Cup, along with a Champions League semi-final appearance.

And Mourinho retained the Barclays Premiership crown the year after, equalling the club’s own Premier League record of 29 wins set the previous season. They were league runners-up last term and also claimed the FA Cup and League Cup double.

Club Heritage

Chelsea were formed in 1905 and were elected into the Second Division of the Football League. They just missed out on silverware 10 years later with an FA Cup Final defeat. The Blues had to wait for their first major trophy in 1955, when under manager Ted Drake, they won the league title. Chelsea claimed the League Cup for the first time in 1965 and were defeated in the FA Cup Final two years later.

Featuring the likes of Ron ‘Chopper’ Harris, Ian Hutchison and Peter Osgood, Chelsea overcame Leeds to win the FA Cup in 1970. In the following season, they clinched the European Cup Winners’ Cup with a replay victory over Real Madrid.

Financial problems meant the Stamford Bridge club dropped into the Second Division, and at one point they were close to falling to the Third Division.

They eventually won their place back in the top flight in 1984, but their stay only lasted four seasons. They clawed their way back to the First Division again as Second Division champions in 1989 and have remained there ever since.

Premier League History

1992-93 - Inaugural members of the Premier League
1993-94 - FA Cup Finalists
1996-97 - Ruud Gullit appointed player-manger
1996-97 - FA Cup winners
1997-98 - Gianluca Vialli becomes manager
1997-98 - League Cup, Cup Winners’ Cup and UEFA Super Cup triumphs
1999-00 - FA Cup winners
2000-01 - Claudio Ranieri becomes manager
2001-02 - FA Cup Finalists
2003-04 - Chairman Ken Bates sells Chelsea to Roman Abramovich
2004-05 - Jose Mourinho takes over as manager
2004-05 - Chelsea win Barclays Premiership and League Cup
2005-06 - Chelsea win Barclays Premiership
2006-07 - FA Cup and League Cup winners
2007-08 - Jose Mourinho leaves the club

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Overview

The birth of the Premier League also heralded Blackburn’s return to the top flight for the first time in 26 years. They underlined their ambition by breaking the English transfer record to sign a 22-year-old Alan Shearer for £3.5million. Other expensive signings ensured they finished an impressive fourth.

Owner Jack Walker continued to splash his cash and in their second season, his team were runners-up to arch North Western rivals Manchester United in 1993-94. The positions were reversed the following season as Rovers pipped United to the title on the last day of the season.

The team have failed to reach those heights since then and in 1999, Rovers became the first former Premier League champions to be relegated. The club bounced back in 2001 and progress under Graeme Souness and then Mark Hughes has seen them qualify for Europe four times in six years.

Club Heritage

Blackburn Rovers were born at a hotel meeting on November 5th 1875, organised by Shrewsbury school old boys Arthur Constantine and John Lewis. The club’s patronage by the wealthy middle classes helped it stay afloat and outlive many of the other clubs in the area.

As one of the top clubs, they were approached in 1888 to become one of the 12 founding members of the Football League. They finished the inaugural season in fourth place and unbeaten at home.

Rovers moved into their permanent home at Ewood Park in September 1890 and marked their first season there with a fifth FA Cup win. But a downturn in fortunes saw them narrowly escape relegation on several occasions and the 1928 FA Cup victory was their last major trophy for 67 years.

Rovers were relegated from the top flight for the first time in 1936, signaling the start of their long struggle to regain their status as a top team. Relegation in 1966 saw the beginning of their 26-year exile from the top flight and it was not until Walker and his millions came on board in 1991 that Blackburn returned to their glory days.

Premier League History

1992-93 - Blackburn, recently promoted via the play-offs, break the national transfer record by signing Alan Shearer from Southampton for £3.5million.
1993-94 - Finish runners-up in the FA Carling Premiership
1994-95 - Break the English transfer record again, signing Chris Sutton from Norwich City for £5million. Win the FA Carling Premiership
1995-96 - Manager Kenny Dalglish becomes Director of Football. Former assistant, Ray Harford, becomes manager
1996-97 - Shearer sold to Newcastle for a record £15million. Harford resigns in October after failing to win any of the ten opening matches. Tony Parkes takes over as caretaker manager
1997-98 - Roy Hodgson appointed as manager
1998-99 - Hodgson sacked in December and replaced by Brian Kidd. Relegated
1999-00 - Kidd sacked. Parkes takes over again until March when the club appoint Graeme Souness
2000-01 - Jack Walker dies. Promoted as runners-up
2001-02 - Break club transfer record with £8million signing of Andy Cole from Manchester United. Win their first-ever League Cup
2004-05 - Souness leaves to Newcastle. Replaced by Mark Hughes

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Overview

Portsmouth have not looked back since Harry Redknapp steered them to promotion into the Barclaycard Premiership in 2003. The top flight’s most southern team comfortably remained in the division the following season and were successful in their fight against relegation in the 2005-06 campaign.

Once survival was secured, Alexandre Gaydamak took over the club and has injected several million pounds into bolstering the squad. Last season, Portsmouth come within a whisker of qualifying for the UEFA Cup.

Redknapp’s ability to attract the likes of Sol Campbell and David James as well a number of foreign players such as Kanu helped the club to a ninth-place finish, beating the likes of Manchester United and avoiding defeat against Arsenal.

Redknapp had resigned from his post in November 2004 but was reappointed in December 2005 after a stint at local rivals Southampton. Portsmouth were the first club to stage a Football League match under floodlights when Newcastle visited Fratton Park in 1956.

Club Heritage

The club was founded in 1898 and played its first league match against Chatham Town on 2nd September 1899. A record of 20 wins from 28 games earned Pompey a runners-up spot that season in the Southern League. They won the division for the first time in the 1901-02 season.

In 1927, the club made their debut in the First Division and they went on to reach the FA Cup final the following campaign. It was third time lucky in the FA Cup final in 1939. After the previous two finals ended in defeat, Pompey swept to a 4-1 win over favourites Wolves.

The first of back-to-back titles were claimed in the 1948-49 campaign in the club’s Golden Jubilee season. A 5-1 thrashing of Aston Villa on the last day of the following season sealed the title again. Pompey are one of only five clubs to have won two consecutive titles since the Second World War.

In 1976, the club found itself in the Third Division and needing to raise £25,000 in order to pay off debts and avoid bankruptcy. Local newspaper The News led a campaign to save the club and the money was raised by supporter contributions.

Premier League History

1999-00 - Milan Mandaric takes over club
2004-05 - Harry Redknapp resigns as manager and Velimir Zajec becomes caretaker manager
2004-05 - Alain Perrin appointed manager, with Zajec reverting to director’s role
2005-06 - Perrin sacked and Redknapp appointed manager
2005-06 - Mandaric sells 50 per cent stake to Alexandre Gaydamak in January 2006, then his remaining half to the Russian after the club avoided relegation
2006-07 - Mandaric resigns as chairman on September 21 2006
2007-08 - Striker John Utaka signs in club record transfer of £8.1million

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Liverpool have maintained their status as a domestic and European force since the Premier League began in 1992, rarely finishing outside the top positions. The club have won seven major trophies since then, including the Champions League, Uefa Cup, two FA Cups and three League Cups.

Indeed, 2001 saw the Reds claim an unprecedented League Cup, FA Cup and Uefa Cup treble. Having won more domestic and European trophies than any other English club, Liverpool’s status as giants of the domestic game is undisputed.

Under Rafa Benitez, Liverpool have secured Champions League football in each of the last three seasons. The Spaniard guided them to third place last season and an appearance in the Champions League final where they were beaten 2-1 by AC Milan.

Liverpool’s first-ever competitive game was in the Lancashire League, where a predominantly Scottish team defeated Higher Walton 8-0 on 23rd September 1892.

Club Heritage

In 1891, John Houlding purchased Anfield after Everton left the ground for Goodison Park following a seven-year tenancy. With an empty stadium and only three players remaining, Houlding formed Liverpool Football Club on March 15th 1892. Everton FC and Athletic Grounds, Ltd, or Everton Athletic was to be the name, but the Football Association refused to recognise the team as Everton. Liverpool won their first title in 1901 after gaining promotion to the First Division in 1894.

The appointment of Bill Shankly in 1959 was the beginning of a golden era for Liverpool. He led the club to promotion to the First Division in 1962 and they have stayed their ever since. The title was secured in 1964 and 1966, with a first-ever FA Cup final victory sandwiched in between. A year after winning the Uefa Cup, Shankly retired and was replaced by his assistant Bob Paisley.

Within two seasons, the Reds had won the league, and the Uefa Cup for a second time. Paisley’s nine-year reign saw Liverpool win 21 trophies, including three European Cups, six league titles, a UEFA Cup, and three League Cups. Joe Fagan took over in 1983 and inspired the club to the European Cup, League title, and League Cup in his first season.

Premier League History

1993-94 - Roy Evans replaced Graeme Souness
1994-95 - League Cup victory
1998-99 - Gerard Houllier joined Evans as joint-manager
1998-99 - Houllier takes sole charge in Nov 1998.
2000-01 - FA Cup, League Cup and Uefa Cup
2002-03 - League Cup victory
2003-04 - Houllier departs by mutual consent in May 2004.
2004-05 - Rafa Benitez takes over
2004-05 - Djibril Cisse joins from Auxerre for a club record £14million
2004-05 - Champions League victory in May 2005
2005-06 - FA Cup victory in May 2006
2006-07 - American businessmen George Gillett and Tom Hicks become owners in a deal worth £470million.
2007-08 - Fernando Torres becomes Liverpool’s record signing at an initial fee of around £20.2million from Atletico Madrid.

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It was a goal fest, but not at West Ham’s Upton Park.    Arsenal managed to eke out a 1-0 narrow win to stay at the top of the EPL table.   Robin van Persie’s goal proved to be the match-winner against a determined West Ham side.

The goal fest happened at Fratton Park.   Portmouth beat Reading 7-4.   This is the biggest scoreline in the EPL history.   Portmouth’s striker Benjamin Mwaruwari scored a hat-trick for the host team at 7, 37 and 70 minutes.  The visitors managed to draw level at 2-2 after 48 minutes, but Portsmouth netted 3 goals in 25 minutes to stretch to a 5-2 margin.  Reading’s Shane Long pulled one back, but Portsmouth added two more to their tally, before Nicky Shorey dying seconds goal to end the astonishing match.   Portsmouth now moved to 5th spot.

In a late kick-off match, Manchester United continued their 1-0 win scoreline against Birmingham City.  It is amazing that Manchester United had just managed 7 goals so far this season and yet stay second in the EPL table.  This compared poorly with Arsenal with 16 goals, Liverpool (12), Manchester City (11), Portsmouth (15).

For Chelsea, it was another poor showing from Andriy Shevchenko.  The Blues was held to a goalless draw by Fulham.  To add to Chelsea’s misery, Didier Drogba was dismissed at 74 minutes after picking up his second yellow cards.  Chelsea now lies 7th in the EPL table.

Liverpool maintained their unbeaten start to the season with a 1-0 win over Wigan.   This was their first Premier League win in 3 matches.  The previous 2 games, against Portsmouth and Birmingham ended goalless.

All the Saturday’s results
West Ham 0 Arsenal 1

Birmingham 0 Manchester United 1

Manchester City 3 v Newcastle United 1

Derby County 1 v Bolton Wanderers 1

Portmouth 7 v Reading 4

Chelsea 0 v Fulham 0

Sunderland 1 v Blackburn Rovers 2

Wigan Athletic 0 v Liverpool 1

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While his attention seeking wife certainly loves the importance she’s been receiving in America, David Beckham who is now probably out for the rest of the season, says he’s feeling a bit down.

“…on my side it’s frustrating at the moment. Obviously, I’ll be working at trying to get myself fit and trying to get myself better, and hopefully be able to maybe play before the end of the season. But the doctors are not that sure about it. It’s disappointing and frustrating at the moment."

LA Galaxy fans aren’t making it much easier for him, holding up signs that read "missing", "too scared" and "I lost".

And there was no missing the banner "Bench it like Beckham", referring to David being a bench warmer.

Another disgruntled fan held up his held up his handiwork: "Welcome to America where people like you get paid to do nothing."

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