[sumo] Kaio the thug? (spoiler possible...)

[Harold E. Shaver]

小さな山

-> -----Original Message-----
-> From: sumo-bounces at webtrek.com [mailto:sumo-bounces at webtrek.com] On
-> Behalf Of Lon Howard
-> Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2009 6:46 PM
-> To: Sumo Mailing List
-> Subject: [sumo] Kaio the thug? (spoiler possible...)
-> 
-> Just wondering what you all think of this.  http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/
-> dy/sports/20090325TDY28304.htm
-> Agree or disagree?


[My Thoughts: ] I have said essentially the same thing, not as eloquently or
as well as James on many occasions over the last 3 years.

He and Chiyotaikai both need to hang up the mawashi and use their hard won
experience to train new generations of deshi.

I firmly believe that Kaio's "inability" to put together that 2nd win needed
for yokozuna promotion has been largely intentional, the last one possibly
excepted.  As a Yokozuna he would long ago have been forced into retirement.
As an underperforming Ozeki he can continue to draw down his 2+ million yen
monthly salary plus what can only be a truly unimaginable amount of
hosho-kin after 93 bashos every other month.

I don't know anything about his lifestyle, whether he has been frugal with
his money over the years or if he has lived high wide and handsome and spent
the money like water and thus need to keep that income flowing.  I fail to
believe that he is truly just hanging on for the glory of the record books.
Trying to get to that vaunted 98th basho or that 808th win.  Surely even he
must understand that to do is only going to cheapen those long standing
records.

But the question is who is going to tell him to quit?  Certainly not his
oyakata who is also I'm sure happy with the income to the heya that Kaio
represents.  Certainly not the Kyokai as despite everything he is still
incredibly popular with the sumo fans and along with Asashoryu helps fill
the stands.  I would have to believe it will have to be up to him to just
wake up one morning, look in the mirror, and say I really don't need to be
doing this anymore.  The ideal time for him would be after this basho,
especially as it appears he will not be kadoban and he could go out with his
head held high.

Maybe then Chiyotaikai would wake up to reality and do the same thing.


Hal "Chisaiyama" Shaver