Re: Itai on CNN

[Doc Wonmug <doc@wonmug.com>]

RJ Friedman wrote...

RF> Let us not forget that in any sporting event where there is "mafia"
RF> money involved, and gambling involved there are always fixes. This is
RF> behavior that is as old as time itself.

 Maybe. But the yaocho articles in weekly magazines don't mention
 this. The only connection between yaocho and gambling discussed is
 that some gamblers have been tipped off by sumo insiders (former
 Yokozuna Asahifuji was named) on upcoming yaocho bouts. They then use
 this information when betting on whether more East or West rikishi
 will win. The yaocho bouts are planned by the rikishi themselves.

 In the past, according to the weeklies, the rikishi themselves were
 betting on the East-West outcome, and so there may have been some
 deliberate losing to affect that outcome. Again, there is no mention
 made of being paid off by gamblers to lose or win. In fact, when the
 rikishi started gambling on sumo, the pro gamblers were taking a
 beating and lost quite a bit of money.

-- 
Regards,
 Doc Wonmug
 http://wonmug.com