Godzilla or Ichiro?

Well, I think that Hideki Matsui is still the man in Japan. He's still a Yomiuri Giant in their hearts, and don't forget that he was always kind with Japanese newspapers while Ichiro wasn't.

Firstable, I am not a Japanese, but I think Japanese people used to look-down at themselves. That's not unusual according to my observation of Japanese society. Why have they become strong? Think about they work more hours than American/European people usually do just because they lack of confidence, although the real sitation is not like that.

So it seems with most players from Japan. After reading Ichiro's story, I finally understand. His father was serious about developing him to be a player from his childhood after he claimed he was not interested in studying with textbooks, but baseball instead. Himself, in return, went to batting practice every day if he could from his very young age. Then there comes today's Ichiro. They really work hard!

So, it not strange for them to make such a report titled "Single Biggest Story in Japan's Sport History." No matter how powerful he was with Giants' season games, or how many home runs and RBIs he got in the post-season, Matsui's good performance as a Giant is not regarded as good enough in comparison with his Yanks post-season RBIs.

Believe me, it's true, they still think MLB is a much better league in their mind, just as they always think any selected J-League soccer team is poorer than any Euro futbal teams, even though a Japanese team is sufficient and powerful enough to recruit players of the same level.

The media's reluctance to accept Ichiro's record and the dispagarement of Godzilla's consecutive game streak begs the questions:

1. How would the people in Japan respond if someone who'd spent years in the majors came to Japan and started setting records? Would he be well received?
2. How would the American media react to a non-Japanese player who had played in Japan coming to the Major Leagues and setting records? Surely their reluctance to accept Ichiro and Godzilla's achievements isn't because they are Japanese?

- How would the people in Japan respond if someone who'd spent years in the majors came to Japan and started setting records? Would he be well received?

When both Tuffy Rhodes and Alex Cabrera chased Sadahuru Oh's single-season home run record (which both tied at 55), Japanese fans were well recieved of their pursuit and cheered for them both to break the record.

Also, the consensus that NPB pitchers didn't pitch to either Rhodes or Cabrera after they tied Oh's record is pathetic. Simply put, Cabrera and Rhodes didn't hit the home runs needed to break the record.

- How would the American media react to a non-Japanese player who had played in Japan coming to the Major Leagues and setting records?

With the exception of ESPN's Joe Morgan and Rob Neyer, most people don't have a problem with it.

- Surely their reluctance to accept Ichiro and Godzilla's achievements isn't because they are Japanese?

No, their reluctance not to accept Ichiro and Hideki Matsui's achievements is that most sportwriters and analysts are ignorant to baseball outside of the majors and that they don't see live games of the NPB, so most of them have virtually no clue at all about the league.

- No, their reluctance not to accept Ichiro and Hideki Matsui's achievements is that most sportwriters and analysts are ignorant to baseball outside of the majors and that they don't see live games of the NPB, so most of them have virtually no clue at all about the league.

With this in mind (I agree), I think that it's really cool how Ichiro in particular (but also Matsui) has introduced the West to some aspects of Japanese baseball, including how he cares for his equipment, and the sense of respect, not entitlement, that he brings to the game. Someone posted a blog article on ClubIchiro.com about this topic [Link].

It sounds cliche, but Ichiro plays the game the "right way." In this day and age, it's refreshing.

It was in the Sankei Sports, eh? Like that silly and dishonest dismissal of Ichiro's run by the "multi-award-winning sports journalist" in Sports Illustrated recently, that kind of says it all.

There seem to be people who love Baseball, and also happen to write about it in order to share questions, insights, and interests (such as this sort of forum, generally). And then there are the "Professional Sports Journalists" - the hyperbolic, anything-for-a-story Japan Sports Newspapers (I am avoiding the "yellow" label here, you note!), and the sneering, stick-in-the-mud, unread-by-anyone-outside-of-a-barber-shop SIer-type.

Pay no attention, they'll have a different (and equally shallow) opinion tomorrow.

The article written by Reilly on Ichiro's record was an absolute joke. Gary Sheffield also took a shot at Ichiro's record as well, but I'd love to watch him try to back up what he's saying by trying to reach the record - without steroids, of course.

"Joke" in the sense of being both stupid and purposely offensive without displaying anything remotely resembling wit or humor, I believe you mean.

Rick Reilly is a grossly overrated ink jockey who judges players by whether or not they are nice to him. I hate his columns. I hate his unproven insinuations against Sosa and Bonds. I hate his infatuation with golf (which was never, ever, meant to be a spectator sport). His book Slo-mo, had to be the single most boring piece of c*** I ever wasted 19.95 on.

In Reilly's world, all the records would be broken by media lackeys like Curt Schilling and Jeff Kent, because people like Ichiro who (rightly or wrongly) shun the media don't deserve praise.

Look at his targets. You can probably find an earlier column where he rips them for not being "good guys" because they are rude to the media.

He writes for SI. What else needs to be said to impugn his judgement and abilities?

- What else needs to be said to impugn his judgement and abilities?

That doesn't make a difference, just because he's a profesional writer doesn't mean we shouldn't be able to question his opinion. The point still remains that Reilly's comments about Ichiro were sad and uncalled for.

Who cares what kind of hitter Ichiro is. The sportswriters need to stop attacking him, and accept he broke the record. To think they need a 154-game record and a 162-game record is petty. Also, Rick Reilly isn't a writer to take seriously.

Seeing as how Ichiro was offered (for the second time) the People's Honor Award (he turned it down - again), while Matsui hasn't even been offered it once, I'm guessing Ichiro's story will remain bigger.