[sumo] News and Mr. Buckton's most recent JT column

[Joshua Maciel]

I think that the apology is far more necessary for the Japanese fans than
the foreign ones, but that may just be assumption on my part.

Queue generalizations:
I think that Westerners in general are a lot quicker to defend and a lot
quicker to condemn, and less likely to vacillate between the two than the
Japanese. An apology only goes so far in the West, whereas it holds more
weight here. One of my biggest quibbles with working in Japan is that a
screwup followed by an apology is supposed to be taken at face value and
dropped then and there. In the US, a major screwup, especially when it
negatively impacts someone else, requires a bit more than just an apology,
and it isn't expected to be forgotten.
</generalizations>

At any rate, I think that Asashoryuu's behaviour is absolutely horrible,
that he is depositing fecal matter upon his fans, and I'm shocked to see
some of his fans gobbling it up and defending his behaviour/actions.

He should suck it up and apologize rather than making excuses and trying to
skirt the issue. That's my opinion.

- Josh

On 9/11/07, John Racine <gaijira at ace.ocn.ne.jp> wrote:
>
> > Sumo fans will judge Asashoryuu by more than what he does on the dohyo,
> just as they always have. As has been pointed out on this list, Roho was
> not
> popular, then he punched a reporter confirming the reason for his
> popularity, then he apologized and took his suspension with grace and is
> respected now more than he was.
>
> I agree that what happens off the dohyo is just as important what happens
> during the matches.  I don't agree that an apology will really repair
> anything.  I don't respect Roho any more than I used to just because he
> apologized and took his suspension like a man.  Of course, the apology was
> necessary but it will never fully erase the negative impression that
> Roho's
> behaviour has had on me.  Likewise, Asashoryu's apology is necessary, but
> for me at least, it will not be an indicator of some profound change in
> personality.  The image of years of bad behaviour and the attitude
> manifested therein won't be erased from my mind at least.
>
>
> The off-dohyo image can work in a positive way for a rikishi as
> well.  Case
> in point:  Takamisakari.  Nothing he does on the dohyo will ever tarnish
> his
> image as a fan favourite.  Even if his performance during matches should
> become the worst in sumo history, he will always be admired by some fans
> as
> the loveable clown that he appears to be ringside.
>
> John Racine
>
>
>
>
>
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