Blue_Tiger comments

Seriously: "celebrity with the best eyebrows"? Somone has too much time on their hands....

Who's Sakai Fukuda?

Moderator: Read the story and find out.

Ummmmm.....I would say that this is true for Korean women, Mexican women, Brazilian women, American Women, Canadian women, Ukrainian women......

I would, just to stick it in the eye of alleged "Japanese" tradition, but if I want to watch a flick with blood and gore, I'll make sure its fiction first....

He looks like a puppet on strings....literally. At least President Obama seems to be his own man, and tries to lead. Hatoyama? He embarrasses himself every time he goes into debate against the opposition....

What's the difference between a life-size, cardboard cutout of a Japanese cop and a real-life one? Not much.....

Well said, smithinjapan, except I wuldn't have said "fools" but "tools", which is exactly what the J-media are: a bunch of tools for the government to make Japan look better, and everywhere else less than the best.

Presto245 - I echo another postor's question: if Asashoryu really DID strike someone in a drunken rampage, where is he? Why aren't we hearign his side of things? You can charge Asa for being a liar all you want, but it is pretty strange that the man Asa allegedly hit is nowhere to be found. Put up or shut up, as one of my former american football coaches used to say. If Asa really did hit someone, where is his mug? Where is his story? In a court case, both sides are heard. Where is Asa's accuser? Put up or shut up. Prove Asa a liar, if he realyl is one. Innocent until proven guilty....

If these clowns remain in power for more than one more year, I'll be utterly stunned and amazed........but then again, this IS Japan......

They're all pretty! Best wishes to them all!!!!

So now that the Blue Man Group has left Japan, its time for the Red Man Group from Japan? Hmmmmm....

Looks like the Spice Girls on acid.....

"Honey! He looks so OLD!!!!" --Mrs. Blue_Tiger

Quote of the day from my Lady....

Pretty, and I like her dress in this photo....

Ｗｈｏ’ｓ　Ｍａｓａｋｏ　Ｏｈａｒａ？

Just because she may have the parts, it doesn't make her a woman....

Sure, she's proud of it now, but it was a different story on game day....

'Scuse me while I go throw up.....

Another international slap in the face for Japan! Yikers, this cannot be good!

God FORBID we CELEBRATE a GOLD MEDAL WIN!!!!!! How disgraceful!

Isn't there, like, some drug test or something the IOC can do on some bobsledder or skier or soemthing? I mean, really? Let these ladies have their celebration.

Generus points?!? Mikihouse, did you even see Kim skate? Her routine was PERFECT!!!!! EVERY point she won, she earned, and she deserved! Her performance was flawless. So was Mirai Nagasu's, and several others n the top ten, including Suzuki's. To say that the judges were generous with Kim's performance is akin to saying that butter shoudn't melt on hot toast. Like it or not, Kim Yuna was awesome today. I've watched many Winter Olympics, and in all of them, I've never seen a stronger performance nor a Gold that was so well-deserved. The judges weren't generous, they were correct....

MadokaKato - Agree, the press needs to leave her, and Ando, and Suzuki A-LONE! Let them have some time, then call for a press conference.

Agree, ReikiZen - to a degree. I, personally, think that Mao's handlers are ruining her. Yes, her attitude was pathetic, but I believe it is because her handler's have caused her, personally, to have a rough last couple of years. They are makign her grow up and be mature too fast, whereas with Nagasu, Kim, Ando, and Suzuki, they have all matured gracefully and naturally. In my opinion, and from my observations, Kim's handlers have helped her in similar fashion as a wisened gardener gently prunes, fertilizes, and nurtures trees and other plants to help them grow correctly, gracefully, and beautifully. Has it all been pink butterflies and sunny skieds for Kim? No, but it has been through those hard tiems and difficult periods that Kim has grown. Wtih Mao, her handlers are treating her as a butcher would a tree: hack off whatever isn't seen to be growing, graft in branches that aren't natural, and push, push, push to produce: if failure happens, it is Mao's fault, not her handlers. Crying after a silver finish? CRYING? If she'd placed fourth, I could understand the tears, but because of a SILVER medal? What does that say? It tells me her handlers, her publicists, her coaches, and her stylists are forcing her to become something that she isn't, and her dress and make-up are glaring examples of that. What happened to the free-spirited 15-year-old girl who won the Japan Nationals four years ago, stunning Ice Prncess Arakawa, and ando, and everybody else? From 2006-08, she remained that free-spirited girl, and it made for some great competitions between her and Kim. Snce then though? All of her people have tried to force her into a mold she wasn't made for. With Kim, it has been the exact opposite. her handlers have let her be herself, and the result is this record-breaking Gold Medal. If Mao has any smarts, she will fire every single one of her handlers, start fresh with a coach who will let her be herself, and tell the J-Media to take a hike. Until she does somethign like this, Asada will always be up-and-down wth, sadly enough, the more likey trend being that her skating will deteriorate further.

Just my two 円's worth.

Interesting that some postors have stated that Mao hasn't been consistent, while Kim has steadily improved over the last two years. This is something I pointed out at the beginning of the Fall, and people laughed at me then, statign that Kim wouldn't do as well on such a grand stage.

And someone mentioned rigged judging? Okay, so I may not agree entirely that Mao deserved a medal, even bronze (she DID nail two triple axles), but rigged judging? No. And I agree that Nagasu deserved a medal with her flawless performance, but I don't think the judging was rigged (unlike 1994 when Oksana Baiul "beat" Nancy Kerrigan for the Gold). The judges made their decisions, and they were sound, overall. Now, if Asada - with her flawed repetoire - had somehow edged out Yuna and her literally perfect performance, THEN I'd've cried "rigged judging!". As it stands, the judging was far better than what I've seen in the past....

Koreans don't cry when they win? Since when?!? Yuna cried after her routine. Several members of hte Korean National Baseball Team cried when they won Gold in Beijing in '08.

Hats off again to all the skaters, especially those in the top ten. Nobody fell, and all the routines were very clean and strong. Best Olympic Womens' skate competition I've ever seen...

"Oh my gosh! I got fourth place!!!" --Mirai Nagasu

This had to be the quoteo f the night. Never saw anyone so happy to miss out on a medal, but Nagasu is what I saw in Mao four years ago, and what I saw in Kim tonight. Whatever pressure was on Kim didn't matter a whit. Asada had pressure and it showed. Rochette deserved Silver, Nagasu Bronze, but maybe that's just my opinion. Great job, everyone, amd congrats to the three medalists, especially Rochette, who realyl had the weight of the world on her shoulders....

This was reminiscent of Calgary in 1988, when Katarna Witt faced off against Debi Thiomas. Everoyne stated then in the news how Witt was under such pressure form the East German Government, and how Thomas would end up winning. Witt, instead, embarrassed the field in the same way that Kim did, with Thomas stumbling twice (yet still getting the bronze), the Gold going to the East German Wonder again.

A lot of people were talking about all the pressure that was on Kim's shulders, and how that would cause her to crack, and Asada would come out on top as a result (because of some messed-up idea that Asadas wasn't under any pressure of her own). What I saw today was a 19-year-old girl from Korea basically telling the pressure - with her routien and skating - to take a flying leap, and then go and have FUN on the ice. The result? A Flawless performance, ando ne that likely will not be bested for many Olympics to come. Asada, on the other hand, lost it after the first stumble. not onyl thus, but Asada's dress was horrendous on her. Anyone else, and maybe it would have been okay, but Asada? No. Not her style. Had she a dress similar to Kim's - simple yet elegant - it would have done wonders for her, and the difference here was glaring: Kim looked for all the world liek a 19-year-old having fun doing what she likes to do. Asada looked tight, mechanical in her jumps (though no less impressive in the two triple axles she hit), and like she was forcing the emotions (whereas Kim's came fluidly, effortlessly, and as natural for her to be skating on the ice as breathing), and her garish dress made her look older than she really was and is. Basically, Mao looked like she was going out on the ice to work, not have fun (and it showed). I really feel that Rochette deserved the silver and Mao the Bronze.

Finally, Mirai Nagasu: "Oh my Gosh! I got Fourth Place!!!!!" I've never seen anyone happier abut losing out on a medal (though, the way she skated at the end, Mirai "lost" nothing), and, personally, I believe that she deserved the bronze, Rochette the Silver, and Asada 4th place. I like Mao, and I think she is one of the greatest skaters to grace the ice, but so long asd her handlers keep forcing her to grow up, rather than mature gracefully, as Kim Yona has, she will never be the kind of skater that busts up records, and wins Olympic gold medals by 23 points...

As I said before, the prelims matter not a-tall. Canada bounced back in thorough fashion against the Russians, and handed them their kiesters. This is making for a fine ice hockey tourney...

Having a mutual friend - actually, utual married couple - helped me meet my wife...

I'm glad Nakano Yukari didn't make it. She - as Arakawa did before Turin in '06 - was slowly becoming this snooty ice queen. Glad ando, Mao, and Suzuki are there....their attitudes seem better...

MadokaKato - Having watched her skate over the last year-and-a-half, there is a definite difference between Yuna and Mao. I don't see any pressure on Kim, much in the same way Katarina Witt didn't have any pressure on her in 88 when she crushed Debi Thomas. A lot of people said Witt had all of this pressure on her because she had won the gold in Sarejevo in84, but I didn't see any of it then, just as I don't see it now with Yuna. Apparently, Yuna doesn't seem to feel it or is shrugging it off (which I believe that she is), just as Witt didn't in both 84 and88. Debi Thomas, however, was so tight and twined that it affectedh er skating, as she not only lost the gold to Witt in `88, but also the silver to Canada's skater at that time. If anyone is under pressure, it is Mao. Expectations for her are EXTREMELY high for her here in Japan to repeat and defend "Japan's" Gold Medal in Women's figure skating. Call it BS if you wish, Madokakato, but the turth is, there is a chasm of difference between Kim and Asada, and right now, Kim seems to be having a LOT more fun than Mao, is relaxed, and basically is in position to win the gold.

As you said, I'll be happy if either of them wins. In my opinion, Arakawa became an Ice Queen after she won in `06, with her attitude being even more uppity than before. With Kim, Asada, and even Ando, I don't see such an attitude developing....

You know what I think? Whatever pressure there is, I don't think Yuna Kim cares a tuppance about it. The difference between her and Mao is that Kim looks to be enjoying herself far more than Mao. I believe that to Kim, a loss in the olympics is just that: a loss. so what if the endorsements don't come through? so what if she loses millions? I believe her attitude is (and has been) that all of the money, endorsements, and frills are just icing on the cake of having fun while skating. No surprise that Biran Boitano is her coach because Boitano had this same attitude when he competed.

If pressure is on anyone, it is Mao, and the sad thing is, Miss asada has been pushed to hard into maturity by her trainers and handlers. Kim has been allowed to mautre with grace and naturally. The prof will be n the pudding n the Free Skate, but I perosnally believe that Kim is going to win it, and all the pressure and other rubbish about the weight of her country being on her shoulders won't matter one bit...