Baseball for the Thinking Fan

Login | Register | Feedback

btf_logo
You are here > Home > Baseball Newsstand > Baseball Primer Newsblog > Discussion
Baseball Primer Newsblog
— The Best News Links from the Baseball Newsstand

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Japan to be known as “Samurai Japan” at WBC

Japan baseball officials announced on Wednesday that the national team for the 2009 WBC will be known as “Samurai Japan”, named after the country’s former warrior nobility.

Samurai Japan? Why not Ninjas!? I mean, Ninjas flip out and kill people!

Gamingboy Posted: November 12, 2008 at 11:45 AM | 84 comment(s)
  Related News: GeneralJapan

Reader Comments and Retorts

Go to end of page

Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.

Page 1 of 1 pages
   1. andrewberg  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 01:25 PM (#3007573)
Can we be Samurai America?
   2. AROM  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 01:30 PM (#3007580)
Well, if they leave ninja on the table, we can take it. After all, like ninjas, Americans are mammals.

American Ninjas! Totally sweet.
   3. Al Kaline Trio  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 01:30 PM (#3007582)
If they lose do they commit Sepoku?
   4. Gamingboy  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 01:30 PM (#3007583)
No. We are either Patriot America, Cowboy America, Superpower America or, maybe, Captain America.
   5. Trevor Crowe T. Robot (Dan Lee)  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 01:31 PM (#3007584)
Why not the Ninja Warriors? They could get Makoto Nagano to train the team on his fishing boat.
   6. Shooty Did Not Kill McGurk  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 01:33 PM (#3007587)
My mind has frozen with the possibilities. I think we should somehow include fake breasts, packaged cream-filled snack cakes, and drive-thru banking in our name. That will blow the world's collective mind.
   7. OCD SS  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 01:33 PM (#3007588)
Ninjas are incredibly overrated.
   8. Crispix Attacks is in the best shape of his life.  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 01:33 PM (#3007590)
They can do that?

It's my understanding that only Caribbean or African countries can have cool names for their national sports teams. Soca Warriors, Indomitable Lions, Super Eagles, etc. All other teams are limited to referring to themselves as a color.
   9. Pl Msrkwks  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 01:35 PM (#3007591)
They should have went with Ninja Blacksox.
   10. Shooty Did Not Kill McGurk  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 01:35 PM (#3007593)
Ninjas are incredibly overrated.

Dude, you will be dead before you hit the floor.
   11. The District Attorney  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 01:37 PM (#3007595)
Still not as good as Brother Elephants.
   12. Swedish Chef  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 01:39 PM (#3007597)

It's my understanding that only Caribbean or African countries can have cool names for their national sports teams. Soca Warriors, Indomitable Lions, Super Eagles, etc. All other teams are limited to referring to themselves as a color.


As I understand it, the English call their national soccer team "####### Wankers"
   13. Gamingboy  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 01:40 PM (#3007598)
Actually, now that I think about it, America must find the only thing Badass enough to face Ninjas, Samurai, Cowboys, Indians, Robots, Pirates and even Secret Agents.

I speak of course of Teddy Roosevelt. The biggest badass the world has ever seen.
   14. Shooty Did Not Kill McGurk  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 01:41 PM (#3007599)
Still not as good as Brother Elephants.

That is ####### awesome, Do they have a cool elephant logo? If so, how do I get a t-shirt?

edit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jezevec/2800746090/

I like it!
   15. Gamingboy  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 01:42 PM (#3007601)
Teddy Roosevelt could also fight Zombies, Vampires and Werewolves... while hopping on one foot.
   16. Crispix Attacks is in the best shape of his life.  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 01:44 PM (#3007605)
Each team should use the name of the most ridiculously-named team in their domestic league(s).

Japan - Nippon Ham Fighters
Korea - Hyundai Unicorns
Taiwan - Brother Elephants
Canada - Winnipeg Goldeyes
Mexico - Cancun Lobstermen
Netherlands - DOOR Neptunus
USA - Montgomery Biscuits
   17. The District Attorney  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 01:44 PM (#3007606)
   18. salvomania  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 01:46 PM (#3007608)
That game write-up is fun:

"The towering Hackman, standing at 196 cm and weighing at 103 kg, took the mound after taking a three-day break from a previous game."

"Kao Chih-kang, an infielder, of the Lions ran to the second base at the bottom of the third inning and returned home on a sacrifice"

:Chuang was able to reach the base on a wild pass by the Elephants and ran back home on a high-fly sacrifice"

"At the bottom of the fifth inning, Yang Sheng of the Lions was given a walk to the first base. "
   19. aleskel  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 01:48 PM (#3007610)
I propose, instead of giving the USA team a nickname, they just give them a uniform that reads 'Merica
   20. Loren F.'s well-anchored glenoid  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 01:48 PM (#3007611)
The American Teddies? Somehow, that doesn't seem intimidating enough.
   21. Gamingboy  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 01:49 PM (#3007614)
So Teddy isn't good at racing. That is only because he doesn't want to.
   22. Shooty Did Not Kill McGurk  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 01:55 PM (#3007620)
The American Teddies? Somehow, that doesn't seem intimidating enough.

Intimidating, no. But sexy, very sexy.
   23. The District Attorney  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 01:57 PM (#3007622)
Do you think they'd mind if we went with Atomic Bomb Droppin' America?
   24. Shooty Did Not Kill McGurk  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 01:58 PM (#3007624)
Do you think they'd mind if we went with Atomic Bomb Droppin' America?

We could, but then they'd change their name to Viable Auto Industry Japan.
   25. Monty  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 02:04 PM (#3007629)
Ninjas are incredibly overrated.


Facts:

1. Ninjas are mammals.
2. Ninjas fight ALL the time.
3. The purpose of the ninja is to flip out and kill people.
   26. Tropical Storm Davis aka Quilvio "Ebola" Veras  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 02:19 PM (#3007648)
They should have went with Ninja Blacksox.


Sasuke had a mean curveball.
   27. Tropical Storm Davis aka Quilvio "Ebola" Veras  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 02:20 PM (#3007650)
Why not just, Team America? (F*ck Yeah!)
   28. flournoy  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 02:23 PM (#3007654)
2. Ninjas fight ALL the time.


What a crock. Splinter sat around in the sewer 24/7, occasionally distributing high-and-mighty life lessons or acting the deus ex machina by breaking out obscure "ancient Japanese remedies" to otherwise impossible problems.
   29. Dewey, Local Boy and Soupuss  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 02:25 PM (#3007655)
Splinter sat around in the sewer 24/7, occasionally distributing high-and-mighty life lessons or acting the deus ex machina by breaking out obscure "ancient Japanese remedies" to otherwise impossible problems.

That's if you accept the cartoon as canon.
   30. Crispix Attacks is in the best shape of his life.  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 02:27 PM (#3007658)
Some ninjas fight, and some sit around in the sewer. Just like on a baseball team, some guys are on the field and some are on the bench.
   31. Good cripple hitter  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 02:27 PM (#3007659)
They should have went with Ninja Blacksox.

If Whitey Herzog had his way, the World Series would be played in Cyber Egg Stadium.
   32. Shooty Did Not Kill McGurk  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 02:28 PM (#3007660)
   33. Crispix Attacks is in the best shape of his life.  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 02:31 PM (#3007664)
The site of both the World Series and World Baseball Classic will alternate between Cyber Egg Stadium, the Technodrome, Kitchen Coliseum, and Miller Park.
   34. alskor  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 02:31 PM (#3007665)
Cowboy America is still the favorite.
   35. AROM  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 02:37 PM (#3007671)
Ninjas are incredibly overrated.


Have you guys ever heard of the inverse law of ninjas?

One ninja is very dangerous, he'll attack unseen and disappear before you even know he struck.

But 100 ninjas, all rushing you at once? Very easy for a hero to dispatch all of them.
   36. Tropical Storm Davis aka Quilvio "Ebola" Veras  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 02:39 PM (#3007676)
Baseball Stars' SNK Stadium was nice and symmetrical with plenty of foul territory.
   37. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad)  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 02:43 PM (#3007682)
"Do you think they'd mind if we went with Atomic Bomb Droppin' America?"

No, but Richland High School might.
   38. flournoy  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 02:43 PM (#3007683)
The law in #35 actually applies to any kind of fighter. There's no reason why one awesome guy can't take out an army of several hundred or several thousand all by himself. It happens in the movies all the time.
   39. Shooty Did Not Kill McGurk  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 02:45 PM (#3007688)
The law in #35 actually applies to any kind of fighter. There's no reason why one awesome guy can't take out an army of several hundred or several thousand all by himself. It happens in the movies all the time.

An interesting corollary to this is the Andre the Giant exception. He became so used to fighting hordes of fighters that it only took one small and kinda wimpy man to bring him down.
   40. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad)  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 02:50 PM (#3007697)
"That is ####### awesome, Do they have a cool elephant logo? If so, how do I get a t-shirt?"

The Brother Elephants will always have a soft spot in my heart for employing Bronswell Patrick.

Getting a shirt may be harder than you think, though.
   41. Random Transaction Generator  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 02:56 PM (#3007705)
Neither team will be able to defeat the Canadian Moose (Poutine and HockeyMullets would also be acceptable)!
   42. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad)  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 03:01 PM (#3007711)
There are five ninjas hidden in this thread.
   43. Shooty Did Not Kill McGurk  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 03:03 PM (#3007715)
Getting a shirt may be harder than you think, though.

I'm going to need a ninja and a lot of towels to get that shirt.
   44. Dr. Leo Spaceman  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 03:04 PM (#3007716)
Neither team will be able to defeat the Canadian Moose (Poutine and HockeyMullets would also be acceptable)!

Nah. We'll simply be known as The Adam Sterns.
   45. Random Transaction Generator  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 03:20 PM (#3007726)
Nah. We'll simply be known as The Adam Sterns.

You mean, The Stubby Clapps, right?
   46. Crispix Attacks is in the best shape of his life.  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 03:25 PM (#3007729)
Canada should combine Stubby Clapp and R.J. Swindle in their name somehow. And after they win a game, they mock their opponents with "You just got Swindled by the Clapp!"
   47. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad)  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 03:26 PM (#3007731)
So, when players are removed from the Samurai Japan roster, will they be called ronin instead of free agents?
   48. OCD SS  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 04:17 PM (#3007790)
Dude, you will be dead before you hit the floor.


I'm still here.

Ninjas are definitely, incredibly overrated.
   49. Chase Utley, Shooty's Favorite Robot (Joey Belle)  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 04:33 PM (#3007803)
Will Samurai Japan commit harakiri if they lose?
   50. PreservedFish  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 05:01 PM (#3007821)
I'm still here. Ninjas are definitely, incredibly overrated.


I'm not convinced that a Ninja didn't already kill you, and write that just to throw off suspicion.
   51. vortex of dissipation  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 05:15 PM (#3007831)
So...Motoko Aoyama as team trainer?
   52. mashimaro  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 07:16 PM (#3007893)
The Hyundai Unicorns are now the Woori (Oo-Ree) Heroes! Don't you know anything about the Korean Baseball Organization?
   53. T.J. makes a mochary or the sport  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 07:46 PM (#3007908)
Thank goodness Japan won't have Real Ultimate Power.
   54. OCD SS  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 09:06 PM (#3007929)
I'm not convinced that a Ninja didn't already kill you, and write that just to throw off suspicion.


Why would the ninja need to throw off suspicion? If they were such bad asses they'd leave my body propped up in the middle of my apartment lobby riddled with shurkien as a clear warning not to f@ck with them. If a ninja needed to throw off suspicion, he'd be a monumental pu$$y.

Japan clearly went with the correct warrior class for their nickname. Ninjas remain incredibly overrated.
   55. Gamingboy  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 09:28 PM (#3007936)
Let it be said that I would pay to see a three-way fight between 1000 Ninjas, 1000 Spartans, 1000 Cowboys, 1000 Samurai, 1000 moose-riding Mounties, 1000 rioting Philly Phans and, of course, 1000 Clones of Teddy Roosevelt.

Preferably in a venue that ends with "of DOOM!"
   56. jyjjy  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 09:30 PM (#3007937)
They went with samurai over ninjas because if they somehow lost and shamed ninjas everywhere they wouldn't live to see another day.
   57. vortex of dissipation  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 09:41 PM (#3007939)
Let it be said that I would pay to see a three-way fight between 1000 Ninjas, 1000 Spartans, 1000 Cowboys, 1000 Samurai, 1000 moose-riding Mounties, 1000 rioting Philly Phans and, of course, 1000 Clones of Teddy Roosevelt.


Wouldn't that be a seven-way fight?

I suspect 1000 Gurkhas could take any of them...
   58. Gamingboy  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 09:45 PM (#3007940)
It would be a three-way fight seven ways.
   59. Cabbage  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 09:54 PM (#3007944)
USA - Montgomery Biscuits

nah... Take the Isotopes. Remind everyone that we can always nuke the snot out of them.
   60. Poster Nutbag  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 10:31 PM (#3007954)
Ninja Warrior & Baseball Stars references? Great thread already! So, we can be the American Dreams then, right?
   61. Nasty Nate  Posted: November 12, 2008 at 11:01 PM (#3007960)
Let it be said that I would pay to see a three-way fight between 1000 Ninjas, 1000 Spartans, 1000 Cowboys, 1000 Samurai, 1000 moose-riding Mounties, 1000 rioting Philly Phans and, of course, 1000 Clones of Teddy Roosevelt.


mini-Ditka could take em all on
   62. CFiJ  Posted: November 13, 2008 at 01:11 AM (#3007986)
Will Samurai Japan commit harakiri if they lose?

Almost assuredly, since the manager's name is Hara, and he'll be fired (kiru) if they lose.
   63. CFiJ  Posted: November 13, 2008 at 01:12 AM (#3007987)
Each team should use the name of the most ridiculously-named team in their domestic league(s).

Japan - Nippon Ham Fighters


What's ridiculous about this?
   64. Crispix Attacks is in the best shape of his life.  Posted: November 13, 2008 at 01:14 AM (#3007988)
It sounds ridiculous. Specifically, the use of the word "Ham".

YES I KNOW THAT IT IS THE (NIPPON HAM) FIGHTERS AND NOT THE NIPPON (HAM FIGHTERS). IT STILL SOUNDS RIDICULOUS.
   65. The Clarence Thomas of BTF (scott)  Posted: November 13, 2008 at 01:20 AM (#3007990)
Have you guys ever heard of the inverse law of ninjas?

I've heard of it as the Conservation of Ninjitsu. Be warned, the website linked has eaten up hours of my time and may do likewise for others.
   66. Crispix Attacks is in the best shape of his life.  Posted: November 13, 2008 at 01:32 AM (#3007992)
If the Yankees were called the New York Ham Yankees it would also sound ridiculous. Or the Kansas City Ham Royals, Colorado Ham Rockies, Milwaukee Ham Brewers, Houston Ham Astros, Seattle Ham Mariners, Tampa Bay Ham Rays, Texas Ham Rangers, San Francisco Ham Giants, etc. In fact, the only team whose name would be improved rather than degraded by the addition of the word "Ham" in the middle is, coincidentally, the Montgomery Biscuits.

The real find was when I looked at the teams in the Honkbal Hoofdklasse, and discovered DOOR Neptunus. Another team in that league is currently called Mr. Cocker HCAW.
   67. Raskolnikov  Posted: November 13, 2008 at 01:54 AM (#3007996)
I just want to say that this is like the greatest thread ever.
   68. OCD SS  Posted: November 13, 2008 at 09:21 AM (#3008075)
I'm still here.

Ninjas remain incredibly overrated.
   69. Quinton McCracken's BFF  Posted: November 13, 2008 at 09:36 AM (#3008095)
They should have went with Ninja Blacksox

Logic follows that USA should be American Dreams.

Baseball Stars' SNK Stadium was nice and symmetrical with plenty of foul territory.

For a real slugfest, I'd go with R.B.I. Baseball's Tengen Stadium (or whatever it was called!). It was tiny and fielders can walk through certain walls to rob homeruns. Great for ratings.
   70. The District Attorney  Posted: November 13, 2008 at 09:51 AM (#3008103)
Netherlands - DOOR Neptunus
I remember an article about Robert Eenhoorn (I thought it was posted here, but the search doesn't find it) that mentioned the "Door Tridents." I'm guessing that's the same thing as "DOOR Neptunus"; whether it was the result of going through a bad translator, I don't know. What I'd really like to know is what the hell either a DOOR Neptunus or a Door Trident is. Is it like the Ham Fighters, and they make doors??

Another team in that league is currently called Mr. Cocker HCAW.
Any team named "Mr." is incredible.
   71. Herr Mike  Posted: November 13, 2008 at 10:26 AM (#3008138)
I'm still here.

Ninjas remain incredibly overrated.


Your head is probably severed, you just don't realize it.
   72. BFFB  Posted: November 13, 2008 at 10:56 AM (#3008163)
But can you beat the The Bolton ROBOTS OF DOOM
   73. T.J. makes a mochary or the sport  Posted: November 13, 2008 at 01:38 PM (#3008317)
Samurai we can handle, but not Space Robots!
   74. Gamingboy  Posted: November 13, 2008 at 01:49 PM (#3008329)
The thing is, apparently Ninjas are even more badass then we know. I mean, they may always be in black in the movies, but apparently in real life they didn't have such identifying uniforms, so that humble farmer you see on your way to work may actually be a Ninja ready to strike you dead.
   75. OCD SS  Posted: November 13, 2008 at 01:53 PM (#3008335)
Your head is probably severed, you just don't realize it.


No, I checked that.
   76. Gamingboy  Posted: November 13, 2008 at 01:56 PM (#3008336)
OCD's head probably isn't severed. The Ninja proably glued it back on to fool everyone.
   77. Shooty Did Not Kill McGurk  Posted: November 13, 2008 at 01:58 PM (#3008338)
OCD's head probably isn't severed. The Ninja proably glued it back on to fool everyone.

Have you guys seen Dead Silence? I bet the ninja killed OCD, gutted him, and then turned him into an elaborate ventriloquist's dummy. The ways of the ninja are versatile and squishy.
   78. Gamingboy  Posted: November 13, 2008 at 02:03 PM (#3008342)
The ways of the ninja are versatile and squishy.


(has to turn off computer to avoid laughing very hard at that sentence)
   79. Shooty Did Not Kill McGurk  Posted: November 13, 2008 at 02:04 PM (#3008343)
(has to turn off computer to avoid laughing very hard at that sentence)

Then my work here is done. Good night folks!
   80. OCD SS  Posted: November 13, 2008 at 09:03 PM (#3008816)
OCD's head probably isn't severed. The Ninja proably glued it back on to fool everyone.


I thought I might have been the victim of a ninja attack, but it turned out I just stubbed my toe.
   81. Ball Point Pen Guy (Will Young)  Posted: November 13, 2008 at 09:11 PM (#3008819)
This thread is fantastic.
   82. OCD SS  Posted: November 17, 2008 at 09:25 AM (#3010580)
I just wanted to point out that I'm still here.

Ninjas are overrated.
   83. Shooty Did Not Kill McGurk  Posted: November 17, 2008 at 09:28 AM (#3010584)
This thread is a ninja--it just will not die.
   84. OCD SS  Posted: March 02, 2009 at 11:14 AM (#3090186)
OK.

I waited this long on the off chance that a ninja might have slipped me some dastardly poison that would take so long to kill me that it would make my death seem completely accidental and untraceable as an assassination.

Nope. Ninjas remain overrated.
Page 1 of 1 pages

You must be Registered and Logged In to post comments.

 

<< Back to main

Support BBTF

donate

Thanks to
JPWF13
for his generous support.

My Bookmarks

You must be logged in to view your Bookmarks.

Vivid Seats is a sports ticket broker, concert ticket broker and theater ticket broker offering the best baseball tickets like Yankees tickets, Cubs tickets, and Red Sox tickets, as well as Police reunion tour tickets and Jersey Boys tickets.

We have baseball tickets, the NFL schedule, college football tickets and Cowboys tickets. We have NBA tickets like Celtics tickets and Lakers tickets. Plus, buy concert tickets, Patriots tickets and Colts tickets. Also check out our MLB baseball schedule

Baseball Bats

JustGreatTickets.com provides the best value for Chicago Cubs Tickets, MLB tickets including Red Sox Tickets, Yankees Tickets, SF Giants Tickets, LA Dodgers Tickets, Cleveland Indians Tickets. Get the best concert tickets like Jonas Brothers tickets and more Chicago Tickets.

Concerts Theatre NFL Angels Dodgers MLB Celtics Theater NBA Tickets Venues NHL Lakers Tickets NFL Yankees NHL Phillies NBA Wicked Marlins MLB Concerts Cubs Mets Red Sox Wicked WWE Red Sox Mets Yankees Dodgers

Major League Baseball: All Star Game, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, LA Angels, Washington Nationals, Chicago White Sox, and the Chicago Cubs.

Find terrific deals on Yankees tickets for the new home, Cubs tickets for classic Wrigley, or Red Sox tickets for Fenway with OnlineSeats. We have seats for every baseball game, including Dodgers tickets.

Page rendered in 1.1201 seconds
75 querie(s) executed