[sumo] Effect of jungyo

[Charles Beauchamp]

--- Joe Petrow <joepetrow at gmail.com> wrote:

> On 8/5/07, Rick Plinz <richard.plinz at mac.com> wrote:
> > Takanomizu wrote:
> > I would point out however that whether or not this
> is true, Major League Baseball doesn't FORCE anyone
> to do it.  And Asashoryu is being punished for
> "schmoozing" with kids of the wrong ethnicity.
> 
> The Nihon Sumo Kyokai is a "zaidanhojin", making it
> a historic
> cultural foundation akin to a museum.  That means
> its whole purpose is
> to be source of cultural inspiration to the people
> of Japan.  The
> participants of neither Major League Baseball, the
> National Football
> League, or any other sports organization I can think
> of is comparable
> in stature to this.
> 

This is all well and interesting to read insomuch as
it being complete nonsense.  Sumo is entertainment..no
more no less.  That is all that it is.  That is all
that it has ever been.  The ceremonial traits and such
are nothing more then part of the show.  

Regardless of what one's opinion is either way it is
still a business and I hardly see how said business is
benefitting from the only true superstar it has right
now being benched for not lining the pockets of some
crazy old men.

> As the elder yokozuna, Asashoryu is perhaps the most
> important
> connection between Ozumo and the people of Japan, on
> a level far
> greater than that of a mere individual.  This most
> important
> ambassador of sumo was shirking his duties on
> perhaps the mos
> important jungyo tour of his tenure under false
> pretenses, and I
> continue to be amazed by people who do not realize
> the gravity of the
> offense that Asashoryu has committed.
> 

Mostly because it is in fact not the most important
tour of his tenure.  It is just a longer Jungyo then
we have seen recently.  Nothing else.  I continue to
be amazed at anyone who tries to make this "offense"
out to be so grave.  He comitted no offense other then
to not add to the bank accounts of the sumo elders. 
That is no crime.


> Sadly, one of those people is Asashoryu himself.  He
> is a mental
> basket case, but not because of remorse over his
> actions.  He is
> freaking out because he believes himself
> unappreciated.  As long as he
> keeps thinking about himself and not the people he
> offended, there is
> no hope for understanding his position, let alone
> recovering from it.

The people he offended matter more then the people he
supported by attending a charity event?  


> 
> >From the news report I saw on the first stop on the
> jungyo tour, it
> really seems like Ozumo and the fans are already
> getting adjusting to
> the post-Asashoryu era.  I hope that Hakuko
> especially is paying very
> close attention, and learns from his senpai's
> mistakes.
> 

He is toast.  He has no shot at anything but a
negative comparison to Asashoryu regardless since
Asashoryu is in an entire different class of performer
where it actually matters..during basho.  The lesser
Yokozuna will never approach anything resembling
Asashoryu's dominance and may leave the sport with a
bad taste as a result.




       
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