David Cone calls Ichiro Suzuki's bat a "chopstick"
Yankees analyst David Cone was describing a replay of an Ichiro Suzuki groundball and just had to go... there. Yes, he actually called Ichiro Suzuki's bat a "chopstick" during the YES Network's Yankees broadcast tonight. You see, because Ichiro is from Japan, and chopsticks are a traditional Asian eating utensil, and both products are made from wood. It's a clumsy, absent-minded analogy. When will sports announcers learn to leave ethnic humor to professional comedians?
(video via Jimmy Traina)
I am japanese. and big fun of ichiro.so why is it racism? many american useing chopstick I don't mind of that. I think cone wanted to say " hey ichiro that is ball and it's not a rice do not take too much" because ichiro often hitting bad ball even from 3-0.I think it just little sarcastic of ichiro's bad ball batting.
but I hope david cone is good chopstick user^^.
OMG!!! Fire him immediately!!!! This is an outrage!!! This has set back US/Japanese relations 80 years! It may as well be World War 2 again! I couldn't sleep last night after hearing about this. Just kidding. Who cares. I' m so tired of political correct crap. I GUARANTEE Ichiro isn't offended AT ALL. And that's all that matters.
@awfulannouncing "Chopstick" a poor choice of words, but I think was directed more to the Chop style swing Ichiro had taken than his race.
@awfulannouncing If Cone had done something similar for a black, latino, or white player, I think there'd be more repercussions. Not right.
@awfulannouncing he called it a chopstick, why is that so bad, it like calling a big o-lineman w/ an Italian last name "meatball" #unfollow
@Polish_Football thanks!! @awfulannouncing is always blowing things out of proportion, and they're not funny
Suzuki with the chopstick was a perfect description of that particular play. David Cone, one of the great pitchers of all time, clearly has nothing but respect for Ichiro, one of the greatest baseball players of all time. Baseball fans have nothing but respect for these two players who have given so much to this unique American game. Good call David!
Much ado about nothin'.
Being a native of Asia, I am Asian,. More specifically, being a native of the Orient(Southeast Asia), I am an Oriental. Yes, many Orientals do not think the word oriental has pejorative connotation.. How could it? Anything described oriental is first class: Orient express, oriental rug, oriental politeness...
And yes, chopstick is an oriental dining utensil. ..and nothing is pejorative about it either.
A bat is also called a stick, as in stickball. And Ichiro does a lot of "chopping" with his bat. And that particular swing at that low and away pitch, probably a ball was definitely a chop stroke. In actuality, Cone was right on the dot...Ichiro's bat is often a chopstick. Appropriate?
Making such a big deal about it is instigatively inappropriate. And anti-climactic. C'mon, guys, we are right in the midst of the most exciting playoff race.
