[sumo] Kotooushuu injured

[Lon Howard]

On Nov 2, 2007, at 3:59 PM, James Eaton wrote:

> How motivated can you get with a knee that's hanging together by  
> one ligament?
>
> If recent events are any indication, it will take the permanent  
> crippling of an active rikishi to move the kyokai to take any real  
> action toward injury rehabilitation as known in the modern world.   
> Right now they're in the dark ages and we can expect them to stay  
> right where they are until someone kicks them in the ass.

Kicking them in the arse won't mean anything to them...after all,  
they've all been browbeaten on the way up the ranks themselves, yo  
many years ago, so they're all used to it.  If they'll respond to  
anything, it'll be a kick in the pocketbook, not in the rear.  So  
what might cause that, at least in their own perception??

Losing an older popular rikishi like Tochiazuma doesn't seem to  
matter, so it'll have to be somebody who's really good, really  
popular, and really young.

How about Osh?  Is two out of three close enough?

Baruto?  We're getting closer...

But not close enough.  Unfortunately, I'd have to say it would take  
something bordering on shocking...such as Homasho, Goeido and  
Tochiozan all going down at the same time with something like you've  
described.  The native-born rikishi are supposed to know how to fall,  
you know...

Since it's now been 50 years since the six-basho-per year format  
began and nothing like this has happened yet, I wouldn't hold my breath.

Lon Howard
Shomishuu