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Around SBN: 2012 Africa Cup Of Nations Final

The origins of the Ichiro thigh slap

Geoff Baker has a blog entry today on the celebratory move, where he mentions that various Japanese readers have told him that "there has been much chatter about it on TV overseas and that the move is known as "The Komanechi" ... supposedly, it was invented by Japanese comedian Kitano "Beat" Takeshi and is meant to be a silly sort of gesture, one that is supposed to strike up memories of the tight leotard worn by Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci."

there is an interesting reader comment from marinersfan1976 in Tokyo which would seem to corroborate the theory: 

On Sept. 19, 2009, I saw the Japanese TV show "Joho 7Days Newscaster", which Beat Takeshi co-hosts. The video showed Sweeney yelling "Comaneci!" to Ichiro after Ichiro's 9-year, 200 hits pre-game ceremony. At that moment, Sweeney did the Comaneci properly with both hands, and Ichiro responded with a one-handed hip-chop and leg kick while walking back to the dugout. Ichiro's Comaneci, both then and after the walk-off, didn't look quite right, probably because he was moving while he did it. This may be the source of some of the debate on the blog. However, if Mike Sweeney is yelling "Comaneci", it's clearly inspired by Beat Takeshi's gag.

My two cents from Tokyo

--Jason

Comment 53 comments  |  0 recs  | 

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I love that you call Beat Takeshi a comedian considering his involvement in such

hilarious films as… well Violent Cop and Battle Royale come to mind first. But there are many, and they’re all funny in the way that using a kitten for a soccer ball is funny. Then again there’s a good chance that he’s got a totally separate career as a comedian that I don’t know about, or that those movies are actually funny to the Japanese. I don’t really get a lot about that culture.

De Gutibus non disputandum est

by Bearskin Rugburn on Sep 22, 2009 10:50 AM PDT reply actions  

YES YES YES!

I was at Shea for the Felix-Slam!
Personal M's record: 5-4.

by EnglishMariner on Sep 22, 2009 12:15 PM PDT up reply actions  

That's the same Takeshi?

I’ve only ever seen the show very late at night and a little out of my head.

De Gutibus non disputandum est

by Bearskin Rugburn on Sep 22, 2009 12:28 PM PDT up reply actions  

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHHAHHAHA

He posted a link to a blog by “Pedro Calderon” for “Serious Mariner Analysis.”

...and now I'm here

by CapSea on Sep 22, 2009 3:04 PM PDT up reply actions  

Here's where I showcase my near total lack of culture.

Every time I’ve seen Ichiro or Sweeney do this, I was reminded of a professional wrestling cliche from my youth. The WWF group DX used to perform a very similar gesture while shouting “Suck it!” I think you’ll understand the implication. This is the first and basically only thing I could think of when I saw the team doing this during the celebration last week. I actually fell out of my chair laughing.

by The Milkman Cometh on Sep 22, 2009 3:13 PM PDT reply actions  

Ichiro hurts this team by using gestures that don't mean what we demand they mean.

Awaiting the day I catch a Russell Branyan foul ball. I will make love to it.
Preserved In All His Greatness - R.I.P. The Reignman 1989 to 1997

by JLProck on Sep 22, 2009 3:34 PM PDT up reply actions   2 recs

Ichiro's like

“Hey guys, I know how we can get away with this. There was this comedian in Japan that does something sort of similar. We’ll just play it off as one of my Japanese-weirdness’ Suck it, though Sweeney”

by CKremer on Sep 29, 2009 5:22 PM PDT up reply actions  

Alot of us figured it was the DX chop.

FUCK THE ANGELS! FUCK THE ANGELS! FUCK THE ANGELS!

by Goose on Sep 22, 2009 6:58 PM PDT up reply actions  

The DX gesture just has more comedic value.

I had about the same reaction as Milkman.

Batted .393/.614/.464 for 2009 Diablos, #5 in OBP for PSSBL Rocky Division.

by Two Rs and Two Ls on Sep 23, 2009 12:46 AM PDT up reply actions  

I wonder how the Japanese would feel if they were made aware of our misconception.

An irreverent reference in their eyes becomes disrespectful and vulgar.

Cultural gestures vary greatly, as my friends visiting Turkey remembered just after making the “okay” sign with their thumb and forefinger.

by The Milkman Cometh on Sep 22, 2009 3:32 PM PDT reply actions  

Well color me skeptical

Mike Sweeney very very clearly instructed the dugout to suck his cock after his home run today.

by Jeff Sullivan on Sep 27, 2009 12:11 PM PDT reply actions   1 recs

Penguins walk 70 miles in sub zero degree temperature.

Mike Sweeney hugs everybody. Garden snails will circle a female for 6 hours before allowing itself to get stabbed in the gut. The things men will do to get off is remarkable.

...and now I'm here

by CapSea on Sep 28, 2009 9:35 PM PDT up reply actions  

Apologies in advance for being so pedantic

but I’m pretty sure garden snails are hermaphroditic. Sweeney, however, I’m not so sure about.

by PDXTai on Sep 29, 2009 9:06 AM PDT up reply actions  

They are.

But when one mates with the other, they are considered the gender of their role in the mating until it is over.

...and now I'm here

by CapSea on Sep 29, 2009 2:33 PM PDT up reply actions  

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