Fukudome Jersey Gets Student in Trouble

Kosuke Fukudome isn't just causing problems for the Cubs, he's also making life difficult for high school students in suburban Chicago, as 15-year-old Jill Howe discovered earlier this week. From the Chicago Sun-Times:

The Elgin High School sophomore had to remove her Kosuke Fukudome jersey and wear a gym T-shirt to class Wednesday because of a misunderstanding about how to pronounce the All-Star right-fielder's last name.

"Someone stopped me in the hall and asked me what the back of my jersey said," Jill [Howe] said.

Seriously? There are people who live near Chicago who still haven't heard of him? Apparently so. Not only was the school staffer who stopped Jill oblivious but so was the school's dean. After Jill's mother called to complain later in the day, the assistant principal eventually agreed that Fukudome apparel would be allowed.

Good thing he cleared that up; after last night's goose egg and subsequent benching, I'm sure there will be ~~dozens~~ ~~a handful~~ absolutely no one who will want to wear that jersey on purpose. You know what's really funny? It turns out that Fukudome's dwindling relevancy was largely responsible for this controversy in the first place:

"She's a big Cubs fan, and we got the jersey at Dick's," said Jill's mom, Nancy Howe. "We were going to get a [Kerry] Wood one, but it cost more."

If Fukudome had actually hit anything since the All-Star break maybe his jersey wouldn't be on the discount rack serving as a trap for budget-conscious students with clueless teachers lacking pop culture context.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

10-03-2008 @ 11:45AM

ralphgmiami said...

This might be the perfect solution for everyone including picketers in Miami to wear when the judge renders her decision on Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria getting a free retractable domed roof stadium. With the economy being as bad as it is, this cheap owner wants corporate welfare. Aren't we already bailing out the banks and our tax money is also paying for the war in Iraq. In this case, everyone in Miami wants the guy's name not only on the back of the jersey but on the front. By the way, Miami is really a Yankee town. That being the New York Yankees are Miami's real favorite team for the millions of former New Yorkers like myself.

10-08-2008 @ 6:25PM

MIAMI MAN said...

Ralph: take your sorry A$$ back to NY. All you sorry A$$ people from NY come down to our great city and all you do is talk trash about it. If it is that bad L E A V E and take all the other turd heads with you! If Miami is so bad and NY is so awesome why did your dumb A$$ leave there? You left because that city is an ARM PIT and all the people from there are as smelly and as nasty as the crappy ARM PIT that it is!!!!

10-03-2008 @ 2:08PM

typical said...

It's typical that a New York transplant would assume that everyone in Miami is a New York fan, well it ain't true. Remember 2003... yeah... how'd you like them apples. Are you still upset about it? Im sure you're happy that the yankees are getting a new stadium but can't bear the thought of the Marlins getting one as well.

First of all you need to get your facts straight. The proposed Marlins stadium would not be entirely publicly funded, unlike the yankees stadium that is. The amount of money that is actually in question is about 60 million dollars of money that had already been designated for renovations to the orange bowl, but since it has since been taken down they are now proposing to use it to build a new stadium for the marlins. Simple economics tell you how much revenue a new stadium can bring to a city as with it usually come large events such as concerts, all star games, etc.

Do some research before you spew out garbage, or better yet go back to new york where you can root for your ridiculously overpaid baseball teams that haven't produced anything but an amazing ability to choke in the last few years.

Marlins 1997,2003. Eat it up New York.

10-03-2008 @ 9:57PM

Dennis said...

This is one of the worst franchises in history and they WORRY about his name.

10-04-2008 @ 7:06PM

chuckie said...

OMG, they got the Fukudome shirt at DICK'S??? There's got to be something to all of this. Elgin school administrators, be on your guard (you idiots).

10-04-2008 @ 7:13PM

OMG, they bought the Fukodome shirt at DICK'S? There's got to be something to all of this. Elgin school administrators, be on your toes (idiots).

10-04-2008 @ 7:16PM

Sorry, didn't think the first one got uploaded so re-typed it.

10-06-2008 @ 6:54AM

BrunoGiancomo said...

Typical and Miami man must be a couple that's dating. That's one of the two groups of the average Marlins fans in Miami. It's the Ricky Martin pretty boy types that abandon their team when they lose. It's like a new club opening up. When they win, they go and are Marlins fans. When they lose, it's like an old club and they won't go there anymore. No wonder the Marlins set the worst records for attendance. Either that or Marlins fans are from Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Columbia, etc.; when their dictator gets overthrown from their old country, they'll go back. You think attendance at Marlins game is dismal now wait until they go back. It'll be like rats jumping off a sinking ship. The other point is that the cheapest retractable domed roof stadium cost $880 million(Miller Park a few years back). Costs have gone up. So you're being lied to as it's going to cost at least a billion dollars as they'll overrun the cost. This is America, you COMMUNIST whereever you come from. Anyone has the right to choose whatever team they like. If you want to be a commie, go back to your own country. Miami is just part of the Yankee universe along with the rest of America! When the Yankees, Mets, Phillies, Red Sox play the Marlins at Dolphins Stadium, attendance goes up. As far as the guy with the $ I can tell you're poor as ghetto people are so obsessed with money that it's the think they think about most of the time since they can't get it. New Yorkers own most of the houses and live in great neighborhoods in South Florida. Meanwhile, you ghettos either live in Hialeah or some other God foresaken neighborhood in Miami. And if you want to throw down with a New Yorker, BRING IT ON! GO YANKEES IN 2009! By the way, I hate to burst your bubble typical but the Marlins also bought their championship in 1997 by trading and free agents(that means your hypocrites as you say your team was home grown). Also according to the Mitchell report released in December of 2007, Marlins bullpen catcher Luis Lopez supplied the whole Marlins team with steroids from 1998 to 2001. That means 23 of your players on the 2003 championship team cheated. Just you wait until your cheap owner Loria starts shedding payroll year after year because of lack of fans! By the way, 2 is not greater than 26(world championships). It's 2

10-08-2008 @ 10:24PM

I still haven't heard back from chickeny Miami man and typical. Hey that Marlins ballpark is part of a $2 billion dollar renovation around the area of the Orange Bowl. You know that there will probably by delays and they won't complete it on time if approved. Then also they need to buy land for the surrounding areas. Chances are by then the cost will soar to $4 billion. Also the proper way to build a project that big like a stadium or neighborhood is to take bidders from construction companies with a detailed list. Then you give the project to the lowest bidder. If not, what you have is corruption. It seems like typical is pretty ignorant. As far as a retractable domed roof stadium costing $450 million, that's not what they cost. The last one built, Miller Park in Milwaukee, cost $880 million. So either you didn't do your homework, are ignorant, or are being lied to. Hotel luxury tax probably won't cover it, so they'll have to dip into another til to pay for it. Also Miami man, unless you're Native American, we alll came from somewhere else. My roots I'm an Italian boy whose family came through Ellis Island in New York over 100 years ago. Until they had air conditioning, hardly no one lived in Miami except senior citizens. After air conditoning, then everyone started moving here. Also the Marlins are silently threatening to move as they moved their triple A farm club from Albuquerque to New Orleans. New Orleans has the super dome. They'll probably draw more fans in New Orlleans if they lose than Miami as Marlins fans will only come out if they win. Isn't that ironic?

10-14-2008 @ 10:25AM

BUD said...

What exactly is the world coming too? Is someone with the name Johnson not 'correct' because his name is slang for a toilet...gimme a break folks, if you are offended don't buy the merchandise, don't support the team, don't read the words if so offended, but please stop trying to press the stick in your bottom into mine....thank you very much!!!!