The Chinese Super League (CSL) has changed hands, with Shanghai Port winning the league title and Shanghai Shenhua walking away with the FA Cup trophy. Both teams had a rough road to the championship as they battled Shandong Taishan in the final game of the tournament after two fierce battles. Shandong Taishan, although the harvest of the Chinese Super League runner-up, FA Cup runner-up, as well as the beginning of the year Super Cup runner-up, fans jokingly referred to it as "the king of three Asia", like a lost ship.
In the face of Shandong Taishan's situation, Shanghai team reporter Liu Wenchao couldn't help but speak out. He pointed out that the fans of some teams hold double standards, their own team was called a "treasure" even though it came in second place, while the Shanghai team was jokingly called a "mediocre champion" because of its runner-up finish.
This is where the term "champion of mediocrity" comes from.
In 2017, the Shanghai team repeatedly hit the wall in the title race. Cheng Yaodong, who was then in charge of the Shanghai club, had defended the team, arguing that if the average results of the Chinese Super League, the Asian Champions League and the FA Cup were calculated, the Shanghai team was the real king of the Chinese Super League, not Guangzhou Evergrande.
Cheng Yaodong's statement was teased by fans as "SIPG is the champion of mediocrity", and since then, the term "champion of mediocrity" was officially born.
Admittedly, it seems a bit embarrassing for Shanghai to be called "mediocre champions", but it's also self-deprecating. It's a rarity in the global three-point ranking system. If it's really Shanghai's fans making fun of themselves, then Cheng Yaodong's special status gives that statement real meaning.
Nonetheless, journalist Liu Wenchao expressed his dissatisfaction. He wrote: "The phrase 'best overall performance in the third line' has been misinterpreted as 'mediocre champions'. Nowadays, fans of some teams laugh at our runners-up but cheer for their own. Sometimes, I really don't know how this double standard holds true."
At first glance, the reporter's point seems valid. Since they were both runners-up, why were we ridiculed when we were runners-up, while they claimed gold when they were runners-up?
In fact, there is a certain amount of obfuscation involved: conflating the claims of club official Cheng Yaodong with the banter of fans, as the two are not comparable.
Is the term "mediocre champions" an accurate interpretation? It doesn't seem so, as Cheng Yiu-tung does think that Hong Kong's average score is the highest.
The reporter recalled the brilliant performance of the "Sanya King" in Hong Kong and pointed out the competitive environment then and now, suggesting that this year's "Sanya King" is not as valuable as that of Hong Kong.
In the end, Liu Ji said that every team faces difficulties and hoped that the Chinese Super League teams can go farther and farther on the road to the runner-up spot, and also hoped that the fans of certain teams can treat themselves and their opponents correctly.
It's easy to point fingers at others, but it's hard to improve oneself. I hope Liu Ji will not forget to remind Shanghai fans to treat themselves and their opponents correctly while convincing fans of other teams, and I hope his home team officials will develop a correct outlook on results.
