[sumo] Comments on Scott's reaction to Asashoryu's suspension

[Scott Kahn]

Very well put, Ruth.  Might I add once again, that Asashoryu comes 
across in person as a gracious, respectful, intelligent young gentleman.

Sukubidubidu

RDeussen at aol.com wrote:

> 
> 
>In a message dated 8/1/2007 11:43:25 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
>smk1 at columbia.edu writes:
>
>Is this  worse than Wajima's actions as Yokozuna?  I think not.  And,  
>what about the investigation into the death of the young rikishi earlier  
>this year.  I'm assuming the Kyokai has fined Asashoryu and his  oyakata 
>so that they can bribe the family not to pursue manslaughter  charges.  
>Or has the Japanese media conveniently forgotten about that  incident?
>
>
>
>Scott,
> 
>For me, the dark days of Sumo started when nobody seemed to care that the  
>youngster was hazed to death.  To me, that event screams that change is  needed, 
>more so than Asashoryu's ill advised hookey episode.  Made me quit  sumo 
>games in disgust.   Now this.   I don't think this  incident is necessarily 
>related to Asa's nationality, but is an example of an  inevitable culture clash.   
>When Sumo was trying to become a "world"  sport, I sensed that the world would 
>not tolerate Sumo any more than Sumo  tolerates the world.   Hard to reconcile 
>a throwback sport built on  religious and historical traditions with a world 
>that is stumbling  forwards.   The beauty of Sumo ritual aside, there appear 
>may dark  aspects to the sport:  hazing;  possible thrown matches; 
>glorification  of a very unhealthy life style; blatant discrimination against women; 
>extreme  nepotism...those are a few.   Many of these negatives could be  corrected, 
>or at least minimized.  Unfortunately, the structure of the  business 
>prevents both identification of problems, and solutions to alleviate  them.   This is 
>all my opinion, of course, an opinion which I  recognize is clouded by my 
>social liberalism.   Nevertheless,  Sumo could do so much better.
>Ruth 
> 
>
>
>
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