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

[Scott Kahn]

While I greatly respect Moti's far superior knowledge of sumo, I am a 
little disappointed that he suggests only foreign rikishi disobey or 
have no regard for sumo tradition, and that all Japanese rikishi are 
model citizens.  There is no need for me to go into endless examples of 
Japanese rikishi who ran afoul of the Kyokai...

And the implication that only "some" foreigners are in it for success?  
Other than for, perhaps Ichinoya, who has many fans here, I would assume 
that virtually all are, to some degree or another. Unless you argue that 
it is also an escape from local hardships.   I can think of nothing more 
enticing than to get whacked all over my body, to serve sekitori, and to 
eat dust, just for the fun of it.

The question, Moti, is larger than just individual or cumulative 
indescretions.  Would the Kyokai embrace a foreign rikishi, married to a 
Mongolian woman, and who most likely will retain Mongolian citizenship, 
one who has revived sumo and brought it to a higher technical level, as 
an international ambassador.  The Kyokai has emphatically answered, "no".

Sukubidubidu

Magnus Berg wrote:

>
> 2007-08-02 kl. 00.20 skrev Moti:
>
>> Scott Kahn wrote:
>>
>>> Lastly, I bring up for instigating purposes that the four latest 
>>> censures were against Asashoryu, Roho, Kyokutenho, and Kyokushuzan 
>>> (if one assumes a forced retirement).  Hmmmn.
>>> Sukubidubidu
>>> (and I do love Japan)
>>
>>
>> Exactly. 4 rikishi who don't give a dang about rituals and history 
>> and doing it right. Not only that, they will NEVER understand what 
>> this is all about.
>
>
> Moti,
> I'm surprised to see you equate Kyokutenho with the other three. I 
> have never seen Tenho display rude behavior on the dohyo like them, or 
> heard anything about misbehaviour off dohyo. His crime was the same as 
> Toki's (with the exception that Toki killed the person he hit with his 
> car), does that mean that Toki also didn't care about sumo history and 
> rituals? I guess not, as your comment must be based on other 
> observations as well. I'd be interested to hear more.
> /Maguroyama
>
>> Where's the surprise? No Japanese rikishi will ever question the 
>> basics, because that's how it goes. Some foreigners are in it for the 
>> success as in any other sport and that's fair enough, and choose to 
>> subtly ignore/ not learn the inner workings. So they get their hands 
>> smacked. They shouldn't complain. Unfair? they fel cheated. They 
>> should go home. They wouldn't be the first.
>> You keep coming back to the same things-He's a nice guy, the young 
>> wrestler died, what are they doing about it, soccer is not sumo etc.
>> They are irrelevant. He is not a sandanme wrestler. He's a 
>> dai-yokozuna. He's supposed to show up at jungyos. Jungyos and 
>> honbasho are of the same importance in the eyes of the Kyokai, 
>> although jungyo records don't count. Asa knows that better than 
>> anyone. He screwed up. Big time. Nothing to do with any of the stuff 
>> you mentioned, but a whole lot to do with the inner workings of Sumo. 
>> He's been the lone yokozuna forever and shouldered the 
>> responsibility. Now that there is another yokozuna, he just wanted to 
>> rest his battered body ( and it is badly battered..). But you can't 
>> do that in Sumo, regretfully. He seems to be taking nhis punishment 
>> like a man and not threatening to leave etc..
>> Better you get deal with this as well, because it ain't gonna change.
>> -- 
>> Kintamayama
>> Visit "The Sixties" Myspace at  http://www.myspace.com/sixtiesband
>> Download my Sumo  toolbar at http://dichne.ourtoolbar.com/
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>
>
>
> ________________________________________________________
> Magnus Berg
> http://www.svenskasumosidan.se
> magnus.rie at comhem.se
>
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