Honesty is the best policy

Dear ハセさん,

I know that you're an honest guy.  During the Asian cup, when Inoha scored a goal, you honestly admitted you had been telling him not to keep moving up the entire game.  When your recent postcards came out for Wolfsburg, you divulged that your left eye had been edited in because you still had a bandage over it when the picture was taken.

Source: Makoto Hasebe's blog (via hashimotofetish Tumblr) 

Note the nice photoshopped left eye

Source: Vfl Wolfsburg-Fussball Website, Makoto Hasebe

A few days later, without the bandage and without photoshopping

Doesn't he look like he's wearing guyliner?  

So, when asked about the sudden, shocking and sad death of previous National teammate, Naoki Matsuda, I had to cringe when you gave a bluntly honest, "He was a bit wild but a really warm-hearted person."  It just felt so raw for a person who had recently passed.  Shouldn't you speak a little more kindly about the dead?

And then I found an article  at Goal.com by Ken Matsushima telling me just what sort of legacy Matsuda left behind.  Apparently, during one game, Matsuda, serving as captain, got mad over a ref's second yellow (red) to his teammate and snapped.  I will quote Matsushima-san here so you can get the full color of the story:

"The Marinos captain [Matsuda] closed the distance between him and Naza in three steps, and launched a powerful kick right into the Brazilan’s backside. He then returned to the referee, and with spittle flying from his lips he launched into a full-scale tirade.

First he tore off his captain's armband and threw it on the ground, and then he took off his jersey and threw it in the referee's face. The astonished official stared blankly for a few seconds, then raised the red card and pointed Matsuda towards the changing room.

As he stormed from the pitch Matsuda tore off first his boots - which he threw back in the direction of the referee one at a time - then his socks, which he balled up and launched towards the crowd before stomping down the changing room hallway stripped to his skivvies." (Source: Remembering Former Japan international Naoki Matsuda - never one to go quietly) 

Now I've heard of some ways to show your frustration at a ref's call but this one had me laughing in disbelief.  Really?!!

Now back to your description.  "A bit wild"  No kidding!

I guess you'd softened up the truth more than I gave you credit for.

Love,
Me

P.S. Good luck tomorrow in the Japan v. South Korea game.  がんばれニッポン！