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"ESPN's World Fame 100" lists the '100 most famous and well-known athletes in the world.' Here are two basic facts: China has over 18% of the world's population, and not one single athlete from China is on the list. Here's a video about Ma Long for the experts at ESPN to watch when they have a minute:
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This is a really fascinating shot that probably nobody here has seen before - it's called "The Snake," or "The Wiggle Wobble," and is generally reserved for desperate situations. Look at the demonstration video (you don't need to watch the whole thing; just long enough to understand what it is - although the ending of the first video is very funny!). Then, watch Ma Long use it against the current #1 player in the world (that sneaky bastard!) - if you don't watch the first video, you won't understand the second.
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The Northern Virginia Table Tennis Center (NOVATTC) is one of very few professional-level table tennis facilities in the Washington, DC area, and is owned and operated by Zhongxing Lu, who I'm proud to say is my coach. Coach Lu was on the Chinese National Junior Team, was a Top 16 player in China, and has kept up an extremely high level of playing throughout the course of his life - in 2013, he got to the semi-finals in the United States 45-and-over national championships. Coach Lu speaks almost no English, but we manage to communicate very well, and nearly everyone else at the club speaks English, so language is never a barrier. I once asked Coach Lu if he was the best player in Virginia. He looked at me like I was crazy - to this day, I still don't know if he didn't understand me, or was shocked that I'd ask such a trivial question (yes, he's *that* good). He did tell me that there are players in the Gaithersburg and Germantown area who are world-class - Olympic-level players from China. Last weekend, the Lu family traveled to Houston, where his 13-year-old daughter, Jie, won the 14-and-under division in the Junior Olympics - she'll also be eligible to play in this event in 2017 - it's very possible that one day, a few years from now, Jie will be in the Olympics representing the United States. Here is a video of Jie accepting her Gold Medal. And a picture taken by the proud parents: For non-members, Coach Lu charges $45 an hour for lessons, and considering you're getting instruction from a legitimate, world-class player, that is incredibly inexpensive. NOVATTC has open, walk-in play each night from 5-10:30 PM. I cannot imagine another table tennis facility that is so well-equipped, and so expertly staffed - certainly not in Northern Virginia, and I cannot recommend a coach more highly than I recommend Coach Lu - he is one of the kindest men I know, and if you're an advanced player: Avoid his forehand loop like the Bubonic Plague. Here's a video of Coach Lu and Jie I took about six months ago, just having a casual rally (this looks impressive, but they're really just having an easy back-and-forth - both players are capable of hitting lethal shots at any time - you'll notice that Coach Lu doesn't even come close to missing: Initial error aside, both players could potentially keep this type of rally up for an hour without an error). If you're a table tennis player, or want to learn how to become one, write me, and I'll put you in touch with Coach Lu - you'll be glad you did. If you're a beginner, there are other coaches available that aren't quite as expensive or, um, "intimidating." Don Rockwell
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