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BEIJING, China - After a roller-coaster NBA career, Stephon Marbury has found peace in basketball-crazed China. Rangers Ryan Rua Jersey . The two-time all-star is thriving on the court with the Beijing Ducks while becoming one with his adopted hometown away from basketball.He is so entrenched, he wants to one day coach Chinas national team.I plan on living here for the rest of my life, the 37-year-old point guard and Brooklyn native said in an interview in the lobby of his plush apartment building in the heart of Beijing. I think they respect me enough to be able to give me the opportunity.China is a world away from Marburys life in the U.S., where he endured a string of disappointing stints with several NBA teams. But he has found his groove in Beijing, leading the Ducks to two Chinese Basketball Association championships. He is an unrivaled fan favourite and the teams on-court leader — the organization has even erected a statue of him in front of its arena.Marbury has capitalized on the opportunities China offers to foreign basketball players and other athletes capable of adjusting to the considerable cultural, linguistic and culinary challenges of life in the rising Asian power. Already dominant at the Olympics and Asian Games, the worlds second largest economy is now undergoing a boom in professional sports stoked by foreign coaches and players.I dont make nowhere near the money that I made when I was playing in the NBA, Marbury said, but Im way happier, so I mean, what is that to say?A big part of Marburys Chinese appeal has been his willingness to embrace local culture and make himself accessible to fans.He rides the Beijing subway with a backpack and headphones, posing for photos with people he meets along the way. He dines at local eateries, and digs into the same simple meals as his Chinese teammates.Marbury has been a vocal supporter of Guoan, Beijings beloved local football team, and studied the graceful martial art of tai chi. He even took a stab at learning Chinese before a knee surgery threw him off his lessons.Hes also active on Weibo, the ubiquitous Chinese version of Twitter. A typical post: Good morning China! Live in the moment with pure loving intentions to all. Love is Love!!!He wrote a column — Starbury News — in the China Daily newspaper, and if he had any negative feelings about China, he kept them to himself.Marbury was seen as a loner in America, but hes completely changed his image here in China. Hes shown huge interest helping both his team and young people generally, said veteran Chinese sportscaster Xu Jicheng.Basketball is already hugely popular in China, as is American music and fashion. Urban courts are filled with youngsters showing off their moves, while hip-hop fashions are a favourite of those born in the 1980s and 90s.Fans have also connected with Marbury.When he scores for the Ducks, each basket is celebrated by an MC and echoed by fans at the arena operated by the teams sponsor, Capital Iron and Steel, in Beijings far western suburbs. Marbury can still score, he had a 46-point game in a one-point loss to the Xinjiang Flying Tigers.Its not exactly Madison Square Garden, but crowds at the Shougang Basketball Center are enthusiastic. Songs by Sugar Hill Gang and other hip hop classics play over the PA — with Marbury at the centre of it all.Marbury is why we come to these games. Hes the one whos really made them play like they never played before, said Ricky Chen, a 26-year-old Beijing office worker who endured a two-hour trip on the subway to catch a game with his girlfriend.A college standout at Georgia Tech, Marbury was a first-round pick in the 1996 NBA draft by Milwaukee, but traded to Minnesota. He also played for New Jersey and Phoenix before joining the New York Knicks amid high expectations that were never realized. His last stop in the NBA was with Boston in 2009.With his NBA options becoming limited, Marbury decided in 2010 to head for China in hopes of jump-starting his career.That leap of faith landed him initially in gritty Taiyuan in Chinas northern coal country. A contract dispute with the Brave Dragons soon left him high and dry, although Marbury said he never considered heading home.I was, like, if I go back to America Im going to get killed by the media. Im done. This is it. My career is done, my life is over with, Marbury said.Salvation came in the form of the Foshan Dragons in the industrial south.Along the way, he has relaunched his Starbury sportswear brand, whose logo is tattooed on his shaved head. This fall he was featured in a live musical production using his China experience as an allegory for overcoming hardship.Marbury is one of dozens of foreign players in the CBA, which allows teams to play two non-Chinese players at a time for a total of six quarters per game. Some have found the success that eluded them in the U.S., such as former NBA journeyman Lester Hudson, the CBAs MVP last season, and Jamaal Franklin, a former second-round draft pick of the Memphis Grizzlies, the leagues leading scorer this season.Other NBA All-Stars have given China a shot — including Metta World Peace, Tracy McGrady and Gilbert Arenas, with varying degrees of success.But none embraced the country in the way Marbury has.It makes him one of the few CBA foreigners that arent likely to be painted as mercenaries, said Andrew Crawford, whose website, Shark Fin Hoops, covers Chinese basketball. Hes the first foreigner in the CBA to make a huge and sustained deal out of how much he likes being in Beijing, and that means a lot.Marbury believes he can play another two or three years but no matter what happens on the court — or with his coaching ambitions — he plans to keep China at the centre of his life and career.I am forever indebted to this country for them helping change my life and my basketball career, and how Im viewed in the world of basketball. Rangers Yovani Gallardo Jersey. Now, he might be their hottest pitcher. Lobstein earned up his first major league victory Sunday night, allowing one run in 5 2-3 innings in the Tigers 6-1 win over the San Francisco Giants. Rangers Brandon Mann Jersey . -- The Chicago Bears have agreed to a one-year contract with cornerback Kelvin Hayden.Its been two years since the BC Lions hoisted the Grey Cup and Wally Buono handed the head coaching reigns to Mike Benevides. Since then the Lions have entered each season with one of the most talented rosters in the league before falling short of expectations. Two years is a short time to be sure, and its not like the Lions cant supply excuses for their shortcomings since 2011 – Travis Lulays shoulder injury last year – but in the ultra-competitive and impatient world of professional sports, the pressure is on. Bad teams feel pressure to be better; good teams feel pressure to be the best. And dont forget the added burden of a potential home field for the Grey Cup and the three-year streak of Grey Cup champs winning at home. The Lions were smart in acquiring veteran leader and “quarterback 1A” Kevin Glenn from the Ottawa Redblacks during the CFL Draft for the fifth-overall draft pick. The price was a little steep for a player few figured would actually end up with Ottawa for the upcoming season, but with Lulays shoulder still a talking point, Glenn provides quality insurance at the most important position. BC has opted for younger projects at QB behind Lulay the past couple years but the Glenn acquisition makes sense for a team that cant get derailed for even a short period of time, should Lulay miss games – for whatever ailment – this season. Especially with Thomas DeMarcos selection in the Expansion Draft, Glenn gives the Lions peace of mind at one of their most worrisome areas for 2014. Another solid move, adding to a position of strength, was the free agent signing of Jamall Johnson. Johnson returns to BC after five seasons in Hamilton, his last a down year after being asked to play in the middle, and joins a frightening linebacking corps that already includes Solomon Elimimian and Adam Bighill. BCs task in once again entering the year as one of the most talented teams on paper is replacing receiver Nick Moore and a number of large bodies on the offensive line. Not to diminish Moores impact, but the Lions receiving corps still has enough burners, and more importantly, added Canadian content, that Lulay – or Glenn – shouldnt feel frustrated for lack of quality targets. The line however, may have to rely on more youngsters than would be considered ideal. The good news is their young contingent on the offensive line is talented and the unit is still anchored by perhaps the best left tackle in the game in Jovan Olafioye. While theyve fallen short of the Grey Cup the past two years, the Lions still qualified for the postseason those years, and were just a win away from a return trip in 2012; so it feels strange to suggest the team enters the season under pressure to do more. That reality is part testament to how well the Lions organization is run, but as is the case with all good teams, being good only coounts for so long; greatness sticks. Rangers Carlos Tocci Jersey. Like the Argos and Riders before them, look for the Lions to go all out in 2014. Notes Parting Ways After a long tenure with the Lions as an offensive coach and coordinator, Jacques Chapdelaine left the Lions early in the off-season, the coach and team mutually agreeing to part ways. It was certainly a big shakeup on Benevides staff, getting rid of the offensive mainstay of 10 of the past 11 years. Up and coming offensive mind Khari Jones replaced Chapdelaine as well as taking on the QB coach role. Expansion Draft The Lions search for a backup quarterback began anew after the Ottawa Redblacks selected Thomas DeMarco, who gained solid experience filling in for an injured Travis Lulay In 2013, in the first round of the Expansion Draft. BC also lost guard Matt Albright and DT Andrew Marshall to the Redblacks. Free Agency With the least amount of players to hit the free market, the Lions were one of the least active teams during the free agency period. They did lose promising receiver Nick Moore to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers however, but made a splash on the other side of the ball when they brought back linebacker Jamall Johnson, who last played for the Lions in 2008, from Hamilton. Retirements The Lions offensive line took a number of big hits this off-season with the retirements of three big pieces. Veteran centre Angus Reid was the first to announce his retirement. The 13-year veteran was a three-time West Division All-Star and one-time league All-Star. Not long after tackle Ben Archibald retired. The two-time All-Canadian spent the past three seasons in BC. Then late in the off-season Patrick Kabongo joined the two in retirement. The nine-year vet was a one-time West Division All-Star. CFL Draft The Lions traded out of the first round in order to solidify their backup quarterback situation by grabbing Kevin Glenn from the Redblacks for the fifth-overall pick. The team had two picks in the second round, grabbing OL Tchissakid Player from Northwestern State and FB Pascal Lochard from Laval. With their final five selections the Lions took LB Casey Chin from Simon Fraser in the third round, DL David Menard from Montreal in the fourth round, WR Alexander Fox from Bishops in the fifth round, DL Dylan Roper from Simon Fraser in the sixth round, and RB Guillaume Bourassa from Laval in the seventh round. Khalif Mitchell Returns One of the most enigmatic players in the league the past few seasons made his return to BC late in the off-season after a year with the Toronto Argonauts. Khalif Mitchells talent and impact at his DT position are unquestionable, but his return to the Lions was surprising after Mitchell seemingly burned a lot of bridges on his way out of BC a year ago. Lions GM Wally Buono has said all the right things about Mitchells return so far, noting the player has matured over the years. 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