ell, Japan is still suffering massively with rolling blackouts in Tokyo, and other areas are scaling back mightily in power usage to save from suffering the same fate. Aid is ramping up and getting through in larger quantities to the afflicted areas, and the rescue and clean-up operations are settling down.
Shows of solidarity are being carried out round the world. Caroline Wozniacki dispatched her manager to buy a Japanese flag, which she signed along with her opponent, Victoria Azarenka, at the BNP Barabas Open. They then displayed the flag on court during a minutes silence. Whilst hard cash would be welcome, pictures like this keep the crisis in the publics eye, and hopefully encourages wider support.
Unfortunately, these shows of solidarity have been marred with some celebrities seeking to regain the spotlight by making light of the tsunami. Gilbert Gottfried was fired by Aflac (who do a lot of business in Japan) after he posted several jokes about the tsunami on Twitter. 3 days after. I know comedians are supposed to make jokes, but there is a time and a place, and method in making jokes about such things. Tasteless jokes 3 days after is tantamount to career suicide.
He has not been the only one. The always attention-seeking 50-cent got in on the act. Obviously feeling left out because he was not in the spotlight, also ventured on to Twitter to pass his own comments, making light of the whole thing.
Thankfully, in sports, the vast majority are nothing like these idiots.
The Formula 1 team, Sauber, which features the Japanese driver Kamui Kobayashi, will display a message of support as part of the livery on their cars once the Formula 1 season kicks off with the Australian Grand Prix.
Before their game with Juventus, Italian club Cesena wore t-shirts in honour of those suffering from the disaster. After the first half, Cesena found themselves 2-0 down, but then took inspiration from the people trying to re-build their lives in Japan, and battled back to draw the game!
Many Japanese players now plying their trade overseas have also been suffering, being so far from their homeland. This has not stopped them from displaying messages of support. One example being Atsuto Uchida, playing for Schalke, wore a t-shirt in Japanese and German declaring "Dear friends in Japan, in the hope that many lives can be saved, lets stand together!"
At Inter Milan, Yuto Nagatomo did not write on his shirt, but displayed his message of support for his homeland on a Japanese flag, along with the apt line, "You'll never walk alone!"
Indeed, throughout the Football world, before games, a minutes silence has been observed. Also, before Champions League games, banners of support in Japanese have also been displayed.
The support is not just limited to Football. Baseball is getting in on the act. With many Japanese players now plying their trade in the MLB, many of the MLB's clubs are stepping up efforts to raise funds for disaster relief.
Seattle are offering to match the value of donations made by fans during their opening game, with a guaranteed minimum of $100,000.
San Fransisco has made an immediate donation, are organizing collections, and all monies from their Japanese Heritage Night will go towards disaster relief.
The Yankees made an immediate donation of $100,000, and altered their pre-season game with the Boston Red Sox into a fundraiser, raising yet more money.
However, I think the biggest sporting donation, which speaks volumes about the man, comes from Ichiro Suzuki. As a gesture, he donated 10,000,000 yen to the relief fund in the wake of the volcano in Miyazaki. However, his donation of 100,000,000 yen ($1,230,000 at todays rates) dwarfs this. Not only that, but he has just donated the money. No attention-seeking, no press blitz. He has just done it.
Can you imagine 50-cent doing something similar? I cant. Not the amount, and nor the lack of publicity. 50-cent craves the spotlight. He would donate a bit of cash, then go on a press bender bigging himself up.
50-cent may be one of the biggest musical stars at the moment, but "Fiddy," Ichiro is a far bigger man than you.
Ichiro, I salute you.
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