After A Year and a Half, Former Ball State Linebacker and American Football League of China Coach Wendell Brown Remains in Chinese Jail. Let’s #BringHomeWendellBrown

I blogged this story back when Trump was stroking his own cock for getting Liangelo Ball off of “hotel arrest” for shoplifting like an idiot. Meanwhile, there has been another American athlete, Wendell Brown, who has been sitting in Chinese jail for over 554 DAYS! Wendell Brown, a Detroit native who played Linebacker at Ball State, moved out to China after graduation where he taught young kids the sport of American Football, played and coached in the same football league as me, and was a fitness instructor. I never had a chance to meet him as he was already imprisoned when I joined the league but I have close friends who knew him personally who all say he is one of the nicest people they’ve ever met.

This video by documentarian Matt Liston gives a rundown of his situation:

Here is a news report on it too:

He was out celebrating his birthday at bar when a some Chinese guys began insisting that he drink with them. He turned down their offer, which I assume they perceived as a loss of “face”, and began throwing bottles and trying to fight him. In the ensuing scuffle one of the Chinese guys claims he was hurt. When you try to fight a 6-foot 225-pound football player that’s usually what happens. After the fight, only Wendell was brought to jail and he hasn’t left since. Here’s the thing though, they have video footage of the fight that supports Wendell’s claim he acted in self defense, the U.S. Department of State has seen the footage and stands behind Wendell, yet the court case has been over for NINE MONTHS yet neither Brown nor his lawyers have been told when to expect a verdict. The Chinese court system has a 99% conviction rate so I’m not exactly overflowing with confidence.

Now seeing this is China, I can’t just open up my venmo to stoolies, raise some money, and magically bring him home. However, I can use the Barstool platform to raise awareness. Right now Wendell’s family and friends are asking that everyone print out the sign below and post a photo of them holding it to social media with the hashtag #BringHomeWendellBrown.

If you don’t have access to a printer at the very least share this article with the same hashtag and a link to their website BringHomeWB.com

This case hits close to home as he played in the same football league as me and my heart truly breaks for the guy. Wendell doesn’t deserve this. I’ve known scumbag foreigners out here who have drunkenly assaulted taxi drivers and gotten off with just a slap on the wrist. I know expats who have been caught selling drugs in China who were deported from the country after being detained only a few months. Hell I’ve even gotten caught up in a stupid bar fight out here before with zero repercussions (probably because I lost). Yet Wendell Brown has been forced to sit in a cell for almost two years now without a verdict when there is clear evidence that he was just defending himself.

Please help spread the word of his situation. #BringHomeWendellBrown