[sumo] (no subject)

[Keri Sibley]

--- Rick Plinz <richard.plinz at mac.com> wrote:

> So the best the two of you can do is "intellectual
> bashing" to support your arguments?  Good luck with
> that.

As opposed to your non-intellectual bashing. 
 
> Actually read this book Ms. Matsuoka - ALMOST TWENTY
> YEARS AGO, when it was first written.  And as a
> reflection of the frustration the author experienced
> in his 25 years living in Japan prior to 1990.  No
> one of any intellect can continue to maintain that
> post 1990 Japan isn't undergoing rapid change
> politically, socially, culturally, and economically.
>  It's a wonder what continually broken economics can
> do to shake things up in a country.  In just the
> last few weeks it's become clear that the Japanese
> legal system reforms will include jury trials and
> the Japanese Diet is starting to more resemble a
> real two-party system.  

Can't comment on what I haven't read.

> No one ever said Japan doesn't work differently.  So
> does Germany, so does China, so does New Zealand. .
> .I have worked and lived in all of them.  And my
> business career has been successful in all of them,
> despite the differences.   And in Japan, I've done
> it without having to engage in silly Japanese
> customs like getting hammered in hostess bars and
> bad singing karaoke while drunk. All to the
> expressed relief of my Japanese business colleagues
> who to a man resented the whole process.  Many
> people are crippled in Japan business by trying to
> 'be Japanese" instead of just being themselves and
> getting the job done.
> 
> Sumo Kyokai is wrong for their underhanded and
> childish attempts to undermine Asashoryu.  The
> reasons are clear to objective observers - they
> don't want a foreigner to end up in the record books
> as one of the dominant factors of this sport and
> they have been seizing any excuse to force him out
> before his time.

LOL - No other foreigner has given them so much to
work with.

> Contrasted with the welcome that
> Japanese baseball players have received in the US,
> and the average Japanese can see clearly the
> difference.

The Kyokai isn't in the baseball business, nor is it
in America.

> And claiming Konishiki's record after the time he
> should have been promoted to Yokozuna justifies his
> non-promotion ignores the fact that, historically
> speaking, athletes of strong character rise to the
> occasion when called on to perform.  It would be my
> contention that being passed over for purely racial
> reasons was responsible for "breaking his spirit". 
> Konishiki finally realized in March 1992 that these
> racist blockheads would NEVER promote him to
> Yokozuna no matter what he did. . . with the result
> being his fairly steep decline and ultimate
> retirement.

Since you brought up baseball, ever hear of Jackie
Robinson? I'm sure Jackie had a lot more racial
pressure put on him than Konishiki did.  You're going
to have a hard time proving that it was "purely
racial" when the "fact" exists that he never won 2
yusho in a row. I repeat myself, both Asahifuji and
Takanohana (both Japanese) weren't promoted until they
won 2 in a row. The fact that his spirit WAS broken
attests to his not being ready. You've proven the
opposite by trying to make your case. Jackie
Robinson's spirit wasn't broken.

> I attended many of the basho during the
> 1992-1994 time period and saw firsthand Konishiki's
> change in mood and attitude during this period.

Hmmm...what happened in March of 1993, the same period
you mention above. Oh yeah, a Hawaiian got promoted to
Yokozuna. So much for racism.

LOL

Hinerikeri




       
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