12/21/24
August 19, 2005
The LA Kings newly signed goaltending prospect: could become the first Japanese player to play in the NHL... but his presence in the Yahoo most emailed photos queue must have less to do with his talent and a little more to do with the name on his jersey - Fukufuji.
&Alt=JAPAN%20KINGS%20JAPANESE%20GOALIE&Height=512&Width=404){kind=link}
Good thing he didn't get drafted by the Rangers. The chants could be damaging to a young'un.
posted by chicobangs at 03:11 PM on August 19, 2005
I can see the nickname now ... Yufuk
posted by evil empire at 03:19 PM on August 19, 2005
Dunno what's funnier...the guy's last name, or the fact that he looks like the love-child of these guys...
posted by MeatSaber at 03:20 PM on August 19, 2005
dude, you're making me hungry.
posted by garfield at 03:41 PM on August 19, 2005
Destined for a Rodmanesque stardom... Provided he can actually make it to the NHL. Reminds me of a stoned conversation I had with garfield (I think) once. "Hey, did you see the guy playing for Rangers? His last name is Dube." "I think it's pronouced Du-bey." "Fuck you it is. I know how to read. It's doob. Now pass it."
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 03:50 PM on August 19, 2005
Fukufuji. That should be my new SpoFi nick. And it should go on the back of the SpoFi t-shirt I have yet to buy. That and the dancing banana. FUKUFUJI!
posted by worldcup2002 at 07:16 PM on August 19, 2005
Sadly, this guy isn't going to crack the lineup behing LaBarbera and Garon. Still: he's got size going for him. He's a 1.85-meter, 77-kilogram goalie. That's enourmous! Possibly, I mean. Or maybe he's tiny. I don't know. It's something like 5 hectares to a liter, right? That might be a big dude, as far as I know. In any case, I think there was a kid named Sun who was a prospect a few years ago, but I can't remember who drafted him. He was supposed to be decent, but I haven't heard anything more about him. It would be awesome to see him get a shot in the HNL, but I don't see it happening.
posted by Samsonov14 at 07:37 PM on August 19, 2005
It may not be this year, but he'll get every chance in the world to make it with the big club. Seriously. What's it worth to the Kings as a franchise to be the official team of Japan, basically by default? Millions.
posted by chicobangs at 07:47 PM on August 19, 2005
Would that happen? Seattle got that bump in baseball, but the Japanese play baseball.
posted by yerfatma at 09:59 PM on August 19, 2005
True, but if this kid makes it & gets marketed in Japan, how many L.A. Kings jerseys do you think will get sold in Tokyo? I don't know either, but I bet quite a few. Certainly, it'd be enough to make it worth the trouble, and frankly, I'd be treating this like an affirmative-action hire. Give the kid every chance to succeed, because if he does, everyone involved wins.
posted by chicobangs at 10:07 PM on August 19, 2005
More than they sold last year.
posted by yerfatma at 10:31 PM on August 19, 2005
if he makes it they will shorten his name to fuji on his jersey i am sure
posted by hullie16 at 09:24 AM on August 20, 2005
Why would they do that? Fukufuji is the man's name. Just because the first three letters sound kind of naughty in English is a childish reason to do something that's never been done before. (Also, did you see the jersey? The Kings seem to be okay with it.) If a guy named Satan didn't have his name appended for tender American sensibilities, then Fukufuji is fine.
posted by chicobangs at 10:57 AM on August 20, 2005
Maybe he'll go the Ichiro route and use Yutaka.
posted by gspm at 11:27 AM on August 20, 2005
I think he should be proud of his name , stand tall and say my name is Fukufuji .
posted by evil empire at 12:55 PM on August 20, 2005
I think he should be proud of his name , stand tall and say my name is Fukufuji. And if ya don't like it ... Fuku.
posted by wfrazerjr at 01:03 PM on August 20, 2005
If I ever get drafted, I'm telling them my last name is "Cocksmoke".
posted by fabulon7 at 08:03 AM on August 22, 2005
I wonder what the Fuji clan did to this guy's family.