Two weeks ago, Virginia Tech offensive tackle Ed Wang made history when he was drafted by the Buffalo Bills, becoming the first Chinese American player in the NFL. The guy just broke a huge barrier in professional sports, and he's aware of the symbolic banner that he carries.
Wang also knows that the NFL, like the NBA before it, is making a bid to crack the lucrative Chinese market with American football, and he's going to be a key figure in making that happen: Bills' Wang ready to help NFL gain ground in China.
I'd hardly call China crazy about football... but it looks like they're curious. Since he was drafted, Wang has already generated quite a bit of buzz in China. There have reportedly been 300 articles written on Wang in the Chinese media, and Buffalo Bills jerseys are apparently on back order.
But first things first. All this attention, and the guy hasn't even played a pro game yet. That's a lot of pressure to be putting on one guy, but based on all the interviews I've read, he seems to be up for the challenge.
Wang is expected to compete for a backup tackle spot behind Demetrius Bell, who's coming back from a knee injury. Like NFL China's marketing folks, and all the curious would-be Chinese fans out there, I'm looking forward to seeing this guy prove himself in the pros. More here: Bills' draft pick Wang made for this moment.
