芝加哥当地时间10月3日下午3：55分， 密尔沃基雄鹿队新秀易建联乘坐UA 836航班由上海起飞， 经过14小时长途飞行抵达芝加哥O'hare国际机场。 中国驻芝加哥总领事馆副总领事储茂明先生， 领事李新杰先生、杨海泉先生、郭宗光先生等中国政府官员、雄鹿队官方代表吉姆.帕扎克先生、密尔沃基易建联球迷俱乐部（ www.yifansclub.org）代表等到机场迎接。密尔沃基当地多家电视台、芝加哥《中国之星媒体集团》、中国《体坛周报》等多家媒体记者云集接机大厅。阿联笃一出现，人群蜂拥而上，阿联立刻被球迷和记者包围，有女球迷当场献花，场面甚为热烈。阿联还与球迷俱乐部提供的国旗合影留念。雄鹿队当场在机场大厅内召开了简短的媒体见面会。易建联第一次在美国观众面前表达签约雄鹿队后的心声。随后，阿联、广东宏远队领导以及雄鹿队官员乘坐大巴匆匆赶往密尔沃基。沿途之上，可以看到告诉公路边巨大的公告牌上已经亮起阿联的巨幅宣传画，看来密尔沃基人已经为欢迎这位来自中国的球星做足了准备。（密尔沃基易建联球迷俱乐部当地报道，详情查询 www.yifansclub.org）

易建联登录NBA，最高兴的我看不事中国的球迷，而是雄鹿的管理层，易建联成了新赛季雄鹿市场推广的一张王牌，与一般的新秀相比，易建联最大的不同在于他背靠中国这个庞大的市场，他身后有着数以千万计的中国球迷支持，这种巨大的市场吸引力是其他2007届新秀所难以比拟的，这一点雄鹿管理层心知肚明。尽管新赛季还没有开始，易建联的竞技价值还无法体现，但雄鹿已经着手开发他的商业潜能，在密尔沃基市公路两侧的广告牌，有一句豪迈的广告语： �13亿新球迷！�。

　　易建联能否代表13亿中国人？13亿中国人市雄鹿的御用球迷？我看都不是肯定的，不否认一个事实，易建联将提升雄鹿在中国的知名度，但还没到全国山河一片红的程度。即使雄鹿能收13亿人心，这样的宣传口号也只不过是进一步将易建联推向绝境。易建联人还没到NBA，无数双眼睛已经盯着他的NBA之路。鹿越把场面搞得大易建联越没退路，换句话说，雄鹿已经尽了能尽的礼数，易建联打不出名堂来，被交易的时候也别喊冤。 Mitbbs.com

　　雄鹿的商业开发副总裁约翰-斯特恩米勒表示，雄鹿制作户外数码广告牌的目的在于吸引更多人的关注，在新赛季训练营开始之前为雄鹿积累更多的人气。目前易建联还在国内同国家队一起进行训练，但是据易建联身边的好友爆料称，易建联已经订好计划将于10月3日从上海直飞美国，和雄鹿队会合

BEIJING � Governor Jim Doyle has met with Yi Jianlian, the Milwaukee Bucks 2007 first round draft pick from the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). Governor Doyle met with Yi while touring Olympic venues in Beijing, and highlighting the contributions Wisconsin businesses are making to help China prepare for the 2008 Olympic Games.



�We can't wait to welcome Yi to Wisconsin," Governor Doyle said. "Millions around the world will tune in to see Yi, learn about Milwaukee, and see what Wisconsin is all about. Wisconsin already has a tremendous relationship with China that is only growing stronger. From the 2008 Olympic Games to the Shanghai World Expo in 2010, Wisconsin companies are manufacturing the quality products China needs to fuel its growth."



The Milwaukee Bucks drafted Yi Jianlian this summer with the sixth overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. A 6-11, 238 pound power forward, Yi has played professionally for the Guangdong Tigers of the CBA, where he earned "Rookie of the Year" honors for the 2002-03 season. Yi and the Tigers have competed in the last five CBA Finals, winning titles in 2004, 2005, and 2006. Yi was named the Finals� Most Valuable Player in 2006. Yi also played with the Chinese National Team during the 2004 Olympics in Athens and will return to the team during the 2008 Games in Beijing.



On his trade mission to China, Governor Doyle has highlighted opportunities for Wisconsin companies at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai. Governor Doyle visited the Capital Gym and the National Training Center in Beijing, key Olympic venues that have been built using equipment, supplies and products provided by Wisconsin companies.

� Robbins Sport Surfaces of Whitelake provided the maple flooring for the Capital Gym in Beijing, as well as a 26,000 square-foot portable basketball court for the Nanjing Sports Centre, both serving as Olympic training centers.

� Aecer Flooring of Peshtigo supplied and installed the 29,000 square-foot wood floor for the National Training Center in Beijing, the exclusive training location for the Chinese national team. Aecer is also installing the flooring for the Olympic badminton courts. The company is one of the largest producers of wood Performance Sports Floors in the United States.

� Manitowoc Company is the largest crane manufacturer in China. The company�s Grove Cranes are playing a crucial role in construction projects for the 2008 Games.

� Oshkosh Truck is providing six emergency response vehicles for the Beijing Capital International Airport in preparation for the 2008 Games � a trade agreement sealed by Governor Doyle.

http://sports.sina.com.cn 2007年09月18日11:38 新浪体育
州长对话阿联： 雄鹿崛起就靠你密城是韦德发迹地


　　新浪体育讯　北京时间9月18日， 上周日威斯康星州州长吉姆-道尔和易建联在北京的会面被美国媒体广泛报道，州长希望阿联让雄鹿新赛季崛起，并说“这一切都靠你了”。

　　密尔沃基《商业日志报》披露了这次会见的详细情况。上周，道尔率领一支威斯康星商业考察团到访中国，周日他抽空前往体育总局，会见了正在那里训练的易建联。

　　身穿蓝色牛仔裤，白色T恤，脚上是一双白色低帮耐克鞋，易建联就这样出现在州长的面前。

　　“你将要来密尔沃基，我们所有人都非常开心。”道尔表示。

　　“我已经准备好了，”易建联表示。

　　州长送给了阿联一件9号的雄鹿
球衣。这是易建联第一次拿到印有自己号码的雄鹿队服。

　　州长问易建联他从姚明那获得了什么建议，“和CBA相比，NBA更加激烈。”易建联表示。

　　州长告诉易建联他到了密尔沃基肯定会感觉像到家一样。道尔还告诉阿联，热火球星韦德在进入NBA之前就在密尔沃基的马盖特大学打球，他曾经率队杀入了NCAA四强。

　　道尔说他希望雄鹿在2007-08赛季变成一支强队，“我们都盼望有一个出色的赛季，这一切就靠你了。”道尔笑着对阿联说。

　　在易建联被雄鹿选中后，易之队由于害怕阿联无法获得足够的上场时间而要求交易，同时他们还担心密尔沃基的华人数量有限。道尔说芝加哥拥有庞大的亚裔族群，而该市距离密尔沃基只有90英里。他还建议易建联去密尔沃基大学所在地马迪森看看，那里有大量的中国留学生。

　　“你肯定会有很多上场机会，我希望你能过得开心，不要有太大压力。”道尔说。

　　道尔还提醒阿联，威斯康星州体育迷数量众多，他们都会支持他：“我们的球迷非常棒，他们都会支持你，这点跟费城和纽约不一样。”道尔说密尔沃基其实并不小：“那里拥有大城市应该拥有的一切，只不过给人的感觉是个小地方罢了。”

　　道尔说他希望易建联跟姚明一样，为自己的球队所在城市带去人气，“你会让密尔沃基在中国出名。”

　　易建联笑着说：“已经很出名了。”

　　“我们希望更多的中国人来密尔沃基看看。”州长说。

　　易建联将在10月2日结束了
男篮热身后前往美国，参加雄鹿的季前训练营。而州长道尔在结束了对中国的访问后，将于当地时间今天返回密尔沃基。

http://sports.sina.com.cn 2007年09月18日16:38 体育天地-MVP

　　《体育天地-MVP》记者严健报道 生活在密尔沃基的华人李建祥最近非常忙碌。虽然他的职业是密尔沃基一家中文学校的校长，但是他的日程表上却排满了同中文教育没有任何关系的事情。

　　同雄鹿队谈判华人球迷的团体票价；设计加油的标语和口号；组织易建联欢迎会；帮易建联挑选合适的中餐馆��自从李建祥成为易建联球迷俱乐部的负责人之后，他的生活重心就转移到了这个中国大个子身上，而他仅仅是为了欢迎阿联而忙碌起来的密尔沃基市的一个缩影。

　　市长要亲自欢迎阿联

　　�密尔沃基市市长汤姆?巴雷特先生已经接受了我们的邀请，他将在易建联欢迎会上亲自欢迎来自中国的贵宾。�李建祥兴奋地表示。

　　但是我们并不能将�最尊贵的出席嘉宾�的称谓加诸于巴雷特先生之前，中国驻芝加哥总领事馆领事、密尔沃基商会负责人��各界名流都将同巴雷特先生一起，在欢迎会上热情地握住阿联的手，说一声：�密尔沃基欢迎你。�

　　�现在一切都在有条不紊地进行，就等着阿联10月3日踏上密尔沃基的土地。�李建祥说，�我们已经准备好了欢迎词，现场条幅也制作完成，密尔沃基商会给我们提供了巨大的帮助，看得出来，整个密尔沃基市都对阿联的到来充满期待。�

　　华人总动员

　　密尔沃基的华人数量不多，只有不足10000人，但是这些华人在密尔沃基是一支不容忽视的社会力量。有48家中餐馆分布在密尔沃基各处，还有一个中国体育酒吧以及若干华人社团。

　　现在，这些组织已经全部行动了起来。

　　�美华协会、美康中文学校、旅美学者工程师协会、威斯康星大学中国学生会、马奎特大学中国学生会��几乎整个密尔沃基乃至威斯康星州的华人组织都加入到了欢迎阿联的准备工作当中。�李建祥说。

　　这些华人社团为了迎接阿联可谓�八仙过海，各显神通�，中餐馆的老板们集体开会研究如何为阿联提供最地道的广东菜；
房地产专家为阿联四处打探合适的寓所；各协会负责人在为阿联组织同当地球迷的互动��

　　�阿联还没来，我们的热情已经被点燃了，我现在每天东奔西跑，好像又回到了当年初到美国时的创业时代。�李建祥说。

Wenbin Yuan

April 29, 2000

Although I learned skiing at my extremely late 30s, skiing becomes a passion for me. It gives me the meaning and joy of a long season in Milwaukee: Winter. I always tell people from other places that Wisconsin is a beautiful state, but it has only two seasons: snow season and mosquito season. If you do not like the snow season, too bad, you have only one season left to enjoy: the mosquito season.

Skiing provides people in the upper Midwest with enough fun that it becomes the meaning and purpose of life for many die-hard Wisconsinites. They look down upon others who do not have the foggiest idea about skiing. In some of the ��great years��, winter in here can start as early as early October when snow starts to fall and the first snow flakes may not melt until late April or early May next year before mosquito season starts, leaving you with 5 full months without snow. We all remember the year 2000 when it snowed 26 of 31 days in December, covering the ground with additional 59 inches of snow in just one month! But in most years, the snow season and mosquito season are fighting a well balanced battle with no clear underdog. Although snow in late May is not unheard of in Wisconsin, some of the winters can be so ��sloppy�� that you may be able to ski in Milwaukee for less than 30 days in the entire year. Even the world famous 51K Birkie marathon ski race at Haywood, northern Wisconsin was cancelled once for lack of snow! Those short snow seasons are usually entered as ��bad years�� in the memories of Wisconsinites.

Although you can find a ski hill right in Metropolitan Milwaukee at Crystal Ridge, the skiing lifts are never too crowded in Wisconsin. In comparison, you may have to pay $250 for the lift and wait in line for 80% of your time in the ski resort if you are skiing in a Japanese ski resort. Besides the times that you are genuinely busy, you can probably ski three to five times a year on average in Milwaukee due to the lack of snow and time and the other ways to find excuses not to go. The harsh reality is that Winter in Wisconsin has become either too cold or too warm in the recent years. Therefore, skiing for Milwaukee people is more of a faith and philosophy than reality, more of an attitude for life than a health enhancing sport. Simply speaking, we skiers here care more about attitude than altitude. We can, after all, ski right here in Milwaukee and feel the thrilling excitement before global warming comes.

The new scientific theory states that the air pollution caused smog in the air which is condensing the moisture into too many nuclei so that large snow flakes can not form anymore. Small nuclei of moisture can never gain enough gravity to reach the earth. Winter used to be described as ��lions of winters�� in Wisconsin is now reduced as so called ��pussycat��. Wildflowers bloom sooner and ice on in-land lakes vanishes faster. Snow used to be ��waist high��, but is only ��ankle high�� now. Even Lake Michigan is short of water and the docks are rapidly changing into decks. Southern Wisconsin in the recent years has experienced three 100-year floods that filled basements with stinking sewage and turned freeways and farm fields into ponds and reserviors. Scorching heat waves over the same period have killed many Wisconsinites and 32,000 farm animals in one hot year. Wisconsinites like to take everything granted, not realizing that we may be the last generation in Wisconsin to enjoy snow and skiing as a previlige to we northerners by God.

Besides skiing, I often brag about Wisconsin��s lush lakes and ubiquitous water systems to the people down from the south who have hard time to imagine the 65,499-square mile patch of the earth decorated with over 15,000 lakes to be so pretty. I often portray Wisconsin as a state that has Lake Superior in the north which has the purest water you can find from a great lake, Lake Michigan to the east where sailing and maritime commerce has been a legend for centures, as well as the Mississippi to the west where you can rent a house boat with four private rooms, a large kitchen and three decks for a cruise through the Old Mississippi. This cruise goes from upper Minnesota all the way to New Orleans, across the Unites States in one to two weeks. You can declair soveriegnty during the evening in some of the sand bars in the mid of the waters of Old Mississippi and govern your own island for an entire evening with your crew.

Milwaukee is, in reality, the northern suburb of Chicago. Only a few years ago we were trying to lure Chicago people to build their second airport in Milwaukee as Chicago Mitchell airport. They rejected us citing that they wanted to spend tax dollars in Chicago. However, the road from Chicago to Milwaukee is jammed every beginning of the weekend by Chicagoers seeking activities and natural beaties in Milwaukee or its surounding areas and it is jammed from Milwaukee to Chicago every Sunday afternoon because Milwaukee has so much more fun than that of Chicago. Less than two hours of driving away from Milwaukee, you will see the skyscapers in Chicago that has most of the world��s highest buildings. Inside the state of Wisconsin, there are approximately 5,000 more lakes than the state of Minnesota. Added to that fact, almost 70% of the land is forested, plus there are five major several magnificent rivers flowing through the state across the glacier tills, eskers glacier boulders and deep-cut cliffs that look similar to Guilin in China (for example, north shores of Madeline Island in Ashland).

Chinese community in Milwaukee is one of the most vibrant Chinese communities in the nation. During the WWII, Milwaukee Chinese donated second most money to support China��s anti-Japanese war effort next to San Francisco that has much larger population. Chinese came to Milwaukee in the early 1800��s when Milwaukee is a larger town than that of Chicago. Milwaukee Chinese are some of the most successful Chinese groups in U.S. and when the Chinese Exclusion Act ceased to exist after nearly 60 years of enforcement, a good portion of the 129 quota per year for Chinese immigrant settled in Milwaukee, includinghte very first legal Chinese immigrant due to the political influence of Milwaukee Chinese community. In 1990, it was also Milwaukee Chinese who fought very hard in congress to persuade the Congress to continue the Most Favoured Nation status to China which is instrumental for China��s past 15 years of development. Today, about 12,000 metropolitan Milwaukee Chinese is making living in almost every profession. Local people no longer ask a Chinese ��Hi, where is your laundry?�� or ��Pal, where is your restaurant?�� during the first encounter anymore.

Milwaukee maintained to be top six largest cities in U.S. until Chicago finally replaced Milwaukee as the hub for rail road transporation in early 1900. After losing the title for the largest hub for transporation, Milwaukee kept the title as the largest beer town for a long long time. It was the largest cheese town, largest tanery town, largest heavy machinery town for a long time. Harley-Davidson was established when human being just discovered how to make cars and motor cycles back to 105 years ago.

In the fall, the leaves will turn the into such colors that the entire state is like mountains of flowers, intoxicating for people without even beer. But no one feels it in Wisconsin and no one mentions it either. Most people seem to take it granted. Some may casually mention watching northern lights in the northern tip of Wisconsin when camping, not realizing that the spectacular araura phenominon may be the most magnifician scenary most people will ever see in their life! With the ever decreasing field of our earth��s magnetic field, the north pole and south pole will eventually reverse like what has happened many thousands times and we may not be able to see the northern lights for a little while before they are all reversed!

Growing from a land that is still mostly in natural state, Wisconsin people are very natural people. It is a beautiful state with very modest people, down to the earth modest with deep roots from the endless farms that decorated the landscape of this state. They take anything for granted while believing there are always something better out there somewhere in other states. On the same token, they dare not brag anything in front of others, therfore proud of being modest and proud of being able to keep the best secrets of their state. They never even mentioned that they have 5,000 more lakes than the state that boasts as ��Land of 10,000 Lakes��, but simply put themselves as people in America��s Dairy Land. They realize that no one will save money and manage a trip to see America��s Dairy Land and find out cows and caw shits. But why bother? Their incomes are generated mostly from the natural soil right under their feet in all old fasioned ways. Why asking people to come over to just see them.

When you meet a stranger in a street or in the elevator, you do not have to say the usual greetings such as ��good morning�� or ��good evening�� like what you would do in New York or Boston. In herer, you can just say: So, it��s time to ski, eh?, or Hi, too many mosquitos, ah? And people will understand and they will reply to you like they have known you for years. They are the easiest people to greet and best people to make friends, so long as you remember reality first and formality second.

The early Spaniards may be all stumped by the vast forestry in this state. However, after early French settlers in Wisconsin conquered the forests with hatchets and later on Germans with chain saws and settled down as farmers, they developed a culture and industry from farming. First thing they did was to make beer so that they can exchange for pocket money, relax with socials, have a night life or high life, celebrate something and feel the meaning of life after being intoxicated.

Wisconsin people are also very creative and political in nature. The capital of Madison was made as a capital before there was any person in the place through a business person who bought the land and argued to the authorities that the place of Madison should be made as the capitol of Wisconsin. The first person born in Madison as called Wisconsinia when the capital had only less than five families.

To tap into the immense beer desire, Milwaukee was born. It was created so that you do not have to make your own beer. Instead, you can go to a brewery or a bar. With the German style of perfecting everything they have, they quickly reached the point at which they were the largest beer producers and consumptors in the world and maintained the title up to today.

They also created activities and cultures around beer. There are more festivals in Milwaukee than almost all of the festivals of Midwest combined to help consume the beer. Before you see the city of Milwaukee, you will see the rotating sign of Miller first. Before you smell the smog of Milwaukee, you will smell the smell of beer first. Beer is the blood of this state. It helps to circulate the money and bring emotion to people. If you do not drink beer, you are no friend to anyone here.

On top of the title of beer producing and drinking, is the cheese producing and comsumption for Wisconsin. 70% of the population here are German so that cheese and steak are the majority of the daily diet. When you are invited to a friend��s home, they will give you two choices: how do you want your steaks to be done? And one more cheese? After The Packers won the Super Bowl, everyone started wearing a cheese head to show they have cheese from top to bottom and from inside to outside. Packers victory means a lot to Wisconsinites, it is not just a game, it is all about principles. After Packers beat the Cowboys, Wisconsinites also feel the joy of socialism beating the captalism due to the fact that no one owns Packers but one guy owns Cowboys. Packers is a symbol of collective ownership. Packers is a people��s team and will always remain as people��s team, no like others who will be threatened to be sold or to sell or to move to somewhere else. Packers will always be Wisconsin��s Packers and they will always be owned by people but no any particular tycoon!

(To be continued)