8 Asians

“Hookin’ Up with Mariko Izumi” is a show about what you see in this picture.  That’s right, that rod she is holding is a fishing rod!   Mariko Izumi hosts a fishing show on WFN, the World Fishing Network channel.   She is daughter of champion angler Wayne Izumi and the niece of angler and TV host, Bob Izumi.  I first encountered the Izumi family when trying to relax by watching guys bash each other on the Versus channel.  I noticed a show called Bob Izumi’s Real Fishing show, and the Asian name caught my eye.   Bob Izumi is a full time professional angler and in addition to being Mariko’s uncle, is an co-author of a number of books and is the chairman of of the Fish for Ever Foundation, a conservation foundation dedicated toward preserving Ontario’s fisheries.

How did these Japanese Canadians get into the fishing business?  It seems that Japanese Americans and Japanese Canadians have had some influence in fishing in the US Northwest and Canada.  The fishing technique for salmon called “Mooching,” drift-fishing using only a banana-lead weight tied to a leader with a herring, described here, was said to be invented to by Japanese immigrant fisherman.  The name, according to this account, comes from these Japanese fisherman who did so well that other fisherman would “mooch” their bait to use themselves.  The Tengu fishing derby in Elliott Bay near Seattle was started by these Japanese-American fisherman in the 1930’s.  A “Tengu” is a creature from Japanese mythology whose nose, like Pinnochio’s, grew when it lied, a perfect name for a fishing contest (think “fish” stories about “the one that got away”).  The tournament was interrupted by the Japanese American internment, but has been going on ever since.  Bob Izumi’s father started one of the first fishing tournaments in Ontario.  Japanese-American and Seattle Native Mark Yuasa blogs about fishing for the Seattle Times.

Researching this post makes me want to try fishing some day.  I was pleasantly surprised to learn about the influence that Asian-Americans and Asian-Canadians have had on fishing in North America.  Plus, Mariko Izumi’s show seems like a great and certainly easy on the eyes way to start learning about it!

I am devastated — still — about the results of the World Series. I make no secret of the fact that I loathe the Yankees. To put it simply, I loathe any team except for my beloved Dodgers; I am a die-hard, bleeding blue, Dodgers fan. And, as upset and heart-broken as I am about our (Dodgers’) loss, I have the consolation of knowing that Hideki Matsui was crowned World Series MVP. Matsui is the first Japanese-Born player to win this award and I could not be happier for him.

It pains me more than you can know to praise someone who wears anything but Dodger blue, but I need to give our fellow Asian brethren recognition when it’s due. To put it simply, he played exceptionally well – especially considering he plays with bad knees. Not only is he the first Japanese-born player to win this honor, he’s also the first player to win as a full-time DH (designated hitter) in the series. And although his future with the Yankees is unknown, the world knows that Matsui is an exceptional baseball player and has left them (Yankees) with a memorable game.

Competitive Eater Juliet Lee
(Flickr photo credit: Vidiot)

One of Number Two Son’s favorite shows is Man vs Food.  In this show, host Adam Richman goes to various towns and cities and indulges in the local fare.  Toward the end of each show, he engages in a local food challenge where he needs to finish either some huge amount of food, something extremely spicy, or some combination of both in order to win a prize or recognition.  Richman is a fairly big guy, and while he says that he is not a competitive eater, more often than not he wins the challenge.  Despite his size, bulk is not necessary to win eating contests.  Take for instance, Juliet Lee. This 5 foot tall slightly over 100 pound mother and beauty salon owner is also ranked #11 in the world of competitive eating (believe it or not, there are rankings for competitive eaters).   She has eaten 34 hot dogs within minutes!

She is not the only Asian big eater with a small stature.  We have written about 128 pound Takeru Kobayashi, long time champion of the Nathan’s July 4th Hot Dog challenge (53 hot dogs in 12 minutes), and formerly #1 ranked eater.  He is not a huge guy.  Neither is 100 pound Sonya “Black Widow” Thomas, ranked #6 in the world and eater of 41 hot dogs within 10 minutes.  How can these small Asians eat so much?  According to the International Federation of Competitive Eating (yes, folks, there really is such an organization), smaller Asian “gurgitators” (their name for eating competitors) often do better than huge guys because they don’t have a belt of fat around their waists that restricts  stomach expansion.

I look at these Asian “gurgitators” with a mix of pride, disgust, and envy.   Pride, from the idea that these skinny Asians break stereotypes of big eaters.  Disgust, from just thinking about how much they eat.  Envy, from the fact that these three are still so skinny after eating so much food!  I can gain a pound by just looking at a cheesecake.

It’s my favorite time of the year again; basketball season! Unfortunately for Yao Ming fans, Yao may be out the entire season due to having surgery on his broken left foot. However, besides watching the L.A. Lakers defend their title as the NBA champions, I’ll also be closely watching the progress of  the New Jersey Nets – Yi Jianlian. Inevitably compared to Yao Ming, he’s been listed as the third ranked celebrity on Forbes Lists  of celebrities in China. One major problem – He’s a totally different player than Yao. He’s a much more athletic player than Yao and scores in a variety of ways (including dunks), while playing as a PF. However, for the past two seasons in the NBA, Yi has  seemed to be limited to mostly a jump shooter while also struggling to play in the post.

Also news controversies with Yi seems to be keep growing, which include questions over his age, finishing third amongst Eastern Conference forwards in All-Star Votes, and the possibility of Yi having to miss the start of his third NBA season to compete in China’s National games.  Apparently Chinese officials went as far as pleading to the NBA’s commissioner, David Stern, for the Nets to honor a contract stipulation (from the rookie contract he signed with the Bucks) that would have released Yi Jianlian to go back and play in China. Yi had already competed this past summer for China at the 2009 FIBA Asia Championship, where China placed second.  Fortunately for Yi, he will be staying to play in the NBA and he seems to have made improvements during the off-season. In his last three pre-season games, Yi’s averaging 17.0 points and 10.3 rebounds while shooting .475, twice posting 20-10 double-doubles and not attempting a three. His last pre-season game with the Nets, he ended with 22 points and 11 rebounds, and that was without the Net’s star player – Devin Harris, who definitely has  noticed.

Some additional analysis on other Asian and Asian American basketball players, after the jump.

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“If he grows a few inches, you should have him consider playing tackle football.”

Eugene Amano

This is the comment that Number One Son’s flag football coach told me after a football game.  Number One Son had a good game at cornerback, shutting down the receivers on his side of the field.  Tackle football?  I can’t say that I am a fan of tackle football, given some recent history of deaths, concussions, and the general feeling that it doesn’t contribute toward lifelong fitness.  Besides, Number One Son, while quick, is a thin lean Filipino kid.  Filipino kids don’t go pro, do they?

Well, apparently, they do!  At least there is a small number who do.  While we have talked about Hines Ward and his work in South Korea, this article from the Asian Journal (reposted also here at New American Media)  talks about NFL players of Filipino descent, both past (like former Rams quarterback Roman Gabriel) and present.   Some, like running back Steve Slaton, are partly Filipino but acknowledge their ancestry (Slaton has a Filipino flag tattoo).   Manila born offensive lineman Eugene Amano is  not a typical Filipino at 6 foot 3 and 310 pounds.  He gives back to the community by hosting football clinics, and is working to raise awareness and funds for Filipino Typhoon victims.

Will I let Number One Son play tackle football?  I don’t know yet.  We’ll see if he puts on those extra inches.  While I am not very enthusiastic about tackle football, as I stated above, I’d like to see what he wants to do.  In any case, it’s good to know that some Filipino kids can go pro.

“Looks like we have a team of all liberos!”

When I was coaching The Daughter’s volleyball team, that was one of my fellow coaches’ comments about our team of short Asian girls.  For those of you who don’t know volleyball, a libero is a defensive specialist who concentrates receiving on serves and “digging” out spikes that get past the blockers.  While there are tall professional volleyball players like Kevin Wong and tall Asians in general who can “roof” people, liberos (and many Asians) tend to be short.  Hence the comment.

Tamari Miyashiro is a 5 foot 7 Asian American libero who plays for the University of Washington.  This article explains that she was lightly recruited, and while  a walk-on (non recruited) red shirt (someone who doesn’t play in order to extend athletic elgibility), she practiced with the national championship team.  After helping that 1995 championship team off the court, she wants to win one on the court.  She is extremely good at her position, being volleyball magazine’s two time defensive player of the year and is the third all-time in digs in Pac-10 history.

One thing that puzzles me is how she was “lightly recruited” and had to walk-on.   I know that Asian-Americans in other sports like Jeremy Lin have had trouble being taken seriously, but I wouldn’t have expected it in volleyball.  Being from Hawaii could be a reason, although Kevin Wong was from Hawaii.  There is history of  excellent Asian-American players, such as legendary setter and Olympian Debbie Green and Olympic competitors Eric and Liane Sato.

Tamari Miyashiro is good example that you don’t have to be tall to make it in athletics and in volleyball.  As for the short Asian kids on The Daughter’s middle school team, we always did pretty well and often beat taller and whiter teams.  Two of the girls who continued to play volleyball in high school made all league honorable mention last year as sophomores, and I hear that one is being scouted by colleges as a setter.  As my bad passing often infuriates my teammates when I play volleyball, I have to say I envy Tamari Miyashiro’s libero skills and wish her the best of luck in her quest for a championship.

Ana Julaton with fellow boxer Glenn Donaire
Flickr Photo Credit Matt Ortega

Manny Pacquiao isn’t the only Filipino boxing champion.  On September 12, Ana “The Hurricane” Julaton won the IBA Super Bantamweight championship (122 lbs) by defeating Kelsey “the Road Warrior” Jeffries.   We have written before about female Asian boxers defying stereotypes, but “The Hurricane” not only defies stereotypes but proves that she can be the best at what is typically thought of as a male sport. Her match at the HP Arena in San Jose is said to be the first time a female bout was featured as an IBA main event.

Julaton lives in the Filipino American enclave of Daly City, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. In this article, she cites the influence of Bruce Lee as an inspiration:

“I wasn’t sure where I fit in; I didn’t know who I was.  I found some kind of purpose I guess, in seeing a successful Chinese American like Bruce Lee.”

His influence lead her not only to learn Taekwondo and become a boxer, but also to embrace her own Filipino-American heritage.

Another thing she has in common with Manny Pacquiao is the hall of fame trainer Freddie Roach.  With excellent people like Roach behind her, Ana “the Hurricane” Julaton will be making an impact for some time to come.

It’s about that time of year where most volleyball players start shifting from outdoors to indoors.

Not too long ago, I joined the regular crew at our usual gym to rally up a few games. A pretty funny incident happened after I had squarely roofed a spike; one of the gals told me that I was showing my true colors and it wasn’t Asian. I still laugh about it since I was one of the taller guys out of the Asian clique growing up.

And it’s not often that you get guys with hops and height in this sport. Not of our ethnicity at least. But that didn’t stop Kevin Wong or his brother in becoming AVP superstars and totally blowing away both stereotypes.

The more I think about it, the less there are of Asians that actually bust out in either sand or indoor volleyball. Not sure why since it’s a very fast paced sport that you have to keep on your toes for so you don’t get nailed in the face (or somewhere else) when an opposing team member is sailing through the air to tear one into you.

Either way, volleyball players everywhere will shake in their boots because… yes, the word is out. Asians can roof you too.