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Steve Nash and friends throwdown for the showdown in chinatown, take 2

It’s never as good as the first time. The rain, the grand stand bleachers, the wet turf, the steady cam man on the field, the crane cam hovering over the crowd. What was an underground experiment last year became the mainstream mainstay as Steve Nash and Claudio Reyna hosted their 2nd annual Showdown in Chinatown to benefit each of their namesake charities. The line-ups, tweaked a bit from last year, will star in a Fox Soccer Channel documentary about the game.

That’s not to say it won’t be the best sporting event all summer in New York City. Standing over Thierry Henry’s shoulder while he watched the first half from the bench is not something one takes lightly. It was a mid-eighties Michael Jackson moment for some, which is why this event will forever be, no matter how many times they play it, a once in a lifetime experience.

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Besides the FSC cameras and grandstands, there was a PA announcer as well. And this guy in the suit from the city.

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Mathieu Flamini with a young Arsenal fan.

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Bosh took the role left vacant by Baron Davis. The crowd cheered louder for Bosh than anyone. And he hammed it up appropriately.

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Chris Bosh had the best time.

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the point guard

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the swing men, Grant Hill and Chris Bosh.

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Edgar Davids and Reyna, who actually still had plenty of skill left in his newly fresh legs. Davids had more than enough, held the ball longer than probably anybody. Overheard in New York: “Egdar Davids is a ball hog.”

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New York, New York

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tricks galore…

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larger, yet still rudimentary, PDF filmstrip here.

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Salomon Kalou, best player on the field, same as last year.

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Kalou header

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half time

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basketball buddies

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So maybe Steve Nash had the best time.

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Nash was gifted a PK after attempting a failed but A-for-effort bicycle kick

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He sat out the entire first half, but Henry’s health looked fine once he took the field.

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near-miss emotion from Tony Parker in response to Henry’s heckling.

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flash

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Don’t you just love the off-season?

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still photos exclusive to TIAS by Nick Werner.