[sumo] Please update- Time for a SML moderator???

[Jezz]

To:  The Sumo Mailing List
Bcc:  Moti and Joe Kuroda

2008/9/7 Scott M. Kahn <smk1 at columbia.edu>:
> As one of those who incessently defended Asashoryu last year and was
> critical of the Kyokai, as I personally understand from some of
> those who left, it was not the prolonged debate over certain topics
> that caused defection from the mailing list.  It was the relentless
> personal attacks and bickering.

What evidence do you have for this, apart from your own opinion?

Let me quote Joe Kuroda (Jonosuke) again on this topic:-

"In my view the biggest problem of the list is they cannot skip the
noises from certain members whom I find why they even follow Ozumo as
they appear to see nothing good about sumo and make it like an
Asashoryu fan club."
<http://www.sumoforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=16018&st=0>

I would suggest that is evidence that for one former member (at
least), it was not the personal attacks and bickering that caused him
to leave, but certain members whom... (see the rest of the quote
above).

Please take this to be true.

Please also note that on the same day that Moti left the Mailing List
after a prolonged debate regarding Asashoryu, he set up his own sumo
news emailing list, and started sending it to privately to some
members of the sumo mailing list.  This has replaced the SML (for me
at least) in terms of receiving sumo news to my email box (where I
also happen to like it - yes, I prefer this method of news delivery to
the forum - should I be interested in the topic, I can then find the
relevant thread over at the forum, as Moti usually double posts, and
read the comments from others.)  This might be a huge coincidence, and
that it was really the 'bickering' that caused him to do this.  But, I
fear not.  Once again, I believe it was the 'prolonged "debate"' that
was the final straw.  Please accept this.

I believe that if we were to dig out Josh Reyer's last message to this
list, that we may find a pattern starting to emerge.

>
> That being said, the idea now is to discuss refining the mailing
> list in a positive manner.

Agreed.

> Perhaps we all can make a concerted
> effort to display restraint if not just for a single basho by
> limiting personal attacks and bickering, or taking them off list.

Well, it wouldn't hurt.

> That might also serve notice to Moti and others that we are serious
> about wanting them to return.

How exactly?  This was not the reason why they left.  We could just as
easily all wear T-shirts saying "We want you to return Moti".  This
would also show that we are all serious about him coming back, but
does not address the root of the problem.

> It would also prove that moderation
> is not necessary on the mailing list.

Agreed.

> And, it would benefit most
> the hundreds of mailing list subscribers who don't post but who
> want to remain close to sumo.  And what better way to become more
> interested in sumo than to read interesting e-mails that entice you
> to actually make a trip to Japan to attend a basho?!

Well, as has been pointed out before, there are currently better ways
to get sumo news, but agreed, if this list were to return to what it
once was, it would greatly help.  My own love of sumo certainly
deepened once I discovered this list way-back-when.
>
> Sukubidubidu

Jejima