FAKE NEWS: Brad Marchand Was Not Locked In a Cage in a Basement in China

Listen, when China does some shady shit I’ll be the first to sing it from the rooftops. However, I can’t sit by idly and let other bloggers spread lies about my adopted homeland. Marchand was not locked in a cage in a basement in China.
“(NFL.COM) After our practice was pushed back from Monday morning to Monday afternoon, we went to the Silk Market. I actually was pulled into the basement and put in this room and locked in the room for an hour. The lady asked if I wanted to see all the new clothing and everything they had in stock, so I said, “Yeah, sure.” She said, “Do you want to come into our warehouse?” I said, “Yeah, take me to the warehouse.”So I walked with her to this elevator in this back room, went down — it must have been three floors — into the basement. We get out, it’s all dark, back alleys. She leads me into this metal, beaten-down door. Opens the door and it’s a closet. I thought we were going through there. We weren’t. I walk in, she closes the door, locks it, calls somebody, and I was like, oh, man. I’m in one right now. She told me to sit down. I said OK. I sat down, but then she started to ask me what I was looking for, and brought me clothes and suits.

I was a little nervous about that one. Just me, all by myself. But she was a kind lady. It worked out well. I got out of there alive.”

So the Silk Market is not a place where you go to buy silk. It’s a giant 4-story building that sells all types of clothing and gift items, including LOADS of knock-offs. However, the Chinese government has slowly but surely begun cracking down on counterfeit items so now if you want the good stuff (fake Rolexes, fake Louis Vuitton bags, fake Nikes) you usually have to be brought to a secret room. They can’t have the copyright cops blowing up their spot. Same thing happened to me at the Shanghai Fake market. Take a look.

So was Marchand brought down to a shady room in the basement of the Beijing Silk market. Yes. Was he locked in a cage down there. No. Did he buy loads of fake designer goods? Definitely. I’m sure all his friends and family will take comfort knowing that their brand name Christmas gifts are Chinese knock-offs when I’m sure he could’ve afforded the real thing.