Re: Comparing sumo with other sports

["Aaron Willis" <awillis@spys.org>]

>
> Analogies are possible; for instance, a sumo-beya can be likened, up to a
> point, to a cross between a boarding school and a (secular) monastery; but
> if you try to liken it to a gym, or a team, you will be hard put to find
any
> meaningful similarities.
>
> Likewise, if you try to compare the Nihon Sumo Kyokai with the MBA, you
may
> find some superficial points,  but nothing that really illuminates. On the
> other hand, quite a good analogy can be drawn with a collegiate
university:
> the Kyokai is like the university, in that it sets the standards and
> conducts the examinations (basho), whilst the heya are like very small
> colleges in that they recruit students (apprentices), register them with
the
> governing body,  teach them, and enter them for the
> examinations/tournaments. But unless you are familiar with a university of
> this kind, you may find the comparison meaningless.

I agree with a lot you said.  Pro sports might not be the best comparison to
use all the time (but they do have a place in the discussion).  It could be
because the heyas have so many responsibilities, recruiting, training and
teaching young boys, developing young men into powerful rikishis, dishing
out payments, controlling the business and on and on.  I would say (please
inform me if this isn't the case) that sumo is the only professional sport
that is run like this.  The only thing that I can think of that is somewhat
similar are the gymnastics and figure skating programs that are offered
around the world for young boys and girls who dream of winning gold medals.
They live, school, and train together for almost their entire pre-teen and
teenage life but their parents are usually the ones forking out the cash.

>
All I'm saying is that you are asking the kind
> of questions that will only attract the answer "No."

I have received many reponses, both on and off the list.  The only real "no"
has been from you :-).

Two bad things may
> happen as a result: you may become discouraged and think people are not
> taking you seriously; or others as knowledgeable as you about some
American
> sports will start replying to you on off-topic subjects -- and this really
> does annoy people. Sumo is a vast subject and this list is quite busy
enough
> -- for some of us, at least :-)
>

Don't you worry.  I will not get discouraged and with the responses this has
generated I don't have to be too worried about being taken seriously.  As I
have mentioned in an earlier post, I enjoy highly heated and debated topics.
It helps keep the mind fresh :-).

Aaron Willis