The Road to Shanghai

September 20 | September 20 | September 21 | September 22 | September 23 | September 23 | September 24 | September 25 |

September 20, 2005
8:31am EDT
Philadelphia International Airport
Terminal D, Gate 13

“Attention: your computer does not currently support this audio format.”

This was the first road sign on the way to Shanghai. It was flashed by my laptop computer, moments after inserting the DVD "The Thin Red Line," the 1998 war movie starring Sean Penn. The flick was one of six I packed to help deal with the rigors of this journey, a trek that by the time my head hits the pillow at the Westin in Tokyo will consume close to 24-hours.

As I settled in with cameraman Dave Pashuck at the airport gate, awaiting the first leg of the trip—a mere two-hour jaunt to Chicago—I slid "The Thin Red Line" into my laptop.

“Attention: your computer does not currently support this audio format.”

So, I could watch the movie, I just couldn’t hear it.

It could be worse, I opined. I could’ve left my passport on my night table or broken my eyeglasses or…or…or I could’ve been forced to re-live a scene from another movie, 1978’s "Midnight Express," where star Brad Davis (who played Billy Hayes) is incarcerated in a Turkish prison before boarding a flight back to the USA…

In time, the audio problem will get fixed, once I can download a solution from the internet. In the meantime, it certainly will not detract from the anticipation of seeing Iverson in a new light. Obviously I’ve witnessed him countless times before, centered amidst a swarm of media and a crush of wildly adoring fans. Only this time, it will be in an environment where few have ever seen him up close—in a foreign land, indeed on the other side of the world.

Iverson’s agenda is a whirlwind. Just two days in Tokyo, the time dotted with various consumer events, a news conference and a party. After a better than three hour jet ride to Shanghai, China, much of the same, utilizing the hotel as a base of operations in the heart of that bustling city. This first leg of the trip goes from Philly to Chicago to Tokyo.

In Iverson, Sixers fans deeply appreciate his remarkable energy, his drive, his showmanship. But as a native Philadelphian, I know we tend sometimes to be parochial about things. Largely, it’s left to our imagination to conceive of Allen’s worldwide appeal. Now, that appeal is about to be palpably felt in a very up-close-and-personal way. Our aim is to be at Allen’s side everywhere he goes, seeing him uniquely, honestly. As someone who has broadcast most every game he’s ever played, it’s bound to be a pleasure and a privilege—to witness the expression of appreciation and adulation for the star of the 76ers in a part of the globe I’ve never seen before.

Check back with us here on www.sixers.com for more of our experiences in my diary, The Road to Shanghai. Then, join us for the premiere of our new television show, "Drive Magazine," coming in November on Comcast SportsNet, when we pack all of the great highlights of this six-day adventure into that half-hour show.

No doubt that night, your TV will be able to support the audio format…

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September 20, 2005
5:40pm EDT
Over the Pacific Ocean

My home for 13-hours of my life comes compliments of United Airlnes. A hulking 747, longer than a pro basketball floor and equipped with a stairway to a second floor. Nearly all of the 350 seats are filled, with mine being the last seat on the last row. My view of the continuous queue for the bathroom is courtside. Several wide screens and nearly a dozen or so monitors emit a continuous display of movies, TV shows, trivia quizzes and commercials. The pale light cast by the images is mere background to the in-flight atmosphere.

We’re only about four hours into the flight, about the time strangers who share the confines of this long though well-appointed tube begin to mingle. I occupy the last seat on the left of this four-seat row. Immediately to my right is an elderly Japanese lady who speaks no English and her daughter, who speaks my language, but enrobed in a thick Japanese accent.

A few moments ago, I got up to go to the bathroom. The older Japanese woman smiled, then glanced down at my empty seat with great concern. She proceeded to pick up one of my seat belts, grasping the clip that opens and closes and spoke urgently to me in Japanese. Seeing that I didn’t understand, she turned to her daughter, waiving the seat belt clip and explaining her issue. The daughter promptly translated in Japanese-English:

“My mother was concerned you dropped your cell phone,” said the daughter. “She said the buckle of your seat belt looked just like a cell phone. She was afraid you were going to lose it.”

I had to think for a second. The woman thought the seat belt…was my cell phone.

Lost in translation? The Bill Murray movie title flashed in my mind.

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September 21, 2005
7:10pm
My Hotel
Tokyo

As you read this, take a glance at your watch. If you’re in the Eastern Time zone of the United States, add 13 hours. That’s what time it is in Tokyo, Japan. Suffice it to say, I’m opposite most of you. When you’re waking up, I’m eating dinner. When you’re eating lunch, I’m asleep. When you’re eating dinner, I’m waking up…and so it goes.

First impressions have been good. Shortly after landing at Tokyo Narita International Airport, all personnel we encountered were friendly and helpful as we slowly but efficiently snaked our way through customs. The exchange rate is approximately 110 Japanese yen to the U.S. dollar. The cab ride took well over an hour and cost 20,000 yen (with tip about $200 U.S.!)

Tokyo is immense, teaming with life. The skyline is broader than any I’ve ever seen, fronted by a broad seaport heavy with ships. The city itself is cramped but comfortable with big business, industry, commerce and residents thriving shoulder to shoulder. Intra-city highways scrape to within a few yards of buildings and sidewalks. Small streets wind past tiny markets with bicycle and scooters constantly slipping through the heavier traffic. And oh yes, the traffic patterns are like those of Great Britain, with traffic positioned on the left-hand side of the roadway. Drivers sit on the right side of the car.

We’ve already made contact with the Reebok folks. We will meet with them and Allen Iverson tomorrow (Wednesday) to talk about the first day’s activities.

On Tuesday, I left my Pennsylvania home around 5:30am. Twenty-three and a half hours later, we arrived at a luxurious hotel in the heart of Tokyo. The 13-hour plane ride from Chicago was smooth, but upright catnaps will never be a substitute for a good night’s sleep. So, as the eastern half of the United States begins to awaken, I’m ready for some sleep.

Good night.

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September 22, 2005
6:45pm
My Hotel
Tokyo

Patience. Showmanship. And oh that smile.

On his first full day of his Asian tour for Reebok, Allen Iverson displayed those three qualities and a whole lot more.

“Allen, what’s your favorite food?”

“Do you do yoga?”

“What does your house look like?”

“Allen, what freaks you out?”

And in the middle of a press room brimming with items bearing the Reebok logo, this:

“Allen, what’s your favorite basketball shoe?”

But, The Answer answered each and every query, with composure and poise. The questions came during a sometimes tedious 90-miniute interview session allotted to various Japanese journalists here at the Westin in the heart of Tokyo. It was just one in a series of events on today’s docket.

The first event went right to Allen’s heart as he spoke to and played basketball with mostly teenaged children at the Laforet Museum, a cultural museum in the city’s Roppongi section. In a large room configured as a basketball court, Allen accepted the accolades of a wildly cheering audience with a smile that sparked an even greater ovation. But he really turned the youngsters on when he took off a microphone headset he was using and got down and dirty, playing 3-on-3 and 4-on-4 with young basketball players who could scarcely believe they were on the same floor with A.I.

In the evening here, Iverson took center stage at one of the city’s most well known nightclubs, Tatou Tokyo. It was here that Reebok celebrated the 10th year anniversary of their relationship with the Sixers’ star. Video highlights of Allen’s great career were followed by remarks by Iverson and a Q&A session with the assembled media.

For Allen, though, the highlight of the night came at the end of the ceremonies at Tatou Tokyo. Reebok presented him with a wonderful gift: a complete Samurai suit of armor, a remnant of Japan’s long and honorable Samurai military era.

Tomorrow, one last stop for Allen here in Tokyo, at a shopping mall. Then, it’s off to Shanghai China, where the greeting for A.I. is expected to be something special.

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September 23, 2005
3:45pm
Narita Airport
Tokyo

The slender, young Japanese lady in the airport uniform was stifling a smile, her facial muscles working so hard she looked like a squeezed sponge. On tiptoes with shoulders shrugged to her ears, she came close and eased out a high-pitched whisper:

“Eez dat Ollin Ivairson? Yew knaw, dee bos-kit-bole playair?”

“Yes,” I assured her. “That is really Allen Iverson.”

I was pleased to see my response allowed her to relax into a 1,000-watt smile…then a squeal and claps of delight. This was a common scene during Allen’s nearly 72 hours in Tokyo, this latest encounter occurred at Tokyo Narita International Airport before our flight to Shanghai, China.

It is clear that Allen’s notoriety here is palpable. Much like a visit to virtually any NBA city, Iverson was pointed at, asked for an autograph and had his picture taken at every venue in Tokyo. He was at ease and gracious to all who wanted to acknowledge him. In fact, commenting often to reporters, “the people,” was his favorite thing about Japan. Some of the biggest smiles came from children and teenagers, who have embraced the NBA game and with it, it’s smallest, most electric star.

Interestingly, as we were getting ready to board our Shanghai flight on All Nippon Airways, there was yet another sign of recognition. And again, it was no surprise when a Japanese man flashed a wide grin as he pointed excitedly…to…me.

“Aw-rent yew dee brode-caster from dee Six-urs web site? Dee man who eez writing awbote dee trip to Ah-shuh?”

“Yes,” I replied. “I am really him.” I then turned and headed for the plane, knowing that in Tokyo, both Allen Iverson and Marc Zumoff get recognized.

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September 23, 2005
10:20pm
My Hotel
Shanghai

My impressions of the Japanese people and culture were formed during our whirlwind tour of Tokyo with Allen Iverson. And while those impressions don’t qualify as anything particularly well researched, they are nonetheless impressions made first hand—as a visitor to this teeming city of close to 12.5 million people.

The city itself was immaculate. In the areas we frequented, not so much as a gum wrapper could be found on the streets. Abandon buildings appeared nowhere in sight. Graffiti was limited to a handful of sightings at most. Perhaps recognizing our classification as tourist, almost all went out of their way to be courteous and helpful. And while many dressed as we would as adults—the typical business attire or casual clothing—a healthy handful of teens would parade about in the baggy pants-tousled hair look of a kid at the mall.

One of the more interesting people we met was an American expatriate by the name of Milton Mayo. Mayo was Iverson’s driver and security man. He also owns a number of hair salons in Tokyo, specializing in coifing some notable international heads when they come to visit such as that of former Secretary of State Colin Powell. Mayo first came to Tokyo as an aeronautical engineer with Boeing. But when he saw that there wasn't anyone who specialized in cutiing hair for African Americans, he opened his business, which is now flourishing.



Mayo says a lot of Japanese culture is now buried beneath the Westernized, high-tech, high-speed lifestyle here. Though Buddhism is the primary religion, he says many young people are not embracing it. He says you “have to know where to go” to find true Japanese teahouses and their elegant Geisha hostesses. In fact, I spent three hours walking department stores and smaller merchant shops in search of a silk kimono for my wife, only to come up empty. I finally found some, hanging listlessly on racks at the airport, made of polyester.

Tonight, I sit in my hotel room in Shanghai. And if the ride from the airport is any indication, this city is going to be quite different from Tokyo. Shanghai is absolutely dazzling: high-rises as plentiful as corn stalks—many crowned with the bright lights of major business and industry. And you talk about bustling—with more than 16 million residents, its population is more than New York and Los Angeles combined!

And the feel here is different. While Tokyo seemed to move on a quiet cushion of air, Shanghai appears to have a bounce to its step. I almost can’t remember a car honking in Tokyo, despite its sometimes massive traffic tie-ups. In Shanghai, the cacophony of honking was clearly more apparent.

Tom Shine, a senior vice president with Reebok Global Sports Marketing, is helping to spearhead Allen’s “I am what I am” promotional tour for the athletic apparel company. He told us our first night in Tokyo that appearing in China is not only important for Reebok, it’s important for the NBA. Shine says NBA commissioner David Stern is particularly eager to bolster the league’s image in countries like China and India. Shine adds that Iverson is wildly popular here in China, more so in terms of athletic apparel sales, than native Yao Ming. Bearing that out, amidst the electrical storm of neon that illuminates nighttime Shanghai, is a prominent “I am what I am” billboard, trumpeting Iverson and the Reebok brand.

Allen’s tour of this once culturally land-locked country starts tomorrow.

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September 24, 2005
6:30pm
My Hotel
Shanghai

Here in Shanghai, you often can’t tell the media the location of a news conference. If you do, word might leak out that, say, a famous person is involved in the event. If somebody snitches, thousands of fans are virtually guaranteed to mob the scene and your news conference might never be held.

And so with Allen Iverson visiting this teeming city of some 20-million people, similar precautions had to be taken. Media members who knew of his coming were not told where the day’s events were being held. Instead, they were asked to board a caravan of buses at a rendezvous point. The buses then furtively took them to wherever the events took place.

Shanghai is a large city, and Allen Iverson is large among its inhabitants. One Reebok executive said today Iverson “is like a god here.” A Chinese journalist told us Iverson is bigger here than Yao Ming, the 7-5 center for the Houston Rockets. Ironically, Yao spent many of his formative years here in Shanghai.

The love became apparent today when Iverson tipped off the Chinese portion of his “I am what I am” tour for Reebok. And it was no more palpable than during a visit to an orphanage, the Shanghai Children’s Home. For it is among children that Allen is often at his best.

These kids had obviously prepared a long time for Iverson’s visit. Many of them, dressed in ceremonial clothing, sang and danced for him. They also presented him with a number of gifts exhibiting their own, artistic handiwork, a gesture that appeared to have touched Allen deeply.

Later, there was Allen again, as he had in Tokyo, removing his watch and other jewelry so he could play basketball with the kids. Truly an amazing experience for many of those who were clearly Iverson fans, demonstrated by their various wrist and armbands which were very much a la Allen.

Iverson took the stage at a Shanghai theatre at the day’s first event, greeted by wild applause from the crowd and a throng of well over 100 media members. Helped by a translator, Allen answered questions, then graciously participated in a number of ceremonial events. One that was particularly touching for the Chinese was seeing Allen imprint is last name in Chinese using a stamp similar to ones used by this country’s ancient emperors.

Then, media members were led into an adjacent room in much smaller groups. Iverson patiently answered more questions for about the next hour and honestly, these questions were more incisive then those he had fielded in Japan.

Tomorrow, Allen and Yao in an outdoor event that’s sure to draw quite a crowd. The media? They’ll all be arriving by bus.

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September 25, 2005
6:30pm
My Hotel
Shanghai

On this Sunday, hundreds of visitors came to pray at the Jing An Temple here in Shanghai. The Temple itself is a series of buildings arranged in a square. In the center of the square is a large courtyard where Buddhists can hold a stick of burning incense and pray. An observer in this courtyard might have the chance to look directly up at the sky. If you look in the right direction, you would probably notice looking down upon you…the face of one Allen Iverson…

Iverson’s visage is prominent on a large billboard trumpeting Allen, the Reebok brand and the slogan I am what I am. The proximity of a religious institution to an athletic wear billboard is a juxtaposition that is very much Shanghai. This is where streets are choked with cars, buses, bicyclists and pedestrians darting at and around each other pell-mell; a city and its inhabitants scrambling in a wild, day long near-miss. It’s where poverty is a stone’s throw from a luxury hotel. Where a sandaled woman clutching her toddler begs at the window of a Mercedes Benz.

Today, Allen wrapped up his Asian tour with one final event in this massive, exotic megalopolis. And he did it in tandem with a man who can claim Shanghai as “his ‘hood,” Yao Ming, the 7-5 center of the Houston Rockets. Yao, who also wears Reebok, appeared with Iverson in a makeshift boxing ring erected outside of one of the city’s huge soccer stadiums. More than a thousand people were jammed against a chain link fence surrounding the ring. Many more watched from the windows of ashen, low-income high-rise buildings looming ominously in the distance.

Inside the ring, Iverson and Yao were teammates in a shooting game. They took on two unfortunate souls cast in the role of WWF foils. Then, two teams of Chinese youngsters came out and put on a display of ball handling that had Allen not only smiling, but also duly impressed.

Both Iverson and Yao then left the ring, rushed to their waiting automobiles like two presidential candidates, their coteries quickly snapping behind. Then, fronted by a police escort, a caravan of five vehicles darted in and out of Shanghai’s daunting traffic and headed back to the hotel.

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