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Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Ichiro’s speech to All-Stars revealed

I really wish that someone would get this on tape…

Every year, after the AL manager addresses his team, Ichiro bursts from his locker, a bundle of kinetic energy, and proceeds, in English, to disparage the National League with an H-bomb of F-bombs, stunning first-timers who had no idea Ichiro speaks the queen’s language fluently and making returnees happy that they had played well enough to see the pep talk again.

The tradition began in 2001, Ichiro’s first All-Star appearance, and the AL hasn’t lost a game since. Coincidence?

Never Give an Inge (Dave) Posted: July 15, 2008 at 08:50 PM | 23 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: japan, mariners

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1. Gamingboy Posted: July 15, 2008 at 10:45 PM (#2857521)

Ichiro! WTF YEAH!

2. Paul The Paranoid Android Posted: July 15, 2008 at 10:52 PM (#2857526)

Something about this makes me feel like this is some sort of elaborate prank being pulled on us all.

3. phredbird

Posted: July 15, 2008 at 10:55 PM (#2857529)

if its true, i think its a hoot.

4. Eraser-X is emphatically dominating teh site!!! Posted: July 15, 2008 at 11:01 PM (#2857536)

I believe it. Ichiro really ####### likes to win games. He also is pretty clever about controlling language discourses. It's what a lot of the smart bilingual people I know do--instead of the dumbass move of being super-loud and arrogant about one's crappy level of expertise in the second language, they hide their ability and use it for maximum effect.

5. Enrico Pallazzo Posted: July 15, 2008 at 11:01 PM (#2857537)

This is absolutely hysterical. I love Ichiro. Check this out.

6. Brandon in MO (Yunitility Infielder) Posted: July 15, 2008 at 11:05 PM (#2857540)

"Ok Ichiro, got anything to say"

"I hope those National League ####### arouse the fire that's dormant in the innermost recesses of our souls, I plan to #### them until they love me. American Leaguers! Ready your spoons and prepare to eat, For tonight, we dine in hell! #### THEM NATIONAL LEAGUERS AND #### FUKUDOME!"

7. Esoteric Posted: July 15, 2008 at 11:05 PM (#2857541)

It's absolutely for real. Ichiro is quite fluent in English, he's just an extremely clever and deliberate guy when it comes to controlling his public image. I would give anything for a transcript.

EDIT: Aw man, Dave didn't even quote the best part of the article:

Ichiro was asked how much he believes the speech has contributed to the AL dominance that has stretched more than a decade now.

“I’ve got to say over 90 percent,” he said.

8. Lassus Posted: July 15, 2008 at 11:41 PM (#2857577)

Sooooooooo not to be too big a nerd, but who can post a thread that we can use as an all-star game chatter?

Yes, I'm writing this in just about every thread. Sorry.

9. Random Transaction Generator Posted: July 16, 2008 at 02:00 AM (#2858395)

Can we just vote him into the HOF right now?
With everything he does, and how he does it, he's exactly the kind of player I want my kids (or kids' kids) to ask me about 40 years from now, just so I can tell the stories.

10. Long John McCaine Mutiny on the Bounty (scott) Posted: July 16, 2008 at 03:14 AM (#2858884)

the link to him telling that joke to Costas is awesome. man is Ichiro fun.

11. WillYoung Posted: July 16, 2008 at 04:44 AM (#2859950)

My favorite story about the Torii Hunter catch in the 2002 All-Star Game was the supposed conversation in the OF afterwards:

Ichiro to Hunter: "Holy ####! You ####### caught that!"
Hunter to Ichiro: "Holy ####! You ####### speak English!"

12. IronChef Chris Wok Posted: July 16, 2008 at 05:52 AM (#2860818)

With everything he does, and how he does it, he's exactly the kind of player I want my kids (or kids' kids) to ask me about 40 years from now, just so I can tell the stories.

You want your kid to marry a woman 8 years older than he is?

13. xbhaskarx Posted: July 16, 2008 at 10:04 AM (#2860907)

Confirmation Ichiro is f'ing awesome.

14. Slinger Francisco Barrios (Dr. Memory) Posted: July 16, 2008 at 12:48 PM (#2860964)

With everything he does, and how he does it, he's exactly the kind of player I want my kids (or kids' kids) to ask me about 40 years from now, just so I can tell the stories.

He's like Pete Rose, but without the thick coating of sleaze.

15. Sean McNally Posted: July 16, 2008 at 04:04 PM (#2861310)

Left out of Passan's story - Ichiro then does a back flip, looks mischievously at his teammates and takes a bite out of an apple, or red pepper, whichever is handy.

16. Dan Szymborski

Posted: July 16, 2008 at 04:26 PM (#2861344)

With that, boy, I haven't it should calling. The large game was done. Your everyone. Large game.

As for me it presumes that you cannot expect that we win those by any means entirely. I something which I many years maintain at by my between the thing intend probably to mean thing.

Your none had known George Gipp. It was that directly before your time. But those where tradition is he in Notre Dame you have known.

And the last thing which he said to me. "Stone and " s for him, "You said; When the team it confronts that, the being broken eye has struck the boy, that you go out there, they victory for Gipper exactly call to occasionally those with entirely 1 profits. I don't As for me somewhere then whether it is, Stone and "You have known; As for him, " You said; But I know concerning that, it is happy.

17. Petuniaviles Posted: July 16, 2008 at 04:32 PM (#2861352)

You want your kid to marry a woman 8 years older than he is?

Yeah, I'm sure when he said 'I can't wait for my kids to ask me about this player,' what he really meant was, 'I want my kid to marry a woman 8 years older than he is.'

18. jwb Posted: July 16, 2008 at 06:25 PM (#2861520)

Obviously, he should give that same speech when he's asked to speak at elementary schools!

19. Los Angeles El Hombre of Anaheim

Posted: July 16, 2008 at 07:06 PM (#2861577)

"You said; When the team it confronts that, the being broken eye has struck the boy, that you go out there, they victory for Gipper exactly call to occasionally those with entirely 1 profits. I don't As for me somewhere then whether it is, Stone and "You have known; As for him, "

It's been 15 minutes, and I still can't stop laughing at this.

20. Rich Rifkin I Posted: July 16, 2008 at 07:14 PM (#2861586)

I thought this was Ichiro's best line:

????????????????????????

However, when he said,

??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

he had me rolling in the aisles.

21. Repoz

Posted: July 17, 2008 at 03:15 AM (#2861920)

Bumped for Larry...

22. Hector Moreda & The Generalissimo Posted: July 17, 2008 at 03:27 AM (#2861924)

Ichiro has fancy plans. And pants to match.

23. Eraser-X is emphatically dominating teh site!!! Posted: July 17, 2008 at 03:44 AM (#2861930)

Where did you get that golf story?

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Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Ichiro’s speech to All-Stars revealed

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