Hospitalization of the manager of the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks Oh

Sadaharu Oh takes a leave of absence from his post as manager of the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks to have stomach surgery. Many people are surprised. It's in the middle of the pennant race now. He must have many regrets. He led Japan to the championship in the World Baseball Classic in March and won. He might get more and more tired.

The Fukuoka Softbank Hawks got the first place in the Pacific League pennant for the second consecutive year, but they missed league title by playoff. (The Pacific League playoff system is really hogwash!) So they definitely want to win.

I think Oh is well-known in the U.S. too. He is the home run king in the world. He compiled 868 homeruns.

Cute kids in the World Cop

Players enter the stadium with kids hand in hand. This role is very honor for kids and they must be very happy. They stand by world's top players. (Probably competition is very keen.)

Sometimes I find very small kids among them. Very small. How old are they? It seems that they don't understand why they are there. Haha. Probably people who are proud and happy are their parents and other families. But a few years later, those small kids might realize they were in wonderful place.

Germany's players and kids

France's elegant plays -- the World Cup semifinals 2

France vs. Portugal. Score was only France's one goal and it was PK. I'm glad that France won but I feel sorry for a Portugal's player who gave France PK. He must be depressed very much.

Person of the match I choose is... France's defense. (It's not a person this time.) France's defense is excellent, wonderful, perfect!! Italy's defense called Catenaccio is very famous but it seems be the defense by force. But France's defense is very systematic and even elegance.

When Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo kept a ball, he always drew boos from the crowd. According to a newspaper, it may be due to his behavior on red card of England's Rooney. I also felt bad to see that he ran to a judge (very fast!) and took the lead in complaining although he wasn't a party in charge. Of course most stupid person at the time was Rooney though.

I found the nicknames of Portugal's Deco. He has three nicknames and "Deco" is one of them. Another is "Magico" its meaning is "magician". And "Japones". Its meaning is "Japanese". Why? Does he look like a Japanese? Hmm... Maybe.

Taepodong

During I watched the World Cup, Germany vs. Italy, North Korea launched missiles. So topic of it covers most part of news.

At first, media didn't have much information about it but most news programs were taking much time for it. Stupid. They had no accurate information so they just talked with invited critics about hypothetically speaking hours upon hours. And critics say nothing but ubiquitous things as ever. It was very boring. It is same situation as election reporting. I think those are self-satisfaction of media and journalists. Please carry the correct things accurately, and COMPACTLY.

North Korea launched 7 missiles. What is their objective? I heard that the launch for the 1st missile was almost same time as the launch for the space shuttle Discovery. Hmm... I wonder it represents something?

Host nation Germany dissipates -- the World Cup semifinals 1

Germany vs. Italy. Extra game again. I wanted Germany to win but... Almost. 0 - 0 continued but Italy got a goal at the 119-minutes! In a minute. And Italy got a goal again soon.

Person of the match I choose is Grosso. I think his goal was greater that Del Piero. When he scored a goal, he looked REALLY HAPPY. He was almost crying.

Germany did well but they seemed to be tired. After England and Ukraine I cheered for were defeated, I hoped that the semifinal was Germany vs. France, and Germany won the cup. Like I said before, I don't like soccer of Italy and Portugal. They play dirty pool. I wrote that there was no sportsmanship in soccer. Dirty plays, simulations, complaining to judge too much... They sometimes keep having a ball and don't give it opposing team in spite of the opposing team's ball. What a childish behavior! Portugal's Deco did it although he is one of the top players, so he didn't come into the next game. Italy and Portugal are teams that do those behaviors so very often.

The game France vs. Portugal will start soon. Good luck for France!

Men's crying remains me my days as a player.

Two of four quarterfinals games were decided in penalty shootout... Showdown by penalty shootout is very cruel.

Players fight for 90 minutes, and for 30 minutes extra game. They tough it out, and then penalty shootout. Defeat by penalty shootout gives much stronger shock. Many players cried.


Beckham of England gave away 7 minutes into the second half as injury, and he was crying in the bench. As for I wrote before, I was a handball player when I was a student. I have experience that I watched our game from the bench as injury so I know so well how he feels.

After the game, England players were crying and Beckham comforted them. I also know how they feel. When I played handball, our target was the top 8. At the game of a tournament, we were defeated by 1 point, just one point. (In handball game, total score usually is over 10 at least, not like soccer.) If we won the game, we could be the top 8. We couldn't stop crying.

Fortunately, we placed in the top 8 at the our last tournament. Of course we were so happy, but I remember we didn't talk at all on a bus home. Probably we felt totally drained of energy because of achieving our target. Haha.

Now, I wonder how England players are feeling. I hope they will show their good playing soon.

The king Brazil went away. -- the World Cup quarter finals 4

Brazil vs. France. Likeliest Brazil left from the World Cup. It was said that this World Cup became Ronaldinho's one, but he couldn't perform brilliantly.

Person of the match I choose is Ribery. I know everyone thinks Zidane was best. Yes, playing of Zidane and Henry came to the fore. But Ribery ran and ran, and made a lot contribution.

Top 4 was decided. Germany, Italy, Portugal and France. The teams I cheered for, England and Ukraine have been eliminated...
So I hope Germany win the cup. I have a good feeling toward team of Germany. The final game is... Germany vs. France? Because I don't like teams of Italy and Portygal so much.

the draining duel again -- the World Cup quarter finals 3

The World Cup showed an exciting game again. The game was a cliff-hanger.

England vs. Portugal. Both of teams fought on to the end for 120 minutes and there were no goal, so penalty shootout again... and then England lost... I'm too shock for words. Even the penalty shootout was dramatic. England players were crying.

Person of the match I choose is... I can't think about it now because of despondentness.

Probably this game will be handed down as a historic game.

England leaves from the World Cup this time. That's really a shame, and a shock...
Bye bye England

England players stand with arms around shoulders during the penalty shootout
Beckham gave away as injury, Rooney was ejected for red card, so both of them aren't in the picture.

My six sense

My friend started to work for a university as an assistant professor in April. Generally members of laboratories put their pages on laboratories web site so I checked his site before but he hadn't put it yet.

The other day, somehow I checked it again. No special reason. Just casually. I found his page and told him it. He said he put it just 3 days ago. Oh! Feeling in my bones? Haha.

I often have such experiences. So I believe my six sense. For example, when people tell a lie, I sometimes know it's a lie. I don't know why and there are no grounds. But I know. I don't tell anyone though. When I was a university student, my friends, a guy and a girl went steady but they kept it secret. But I knew that. There was also no reason. Just I thought and I was sure.

My six sense was more sensitive when I was a kid. This ability is getting lower and lower as I get older. Come to think of it, I was far ahead of others in my studies when I was a kid. Just listening in classes, I got a perfect score on every test. Many friends went to cram school. But I didn't study even at home, I just listened classes. Even if every other student answered the question wrong on the test, I aced the test. When I think back, my parents should have done something to develop my ability. Haha.

And then, unfortunately I am a mere mediocrity now.

Ukraine lost the game. -- the World Cup quarter finals 2

The game Ukraine vs. Italy, Ukraine I cheered for lost the game. That's a shame but most people thought Italy would win.

Italian soccer is known for their solid defense called Catenaccio. Yes, their defense was really impregnable wall. They perfectly prevented Shevchenko from his playing as a world number one striker.

Person of the match I choose is Cannavaro of Italy. He is an excellent defender. He and goalkeeper Buffon are key persons of Catenaccio.

I want to say to Ukraine that they did well in spite of their first appearance in the World Cup.

After the draining duel -- the World Cup quarter finals 1

At the World Cup, the top 8 were decided and the first game of them started today.

The first game Germany vs. Argentina has finished just now. It was very good and exciting game. The game was sent to the extra time but it wasn't decided, and then Germany won by the penalty shootout. In this game, I cheered for Germany, but I felt very sorry for Argentina when the player who missed his penalty kick was crying. Both of teams played great and tough game. The penalty shootout is cruel way to decide a winner.

I like watching sports. But I always have heartache when I see losers.

Person of the match I choose is Lehmann of Germany. He made many great saves. I can understand that he took over the regular position of the goalkeeper from Kahn.

It's 3:20 am in Japan now. Midnight. But the game of Ukraine I cheer for will start soon, at 4:00 am. I can't sleep yet.

Where is their sportsmanship?

I'm watching the World Cup these days. But today, I mention bad things about soccer I always think.

I always think there is no sportsmanship in soccer. Players are doing not only too much dirty plays but also simulations. Simulations! Shame of you! Rugby and American football are rougher sports than soccer. But they don't do foul plays as much as soccer, and they hardly complain to judges. There are too much complains to judges in soccer games.
If I have a son, I want him to play sports except for soccer.

But it is a fact that I enjoy the World Cup very much. (^o^)
Go for it, England and Ukraine!

Microsoft Office 2007

When Microsoft upgrades their products, they sometimes make strange changes. Even if it is the function that is not changed at all, its place for setting or even its name was changed. Why? I've been a computer trainer and when I teach new release products of Microsoft I sometimes have troubles. Especially Windows Server and functions of networking. Application is no exception. It seems to be HOBBY of geek engineers of Microsoft?

Microsoft Office 2007 will be released half year later. I saw about it in a computer magazine. New functions are not surprising but its screen and operability are much different. Wow.

I'm thinking of buying new PC after the release of Office 2007 (and Windows Vista). My PC is dickey, it's more like "it's broken". I wonder if the PC will keep until then. I hope so...

The supplement to the magazine was CD-ROM of beta version of Office 2007. But I shouldn't install it because of my PC's erratic behavior?

Interesting insurance for the World Cup

I've heard that there were some strange insurance.

"The trauma insurance" in England.
One man insure against psychological trauma when England team exits from the 1st stage of the World Cup. Its insurance fee is 105 pound and benefit is million. If England exits, the insurance firm asks 5 experts whether England's exit is too early or not. And the man has to prove medically that he suffered trauma.
The insurance firm added Rooney's match absence due to his fracture to the exclusion clause.

"Taking a sicky insurance" in Holland.
If employees are absent from work because of pretended sickness to watch the World Cup, the insurance firm compensates against the companies. According to the news site, when the 2004 European Championship was held in Portugal, the tens of thousands Dutchmen took a sicky in Holland. I wonder how the insurance firm judges real or pretended illness.

Those are interesting insurance in football-orientated Europe.

Japan exited from the World Cup.

Japan couldn't win even one game. Many Japanese supporters were very shocked but I know it's Japanese team's real ability. In fact, Japanese team's playing gained a bad reputation from many medias abroad.

Japanese players looked very very shocked. Not because they lost games... I'm sure because contents of their games were terrible.

What they are missing are...
1. Scoring abilities
2. Strong mental power

About "1", one media said there were no forward in Japanese team. It's an accurate expression.

As for "2", Japan often gives away goals the end of the game or even in added time. They have a short attention span.

And Zico who is a coach of Japanese national team said that they lack professionalism. It's also an accurate expression.

Fighting against English vowels

I think Japanese is one of the most difficult languages, but its pronunciation isn't so difficult, I think.

There are only five vowels in Japanese. But English has 22 vowels! 22!!
It's very difficult for Japanese to distinguish and pronounce English vowels.

For example, followings are same pronunciation for Japanese.
luck - lack
stamp - stump
bird - bard

I'm training English pronunciation using the text book "Eigo mimi" (= English ear)
It shows tongue position etc... by pictures.

I'm training every day but it seems that there are many pronunciation using the back of the throat in English unlike Japanese so my throat hurts, sometimes I feel like throwing up. Is it right training?

Ice cream corn??

I had thought that "Ice cream cone" was "ice cream corn" for a long time. I knew the correct word today... Pronunciation between cone and corn is different. And yes, ice cream cone is conical in shape. But cone and corn are same pronunciation in Japanese. And I had thought that ice cream cone was made of corn.

I think there are some Japanese people who think so... I think...

Foreigner's age

I'm enjoying watching the World Cup these days.
When I watch international sports events such as the World Cup and Olympics, I'm sometimes surprised to hear age of foreign athletes. Even if I think they are veteran, actually they are 24 years old, 22 years old, even teenagers! Foreigners sometimes look old, I know Japanese (Asian) rather look younger though.

For example,
John Terry (England)
I thought he was older than Beckham... but he is 25...






Arjen Robben (Netherlands)
I also thought he was veteran. But when he got a goal, an announcer said "the young player Robben.....!" Young player? Yes, he was 22. I couldn't believe!





Djibril Cisse (France)
Unfortunately he isn't a member of the national team this time due to injury. I remember that he played at the 2002 World Cup and I thought he was a good player. I was very surprised to hear that he was 24. It means he was 20 at the last World Cup I remember?? Oh---!




I wonder how old Japanese players look for foreigners.

My bad listening again

Hmm... I found my bad listening again. This time is...

"---s to have"

I hear it one word "stahave". What is "stahave"? It's a sister shop of Starbucks? Haha.

It was going on bad season.

It's in the rainy season in Tokyo. Humid... very humid. I really HATE humidity. (So I don't like even taking a sauna.) After rainy season, humid summer will come. Oh---! Summer in Japan (except for some areas) is very humid. High temperature or rain doesn't matter for me, but humidity is terrible. So I like summer like in Hawaii, haha.

By the way, there is Teruteru-bozu in Japan and I thought there was that in foreign countries too. But I couldn't find English of Teruteru-bozu from dictionary. Why? Teruteru-bozu is only in Japan?
Japanese kids make teruteru-bozu and hang it up window when they want to have a sunny next day, for example there are a school athletic meet, a school picnic and so on next day.