Every winter from November to December the Chiba Port Tower is lit up on one side as a xmas tree, Chiba Port Tower is a 125-meter observation tower built to commemorate the population of Chiba exceeding 5 million.

It faces the Chiba Port and adjacent to the tower spreads the Chiba Port Park.

From the observation deck on the uppermost floor (fourth floor), you can enjoy a sweeping panoramic view from a height of 113 meters. To the north, you will see Makuhari’s new urban district and Chiba Marine Stadium while to the east lies the central area of Chiba City. Way into the distance of the Tokyo Bay stands the high-rise buildings and even Mt. Fuji can be seen on a nice, clear day.

On the third floor 109 meters above ground is a tea parlor that also serves as an observation deck where you can enjoy dining while viewing the cityscape. There is a souvenir store on the ground floor where the tower’s commemorative goods and Chiba’s local specialties are sold.

1 Chiba Port Park, 1 Chuoko, Chuo-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba-ken
043-241-0125
12 minutes on foot from Chiba Minato Station on the JR Line.
Adults : 410 yen
port-tower.chibacity

This was taken during a trip to Futtsu and on the way back the sun was setting at 17:08, it was one of those rare chances where you can see a beautiful sunset and Fuji San so clearly.  Futtsu can be reached by taking the Uchibo line to Aohori station and is a great area where you can buy fresh vegetables and get away from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo.  Unfortunately the phone camera does not do this scene justice.

For more than 6 months this has been a Japan-oriented blog (with a little venture into India and China, here and there).  Tonight I draw (a little bit) outside the lines (see the Japan tie-in just below) and say, “Roll Tide, Roll!”

I should note that many, many Japanese grads of Chiba-dai, Kansai Gaidai (me, ‘84), Nanzan Dai and other Japan-base colleges have attended The University of Alabama.  That JVC (Nihon Victor) has a manufacturing plant in Tuscaloosa, that Honda has a plant in Lincoln/Talladega, Alabama, that Toyota has a plant in Huntsville, Alabama and that Sony is in Dothan.

Alabama Rolls over Florida, 32-13, to win the Southeast Conference Championship and go to the National Title Game in Pasadena, California.

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From summer of ‘84, a present given to me by a group of Chiba University students with whom I whiled away 6 weeks on the UA campus.  A week after they gave me this flag I was on a plane to Japan, my first overseas trip, to begin my Exchange Student Experience at Kansai Gaidai (a university between Osaka and Kyoto).

Going home gift from Chiba U students. Summer '84.

I got together with these same students, my friends, for a night in Los Angeles (they were spending a week in California on their way back to Japan, I arranged a one-night layover) and, then, a couple of months later I traveled up to Chiba University (just north or Tokyo) to hang out with them for a weekend on their home turf.  Several of them remain dear friends who I see from time-to-time when I’m in Japan, or when they are on business in the U.S.  All brought together through distance and over time via the University of Alabama.

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10/8

For about a week prior, news about an impending typhoon was all over the news, as well as the talk amongst many of the students at Kanda.

Apparently it was approaching Japan, and was going to hit us pretty hard, etc. etc.

Needless to say, rumors of class being cancelled at Kanda were spreading, so on the night of the 7th (the day before the typhoon was going to hit) I was sitting in front of the computer, refreshing my e-mail every 2 minutes in hopes of seeing that e-mail from Less-san telling us that the campus would be closed.

And sure enough, an e-mail was sent out saying classes were cancelled! EFF YES!<3 As bad as it may be, I was actually looking forward to being in a typhoon…I mean, as long as I don’t die. The next morning, my host family told me that the Tozai Line (the JR railway line that I live on) closed down, which meant that I was stuck at home. (Which would make sense, I mean, who goes outside during a typhoon!?) …except, when I looked out of the window, it was sunny. Like, Hawaii-weather-during-the-summertime sunny. Wtf? Maybe this is the whole, calm before the storm thing? And then I turned on the news, and they were saying that we should still take caution, even though the weather is amazingly nice.

…

…

Nah.

My host family didn’t have work either, so what did we do? Hop into their super nice BMW, drive all the way to Odaiba and hang out there for the entire day. >]

The freeways were all very crowded, so I’m assuming no one took heed to the news’ words of caution. We arrived at Odaiba, and though there was no Gundam for me to gawk at (it was taken down at the end of summer…RIGHT BEFORE I GOT HERE. ) it was still extremely pretty. We ate lunch at a super nice restaurant, that overlooked the water and the Odaiba bridge. Afterward, we went to a nearby Joypolis, which is basically, a large arcade…kind of like Dave and Busters, but they had some neat rides inside, too. (It was all indoors). We played some games together, and even took Purikura! Purikura with the host family, aww yea.

One of the games I played was the House of the Dead 4 Special, where you got into a pod-like machine, sat down, and faced a large screen. You’d have a gun and such, and shoot zombies like you would normally. But your partner would yell, ‘watch out, behind you!’ and the entire seat would jerk around 180 degrees, and another screen would be in back of you,a nd you’d shoot those zombies too. So basically it was like a regular shooting game, except you would get jerked around back and forth trying to shoot dead guys who are after your brains…or something. Regardless, it was pretty cool.

We also played some Air hockey…me and my hostdad versus my homestay mate, Nicole, and my hostmom. My hostdad and I won. >D woohoo! /high five

Anyways, it was a lot of fun to goof around with the host family, especially on the day a crazy typhoon was supposed to hit. It ended up never hitting, and nothing happened at all. Actually, that day was one of the sunniest and nicest days I’ve had in Japan yet. XD It’s okay though, I had no class, and I had a great time with my host family. :]

Low quality of videos I took of the area…

9/25
Friday was my birthday, and I was able to celebrate it in Japan! I felt very blessed to be able to celebrate my birthday in another country, and with some new friends that I made from that short time I’ve been there. During lunch, Akiko, my e-pal, told me to eat lunch with her, and she led me to their cafeteria area, where I grabbed lunch. We then went upstairs to one of the classrooms, and some of her friends (other KUIS students) were there and they all wished me happy birthday! They wrote on the whiteboard, ‘happy birthday cali!’ and drew various hawaii-related things around it (such as Stitch and a hula dancer, haha!) It was really sweet to have her do that for me, and after I finished eating she gave me a gift, too! The gift was wrapped and written on it were wishes of happy birthday and such from various people. I opened it up, and there was a Stitch headband, a pen with a stamp at the end of it of my name in kanji (井上)　as well as various kinds of really cute hash. So that was really sweet of them to do that for me!
I wasn’t really planning anything for my birthday, so the fact that my e-pal went out of her way to get something for me was really nice.
I went through the rest of the day as normal, and after Architecture, some of my friends decided we should do something for my birthday. I told her it was okay, but they insisted. We ended up eating dinner at Outback Steakhouse (Haha, yea…American food in Japan!) which was actually pretty good. It was nice to just relax and eat some good food for awhile, and after that we took some purikura and sang karaoke. All in all, it was quite similar to an ordinary day back home with my friends, so it was quite relaxing, and I had a pretty good birthday.

As you may know, Japan is 1 day and so-man-hours ahead of America. Which means my birthday occurred twice, kind of.
So on Saturday, it was also my birthday (but in America). And to celebrate my birthday (in America) I went to THE TOKYO GAME SHOW. No, I didn’t go only because of that reason, I also went simply because I love video games, and it seemed like an amazing experience. And it was.
The Tokyo Game Show was held at Makuhari Messe, which is at the same stop I get off to go to class every weekday. Which meant that the cost to ride the train there was nothing for me, since I already had my commuter pass for it. Score!
I arrived at Makuhari Messe a little before 9am, as the doors opened at 10am. When I got there, the line was phenomenally long. Like, it went around the entire convention center, and out into what was essentially a parking lot-turned-waiting line…it was pretty nuts. So I waited in line with my fellow Japanese nerds, and slowly but surely we moved in and eventually got into the actual Game Show around 1015a or so. As soon as you enter the showroom, the entire atmosphere changes. You walk in, and you’re met with a large white banner with “TOKYO GAME SHOW 2009″ hanging from a large metal framework. You walk in and the entire area is dark, only lit by the amazingly huge TV screens and bright logos of the different companies around each booth.
It was amazing, I’ve never been to a game show before, but it was basically like an anime convention, except for 1. video games instead of anime, 2. less obviously donky people, 3. less cosplayers, but the ones that were there were AMAZING, 4. less people with bad BO.
It was so much fun just to be there…people were giving out flyers and free stuff, there were a ton of video games out on demo, including (but not limited to!) L4D2, CoDMW2, Halo ODST, Assassins Creed 2, Final Fantasy XIII (the line for this demo was HUGE)…etc.
Even the booths were amazing…the way they displayed/demo’d everything in each booth was amazing…there was a booth for every gaming company (Nintendo, Playstation, Xbox, etc.) and some games had their own booths as well.
At one point, an entire section was cut off and a bunch of people were surrounding a stage. Curious, I approached it and a couple of people walked onto the stage…one of them BEING BoA!!! I basically started freaking out, haha. For those of you who don’t know, BoA is a famous Korean singer (though she’s also famous in Japan, as she sings Japanese songs, too. She just released her first American (in English!) album, too) She was super sweet, and she talked to the crowd for awhile. Apparently she cut her hair too, because it was a lot shorter than I remembered it to be. Anyway, that was pretty amazing. <3
In one particular area of the center was where all of the cosplayers gathered…it was funny, because there was one person being crowded by a BUNCH of guys (all of them were guys, huh) each of them with their cameras or cell phones out…curious (again) I looked over and saw a scantily clad girl dressed up as Yoko from Gurren Laggan. Ahh. That explains it completely.
That entire weekend was amazing ~ I had a ton of fun and it was a great experience.

Hey There,

After a pretty full day of wandering around and watching Sumo, I made my way to Chiba Marine Stadium to watch the Chiba Lotte Marines.  Lotte is a major conglomerate in the Far East, involved with food products, department stores, amusement parks, hotels and others.

The Marines are an interesting team because they are the only team I’ve ever seen where the fans celebrate the manager more than any of the players.  The top selling jersey in the team store is that of Bobby Valentine, the manager of the team.  Bobby Valentine is a former player in Major League Baseball, but he was most known in the US as the manager of the Texas Rangers and the New York Mets (probably more known for managing the Mets).  I have always liked Bobby- I thought that he was their best manager since Davey Johnson (and they have not had a good manager since.  While some managers may be better strategists, I think Bobby was better able to manage the personalities involved in a high priced team like the Mets.  As popular as he was in New York, it’s nothing compared to how popular Bobby Valentine is in Japan, specifically in Chiba.  Fans wear his jersey and the cheering sections carry large banners with this face on them.  Unfortunately, this was Bobby’s last season in Japan (at least for now)- while popular with fans, he was not terribly popular with front office management and was very outspoken on a number of issues, including the loss of the best Japanese players to the major leagues.  Maybe he can go back to managing the Mets.

Chiba Marine Stadium reminds me of the stadiums built in the 60s and 70s, like Riverfront Stadium or Three Rivers Stadium.

Our seats were on the Lions side of the field, so as one of the only people in the area rooting for the Marines, I felt quite alone.  The good thing, though, is that the Marines won 6-3, so I had a lot more to cheer about than those Lions fans…

In addition to Bobby Valentine, another former Met is on the Marines, and got the start in Left Field- Benny Agbayani.  Benny Agbayani is pretty popular in my family.  Back in 1999 or 2001, I saw him hit a home run in a Wild Card game against the Giants.  It was awesome.  He doesn’t play every day, so seeing him start the game was cool.  I loudly cheered for him (he was the only player I knew) and got a few looks and laughs from the other Marines fans in the vicinity.  I also got a picture of him when he was batting.  He went 1-3 with a walk and was replaced towards the end of the game with a pinch hitter.

On November 1, Ginza Farm celebrated the rice harvest. The event began at 9 am on a Sunday morning and drew a crowd including children, parents, bloggers, an actress in an upcoming movie about farming, and the carpenter Hisano who built the beautiful tanbo, tables and benches. Above entrepreneur Iimura san helps the kids hang the rice along a bamboo rail.

Here’s what the rice looked like just before harvest.

Below is a photo of Hisano san, the Chiba carpenter who created Ginza Farm and Omotesando Farm.

After the jump are photos of the actress helping the children bundle the rice, two kids enjoying the remaining duck, and a sad note about how one duck died the previous week from an assault by a Ginza raccoon.

Previous posts about Ginza Farm

• July 15: Ginza Rice Farm
• July 29: Interview with Iimura Kazuki (飯村一樹) at Ginza Farm
• Sept 9: Ginza Farm Update
• Oct 4: Ginza Farm’s rice is almost ripe

Alright, after this blog I’m officially caught up!

Tuesday was a National Holiday here (Culture Day I think…) so we got the day off. It was also my friend’s 20th birthday (making her legal drinking age in Japan!) so we headed to Disney Sea! It took us just over an hour to get there, and it was a little expensive, but it was totally worth it. We also caught the last day of their Halloween Festival, which was pretty cool.

On the Disney Resort train…Mickey everywhere!

Waiting in line for the Indiana Jones ride

I went with two other people, and the three of us all hate free falling rides, but for some reason we made a last minute decision to go on the Tower of Terror. It was fun, but holy crap, I haven’t screamed that much in a while. Everytime they dropped us and brought us back up I kept screaming “WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY????” and my friend kept saying, “AGAIN??”. The whole ride consisted of us screaming and laughing at the same time. There was nothing to hold on to either, so my friends were clinging to both my arms and we were huddled together as much as we could be. Fun times. Seriously fun times.

Now I just need to make my way to Disney Land.

Check out the Tournaments page to find an interactive map with the locations and details of all the scheduled PTQs in North America as well as the world-wide Grand Prix and Pro Tours. Just click a location of interest and you will see a pop-up with details such as the date of the event, format, address, and contact information. This should be useful to find upcoming PTQs and other major events in your area.

Alright – let’s wrap this thing up.  Though it’s against my principles -  I will attempt to engage in an objective review of my own team…  Here goes nothin’.

Quantity over Quality

Randolph and Durant are physical freaks born to play basketball. Upside? Check...

As I mentioned in my WWIT (What was I Thinking) e-mail – I have a decent amount of regrets after the draft.  You certainly want your CHIBA team to be competitive – because there is nothing worse than a lost season.  Once the shine of the early season wears off where we all have hope – we find ourselves desperate if our team struggles early on.  Live Scoring becomes a disappointing addiction as your underperformers continually put out crappy lines and your team slowly loses hope and points in the standings.  By mid-season – if you’ve fallen behind too far in too many categories you start losing interest – and CHIBA becomes one of your least favorite topics of discussions.  It can happen to the best of us – and it’s one reason why I’m in favor of some keeper type rules – or anything to assuage this feeling of helplessness and desperation.  Fortunately it’s been a long time since I’ve had a season like this – but I know my number is coming.  I took some calculated risks this year – and even my predictions don’t like my chances for the title – but I’ll happily accept any place in the top half of the standings – just so I can get my full six months enjoyment out of one of my favorite pastimes.  (and I wish you all luck as well..)

Big Numbers

Rebounds – With big white rebound machines David Lee and Troy Murphy leading the way – I feel confident about this category.  Anthony Randolph is my wild card – and he should return value in this category as long as he receives minutes from Nelly.  Ty Thomas and Durant should provide solid if not great board work.  Bench players Blatche and Hibbert have upside – though they should not receive too many starts.  Still there’s enough here to project a strong showing in boards.

Steals – Assuming Ronnie Artest can continue to be among the best in this category – he and Rondo provide a strong base for steals.  Kevin Durant has the physical tools to be great in this category (as he does in every one) – but needs to work on and work at the defensive end of the floor.  Randolph/Thomas/JR are decent contributors that will provide some depth.  On the bench there is plenty of small guards like Nate/AI/Jennings that should plug in to provide a boost.  Steals should roll in at a steady rate here in Stats land.

3’s – While the early returns have me a little scared (a mere 8 3’s over the first few days) the projections say I shouldn’t worry.  Troy Murphy is a key in this as a 3 raining machine from the forward spot.  JR Smith when he returns from suspension can easily gain you point in the standings in this category in a single night.  KD should be a solid contributor from long range – and again Ronnie Artest in the crowded LAL becomes a key.  He should have no problems hoisting from long range – but how much run will he receive?  Again lots of guard help on the bench that can shoot from distance should give options if a boost is needed.

Whammies

Assists – While Rondo is off to a huge start – I don’t think it will continue at a double digit assist pace.  There is no other point guard amongst the starters – so assists will need to come throughout the roster.  Guys like Durant/Artest/JR are good for plus contributions.  What’s necessary for a competitive level of assists is one of AI/Brandon Jennings to step up.  The rookie looked good in his first start – and AI is a complete mystery that won’t begin to reveal itself until next week.  I’m concerned – but happy to be off to a great start.  Adding another point guard or some solid assist producing forward is a priority.

Points – KD provides the points here – and I guess as I had projected him as such a high point scorer – I kind of forgot the category throughout the rest of the draft.  No one else on this roster is much of a threat to avg much more than 15 ppg.  AI is of course a possible upside – and I can only hold my breath that some vintage Answer is still left in that banged up body.  My strategy is to resort to game-maximizing lineups to cover up this weakness.  And if all else fails – points should be a relatively easily commodity to obtain in trade.  Just call me the Pointless Contributors…

Outlook:  I’ve got all my eggs in one basket – KD’s breakout into the fantasy elite.  I see a guy with the physical tools to excel in every one of our scoring categories.  He’s still young and he has lots to learn but I like what I hear about his work ethic and determination.  While some advanced stats may indicate he’s not as effective a player in real life – I think this is more of an anomaly (hence my team name: Statistical Anomalies).  While I reached on David Lee, possibly missed on Murphy (over Bynum) and gambled on Randolph – my hope is that my extra quality reserve pick (from Leon) and some astute reserve drafting will help me cover some of my weaknesses.  I also think I have some big upside there too (AI/Hibbert/Rush/Jennings) – but they are all risky and it’s not a stretch to think that more doesn’t work than does.  But with a little luck and with Kevin Durant coming into his own – I like my chances…

The Predictions:

High Upside/High Downside

Andy’s Odens

Glenn’s Irrelevancies

Miles’ Rules

Dosh/Steve’s Partners

Lots of questions on these squads – but one of them will certainly hit more than they miss and contend.  Andy’s Oden’s are the early candidate (with hot Rockets Brooks/Ariza) but it’s WAY too early to tell.  Would be somewhat of a stretch to see a second strong team come out of here – but of course – that’s just an opinion.  Good luck to group Upside.

First Learn Balance:

Timmy’s Griffins

Dylan’s Gamblers

Le’s Big and Old Shop

Paulie’s Denging Swings

Teams with potential here but that need a makeover to balance their production.  Some hope that a bench or FAAB breakout or two will provide what’s needed but otherwise imperative that they swing a deal or two as early as possible.  Timmy’s Griffin loss hurts – but as a 5th round pick is not fatal by any stretch (especially with Gallinari looking to be a reserve round steal).  If I had to pick one of these teams – I’d go with Paulie’s Swings.  Arenas and Nash looking good and healthy (unlike Pau) and the young guys (Gordon, Beasley, LouWill, Speights) looking strong.  It’s still early and I think all these teams have good prospects given the right moves.

No Lo Contendre

Agnellostinos’ Money Shots

The New Kids in Town

LT’s Mental Breakdowns

Yours Truly’s Jinxed Reaches

These teams look to have balance as well as strong starting lineups – giving them an edge going forward.  You’ll notice 3 of the top 4 picks in the draft here – and of course any elite superstar going down is going to kill a team – but none more so than the top picks.  But assuming they stay healthy they continue to project to provide a clear edge in the prognostications.  Interesting that the 5th pick snuck in here eh?  As far as liking – I think the New Guys would be my bet if I had to bet on a team to DEFINITELY finish in the money.  As for winning it all – I think Agnellostinos’ has the greatest upside to outperform the projections.

Reverse Jinx

Leon’s Charitable Receptions

And of course – our projected CHIBA champ is Dwight Howard for the 2nd year in a row.  But seriously – Leon has a solid lineup behind his star.  Again his depth is a little shaky – but Paul Pierce looks like a huge steal in the 5th and Superman may even improve on his already amazing stats.  Injury in my opinion is the only thing that can stop this inevitability.  And of course this prediction which almost guarantees that Leon will not win this season…  And wouldn’t that be a crying shame!

Check out this satellite photo – a peninsula protruding into Tokyo Bay. I recently made a journey to Chiba to visit this place, where there appears to be a rather intriguing structure on the end of the peninsula.

Here’s a closer look:

What is it? Simply put, one of the most incredible examples of Wonder Stuff I’ve ever seen.

Yeah! Fantastic!

This astonishing multi-level labyrinthine pile of platforms was built in 2004 and stands 5 storeys high. The Meiji Centennial Memorial Observation Tower (明治百年記念) consists of a multitude of interconnected staircases and platforms, all of which offer equally beautiful views of Tokyo Bay.
The day I visited it was raining, but I’m told on a clear day one can look out across the water and see the iconic form of Mt Fuji in the distance, rising majestically over the opposite shore.

Why build such a bizarre structure rather than a single viewing platform? Why not I say! It’s a remarkable achievement – spectacular, totally original, utterly absurd and hilarious in its conception. All of which means of course one cannot help but be impressed, gazing up as it stands like an ancient retro-futurist monument on the end of the peninsula, towering above the landscape.

Not surprisingly it has become a local landmark and the council is trying to use it to promote tourism to the area.

A phenomenal piece of design.

So much so that it was used as the location for a couple of promotional videos by one of Japan’s most famous pop idols, Hamasaki Ayumi. The song itself is rather appalling, but the platform looks great!

“Sunset – Love Is All”: (direct link)

“Sunrise – Love Is All”: (direct link)

TOKYO – A fishing boat off the coast of Japan was capsized by jellyfish!

The Daisan Shinsho-maru, a 9.85 ton trawler, was fishing for Nomura’s jellyfish off the coast of the Chiba prefecture last Friday.

Nomura’s jellyfish is a jellyfish specific to Japan’s waters. It is best known for it’s size, with some growing up to 6 feet 7 inches in diameter!

The jellyfish can also weigh up to 450 pounds each, which would explain how the Daisan capsized.

As the ship neared a lighthouse, it began to lose its balance. The boat was dragging a net holding a large number of jellyfish, easily putting their weight well above that of the vessel’s.

It finally capsized, leaving the captain, Takashi Otsuka, and two crew members, to tread water until another ship rescued them.

The population of jellyfish has actually exploded in recent years, forcing Japan to try and kill them in mass quantities or catch them for certain industries, like cooking or for use as collagen.

2009 Tokyo Motor Show

The 2009 Tokyo Motor Show is being held from October 29 until November 4 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba.  As of posting this, there are only a few days left until the end.  This year, due to the economic downturn that started in 2008, the show was left in limbo up until this past summer.  There are less than half of the exhibitors in this year’s show compared to the last show in 2007.  In 2007, there were over 240 exhibitors, and this year it’s just over 100.  This is a significant decrease, and it shows.  The event space is more open, and reduced.  There are no longer any outdoor exhibits, and they only make use of the convention centre’s main hall.  The North Hall and central Exhibition Hall are no longer used.  The outdoor element in the central plaza is also discontinued for this year.  It’s a bit of a shame that there are only two foreign car makers present at this show, but it was still a great show to visit.

Toyota FT-86 Concept Vehicle

The first thing to do when heading to the show is to actually head to the show.  Makuhari Messe is a huge convention centre, and without the North Hall being open, it’s a bit of a walk to the main entrance.  From there, there are three major halls to visit: the East, Central, and West halls.  Each one has its own group of manufacturers.  This year, the West Hall was occupied by Honda, motorcycle manufacturers, and various other parts companies.  The Central Hall had Toyota, Subaru, Mazda, and a special Car of the Year Japan exhibition.  In the East, Nissan and Mitsubishi had large displays while the Gran Tourismo and Tomica moved into the main hall from a side hall two years ago.  The amount of space needed was dramatically cut down, but there was always a lot to see.

Mitsubishi PX MiEV Concept Vehicle

With the European and American companies opting to not go to the show, the Japanese companies made up for it with their concept cars.  The theme was the environment.  It was great to see so many hybrids and electric vehicles.  They even displayed various walking machines similar to the Segway, but seated versions.  All of the cars were busy with photographers taking as many pictures as they could.  Toyota and Honda were one of the busiest exhibitions.  There were also several “race queens” at each booth modeling all of the cars.  While the size of the show was reduced, the number of girls showing the vehicles was the same, proportionately.  Interestingly enough, each maker seemed to choose their women based on their overall theme or target audience.  Some chose women in their 30s, and some chose women in their 20s.  Some had more elegant clothing, while others made their girls look trashy.  Image is everything, and as long as it fit, anything would go.

Yamaha Super Tenere Concept Vehicle

Unfortunately, this year was a bit small.  Many people say the Japanese show is no longer an “international” show.  While I agree that it isn’t as grand as before, it’s also a tough year.  With other cities being more important, it’s natural to think that the Shanghai show will be bigger.  Will it always be bigger?  I’m guessing that in the future, the Tokyo Motor Show will increase again as the auto makers make more money and have the ability to display their cars at more shows.  It’s a little expensive, but if they want to keep their business in Japan, they’ll have to keep at least a small presence at these shows.

Tokyo Motor Show Information:

Official Site:  http://www.tokyo-motorshow.com/en/index.html
Official Site (Japanese): http://www.tokyo-motorshow.com/index.html

このblogは英語のblog。もし私の英語は難しい、日本語のquestionは大丈夫。

“A wizard is never late, he arrives precisely when he means to!”, Gandalf

Unfortunately, I am not a wizard, so I can’t really use that excuse. My lack of input has been down to college and me being extremely lazy. Plus, it’s a little disheartening writing all this stuff when no one actually reads it, but I’m Anglo-Irish (therefore, inherently awesome and godly) so I’ll get by and stick to my imperial guns. If there’s anyone out there (I sound like Robert Neville from I Am Legend), please stay tuned for the other parts, as writing this will probably motivate me to write all the others.

Japan is still surprisingly fresh in my mind, even though I came back nearly two months ago; it’s almost impossible to believe. At least it brings me one step closer to my next outing, whenever that may be.

Also, I give serious kudos to the chap that stumbled upon this blog by searching for ‘touronaut’ – you, sir/madam, are the cream of society.

Enjoy the first part of the Adventure.

*  *  *

After having been reassured twice by the Aer Lingus employee at Dublin airport that I would not be seeing my baggage again until Tokyo’s Narita airport, I set off on my trip to London. Landing in England, strolling past the luggage carousels with only mild amusement that my fellow fliers would have to wait several years for their suitcases to be transferred one hundred metres from plane to arrivals, I continued my onward journey in a vain effort to find Heathrow’s Terminal 3.

After about twenty minutes of traipsing through underground tunnels and taking the wrong elevators, I turned up in the airport’s third terminal, not unlike a glorified concrete shed, a very far cry from the cosy and familiar interior of Terminal 1. Everyone seemed to be dressed either like some Afghani goat-herder or Jamaican Rastafarian. Despite feeling somewhat out-of-place, after much ado in attempting to find why Virgin Atlantic’s flight to Japan had already left, I finally got to the right check-in desk (operated by ANA, a completely different airline no less – turns out they share flights with VA) and was told rather apologetically that my luggage may or may not have been delivered to the plane because some sticker or other bit of arbitrarily meaningless paper hadn’t been stuck to my passport indicating that said bag would have to be driven from one plane to another, no doubt a frightfully difficult process. Thankfully, I received my boarding-pass without too much hassle and continuing the theme of sheds and goat-herding, I passed through security like a timid bullock in a huge cattle auction and walked nearly half-an-hour (I kid you not) to my departure gate.  Suddenly, I was surrounded by a lot of Japanese people.

ANA's Boeing 777 to Tokyo - my home for twelve hours.

I had images of my time on the Boeing 777 that would fly me half-way around the planet being some sort of moving paradise. I would sit next to a lecherous Japanese schoolgirl, have a butler constantly on call and that I would have the same amount of leg-room that I had enjoyed on my flight from Dublin to London. I was rather mistaken. Instead of an attractive Japanese woman, I was stuck beside an Anglo-Japanese man that I took an instant dislike to (for no real reason, really) and a middle-aged Japanese woman that spent most of the flight seemingly in some sort of stable coma. Despite having my legs doubled-up upon themselves, I couldn’t  exactly complain about the service that the ANA staff provided – drinks, snacks and meals were constantly supplied and I watched one of Liam Neeson’s new films, Taken,  and some subtitled Japanese film about mountain-climbers charting a conveniently uncharted mountain. Both were brilliant and provided suitable entertainment until I fell asleep somewhere above Moscow and woke up just above Vladivostok with a terrifically bad dead-leg that induced a degree of hypochondria for the remaining three hours it would take for the plane to touch down in Tokyo (and pretty much for the rest of my stay in the East).

Welcome to Japan - ah, good ol' global commercialism.

When I finally landed in Tokyo after what seemed like six months of aimlessly flying around the globe, I was greeted with gloriously torrential rain – Kanto (Japan’s eastern province, home to the capital and Yokohama) was experiencing one of several of its summer typhoons. Of course, me being me, I would never be allowed to leave the plane without some other tragic mishap occurring – within moving five paces from flying vehicle to skybridge, a small notice indicated that I had been paged by ANA staff. ‘Sod’, I thought. When I finally came to the luggage carousels, I was informed that my bag ‘may have not been on the flight’. Being a mild-mannered person, I apologetically filled out their missing-bags form and probably complimented them on their excellent service, perhaps advising them on how to lose other people’s baggage in the future. I was left clutching little else but the hope that my suitcase would turn up within the next two days.

It was 3:30pm and I was starting to smell rather like a lone sports sock found at the bottom of a kit-bag. The one drink I hesitantly bought was cold rice tea. My host, H., was an hour late. Even my stiff upper-lip was beginning to crease. Thankfully, the Fates decided to smile upon me and H. arrived; he had an extremely delightful and accommodating family indeed, and on the way back, I was treated to a view of Tokyo’s night lights which were most impressive. After a brief trip to collect our German friend, D., from my host’s local train-station and we arrived at what would be base-camp for the next fortnight. Sleep was only too welcome.

My host's neighbour's place - what a fantastic building!

I had finally done it. I was in Japan.

We continue our look into the future for the upcoming CHIBA season with the middle of the draft – picks 6-9.  This is where the draft starts to get interesting – and understanding how to balance value and upside is the key to success.

The New Kids on the Block

Is this really the kind of guy you want to rest your CHIBA season on? Not me...

The New Kids on the Block were my least favorite team on Draft Day.  Already stuck with the cagey Mike Agnello on one side of my spot – I was at least hoping for a break from the rookies on my right.  In poker they call this a sh!t sandwich – the worst spot on the table, the Malachi Crunch – and unfortunately you can’t just yell “seat change” and get the hell out of Dodge in CHIBA.  Their proficiency was of course – Basketball Monster aided (just an fyi – I was too cheap to subscribe to the Monster – but I used it’s prior year data in my projections) but a list is only as good as the person(s) executing it.  It’ll be interesting to see if their 2 heads were better than my 1…

ALL IN

3’s – Danny Granger must be a fun player to own.  Great system – an elite point scorer and a massive amount of it coming by way of downtown.  Al Harrington either dunks or shoots 3 pointers and has no repertoire in between.  Manu is the master of the pump fake – dribble 3 – and gets many open looks thanks to TP and TD.  The Boom Dizzle can rain 3’s – but you’d like him to take less – as those 3’s don’t come without cost.  Let it Rain!

Rebounds – I don’t know Carlos Boozer – but I don’t like him.  First off he doesn’t block shots.  And secondly his public persona seems completely fraudulent to me.  Still in a contract year you can probably count on him to look for and get his (sadly).   Al Horford is a rebounding/shotblocking force flying under the radar in ATL.  And Chris Kaman has been sighted playing actual basketball without the use of a wheelchair (but still with bad hair).  Lamar Odom and Kenyon Martin even provide plus board work from the bench.  If CHIBA went 9 or 10 deep – they’d be a lock for this category.

Steals – The Dizzle is an elite steals guy – because he plays the passing lanes rather than his man.  AI2 is also a robber baron but because of his freak athleticism and nose for the ball.  Manu Ginobili is a dirty Euro player who uses his bag of dishonest tricks to part ballhandler from ball.  Granger and Harrington each manage steals thanks to the frantic fast pace of play their teams impose.  Kenyon Martin is a great reserve that secretly produces in this category.  A solid showing in steals seems inevitable here.

MUCK ‘EM

FG% – Yes this team will – Let it Rain!  However much I love the Dizz (Baron Davis aka the Boom Dizzle) – he kills teams in this category.  Danny Granger’s love of the bonus point shot also makes him less attractive when it comes to the percentages.  Al Harrington is that rarity – a poor shooting 4 though he is clearly out of position.  The good shooters on this team just don’t take enough shots to counterbalance all this.  I don’t think even vintage Shaq could save this.  Expect Misses.

Assists – BD is a true point with a lot of new toys to play with in LA.  AI2 is the de facto point guard in Philly (after all you can’t be the point w/o the ball LouWill).  Manu sometimes plays point when Pop gets frustrated with Tony’s antics.  But the rest of this squad eschews ball movement that does not involve dribbling or shooting – and usually the latter.  Another point guard that can fit the rotation seems to be essential for the new guys.  Skip to my Lou?

Outlook – This looks to be a pretty solid team with the exception of 2 clearcut category weaknesses.  As some guy named Joe once said: “Knowing is half the battle”.  And I hear his side won ALL the time (except at the box office).  While the Monster can’t help (as much) in-season – if the New Kids are anywhere near as proficient post-draft – they may embarrass many of us CHIBA vets.  (and come on – it would be embarrassing for two guys to walk in off the street with a computer generated list – and take the CHIBA title or even finish in the money!)  I gotta say though – I love the roster – it’s solid – really deep (almost as deep as my always 14 strong squad) – and it has my favorite non-Asian NBA player.  New Guys – well done – now go draft near someone else next year!

INSERT NON-HOOPS RELATED MEDICAL CONDITION HERE

Kobe makes everything better - just like ketchup and plastic surgery...

Every year there is more and more pressure for GO to keep his streak of head-scratching team names going.  And somehow in the sparse universe of obscure medical conditions he manages to come up with a new one.  Much to the disappointment of his league-mates.  It’s an annual ritual of stubbornness – and I’m calling for the Commish to intervene!  Please?  Names aside – GO’s draft was one that was interesting on many levels.  After the great Brand/Melo fiascos of the past – WWGOD?

Benignant

Pts – Kobe Bryant is always a good start to your team’s prospects for points.  As long as he keeps staying away from that valet service – he’s a top 5 producer.  The rest of this squad is extremely interesting in that they project for solid 15-20 ppg.  OJ Mayo is a question mark with upside – will the Grizz realize that the old guys need to defer to the young (doubtful)?  Lopez is in a great situation as the only proficient big man on a bad team.    RJ provides extra firepower off the bench.

3’s – Kobe and OJ Mayo should provide a healthy amount of trifectas.  Jameer and Wilson Chandler are healthy contributors with nice upside.  There’s even useful 3’s available at the F spot on the bench in RJ and Mr. Anderson.  The other Parker has a decent chance to be productive in CLE and should at least be a steady source of bombs.

Steals – No major thieves on this squad – but lots of solid production throughout the lineup.  Kobe leads the way of course as he has the green light to rove the passing lanes on D – but Jameer/Mayo/Stuckey are a solid trio behind them and have some upside.  KG has always been a plus in this cat with his long arms and intimidating glares that seem to scare opponents into giving up the rock.  Brook Lopez gets steals only when a pass accidentally hits any non-leg part of his body and sticks.  Still this squad projects ot easily make the top half of this category.

Malignancies

Rebounds – Are we sure Brook Lopez is getting ~10 boards a night (I’m not)?  How many will KG be able to get to on his bum knees?  Kobe’s got big men to take care of the glass for him.  Jameer Nelson only gets rebounds that bounce first.  OJ Mayo rarely finds himself inside the painted area without the ball already.  Aside from the top two – there are no standout rebounders in the starting lineup.  Which means the health and startability of Kevin Love is a huge factor for the OcchioGrossos down the stretch.

Blocks – Once again KG and Brook provide all the production.  With the rookie’s upside uncertain (but high) and KG’s knees creaking with every bend – it looks shaky.  Wilson Chandler should provide some help – but unlike in rebounds – Kevin Love does not provide any hope for additional reinforcements.  It’ll be interesting to see if Jameer/Mayo/Stuckey total 10 blocks total for the season.  $5 FAAB claim on Theo Ratliff anyone?

Outlook – Brook Lopez needs to be for real.  Wilson Chandler needs to take the step up that the Knicks are waiting for (to where we don’t know).  Kevin Love needs to come back soon and be productive – and maybe learn hops?  And Marvin Williams needs to live up to his potential and carve out a role in a crowded ATL.  Hitting on one of CDR/Parker/Harden would be a great help.  (so would hitting the lottery!)   One more big man away from being a good all around squad.  And we ain’t talking Erick Dampier.  (some vintage Adonal Foyle – maybe)  Did anyone else catch that Kobe/KG are paired together on this squad?  Talk about cats and dogs chemistry issues!

The Great Space Coasters

Big Al has a surprise for you. Pull his finger. Now take a deep breath...

The more I look at it – the more I like it.  This is a gambler’s squad – and I didn’t know D had it in him.  The usually confident but conservative Rhode Islander I know eschewed high risk in all walks – preferring to back you down low where he could hook his off hand around your waist – and hold you in place while he spun around you for that crappy hook shot that he could only make uncontested.  He even opted to stubbornly play the 95 Celts in NBA Live ‘95 – when the Knicks and Warriors were clearly the superior teams with incredible video 3 point shooters.

Me?  I was never interested in shot worth less than 3.  And I always double down – when it makes sense (IF you haven’t seen Le Chen play blackjack – then you’ve missed something extraordinary.  I could’ve gone my whole life without seeing someone double down on 7 (or 6 or 5).  But I’ve seen it many times for figures that make me pee my pants.  Now THAT is a gambler my friends…)

Dylan has with this squad doubled (AlJeff), tripled (Marion), quadrupled (SJax) and then I don’t know what comes next – but whatever that is in (one-shoulder Jamison).  And I love it!  CHIBA title – or who the hell cares – that’s the way you play the game!

Ding Ding Ding

Rebounds – It’s really hard to predict much about this crazy squad.  However with guys like AlJeff and ZBo on your squad – you can be sure to have some CLEAN glass.  Marion and Hawes are no slouches either – and when Jamison comes back he’s a legitimate force in this category.  With DaJuan Blair a possible huge sleeper in this category – there is depth as well as quality.

Assists – Calderon and Joe Johnson provide the foundation for a good assist team.  Stephen Jackson’s ability to reproduce last year’s stats is the huge question mark -  as those F slot assists are 2x as valuable.  Andre Miller as a reserve will see lots of action in both POR and on the Coasters.  On the downside: Z-Bo thinks all passes should touch the backboard or rim before they arrive.  AlJeff has no one to pass to.  And the Matrix doesn’t get any passes so you can hardly expect him to give any can you?

Points – Joe Johnson and Al Jeff are true go-to guys and elite scorers.  Z-Bo and Capt Jack know how to get theirs and they do.  Jamison is a legitimate inside/out threat when healthy.  Corey Maggette and Spencer Hawes have some upside if they get the opportunity to log healthy minutes.  On the other hand – Calderon gets half his points as 3’s with the shot clock winding down.  The Matrix needs to work 2x as hard for his points as he’s never had a play run for him his entire career.  Still with a healthy Jefferson – and some reasonable luck with volatile forwards – points should be scored.  (see – isn’t that an amazing prediction?)

CLANK

Blocks – Al Jeff is a rejection force when his legs are healthy.  They’ll need to be as he anchors this squad’s block potential.  Spencer Hawes is a young man with healthy legs and a reasonable proclivity for wiping out shots.  Gone are the days of the Matrix – but Marion’s freakish arm length (if not hops) still manage to knock a few balls out of the sky.   Perhaps a few doses of Ronny Turiaf from week to week may help Dylan’s D – but I doubt the blocks are worth it.  Could the key be the much maligned Tayshaun Prince who seemingly oozes with physical talent yet never manifests it statistically?  Let’s hope not…  It don’t look to good here for Gambling D.

FG% – Captain Jack for all the good he does – is an absolute anchor (the bad kind) in this category.  And if he gets traded or tones it down – it could cost him in other production – so you almost prefer to take the hit.  Al Jeff is a stalwart that makes up for a lot of misses – and Marion/Calderon should stick to high pct though infrequent shots.  However JJ and ZBo have been known to have some seriously bad shooting lines a little too often.  Even the return of stud Jamison will not provide help – as he prefers to do much of his work from the outside.  Andre Miller is interesting as he tends to be judicious in his shot selection – but does he get any shots in POR?  Hard to see a high percentage next to Dylan’s team name when it’s all said and done.

Outlook – Like I said this team has some potential.  But it also has a ton of risk.  In fantasy hoops – its very unlikely to have this many stars line up just right.  I mean you can’t just draft oft injured Marcus Camby and Baron Davis in the 2nd/3rd round swing and expect to win a CHIBA title can you?  (and btw – I would’ve loved an Arenas/Oden swing by LT – now that would have been crazy and FUN!)  What’s that?  Oh.. you can???  Dylan – I wish you luck – you don’t deserve it as much as I did – but what’s that got to do with anything?  This squad will find itself either near the top or bottom of the standings – there is NO in-between.

Oden or Bust

Maybe if Greg Oden was doing a little less of THIS - he'd be doing better in the NBA... Then again if I was Greg Oden - THIS is what I'D be doing!

Going back to the theme of risk – if there’s one thing that defines Andy’s CHIBA history – it’s the willingness to make bold calls.  This year’s bold call was on the 3rd year big man Greg Oden.  The rest of CHIBA after watching 2 years of disappointments – reacted vocally when his name was called near the end of the 3rd round (or was that just me?).  But looking at the options – and if you assume that Oden does have more upside than Nene or Bynum (I disagree) – it doesn’t look that bad at all.  But like it or not – his performance will define this season for the Busts…. I mean – the Odens…

*Ed Note – the early returns look good – only  2 pts – but those are the least valuable stats.  The boards and blocks were there in game 1.  But so were the fouls (5)…  My magic 8 ball told me on Oden:  Better not tell you now…

BOONS

Assists – Deron Williams is a great pg in a great system and with the full confidence of his coach and teammates.  Aaron Brooks is running the show in HOU – and he’ll be depended on to get shots for others as well as himself.  Guys like Ariza/TurkeyGlue and MoWill are all just a shade (or two) under bad PG assist levels.  Even Mike Miller has some assist upside in the new offense at WAS.  Dark horse is Ty Lawson – who looks great and is an old man Chauncey injury away from being a revelation.  Many solid contributions led by an elite performer is always a good way to lock up a category.

3’s – Does anyone on this team not shoot the 3 ball?  I mean besides Marc Gasol.  Brooks/Turk/MoWill take and make more than one a game.  If Mike Miller plays steady minutes – he is even a high pct shooter from deep.  Sheed even provides some from the C slot.  JSmoove shyed away from the 3 ball last season – a big part of his fantasy value is him taking and making a few more (not that Andy will need it..)

Blocks – J Smoove and the Redemption of Greg Oden are the two stars here.  Not without question marks – but Smoove is good for 1.5 – and has upside up to 2.0.  Oden definitely has 2.0 potential but has foul trouble and injury concerns.  Marc Gasol is a steady contributor and he will have lots of saved energy for the defensive side of the court.  Sheed and Krstic could provide some bench contributions.  Assuming Oden isn’t lost at any point this season – a strong showing seems within reach.

BUSTS

Points – No big scores to be found here.  Deron is the horse – but he’s just a shade over 20ppg.  Mo Will, the Turk and Brooks project to be close to 20 – but have no upside above that range.  JSmoove will be happy to get to 15.  Oden and Gasol will be hard pressed to find scoring opportunities that don’t begin with offensive rebounds.  Ariza is a wildcard – in an open HOU offense – but is he a number 1 scoring option (or even a number 2?)  Again Mike Miller is an early key – and if he comes up big – Andy will be praying for a long layoff for Jamison.

Rebounds – Here’s where I worry on Oden.  Can he play enough minutes (foul-free) to get his board (and point) numbers on a consistent basis?  Hard for me to say what the answer is – but he needs to anchor this squad.  Smoove and (the bad) Gasol rebound the ball reasonably well.  The rest of the starters are mediocre or worse even for guards.  Again Mike Miller is a possible key – and I’m thinking he will play more games than someone drafted in the top 8 on this squad.  Sheed should provide some decent help during the inevitable KG 10 game layoff.  Still outlook – not so good.

Outlook – You want upside -you got it.  IF Oden returns value from the third round.  IF J Smoove raises his game after an uneven 2008/9 campaign.  If Ariza and Brooks are key components to a much faster pace Rockets attack.  And IF the Turk and Mike Miller provide strong contributions – you’ve got something here.  IF it ALL or at least most of it works out – you could be looking at a contender here – with the usual astute Andy trade or two.  The more likely scenario is of course – some works – some doesn’t – and mediocrity ensues.  (ha – I write this Andy – cuz I know you can take it!)

While Tokyo is a gigantic city, you do not need to go that far out before you are surrounded by breath taking mountains, beaches, forrest and beautiful rural land scape. In Chiba about an hour and half from Tokyo, you can enjoy the other side of Japan. Japan for the most part is covered with luscious green forest, rice fields and other types of agricultural land. Chiba is known for its flower cultivation. The next time you see a beautiful bouquet in Tokyo, chances are likely that it came from this place, Wada, Chiba. If you are stressed out from the hectic everyday life in Tokyo, go Chiba.

In order to study the impact of climate on the flower cultivation in Chiba Prefecture, historical development and recent problems are reviewed in this paper. 

http://ci.nii.ac.jp/naid/110000481103/en

I feel like I’ve already typed so many words about the upcoming CHIBA season.  But this season promises to be a very interesting year in the NBA with so many up and coming players and as always – tough competition at the draft.  The beginning of the season is always the most interesting – and the first week is one of high expectations and anticipation.

So I’ve run the numbers based on projections from the Basketball Monster – and the Great One: RotoEvil.  If you don’t know what I’m talking about – go Google it for next season.  They are the best in a very small business.

Rather than just throw up a table with standings (which I do have) – we’ll go on a team by team review of categorical strengths and weaknesses or as I like to call them:

Adjusted Plus/Minuses

Here we go with a View from the Top – Teams 1-4.

Third Round Madness

LeBron just hopes his Third Round Teammates can keep up with his sweet first round moves

The story of whether LBJ will continue his run of CHIBA money finishes seems to lie in the large hands of Elton Brand and what they spend their time doing this season.  Things aren’t as bad as owner/GM Torres seems to think – as he recovered his poise – got his spreadsheet back from the upside down position – and had a solid draft from round 4 and on.

Strengths:

Pts – solid scorers led by LBJ should do very well in this category.  Upside in Suns Barbosa and JRich if the Fun and Gun is (really) back.  LaMarcus now has 65 million reasons to take any shot he sees fit and never mind that old looking young guy with his hand up in the post.

If Rudy Gay can convince that old guy in the cornrows and the fat guy in the headband to stop hogging the ball – he should be fine.  Rip Hamilton and Ben Gordon are not a match made in heaven – but Rip should get his on alternating nights.  Points would seem to be plentiful – regardless of what 3rd Round mascot Brand does.

Blocks – If Brand’s legs are not shot and if Shaq is still good for 75G and 30 minutes a night – there are enough contributors here to do well in rejections.  Ty Chandler represents some real upside here if he starts and performs (2 big IFs).  Rudy Gay once showed promise in this category – but has since focused on other parts of his game.  No one knows what Kwame will bring this season – but if it’s anything good – it will be a surprise.

FG% – Hardly an errant shooter on this roster – and the questionable ones don’t even shoot that often.  Rare to see a team do well in Pts/FG% but this squad get it’s points in the paint.  Even the 3pt shooters in the desert take enough forays to the hole to keep their FG% solid.

Deficiencies:

Assists:  LBJ is the best passer on this team.  TJ Ford could be due for an uptick in dimes – but is always one bad landing away from one of those whiplash collars and your reserve roster.  Not much help on the bench either.   If you’re gonna get yours on this team – you gotta do it yourself.

Rebounds:  Again Elton Brand will be a key – if you think he’s 9+RPG then maybe this isn’t an issue.  But we think 7ish is likely figure.  Aldridge/LBJ/Shaq are good on the boards but not great.  Ty Chandler is again a key figure – if he can flourish-  it can turn this frown upside down.  But I have a general rule when it comes to the NBA – and that is:  Don’t bet on Ty Chandler.

Outlook: Things aren’t as bad as they seemed after the fourth pick on this squad.  Of course LBJ makes all things look better.  Brand and Chandler are huge keys to this team with their big man stats (with Kwame a dark horse?).  There’s enough upside hidden here for lots of good things to happen.  The bench is a little sparse – look for some early spending and hopefully some key reinforcements.  (Rafer Alston/Darko/Dampier anyone)

If they perform as expected – or even better – LBJ should keep his streak alive!  And if not – an embarrassing turn with the Ace of Spades for GM Torres…

Agnellostinos’ Muckers

The face of a lost CHIBA season - coming soon to a Heat game near you...

Handing Mike Agnello an advantageous pick in any draft scenario is like opening your wallet and letting a stripper ‘peruse’ your 20 dollar bill collection.  That said there’s a reason why the #1 fantasy performer (based on per game avgs) goes 4th.  Our hopes (and Mike/Dino’s) rest on the health of Dwyane Wade.

Assets

Pts – It’s no surprise that a team led by scoring champ Wade projects to do well in points.  Wade is bolstered by Devin Harris and Redd who both have the opportunity to score as much as they feel like on any given night.  Caron Butler is no slouch either – and perhaps Agent Zero’s newfound generosity (and Jamison’s absence) will even provide a boost there.

If Duhon/Tyke/Green have to play alot – it could limit the upside here – but otherwise a pretty solid bet to win the category.  (any takers?)

Blocks – Okafor and Bynum are block machines if they can stay healthy.  I’d say the prospects of both of them staying upright all year are 60/40 – but even then they will collect quite a few Mutombos.  Part of Wade’s incredible production is his amazing ability to get credited by sketchy scorekeepers in MIA for over a block a game.  Tony Mcdyess is productive and will contribute a solid block per contest.

Steals – Wade/Caron/Devin all are top thieves in the NBA.  Even rookie Tyke (sp) Evans projects to be a plus in thefts.  A strong showing is extremely likely.

Liabilities

3’s – Aside from Michael Redd – no one on this team projects to be productive beyond the arc.  The corpse of Chris Duhon and a possible McGrady cameo are pitiful band-aids to a gushing wound.

Rebounds – Again Okafor and Bynum must carry the load in this category for the AgStinos.  Jeff Green is ok – but with Durant making everything this year – there’ll be a lot less opps in OKC.  McDyess provides some bench help – but he doesn’t get a lot of run on this squad unless one of the aforementioned bigs goes down – does he?

Outlook – Injury is the key factor here.  It starts with top pick Wade who keeps getting up – but would be smarter to stay on his feet more often.  Then there’s the inaptly named Tough Juice and Devin “Sorority Girl” Harris – who’s over/unders are 60 GP.  Throw in a couple of key big men with some familiarity with the ER – and I can’t say I like the chances of this squad being 100% at any point in time.  But if they do…

Wannabe Tony Parkers

In case you didn't know - MC TP is all about the les ghetto. Merde Alors MF-aires!

The story of the Park-aires will be their controversial trade up for the number 2 pick and Dwight Howard.  GM/Owner Leon “ManU4Life” Tachauer ridiculed yours truly for making the preseason proclamation that I would trade down from a top 3 pick – even going so far as to question and denigrate my motivations for such a magnanimous gesture.  Well the gauntlet has been thrown down!  No CHIBA owner worth his salt – get gifted with Superman and fails to finish in the money.  Any my integrity is intact (for now).

Gifts

Pts – Carmelo Anthony looks great – and though we’ve heard it for years – THIS could be the year that he really makes the (statistical) leap.  Leading the league in points is not out of the question.  Aside from that – Superman/Pierce and the French guy with the British accent all fill up the basket at prodigious rates.  Even GWall/Terry/CV31 get theirs to a lesser extent.  Aside from that – a common theme you’ll hear about the Park-aires is that their bench is sort of weak.  Guess that’s what happens when you lose your 9th round reserve pick!  Ha!

Steals – GWall and Mario Chalmers are steal machines.  Although Chalmers role is a little shaky with spunky Carlos Arroyo challenging for minutes in the “GiveWade a break bringing up the ball” job.  The rest of the roster is all above average making this team a lock for the top 5 with some upside in Courtney Lee even if Chalmers falters.

FG% - Superman basically carries any team into the top 5 in this category that is smart enough to stay away from out and out chuckers (like BD and AI).  There’s some chuckers on this squad but ‘Melo looks like he’s gonna get a lot of his from inside and at the stripe this year.  Tony Parker’s lack of shooting range forces him to take girly layups and the majority of his misses are bailed out by the whistle-blowers when he sprawls to the ground.  Paul Pierce personifies the downside in this category – as he can have bad years shooting and always takes tough shots.

Indian Gifts (Sorry Dosh – not that kind of Indian – LOL)

*btw I’m fully aware of the inappropriateness of this term both in historical terms and race (in)sensitivity.  I’m hopeful that it has been phased out of childhood – where I learned it – only to discover in maturity what an awful terrible misnomer and insult it was.  In this case it’s meant sardonically and to point out it’s stupidity and ignorance.  And speaking of which – back to the Park-aires:

Assists – “Yo – you know who led the league in ASS-SISTS?”  “Not Leon!”  While Leon’s alter ego is technically a PG – he barely beats out non-PGs that are talented distributors.  The Jet and Pierce deliver some scoring passes but grudgingly – and ‘Melo and Supes pass only accidentally.  Udrih and Jack are pitiful reserves that should be headed to a waiver wire near you.

Blocks – You need 500+ blocks to win this category.  Supes gets you halfway there.  The Parkers could run out Kendrick Perkins to help get there – but that would be pretty big mistake.  While GWall and CV31 get about 1 a game – that still leaves you short.  The classic case of overconfidence after drafting a category dominating player…

Outlook – Begrudgingly the outlook is quite good for this team.  A very decent balance overall is foreseen – but they would do well to either – make a deal for depth (and assists) – or find some on the FAAB wire.  I see 7 solid players – and 8 question marks (or worse).  The lack of GP limits may even play a key (negative) factor on the Park-aires standing.  But the key thing here is – a healthy Dwight Howard = no chance for relegation.

Miracle at St. Pauls

I believed in CPIII too. And all I got was a crappy 2nd place finish!

It was interesting to see LT and TJSmitty with top 3 picks this year.  There’s nothing more exciting than being gifted with the best PG/C/Player in the NBA to start your CHIBA season.  All that remains is to collect the complementary players – and then collect your check the next year.  Just be careful – don’t make a mistep – and if you do – it’s still ok – just don’t compound that misstep…  Not saying that’s what happened here – I’m just dishing friendly advice in general to the top of the draft…

BOOM Goes the Dynamite

FG% – Not one of CPIII’s dominant cats – yet he is still a plus in this category.  Biedrins/Millsap/Noah are bigs that rarely take a low pct shot.  Rose is a small that is smart enough to not take a shot (the 3) that he can’t make.  And Blake Griffin projects to make alot of bunnies (when he returns).  Much more than enough to soak up a few Kevin Martin airballs and (gulp) whatever rotation of 3pt specialists that rotate through.

Rebounds – Biedrins eats misses on a team that runs up and down the court wearing out backboards and rims.  Noah/Millsap/Griffin all project to be excellent in Rodmans.  CPIII is one of the best under 6′ rebounders in the league.  Expect Rebounds.

Steals – CPIII owns this category.  With decent contributions from KevMart and Thaddeus along with big men Millsap and Griffin – this is a team that should not lack for picks.  Hell even Andres Biedrins somehow manages to get a rebound a game credited as a steal.

Pop Goes the Weasel

3’s – Kevin Martin is the lone Bomber in the starting lineup at St. Pauls.  A collection of long range chuckers has been assembled on the bench – and the question is – how do they rotate in without hurting the team in other categories.  Battier and Gallinari are the main hopes for enough all around production to warrant frequent starts.  Peja is relegated to one category wonderness.  Let’s play a game this season: Can GM Smitty correctly call the week that he goes off for 10 bombs?

Pts - Kevin Martin and CPIII should fill it up on a nightly basis.  However Andris Biedrins is the Jason Kidd of big men – he scores only when a board slips out of hands (on the offensive end).  While Rose may make a leap forward – 20ppg would be stretch for the 2nd year phenom that is looking to pad his assist totals.  Blake Griffin is a wildcard here – will he garner enough respect as a rook to get the touches he needs to score more than 15ppg?  Seems unlikely with the Boom Dizzle running the point.   While the bench will score in 3 point increments – it seems unlikely to do so enough consistently.

*Shane Battier is a wildcard in the HOU offense – he will definitely have nights where he hits a bunch of 3’s but will they involve him even more in the offense?  His efficiency statistics support that he should receive more touches.

Outlook – This team has definite strengths/weaknesses (BOOM/POP).  It will be a torturous season for GM Smith if he can’t find a way to balance it out via trade/FAAB/rotation.  A true test for a veteran GM – that elusive CHIBA title hangs in the… (cough) balance.

*The Blake Griffin news is devastating to the Clippers – but hopefully not to St. Pauls.  Shane Battier projects to be an adequate replacement and address some 3pt needs while they wait for the rook to get healthy.

[taken in 2009|10 in Chiba, Matsudo]

[taken in 2009 in Chiba, Matsudo]

What can I say… I went rampage with PS! This is again a shot I took last week when I went to the river side to take some pictures. I’m going to upload some more pictures from that day. There are quite a few that I like, so…

I’m looking forward to my trip to Kamakura this weekend! You can’t see any coloured leaves in Tokyo yet, I hope we’ll be able to see some in Kamakura. The landscape must be breath-taking with all the yellow and red leaves.

[taken in 2009|10 in Chiba, Matsudo]

Am I really enjoying Japan so much or am I just glad not to be in Germany? Something I have to think about… One thing I know for sure is, I don’t want to go back yet.