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Valhalla18444 Posts
This is the story of FakeSteve in Japan. All of the pictures were taken by me, FakeSteve, of things that happened to me, FakeSteve, while I, FakeSteve, was in Japan, FakeSteve.
A few innings into the baseball game between Yokohama and Hiroshima, I concluded that the Japanese know how to play ball. And it was the kind of baseball I love. After a single to opposite field, the next batter would dutifully bunt the runner into scoring position—or the team would attempt a stolen base. Even after tapping an easy ground ball to the shortstop, players sprinted towards first base, not slowing down until the umpire called them out. These were players with an appreciation for and understanding of the game. To them, baseball was about more than home runs and strikeouts. It was about shifting the outfield ever so slightly before an outside pitch, fouling off enough pitches to earn a walk, and much more.
Hiroshima before the game.
The stadium.
The fans were rabid. In the United States, the common chant of “DE-FENSE” tends to start strong and fade to nothing after a minute or two. “The Wave” might last a couple of revolutions around the stadium. But the Japanese fans had intricate, synchronized cheers that did not stop until the end of the inning. Foot stomps, thigh slaps, claps, shouts, fist pumps—these cheers were not simple affairs. A brass band in left field led the proceedings. As with the fans, their dedication and stamina was incredible. Surely, I thought, they will stop playing with such enthusiasm after a half hour or so. If anything, they seemed louder and more determined as the innings wore on.
The stadium.
To me, a baseball game is not complete without an ice-cold lager. I was prepared to open my wallet; in the United States, a tiny plastic cup of beer at a baseball game can cost as much as $7. I flagged down an extremely fit young man who was carrying at least five gallons of beer in an insulated backpack. 32 ounces of draft beer set me back a cool $6.50—quite refreshing.
I was especially excited for the seventh inning stretch. I doubted anything could be as hilarious as 20,000 Japanese fans singing “Take Me out to the Ball Game.” I was wrong. Something could indeed be more hilarious.
When the seventh inning arrived, at least half of the fans in the stadium inflated—and there is no other way to describe them—four-foot-long, penis-shaped balloons. With bulbous tips. I was left speechless as I gazed out upon a veritable sea of flesh-colored schlongs being held at rapt attention. Suddenly, the crowd let their balloons fly. Try, if you can, to imagine 10,000 penises simultaneously rising through the air, going flaccid, and falling back to earth. I wanted nothing more than to turn to a friend and ask, “Am I losing my mind, or did that honestly just happen?”
After the game, I went for a walk around the city. Still feeling a bit too timid to visit a bar, I checked out an internet cafe nestled amongst the neon. $10 netted me a private cubicle for three hours. The cubicle had a locking door, a modern computer, a Playstation 2, a small desk with a reading lamp, and a comfortable bean bag chair. All-I-could-drink beverages, everything from coffee to Slurpees, and a library of manga were just a few feet away. After all the walking, sightseeing, and yes, drinking, I needed a bit of downtime. The internet cafe was perfect. I nestled into the bean bag and tried to figure out where to go next.
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the return of the best blog on teamliquid!
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Hmm, wait a minute, isn't this D--- *gaaahhhh!*
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what the hell is w/ the giant cup of noodles?
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wow amazing stuff steve :D was a nice read! 5/5
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What did he do with Steve!?
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On December 31 2008 11:26 Nitrogen wrote: what the hell is w/ the giant cup of noodles? Wouldn't you want to drive that thing around if you could?
great blog btw, 10k penises?! japanese are truly crazy.
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Valhalla18444 Posts
On December 31 2008 11:29 Fontong wrote:Show nested quote +On December 31 2008 11:26 Nitrogen wrote: what the hell is w/ the giant cup of noodles? Wouldn't you want to drive that thing around if you could? great blog btw, 10k penises?! japanese are truly crazy.
thanks, i wrote it all myself and took those pictures
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Hahah I have a Japanese friend who plays baseball really well and is also a baseball fan. I'm gonna have to ask him if this is true
Y'know how Korean Starcraft players do ceremonies after winning a match? Well, in Japanese baseball, the FANS of this one team (Hanshin Tigers) have a special ceremony they do after their team becomes champion. They jump into a river.
Great blog!
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Valhalla18444 Posts
On December 31 2008 11:33 Loanshark wrote:Hahah I have a Japanese friend who plays baseball really well and is also a baseball fan. I'm gonna have to ask him if this is true Y'know how Korean Starcraft players do ceremonies after winning a match? Well, in Japanese baseball, the FANS of this one team (Hanshin Tigers) have a special ceremony they do after their team wins. They jump into a river. Great blog!
thanks, everything in here came from my hand and not someone else's
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On December 31 2008 11:34 FakeSteve[TPR] wrote:Show nested quote +On December 31 2008 11:33 Loanshark wrote:Hahah I have a Japanese friend who plays baseball really well and is also a baseball fan. I'm gonna have to ask him if this is true Y'know how Korean Starcraft players do ceremonies after winning a match? Well, in Japanese baseball, the FANS of this one team (Hanshin Tigers) have a special ceremony they do after their team wins. They jump into a river. Great blog! thanks, everything in here came from my hand and not someone else's Hmm.. your mentioned that so often it HAS TO BE FAKE!!!! YOU DIDN'T REALLY TAKE THE PICTURES! WHO DID!?!? Where are you holding them?!?!
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Oh shit... read my quote .... =( ww3 happens soon.
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Valhalla18444 Posts
On December 31 2008 11:39 Grobyc wrote:Show nested quote +On December 31 2008 11:34 FakeSteve[TPR] wrote:On December 31 2008 11:33 Loanshark wrote:Hahah I have a Japanese friend who plays baseball really well and is also a baseball fan. I'm gonna have to ask him if this is true Y'know how Korean Starcraft players do ceremonies after winning a match? Well, in Japanese baseball, the FANS of this one team (Hanshin Tigers) have a special ceremony they do after their team wins. They jump into a river. Great blog! thanks, everything in here came from my hand and not someone else's Hmm.. your mentioned that so often it HAS TO BE FAKE!!!! YOU DIDN'T REALLY TAKE THE PICTURES! WHO DID!?!? Where are you holding them?!?!
i wrote everything in this blog and took those pictures
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On December 31 2008 11:34 FakeSteve[TPR] wrote:Show nested quote +On December 31 2008 11:33 Loanshark wrote:Hahah I have a Japanese friend who plays baseball really well and is also a baseball fan. I'm gonna have to ask him if this is true Y'know how Korean Starcraft players do ceremonies after winning a match? Well, in Japanese baseball, the FANS of this one team (Hanshin Tigers) have a special ceremony they do after their team wins. They jump into a river. Great blog! thanks, everything in here came from my hand and not someone else's
Sure, I believed it first time through. He linked me a video of the penis balloon thing. http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=EMoWQzd5ugg
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hahaha this is hilarios why those type of balloons tho? and why did u have to post this for the guy LOL is he kept hostage or something
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Just look at them, trying to thrust their oversized penis balloons into invisible vaginas in unison. This world... sometimes it's too beautiful.
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On December 31 2008 12:00 food wrote: hahaha this is hilarios why those type of balloons tho? and why did u have to post this for the guy LOL is he kept hostage or something
If you're talking about my friend he doesn't have a TL account.
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is that noodle car real?! omg.
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this is a lot better than that etter guys blogs
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