Back to Jinli Street

After Kristine Lilly had great things to say about Jinli Street, where she went with the ESPN crew last Friday to shoot her interview that will air during Monday Night Football on Sept. 10, about a dozen players went back to the bustling, but quaint and ancient street today for about an hour of shopping and sight-seeing. The U.S. players caused a bit of a stir when the bus pulled up to the entrance of the street. Maybe it was the police escort with lights flashing? Maybe it was SWAT team vehicle that pulled up behind the bus? Maybe it was the six heavily armed Chinese SWAT team guys in black body armor carrying automatic weapons that followed the team onto the street? Or maybe it was Natasha Kai’s hair? (Which can be loosely described as Richard Simmons meets Krusty the Clown). But what it probably was, was the gaggle of photographers and cameramen who were waiting to snap pictures and get video of the U.S. team strolling through one of Chengdu’s most popular and historic marketplaces. Needless to say, after seeing the pandas yesterday (stayed tuned to ussoccer.com for a video on the visit soon), the U.S. team has been an extremely popular photo op for the Chengdu media.