A Word From The Blogger

Hello all... just an idle comment about the viewing habits of people on this blog. It's nothing specific, but more of a generalization.



While the women's World Cup of Soccer triumph of Japan over the USA remains the most viewed story on this site, taking in positions #1, #2, #6, #7, and #8, the third slot is now occupied by my compilation of Japan's Miss Universe contestants between 1990 and 2011. That's a bit of a surprise, as it did not generate a lot of buzz until this week, when it suddenly shot up. Cool, and thanks!



In #4, is Japan's loss in women's softball to the USA. Strangely enough, despite it being the World Cup of Softball held in the US (revenge for the USA!), there was not a lot of coverage in the media... which kind of explains why people sought out one of the few spots on the Internet for their news, here at Japan - It's A Wonderful Rife!



Dropping down on its knees to #5, is the piece on schoolgirl prostitution, which by its very topic, I expected it to do well.



At #9 is one of the first blogs I did over two years ago in July of 2009, and since it's not overly special, I'm just going to guess it's people who are Steppenwolf fans that come across it by mistake. I guess there was a method to my madness in using rock and roll titles for the blogs about my life in Japan! Anyhow... it's about my third day in Japan, and is actually my fourth ever blog. Even the blog seems like a lifetime ago.



And, rounding out my top 10 of blog hits, comes at #10, the shocking underwater footage of one of the areas devastated by the March 11, 2011 tsunami. Unfortunately, that video footage was removed a little while ago from the world wide web. If you would like to take a look at a newspaper on-line that shows still photography from that site, I have replaced it within my blog.



Man... it's tough to keep up with what links are still active and what are not. Should you ever find a dead link on this blog... let me know.



I have noticed that while checking out my blog under Internet Explorer, I was getting spam links attached to each blog entry. That problem has been taken care of since I upgraded the web crawler to a newer version. I have not had a problem with any of the other web crawlers like Mozilla, Safari or Google Chrome.



Anyhow, I can't believe I'm still doing this after two years. This year I've already hit my goal of posting at least one story for each day of the year, as this one is #368.



The goal for 2012, is to ensure I post every single day at least once.



Thanks for reading - more on the way!



Cheers

Andrew Joseph  

Soccer & Softball & Prostituition

This blog has been a popular source of information (and too much information about myself, perhaps) the past week and a half, thanks to Japan and the U.S. going head to head in the finals of two Women's World Cup events - soccer and softball. 

While we all know Japan defeated the U.S on penalty kicks in soccer in a dramatic upset, a lot of people also wanted to find out some information on the USA extracting revenge on Japan in softball. 

All Japan - It's A Wonderful Rife can say is: Thanks for coming to check out the stories. Not too many sites had any sort of roster data for the women's soccer. No one else mentioned Japan winning a few other trophies at the soccer tourney, and certainly few news agencies  were even aware that there was a World Cup softball tournament going on.

Sports coverage (at least here in North America) has been found lacking ... and I'm glad to have been a source of information and amusement.

I find it difficult to believe that here in Toronto, with six daily newspapers: Toronto Star; Globe & Mail; National Post; Toronto Sun; 24; and Metro; plus three major 24-hour sports television stations - that there was no coverage of the World Cup of Softball tournament - and I mean zilch, zero, nada. 

If you wanted to watch the softball final - you had to have ESPN3 - a television specialty channel.... something not generally available in Canada unless you pay a premium for it. Even to watch a live stream of it on the ESPN3 website, I had to hook up with my Internet provider - which I was unable to do because the provider - the largest in Canada (they also own one of the sports stations and Toronto Blue Jays baseball team - was not on the list of providers that ESPN3 recognized. 

The rant is not against all of the sports channels and newspapers.... they do what they do and do it well. I'm sure a Hooter's waitress beauty pageant is considered a sport.  .. just like the making of the Sports Illustrated SwimSuit issue (magazine) that is an hour long show on TV. 

Yes... men like women.

However... if I could say this without sounding like a sexist pig... the Women's World Cup of soccer was played with such fervor, passion and skill, I forgot I was watching women. I was watching soccer players.

Because I was unable to watch the softball game on TV, I can not make that same statement - but I bet it was awesome.

Here's my point. On this blog, Prior to the World Cup of Softball final this past Monday July 25, my all-time four top-rated blog articles all dealt with Japan's triumph in soccer the week previous. No surprise.

But now... nine days later, one of the softball stories has taken over 4th place.  

It has now had more hits than my previous #5 blog entry on Japanese schoolgirl prostitutes.

Really? More than schoolgirl prostitutes? That's number 6 now.  

That's the power of sports... or it it really the power of women? I'm actually quite impressed with my readership.

Keep reading! Always more to come!

Andrew Joseph

USA - Japan Softball Boxscore

Hi all - here's a link to the boxscore of last night's USA win over Japan in the final of the Women's 2011 World Cup of Softball.

SCORE

Andrew Joseph

USA Beats Japanese Women in Softball Final

Team USA wins the 2011 Women's World Cup of Softtball.

The United States extracted some revenge against Japan for the stunning loss in the 2011 Women's World Cup Soccer on Monday evening.

The US Women's softball team beat Japan on July 25, 2011 in the 2011 World Cup Final of Softball, 6-4 to claim its 5th consecutive championship. However, to be fair, Japan did beat the US at the 2008 Olympics to capture the gold medal.

This time, however, at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA,  the US squad also got some payback against Japan for a softball loss earlier this past month in the championship game of the Canadian Open softball tourney.

“It's great to have payback,” exclaimed US third baseman Taylor Hoagland, whose two-run homer in the sixth inning proved to be the difference in the game.

The USA's Jordan Taylor had a three-hit pitching performance through 5-1/3 innings and got the win, while Chlesea Thomas got the last five outs for the save. But it wasn't easy. 

Ricketts, who won two games in World Cup play, gave up a two-out triple to Japan's Yamoda Eri (surname first) in the 7th and last inning, but then caught a pop-up from Okuba Misa to end the game and begin the celebrations for the U.S.

In the third place game held earlier, Canada beat Australia 4-1. The day before, if Canada had been able to defeat Australia, it would have been playing Japan in the finals. Oh, Canada. Still, Canadian pitcher Jennifer Caira went seven innings and gave up an unearned run.

Well done USA - and better luck next time Japan, Canada and Australia. 

Japan's Soccer Team Gets Bonus

A sponsor of the Japan Woman's 2011 World Cup soccer team has given a bonus of one million yen ($12,680) to each member of the team following their surprise triumph over the US last Sunday.

Kirin - makers of soft drinks and my favourite Japanese beer, is also an official sponsor of the Japan Football Association, or what you Yanks call soccer.

“Thebuzz of excitement has been continuing since the final and we decidedon the bonus straight away,” says company president Matsuzawa Koichi (surname first).

Japan is the first ever team from Asia to win the Women's World Cup of Soccer and especially since the past few months has seen Japan digging itself out from a bad earthquake, tsunami and near melt down of a nuclear power facility in Fukushima-ken (Fukushima Prefecture) , the populace has fondly embraced the team as heroes.

To say that the team - nicknamed the Nadeshiko, a large pink flower - has caused some soccer mania back home is an understatement. Food products are now being called Nadeshiko in an effort to capitalize (though some did have the name before), toys, shirts, towels, pencil, erasers, book allegedly written by the players on themselves, books on the team... pick one and it's out there. If you haven't seen it, ask for it, and someone will make one for you in two minutes. While Nadeshiko souvenirs are a dime a dozen as far as rarities, they certainly aren't a dime a dozen in cost. 

It doesn't matter to the Japanese fans looking to show their support for their heroes... everybody wins... though this blog suspects it's the merchants that are loving the win over the USA a little bit more.

I wonder if Japan's woman's softball team beats the USA in the World Cup Final today if there will be such national celebrating? Personally, I hope so. 

Go Japan! 

Andrew Joseph

Japan And US At War Again

Just when you thought it was safe to back into the Sports Section of your newspaper - Japan and Canada are facing off yet again.

This time it's the 2011 world softball championships known as the World Cup of Softball VI.

Again, with the women as the combatants, Japan will take on the USA on Monday night, July 25, 2011 at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in the US.

But the USA nearly missed the date, as they were locked in a 0-0 tie in the 4th Inning on Sunday against Great Britain. But... by the end of the 4th inning, Team USA brought in 10 runs and ended the game with a 'mercy rule' in effect. Too bad from Great Britain. But great job by the USA.

While Team USA won twice on Saturday, it only got to Sunday's match after Australia defeated the favoured (by this blog) Canadian team.

One of the games the USA won on Saturday was against Japan, 8-4... but this time in the championship game the Yankees will be going up against Japan's ace: Ueno Yukiko (surname first).

Previously, Ueno tossed a three-hit 7-0 shutout this past month against the USA this month in the finals of the Canadian Open. Ueno also was the winning pitcher in Japan’s 3-1 gold medal winning game in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.


Both the USA and Japan finished with 4-1 records in theround robin of the World Cup. 


The US is looking for its fifth straight World Cup title, but most of the current Team USA rosterare first-year players on the national team. 


World Cup of Softball Results
2005: Japan defeated the USA 3-1. Australia 3rd, China 4th;


2006: USA defeated Japan in 2006, 5-2. Canada 3rd. Australia 4th;


2007: USA defeated Japan 3-0. Canada 3rd. China 4th;


(2008: Olympics Japan 3-1 over the USA. Australia 3rd).


2009: USA beat Australia  3-1. Canada 3rd, Japan 4th. 


2010: USA beat Japan 5-1. Team USA Futures 3rd. Canada 4th.