[sumo] More Asashoryu News

[Jezz]

On 11/12/2007, Scott M. Kahn <smk1 at columbia.edu> wrote:
> Jejima,
>
> Sorry, I was being sarcastic with my use of the word, "incentive".
> I used it in place of "penalty".

My apologies.  Please suggest what penalties could be given to a
Yokozuna who (and I am quoting your previous email here), 'not behaves
as requested'.  One that quickly springs to mind would be a suspension
from attending the other heya in question for degeiko until he has
proved that he can 'behave as requested'.  It is my opinion (Please
note this is my opinion only without any bases on fact), that if
Asashoryu does 'behave as requested' at other heya, he would be
welcomed back to Tomozuna-beya, as there can be benefits for all.

>
> The New England Patriots are a football team that has won their
> first 13 games of the season and are looking to be the first team
< Big snip>


My summary of this is that the  NE Patriots were caught cheating. They
were punished.  They tried to take it out on their foes in a
legitimate fashion (although considered unsporting by some), during
league games.

I don't think you are comparing apples with apples.

A better comparison to sumo would be...
The NE Patriots had been having regular practice with Smaller Team in
the past, during which they had been going in a part harder then
necessary causing some injuries to Small Team - meaning that Smaller
Team was less competitive in league matches.

Then the NE Patriots were caught doing something they shouldn't have
been doing in Las Vegas instead of attending an important Awards
Ceremony.

Then they eventually apologised to all for the non-attendance, and for
whatever they were doing in Las Vegas.

Then they asked Smaller Team to train with them again.  Smaller Team
then refuses this, not because they don't accept the apology, but
because they don't like having their players injured.

This is a closer comparison.

Of course when NE Patriots meets Smaller Team in a regular game, they
can be hard as they like (as long as they stay within the rules).
There is a difference between practice and league games.  There is a
difference between degeiko and Honbasho.

I would suggest that a closer analogy to your NE Pats would be when
rikishi sometimes give an unnecessary extra shove at the edge of the
dohyo - and some speculate that it might have been due to previous bad
blood between the two.

> If, as you say the tactics refer to Asashoryu's performance prior to
> the August incident, then this means his apology was not accepted by
> all oyakata.

No, it doesn't.  It means the Oyakata wants to protect his rikishi.

I note that you have responded to all of my comments in my previous
email, except for the point that I requested clarification for.  I
presume that this was simply overlooked.

Jejima