Georgetown, Bayi play nice, but Sunday’s game is off

Georgetown and the Bayi Rockets (finally) played nice Friday.

Georgetown coach John Thompson III issued a statement saying two of his Hoyas met with representatives of the Bayi Rockets and tried to reconcile. They met at the Beijing airport, exchanged souvenirs and pleasantries.

Makes sense. The two teams are were supposed to have another exhibition game on Sunday in Shanghai. And no one – not the school, the pros or China – wants another melee. But they shouldn’t worry. That’s game’s off. From the AP:

The two teams had been scheduled to play each other again Sunday in Shanghai, according to Georgetown’s original itinerary for the trip, but the school will be playing the Liaoning Dinosaurs instead. Georgetown said Friday that the schedule change was made before Thursday’s game and was unrelated to the brawl.

So they talked, shook hands and called it a day. Makes sense. Why take the chance for another mess? “My understanding is that it’s all cleared up,” Chinese Vice Foreign Minsiter Cui Tiankai told reporters. “We’re pleased about this outcome.”

Less pleased? Fans.

This story details how the Bayi team irritated fans with their behavior, which has been an issue with some Chinese teams for some time. According to the AP, China’s national coach, a manager and three players were suspended for a fight with the Brazil team in October.

The problem, writes Ed Flanagan of NBC News, is the Bayi team’s military background.

Bayi’s military background – the team was founded by members of the PLA – has deeply influenced their style of play, translating into an aggressive, attacking defensive game that often overpowers opponents. The results of such a style speak for themselves: 34 national titles and a Yankees-esque eight wins in 16 CBA championships.

“It’s a big honor to play for Bayi, that and the national team,” said Rauch. “It’s not as big of a deal now since they aren’t winning as much, but it’s still a big deal to be selected to play for them.”

And what’s all this mean for Georgetown? Anyone who watched early video from yesterday’s brawl probably thought the Hoyas weren’t too tough. (I figured they simply weren’t ready to start throwing down. I mean, they’re on a foreign tour. Time to relax, see the sights and try new food!)

But the video at the bottom of this SportsGrid post saves their rep a little bit. After all, the last thing Georgetown needs is for the rest of the Big East to think they’re soft.

BONUS UPDATE! Thanks to a tip from Matt Norlander, there’s a hilarious animated “news” video of the event, complete with a Panda bear, a ridiculous ref and a Bayi player breathing fire. Yes, it almost sounds too good to be true. Thankfully, there’s video below to prove it.

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