[sumo] Asashoryu - One of the best ever ?

[Barbara]

Yes, Asashoryuu is already one of the greatest yokozunas ever to be in 
the sport.  He has a good chance to set records and achieve goals which 
will not be equaled in any of our lifetimes.  In my mind, there can be 
no debate.  How can we possibly start talking about his performance as 
being a result of "weak competition"?  Such talk, to me, is simply crazy 
or some kind of biased wish fulfillment.  There is no one who can beat 
him in any consistent manner.  Nor is there likely to be more than one 
or two in the next couple of years, barring injury.

Asashoryuu's advantage in my opinion is his mental flexibility.  He has 
trained himself to move with lightning speed from one type of attack to 
another.  His ability to respond to an opponent's mis-step exceeds the 
speed of everyone else in the sport right now.  This combined with 
exceptional strength-to-size ratio just puts him absolutely at the top 
of the sport, not only in today's terms but over the stretch of recorded 
sumo.

If you ask me, we are all lucky to be able to watch in his prime a 
champion who will be a measure of all champions in the future.  Count 
your blessings and watch great, great sumo - watch his matches in slow 
motion and savor them.  Count the number of video frames between his 
opponent's move and his winning countermove, and be amazed.  There is no 
one else.  There could be, someday, but let's not fantasize.  He's here, 
and he rules.

Barbara Murasakihana