Onigiriman's Sports

This is a collection of random weblogs written by Onigiriman reflecting his opinions and personality, his likes and dislikes. Any and all comments are welcome. All material is copyrighted. Reproduction without the express written permission of the author is prohibited.

Onigiriman's Sports Talk

Sunday, November 23, 2003

-4-
...Kick $uc's ass!... but unfortunately, it turned out the other way. The Trojan's killed my Bruins, then cut them up into little bitty pieces and had them for lunch on the Coliseum floor. This makes it five straight losses to sc, a very reluctant tip of the hat to them. *grumble, grumble* The Bruins have died. Long live the Bruins... Another season over, another year to look forward to some recuperating. This is truly hard to take year in and year out. But I will be there next year as well. I will be cheering them on, hoping for a great season. With Steve Lavin gone, maybe we'll get 'em in basketball... I can only hope.

As my kids know, there are specific rules to renga, and one of them is that one topic cannot extend for three verses. Here, that would be three entries. Well, this weekend, each entry was about the Bruins and their game with sc. So I guess I broke a rule and some of my kids will grade me harshly. That's okay. Grade harshly, grade strictly.

Saturday, November 22, 2003

-3-
...To all the football gods in heaven, hear my prayer...... and while I'm at it, Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas, all I want for the rest of the season, is for the Bruins to beat the Trojans. I know, this is a ridiculous request. We are talking about a bear vs. a condom.

It should not be a problem. I mean, even Drew Olson can beat a Trojan, right? But the Bruins have a new den mother in Coach Karl Dorrell, and so they've been rather confused with his new plans, the West Coast Offense, in Westwood. Soooo, forget the offense, may be we can score a TD and a couple of field goals. And KD is a former Bruin and knows how serious this game is for us Bruins, so he should be extra-motivating. More realistically, though, we need to see the D play their best game of the year. Geez, did you know that the Burins have the #16 defense in the nation? How does a 6-5 team have the #16 defense? Heart, guts, talent. Get turnovers, beat up Leinhart in the first quarter, interception here and there. Hey! We gotta chance! So please, please, Bruins. Give 110% on each play, Make every play as if your life depended on it. I will be rooting for you with all my heart. You can bet that I will be taking every sip of beer as if my life depended on it! Go Bruins, Kick $uc's ass!

Friday, November 21, 2003

-2-
...Hah! Anyway, I'll give it a try and see how it works, tho' it might just totally flop... is just how Coach Dorrell must have felt when he changed quarterbacks a few weeks ago. Drew Olsen had won four straight and Matt Moore, the preseason starter who was injured in the first game of the season, was bitching to the media about how Coach Dorrell said that starters don't lose their postition because of injury. Well, he went back to Moore and it flopped. Last week he went back to Olsen and it was just as bad. I mean, whaddya expect from a 19 year old who was winning and then benched for no other reason than the prohibitive favorite--who had only started one game before this season and screwed up royally against SC last year in his first series. Speaking of which...

The moment of truth has arrived. Tomorrow, we play crosstown rival USC. If you are a student, alumni or fan of USC, DO NOT READ any further. I don't like to rag too much about 'SC under normal circumstances. And you don't need to read it. My sister got her MBA there, so the institution's part of our family--unfortunately. Anyway, they have a rising academic standard and a football team that kicks ass--except at Berkeley! Hahahaahhaha! Go Bears. Anyway, you guys don't need to read further. TROJANS, STOP HERE...DO NOT GO ANY FURTHER... (just in case) dO NoT gO aNy FuRtheR...

I have been a Bruin fan since I was a wee little lad. Watching Gary Beban take our Bruins to the Rose Bowl in '65 and winning the Heisman (UCLA's only one) a couple years later, Wendell Tyler and John Sciarra beating a number one Ohio St. team with Archie Griffin (that is a game they play often on ESPN Classic) in '76. When my dream came true and I actually attended this world reknown academic institute, I saw the Bruins go to three Rose Bowls! Damn, they were hot. Althought our crosstown rivalry was always heated, it was really hot then, because the football queens that are $｢--there mascot, a Trojan, a guy wearing a skirt--had dominated LA with the student-body-right smash mouth football. Damn, if they weren't always in the top ten or top five, and the "gutty little Bruins" had to kick and claw for any kind of recognition. But in the early eighties, we ruled. And these queens viewed us a usurpers, and they became really nasty assholes. Wanna know how much? Let me tell ya'. My mom--God rest her soul--used to volunteer at a local Museum. Well, one guy there used to tease her about how her sons--my younger bro' also went to UCLA--were losers cuz they were Bruins. This is a 20-something $｢ graduate ragging on a 60-something woman. My mom had a heart attack in the late eighties; now this jerk is not the cause, I'm sure, but shit, does he stop raggin' on her? Noooooo. He's having a great time, "Oh its just in fun." But my mom told me it stressed her out to hear his garbage. I suppose my mother should have told him to quit, but as a member of an older generation, she was kinda of reserved and non-confrontational, while this $｢ jerk showed no sign of empathy or thoughtfulness whatsoever.

Now, is this representative of $｢? Maybe, maybe not. But have you been to the $｢ blogrings here on Xanga? Try University of Southern California which states, "USC University of Southern California students and for people who fucking hate f/ucla. fuck ucla!!! USC FOOTBALL KICKS ASS!! USC FOOTBALL NATIONAL CHAMPS BABY!!"

If you're a Trojan do you want to be associated with this kind of attitude? Apparently, yes, cuz this ring has 66 members, presumably from $｢...

How about *U*C*L*A* *S*U*X*, "4 all u ucla haters...mostly usc fans".

Obviously, the tradition continues for many of the people of the University of South Central... It's been said that you can only use a Trojan once but a Bruin is forever, but I'm not so sure if this saying is accurate; these jerks seem to be forever, too. And if you are a Trojan and you are reading this far, what have YOU done to stop this nonsense? Have you left comments for these blogring members telling them that they are giving $｢ a bad image? Probably not, cuz you either subscribe to this trash or you are oblivious. But remember, ignoring it is equal to passive support.

Ah forget it, this is the only time I allow myself to vent about this University of Spoiled Children, the so-called Trojan--who the hell wants to be named after a condom? Hahahahaha! No wait, I'm serious. Being called a Trojan would be pretty embarrassing. I should show more compassion for these students who had no choice in having a mascot in a skirt--yes, he's very manish in his armor and brocade; but I'm not into that sort of thing. And can you imagine them walking around saying: "Hi, I'm a Trojan." Hahahahaa, sorry, I imagined it.... (tag lines: 1. Are you allergic to latex? 2. You can trust me, I don't break. 3. I'm America's #1 brand. 4. Feel me, I'm textured. 5. I come [oops, no pun intended] in three sizes.)

Ah well. Enough of this foolishness. I get really stupid this one weekend of the year. But that's better than Spoiled Children who have to be it year round... This is probably the only time I'll be afforded this opportunity, since South Central will probably use our Bruin mascot--Joe Bruin--to wipe there asses. *sigh*

To all the football gods in heaven, hear my prayer...

Tuesday, November 04, 2003

Baseball is over....
The season is over but is baseball over too? This is a question someone asked on the RiceBowlJournal Forum. Is basaeball a dying sport? Is it too slow? Too boring? Is it past its prime? I left the following comment, in case some of you don't bother to click the RBJ icon and visit this virtual Asian Forum:

I have to disagree. Football is far to physical to be more than it is. Basketball, I think, can be short because the good players/teams can still be determined in that timeframe. But in baseball, the good teams are not so obvious in say 81 games (half the season). This is a sport that deifies players that hit the ball 30% of the time. Is there a sport that honors a player for a 30% sucess rate? If you hit only 30% of your shots in basketball, you're benched. If you complete 30% of you passes, you're cut. Baseball players are judged at such a low rate of success--and their teams succuss/failure hinges on this success--I think it probably takes longer to get an accurate read with regard to which player/team is the best.

That said, I think baseball will never be what it was. Many point to the speed and excitement of football and basketball--and I whole heartedly agree that they are fun to watch; I'm a football junky--but that is not the reason for baseball's demise. It's free agency. The free movement of players denies fans the opportunity to root for players who they feel represent them. While this is true in other sports, the nature of the game--speed, big plays--can overcome this. People can root for the team as well as any player. But in baseball, where the game is leisurely, where you sit in the bleachers with a beer in your hand and talk baseball as much as watch baseball, one needs to know his favorite team, know the players to talk about them, debate about them, and of course root for them.

In LA, the Dodgers of the 70s to 81, had the same infield: Garvey, Lopes, Cey, and Russell at short. The outfield was pretty solid for a number of years with Baker anchored in left, and behind the plate Ferguson and Yeager. They were likd cousins. You knew them intimately, albeit not personally. Loyalty to a team was based on the loyalty to players. But with free agency, that is gone.

I am no union buster, and the freedom to earn as much as you want is an American right, I suppose. And the fault is as much on ownership as it is to any percieved greed by the players. The did, afterall, treat the players like slaves for many years. Still, I think Kevin Brown makes too much and Alex Rodgrigues makes waaaaaaaaaay too much.

Friday, October 17, 2003

BoSox Lose, too
I guess the curse is complete. There is balance in the world. The Chicago Cubs lose an opportunity to get to the World Series. The Boston Red Sox--with their best pitcher on the mound--succumb to the Yankees. Now, if the Yankees beat the the Florida Marlins, then the status quo will have been maintained. Tradition will march on. And the world will continue...

Todays outcome lies directly on the manager, Grady Little. He is not very good. I mentioned this to my kids the other day. He doesn't know how to use his players, it seems. When Jeter doubled to right, I thought that Pedro had pitched a great game but he had to sit down. Williams comes up and singles Jeter home. Now, Pedro HAS to sit down, right? You have the tying run coming to the plate. Alright, so its the little Japanese boy, Matsui, but heck, Torre moved him up to the 5th spot cuz' he's hitting better than Giambi in the series. GIAMBI! Torre knew what he was doing. I wish Little knew what he was doing. He goes to the mound to talk to Pedr

"Hey, Pedro, how you feeling?"
"Cansado, un poco, pero I still got a little left."
"You think you can get this guy ChopSuey?"
"Como? Matsui? Yeah, no problemo."

And he leaves him in. Pedro is a fighter, a competitive son of a buck. What the freakin' else is he gonna say? No mas, no mas, take me out?!? Little blew it. They will question his decision throughout the winter. But don't feel sorry for Little. The guy you wanna feel sorry for is Steve Bartman, the guy who interfered with Moises Alou's attempt to catch a foul ball. The Sun Times published not only his face and name, but where he works and the neighborhood where he lives. What would happen if someone brought serious injury to him, or if he felt so bad that he would do something drastic, heaven forbid. Now, there are many who say, Hey, he did what anyone would do. Well, I'm not so sure it's that simple. As kids sitting on the sidelines at basketball and baseball games, we always got out of the way of balls heading our way for any potential play. So I don't know if its that clear cut. But this kind of reportage crosses the line. It places the Sun Times right with the journalistic traditions of the National Enquirer and the Globe...

What is this world coming to?

Now, the only thing I have left to look forward to is to see Clemens get a hard one high and tight when he has to bat in the National League stadium. But knowing the Yankees, they'll wuss out and have Clemens pitch in games only in Yankee Stadium where he doesn't have to bat.

Thursday, October 16, 2003

Cubbies Lose
Since Tuesday night when the fan interfered with Alou's attempt to catch the ball, I thought this was it. It only takes a small mishap for another team to grab the momentum. Of course, in any sport, all teams have the opportunity to make up any fouls or mistakes by players, umpires/referees, or fans, but this one seemed ominous. I sat there thinking, Prior better not walk this guy, cause if he does that means a guy who should have been out is on base for free. Well, Prior walked him, and that was all she wrote. It seemed like the Cubs were a shoe-in. Is there really a curse?

Well, we'll see tomorrow. Another Martinez-Clemens match-up. I should mention that there was a lot of crap about Martinez pushing Zimmer away. Oh yeah, Zimmer was hit in the head as a player so he's ultra sensitive about pitchers like Martinez throwing it high and tight, so that's why he decides to try to slug Martinez. But I don't get it. Everyone seems to have forgotten what was smoldering in the background: Mr. Headhuner himself, Roger Clemens. Isn't this the guy who not only threw at Mike Piazza, he actually hit him in the head. Then in the next meeting--a freaking year later--Piazza cracks his bat, Clemens picks up the broken half that flew near the mound and THROWS it at Piazza as he was running toward 1st base! What was that?!? Did the bat slip out of his hand? And where was Zimmer when this happened? Where was his ultra sensitivity then? Does it manifest only when the Yankees are the target? What kind of bull is that? Oh, and by the way, was there a coach running out to slug Clemens? Of course not. People who are defending Zimmer suck. This would definitely include Tom Boswell of the Washington Post. What a joke. I thought he was a fine sports writer for a while, but I realize now that he is biased, or he has a really short memory. Either way, bad news for sports fan.

Anyway, the Red Sox are aware of Clemens and are ready for his antics, which is why tempers were running high to begin with. Well, the Bosox won yesterday and I can only hope they win today. But there is a part of me that hopes the Yankees win so someone on the Marlins can drill Clemens in the head. Siince he's retiring, this is the last chance anyone has to do it.

Wednesday, September 10, 2003

: Sweaty football info :
I know there are some sweaters out there. No, I dont' mean the garment you wear, but those who perspire a lot. Musubi-chan would kill me if she actually read anything I wrote here, but she's a sweater, too! But then, she's a former aerobics instructor and when she starts running or dancing, man, it just streams. But that's cool for me, cuz her sweat is my sweat, y'know what I mean? Personally, I don't sweat that much, and Musubi-chan makes fun of me all the time telling me that I'm out of shape, that I don't have an athletes metabolism... well, DUH! No, no, I don't say "DUH" to her; she'd give me another freakin' shiri pen-pen.

Hey, I heard that! Who just said, "Eeyuuh"!

Anyway, over the weekend, in the Miami-Florida game, they were talking about the Miami center and how much he sweats. The quarterback commented that the center sweats so much that the ball is sometimes slick and difficult to throw! Crap! I mean Musubi-chan's sweat is one thing--y'know, the sweat of someone you love?--but the sweat of a total stranger... of the same sex?!? No freakin' way!

Then on Monday Night Football, Al Michaels and Jon Madden were talking about Wade, the center for the Tampa Bay Bucs. They say he sweats so much that it drips not only from his face onto the ball, but off his back, through his pants and drips from his crotch! Guess where Brad Johnson--Buc's QB--puts his hand for the center snap to get the ball? THAT'S RIGHT! Under his crotch. They showed a close up of his hands between Wade's spread-out legs before the snap, and one of them--Michaels, I think--said that Johnson is the fastidious type, the kind who takes 6 showers a day, and for him to put his hand in.... the RAIN FOREST! (Or something like that.) Oh gawd, too gross, too funny. I couldn't stop laughing!

Michaels and Madden make an incredibly ridiculous pair. Monday Night Football has reached its nadir...

: No really, it's an honor just to be nominated :
Nefarious just told me that I've been nominated for The Dudes of Xanga by AlterEg0. Hah! Don't get excited folks. He's just playing, its--ahem--nothing really... Umm, but gee... First, an animated feature of Onigirman and now a Dude of Xanga nomination?!? I'm blushing... Hahaha! For those unfamiliar to this site, PLEASE NOTE that I have my tongue--er, fingers--firmly planted in my cheeks! I'm not really that pompous... usually... Y'know, I was wondering why I was getting so many hits yesterday and today... Thanks AlterEg0, you made my week!

Wednesday, September 04, 2003

: American Football Responses:
I know, I promised the last entry would be my last one, but I got more responses than I ever imagined--to be honest, I NEVER thought that Capstew would chime in...twice even! Just goes to shows you what an ignorant male specimen I am... Anyway, I thought I'd just respond...

Takunishi: In any case, here's my 2 cents as to the lack of popularity worldwide:
1) It's a slow-paced game + little continuity.
2) It's American... seriously... FOOTball... yeah.
3) Not so quite easy (perhaps) to grasp, first hand.
4) It's NOT real football (a.k.a. soccer)!
5) Rugby is better.
6) Hockey has much better hits.
7) Football (Soccer) requires more skill & stamina.
Spoke like a true fan of soccer, although I thought you liked football (American), too. Anyway, there's no arguing about hockey being more violent, and it's pretty popular around the world so that exaqmple alone blows holes right through my opinion, doesn't it... But I still like A-football. I'd probably enjoy hocky more than soccer, but hockey is perhaps too violent at times. I mean they have "enforcers" right? These guys are put on the ice specifically to do violence on others. But of course football has its own "unofficial" enforcers.

Capstew: How about the fact that for soccer you only need a ball and a handful of players but for Am-football you need a bit more organization, more players with varying skills for the different positions and some practice time for everyone to be able to play as a team, learn plays, etc. So it's easier for kids to kick a ball around the street rather that go thru all the effort it takes to play Amfootball.
Tiggerj: american football... too much starting and stopping... not enough foot work... also too many freakin' commercials! I believe the sport was setup specially to allow for plenty of commercials (and a word from our sponsor)... futebol more continuous action. Also more accessible to the common (and poor folks in developing countries)... not as much equipment needed -- only a tin-can to be kicked around.
Both Capstew and Tiggerj make a good point, and it might help explain the popularity of basketball. They are both pretty accessible since the equipment and organization necessary for a game is pretty minimal: a ball and a goal. In fact, this position has often been used to explain basketballs popularity in inner cities. As for Tiggerj's comment on commercials, I know you're joking 'cuz if you weren't then innings in baseball would have to count as well. But your point--as well as Takunishi' point of little continiuty is well taken, but you guys MISS THE POINT! It's not about the commercials or continuous play or anything. These are legitimate BEER breaks, y'know, to keep our bladders from bursting. They just call them TV timeouts for proprieties sake...

Sleetse: ya football is very violent sport, but so is the other futbol.... to tell you the truth I know the rules but I could care less. now please view the Japanese announcer pics I have posted on my site....!
Sleetse, you are the mostest! You are right that soccer can be violent, but with legs? Hmm... BTW, I already have a favorite newscaster, an Asian woman on KRON. She's a bit old for you Sleetse, but I always thought she was pretty hot: Emerald Yeh. The Japanese can keep their cutsey newscasters... No offense to Ando or Sakurai--they have substance. But the rest? Fergedaboutit.

Tuesday, September 02, 2003

: American Football :
Why isn't it popular world-wide? I promise, this will be my last sports entry for a while...

Takunishi and Capstew have provided some opinions--see comments to yesterday's post--but I will talk a bit about my own as well... And remember, this is just an opinion, you are always welcome to provide your side as well...

CultofDizzo asked this question: While I have never followed it closely, I have also never seen a football game that didn't thoroughly entertain me. I would wonder what Onigiriman's thoughts were on why American Football is not so popular world-wide....
First, I'm not really sure what world-wide means. If you mean like soccer, then there is probably no sport that is as world-wide as that. Soccer is popular in virtually every country in the world, with the exception of the US and, I think, the former USSR. Soccer is gaining popularity in the US as an "non-violent" sport for girls/women and boys who have little interested in traditionally "male" US sports--I know, this is a generalization, but this seems to be the case when i was young. And, I have never heard of Latvia, Georgia, Ukraine, Turkistan or Khazakistan mentioned in the same breath as England, Mexico, or Ghana let alone soccer powers such as Brazil or Italy. But then, it's probably my own ignorance of soccer, because that is perhaps the one sport I do not follow. I have yet to understand a sport that uses a tool (ball, puck, baton, broom) but its participants--except the goalie--cannot use their hands to display their strength/ability... (Will the defenders of soccer please set me straight?) Of course, this fetish for using hands may have deeper, more disturbing connotations...

With regard to world-wide appeal, another sport that is not very popular is baseball. The major countries beside the US and Canada include Latin American countries--most notably Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Venezuela. Interestingly, these are all Spanish speaking countries, and in countries that don't speak a lot of Spanish, baseball is not as popular, such as Haiti (French) and Brazil (Portuguese). East Asian countries also play baseball: Japan, Korea and Taiwan. Other countries are now fielding teams but this seems directly related to baseball becoming an Olympic sport.

American Football--as opposedd to regular football, which is actually soccer around the world--actually compares fairly well with baseball in terms of world-wide appeal. The European League has become a sort of minor league for the NFL, where many current stars (Kurt Warner: Amsterdam Admirals) honed their ability after college. Canada also plays a brand of American football--although most refer to it as Canadian FB since it has its own rules. It is surprisingly popular as a college sport in Japan. Nihon University fields a pretty decent team and I think at least two players have move up to the European league. Indeed, FB teams from Ivy Leagues schools play annually in the Rice Bowl (I did not make this up) and play a Japanese college all-star team. And the NFL plays one pre-season game a year in the Egg, Tokyo Dome. If it became an Olympic sport, you can be sure countries like Russia, Autralia and Samoa would field monster teams.

Now, both of these games are quintessentially American. Does this have anything to do with its relative lack of popularity? Some have argued so. But I'm not so sure. I think it might be the opposite. Baseball became popular in Japan during the early 20th century when Japan was trying to emulate the West. With Korea and Taiwan as Japanese colonies, baseball moved there as well. And of course, the Monroe Doctrine just might have something to do with the spread of the sport south of the border, as many Americans headed in that direction in the late 19th/early20th century taking their pop culture with them. The NFL began planning European football during the Reagan years, when the US was seen as an important ally to England specifically and Western Europe generally, had its inaugural season in 1991, flourished throughout the 90s, after the fall of the USSR. Is it a coincidence that a US sport that glorifies brute strength gained popularity when the US "won" the Cold War through its "brute" economic and military strength? Hmm. Something to think about.

Anyway, while these American sports have enjoyed a limited world-wide popularity, the NBA has shown that it can do better. Basketball, another American sport has become wildly popular. Olympic teams from Russia and Yugoslavia are legend. But professional leagues from Latin America to Italy to China have shown that it is sustainable as a for-profit enterprise, a reflection of its popularity as a sport among the general population, like soccer.

So what is the difference between basketball and the other two American team sports? I am tempted to say that as a non-contact sport, it is viewed as less violent, much as soccer is viewed, I think. Of course, tempers flare and violence can rear its ugly head in soccer or basketball, but the lack of contact does not make violence an inherent part of the game, like football or old-time baseball--brush-back/knock-down pitches, sliding spikes high, etc.

So the "relative" lack of world-wide popularity of American Football is likely not in the fact that it is American, but because of its violent "nature".... But this is only my opinion...

Monday, September 01, 2003

: Happy Labor Day :
September is here and summer is officially over... sooooo, lets change the song again.

I have no idea what to do for school. I feel totally unprepared for the new academic year... Hopefully, my new kids will provide me with something... Actually, when I think about it, its kind of exciting to be meeting new students, although I think I know about half of them already...

: Sports: College vs. Pro:
Sorry ladies, more sports: Like Takunishi79 said, college ball over pro anytime! There is just too much happening with professional sports that I find unpleasant. The bottom line is money... Always money. There was a time when a kid could root not only for a team, but for his favorite player on that team. For me it was Sandy Koufax and Lou Johnson and Ron Cey and Happy Hairston and Jack Snow... However, players now rarely stay with one team for very long, ever since the advent of free agency. Of course, this is all about making more money, right? And if a player does stay for a long period, its because they have a lucrative long term contract. They say that they work just as hard as ever, but do they? Can a person with $5 mil a year guarateed regardless of how they perform be motivated to play through pain, or risk of injury as previous players did? OK, Cal Ripkins was sorta like that but really how many are there like him? In any case, for me, if I can only root for a team now, then I will root for UCLA, not only because it's my alma mater, but its the school I've admired since I was a wee little lad.

Speaking of football, CultofDizzo asked this question: While I have never followed it closely, I have also never seen a football game that didn't thoroughly entertain me. I would wonder what Onigiriman's thoughts were on why American Football is not so popular world-wide....
This is a tough question and really deserves its own entry. I will respond to this tomorrow. If ANYBODY wants to chime in, please do so! I'm sure the opinions are diverse...

For the rest of the day, I BBQ...

Sunday, August 31, 2003

: With Deepest Sympathy : An Open Letter To Musubi-chan

I am sorry to hear of the loss of your husband, Onigiriman... The last time I saw him he was happily talking about your summer trips and his life in the 70s. It was such a pleasure to see him so enthusiastic about his married life and about issues that are universal to many Japanese/Asian Americans. But now we only have the memories, as we have now lost him to a greater purpose. He is no longer of this world, but resides peacefully in a better, more meaningful place, his own personal skybox, as it were, populated by the ghosts of other college football junkies and sponsored by the likes of Budweiser and Doritos (no, Mr. Quayle, there is no "E" in Doritos).

Yes, I know, it is hard to believe that he is gone. There he lies in front of the TV in his favorite position, on his right side, head propped up on his right elbow and a can of beer in his left hand. I have notices others drop by and comment, "He looks so lifelike." Indeed, I too, thought he was alive with his occasional burps, grunts, and trips to the bathroom. But I new he was in his special place when I saw him surfing with his remoted control and EVERY channel had a football game on... May he rest in peace...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Hah! Just kidding, people. Yes, I'm more or less dead to the rest of the world when football season starts, but only on Saturdays (and sometimes Sundays and Monday nights and Thusday nights)... Yes, I'm a jerk for isolating myself for these few hours on these 14 Saturdays of the year; but it's the only real vice that lingers from my youth: I have forsaken other sports such as baseball and basketball, I no longer smoke (both), I drive within the speed limit, I help around the house, I take showers regularly. NOTE: Drinking does not count because Musubi-chan and I indulge equally; and, of course, if she was interested in football, we'd have lots to talk about...

Go Bruins!

Thursday, August 14, 2003

On Sans Xanga Days I go to BruinGold, the site for UCLA Football fans. I posted the following:

Carolina Bruins:
Last night, the missus said she was thirsty, so we went to Glory Days, a local sports bar chain in the DC area to watch the Redskins play their first preseason game. They were playing Carolina. No Deshaun Foster today, but it was good to see a "live" football game again. The Panther defense is holding its own, shutting down the Redskins, including a relatively short second teamer running around the Panther defensive backfield. At one point, the Redskins' Rob Johnson was ready to score--their first and last opportunity, as it would turn out--throwing a nice pass into the endzone corner, only to be batted away in a brilliant play by #34... man, who is that? Oh geez, it's Ricky Manning... and stopping a former $C Trojie Johnson--does that feel good or what...

Ok, its just a preseason game, and I had come just to get some watching-football-while-drinking-beer practice--you can never practice enough, if you ask me--but this realization got me a little more interested. When the Carolina offense comes on the field, I figure I can relax a bit, not have to scrutinize the large screen so much. So as I suck on my third Yeung Ling, a big Carolina tight end makes a nice 10+ yard catch over the middle... Gawd, that was nice #82, in your Carolina powder blues you kinda remind me of... Oh, crap--almost spilling my fourth Yeung Ling--it IS Mike Seidman... Oh great, now I gotta pay extra attention on both sides of the ball...

Mike makes another 10+ catch--he has 2 for 25 yards--but just as impressive is his blocking. he's helping to keep the linebackers and ends out of the way as the interior line opens up a hole for #42... woah, that was WHICH former Redskins? Skip Hicks? Oops, uh, could I have another beer, I just spilled this one--See? I do need practice...

Panthers/Bruins 20 - Redskins 0

It was a UCLA field day, even without Deshaun Foster. I had fun rooting for our beloved Bruins here in No. VA, despite hissing from the local Redskin contingent... But it was worth it. I'm glad my wife was thirsty. 4 more weeks...

CAN'T WAIT!

Go Bruins!

Friday, July 18, 2003

The 1000^th person came just after midnight Friday, 18^th. 誰だったんだろう。恥ずかしくなかったら、知らせてください。

Random Thoughts: Japan in this year's All Star Game The All-Star Game this past Tuesday was rather interesting. It was, according to all the hype, a new kind of All-Star game. No longer your father's Mid Summer's classic, this game was played for higher stakes this year--home field advantage in the World Series. The league of the winning team would play games one, two, and if necessary six and seven in the World Series. (If you're unfamiliar, the WS is a best of seven series, the first team to win four takes the crown.) This advantage is nothing to sneeze at. Of the last eight series decided by a seventh game, the team with home field advantage has won--get this--EVERY SINGLE ONE. Of the last 12 that have gone to the sixth game, 11 have gone to the team that opened the Series. Up until now, the World Series home field advantage has alternated between the American and National Leagues, last year being the American leagues turn. In a way, the American league had less pressure: if they lost, hey, the National league was supposed to get home filed advantage anyway. But still, when Shigetoshi Hasegawa of the Seattle Mariners gave up a two run home run that allowed the National League to take the lead, I'd bet every baseball fan in Japan watching was shocked. Hasegawa, as the losing pitcher of record, was certainly relieved when Blalock of Texas took back the lead in the eighth and the A-League ultimately won...

BTW: Why would every so many fans in Japan be watching? They had a vested interested in it. While Ichiro is a star and easily deserved to be a starter, Hideki Matsui of the (hated) Yankees was a starter ONLY because of international ballot stuffing--starting players are voted in by the fans and internet voting is available with a maximum of 10 votes per registered e-mail. Japanese voters made sure that their darling, formerly of the (hated) Yomiuri Giants, made the starting lineup. Now, Matsui has been doing well of late and perhaps deserved to be in the game, but not as a starter...

More Random Thoughts: Losing Weight Ugh, a most unpleasant thought for Onigiriman. Eating is not a necessity to live, it is a pleasure to be savored. As a result, I eat for taste, without concern for calories or cholesterol. As a result... well, I'm not called Onigiriman for nothin'. Anyway, the only way to regain my girlish figure is to exercise, and so I have been running religiously since January this year. Well, let me tell you that I have been eating--and drinking--whatever I want and still lost 13 pounds. This feat has been accomplished by running about 15 miles a week. So far, since my New Year's resolution, I have run for more than 450 miles. Ok, ok, so it took over six months to do this, but 450 miles! <Onigiriman pats self on back.> Unfortunately, the knees seem to be going, the hips joints ache, and my ankles need to be massaged. Once you near 50, the whole body begins to go down hill, not just the choice parts...

Friday, June 20, 2003

I love UCLA Football. I live and breath UCLA Football. Born and raised in LA, I know nothing but UC-LosAngeles Football. I earned my BA and MA there during the 80's and we went to the Rose Bowl a number of times. On one of those occasions, the quarterback was a back-up named Rick Neuheisel.

Neuheisel--or Skippy, as current Bruins refer to him--went on to be head coach at the University of Colorado and the University of Washington. He enjoyed a degree of success, but he has had a problem with NCAA rules. This includes recruiting infractions, and lately gambling. UW no longer wants him and they decided to can his ass.

This prompted some Sooners at Oklahoma U to fark the above photo. While this suggests that they must really have nothing to do in the Okie State, I freely admit the fark was pretty funny, so I thought I'd share it.

In any case, I hope the Skippy finds employment somewhere. He brought us a lot of joy when he led UCLA to a victory over U of Illinois in the Rose Bowl. But rules are rules, and he's got to take responsibility for his actions, which he doesn't seem to want to do--he's fighting his termination.

Oh well. Just thought I'd add a little levity. My posts to date have been rather dark and sound more like rants and complaints. I think I'll start adding poems that I am translating from the Shinkokinshu and other classical sources. If there are any requests--albeit unlikely--I am willing to listen.

I guess eating onigiri mellows me out a bit.... なんちゃって!!!

Monday, June 16, 2003

Today, I was asked: Why does Ichiro Suzuki's jersey say, Ichiro, but on the batting order, they put up Suzuki?

This is mostly because he is a narcissist. When he was in Japan, he wanted to be different from the others, he wanted to be an "individual". So he received permission to wear his first name on his back rather than his last. This caused quite a stir in Japan, as you can imagine, since Japan is the land of conformity, group consciousness, etc. There was precedent, however. One foreign player in Japan, Brad Lesley, had his college nickname--Animal--put on the back of his jersey. Ultimately, Suzuki's talent won out. He excelled and everyone thought--sho ganai--and let him wear his first name.

In the States, since the custom is to use everyone's last name on the shirt and everywhere else, I was sure that he would have Suzuki on his back over here. But I guess he got some kind of waiver in his contract or something--the Mariners are owned, I think, by Nintendo, a Japanese corp.

If you listened to the announcers on TV, most--especially the purists--called him Suzuki at first, but most now refer to him as Ichiro. Even Joe Morgan calls him Ichiro, now. I think Joe Buck of Fox still calls him Suzuki.

In any case, I thought there was no way that he could succeed in the US; I was kinda of counting on it, actually. He is just to egotistical for my tastes. He wants his name on his back to be different, to call attention to himself, but when the press move in, he claims his right to privacy. If Reggie Jackson put Reggie on his back, he would've had a field day. But Suzuki is a closet individualists. He wants notoriety, but only as much as he can control. As far as I'm concerned, he can keep it.

But I must admit, he turned out better than I could have ever imagined. They say he has great body control, and can hit a home run more often if he wanted to, but I have never seen this. He usually exposes himself as a weak slap hitter who looks like he's bailing out of the batter's box when he swings.

What has actually impresseed me is his speed and his defense. He was fast in Japan but I didn't think it would translate here in the big leagues, but it did. And the dude has got an arm! His throw to third or home is on a clothes line.

This is not the first time I have said anything like this. Previously, some have expressed surprised that I wouldn't want or care for Suzuki to do well. Why? Because I was JA.

Huh?

What does that have to do with it? What a racist remark. Reminds me of a scene in Rising Sun, a book--and movie--dripping with racism by Michael Crichton. Lt. Smith is surprised that Dr. Tim--a Japanese-American coroner--thinks the Japanese can be a pain in the ass.

How can people be so pathetically ignorant?