The origins of the Ichiro thigh slap

by msb on Sep 22, 2009 9:28 AM PDT

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

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Comments

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

Takeshi's Castle!

by Aaron Campeau on Sep 22, 2009 11:29 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

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

I think he is just a tad tired of Pedro's comments

by msb on Sep 22, 2009 3:23 PM PDT up reply actions

So he promotes his website?

...and now I'm here

by CapSea on Sep 22, 2009 3:48 PM PDT up reply actions

People link to it here all the time.

by Aaron Campeau on Sep 22, 2009 3:51 PM PDT up reply actions

He "Promotes" his website.

As in “Hey, this site is really good, check it out.”

...and now I'm here

by CapSea on Sep 22, 2009 7:33 PM PDT up reply actions

I think he's pretty clearly being a passive-aggressive dick about it.

by Aaron Campeau on Sep 22, 2009 7:48 PM PDT up reply actions

In a manner which I support, it should be noted.

by Aaron Campeau on Sep 22, 2009 7:48 PM PDT up reply actions

Well if that's the case, then a hardy golf clap to Baker then.

...and now I'm here

by CapSea on Sep 22, 2009 8:47 PM PDT up reply actions

Seeing as how a huige chunk of the blog is homeslice ragging on Baker I'm pretty sure it's a dig.

by Aaron Campeau on Sep 22, 2009 8:53 PM PDT up reply actions

Well, there was this in the comments:

“Worst 48 hours in baseball with these two past posts. Truly disgusting.”
Pedro Calderon

“Only been about 19 hours, Pedro.”
geoff baker

50!

by joof on Sep 23, 2009 12:52 PM PDT up reply actions

Hilarious.

☊

by royalcurve on Sep 25, 2009 12:53 AM PDT up reply actions

"Yet we are still discussing a disgusting gesture from that game from the celebration."

This Pedro fellow sounds like a real faggot.

by svart aske on Sep 22, 2009 3:27 PM PDT up reply actions

his sexual preference isn't at issue

but he is a jackass.

Nice Guys Finish Third - My semantics are a waste of time.

by pdb on Sep 22, 2009 3:30 PM PDT up reply actions

Don't have a problem with his sexual preference, whatever it may be.

But he still sounds like a fruit.

by svart aske on Sep 22, 2009 3:42 PM PDT up reply actions

You can't call someone a faggot and/or fruit without irony and then say you don't have a problem with their sexual preference whatever it may be.

by Aaron Campeau on Sep 22, 2009 3:51 PM PDT up reply actions

You can but it is a faggy thing to do

by Poochie on Sep 22, 2009 8:22 PM PDT up reply actions

At least use a politically correct term like homo.

by Teej on Sep 22, 2009 9:42 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs

Please stop using those terms.

There are so many other perfectly good ways to insult the dude without stooping to homophobia. Thanks.

Nice Guys Finish Third - My semantics are a waste of time.

by pdb on Sep 22, 2009 3:51 PM PDT up reply actions

Glancing back at svart aske's previous comments, this is just par for the course.

I will smash your face into a jelly.

by Phil Hatzenbuehler on Sep 22, 2009 4:16 PM PDT up reply actions

"I'd rather read another propaganda piece on UZR. Surely, you can call Michael Lichtman or Dave Cameron for some ideas. LOL."

by Teej on Sep 22, 2009 3:32 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

If this isn't the Suck It then it is considerably less hilarious

by Jeff Sullivan on Sep 22, 2009 3:18 PM PDT up reply actions

It appears that it isn't.

And that sucks.

by Teej on Sep 22, 2009 3:26 PM PDT up reply actions

I regret giffing it

by Jeff Sullivan on Sep 22, 2009 3:31 PM PDT up reply actions

Fuckin Ichiro

by Jeff Sullivan on Sep 22, 2009 3:31 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

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

I have a really hard time believing this.

by Aaron Campeau on Sep 22, 2009 7:07 PM PDT up reply actions

Family friendly cover up!

by Poochie on Sep 22, 2009 8:25 PM PDT up reply actions

I just can't see Mike Sweeney doing it.

Maybe I’m being naive, but it’s hard for me to picture a guy who spends all his time adopting refugees and helping old ladies across the street becoming so enamored by something so crass.

But I pray that I’m wrong.

by Teej on Sep 22, 2009 9:48 PM PDT up reply actions