Re: Sumo better without Akebono and Mushashimaru?

["David Joyce" <d.joyce@home.com>]

I first got interested in sumo while living in Japan during Konishiki's
reign.  There were more than a few I spoke to then who said that he is too
big and it is unfair to the others.  My response was that he may result in
"raising the bar" or in forcing the other rikishi to come up with different
strategies to win.  [Like Mainoumi's "run around the mountain and push it
out" strategy].  The years that followed saw a surge in the popularity of
sumo, and I think the skill level and athleticism rose as well.

I think sumo may be in a minor down period post-Waka, but this is natural
given the popularity it had attained.  Sumo seems to have a natural
equalizing factor, as bodies that are too large are also vulnerable to
injury, speed, and "side-stepping" [sorry for the lack of sumo vocabulary].

Besides beating Musashimaru and Akebono has to be a bigger thrill for the
rikishi and the fans than beating the smaller rikishi.

"Wakakanada"


----- Original Message -----
From: "James Bitgood" <jimbit3@hotmail.com>
To: <sumo@sun01pt2-1523.statgen.ncsu.edu>
Sent: Monday, November 27, 2000 4:30 PM
Subject: RE: Sumo better without Akebono and Mushashimaru?


> Akebono's bigger (?) problem was the long time it took to recover from
knee
> surgery. His weight did factor in, but he could drive forward with his
legs
> so he tried to stand in one place and do everything with his upper body.
> When he did, the opponent would simply back away and pull Ake down to a
face
> plant on the dohyo. I think his success this year is a sign that his knees
> are as good as they will ever be.
>    Jim
>
>
> >From: "Kelly McGuire" <krmcguire@home.com>
> >Is the size "advantage" Akebono and Musashimaru have really an advantage?
> >
> >On their best days, when they are fit and uninjured, their added reach
and
> >weight probably do give the bigger guys an edge, maybe even an
overwhelming
> >advantage.  But haven't we seen evidence that, beyond an ideal point,
> >weight
> >becomes a liability?  There has been talk on this list in recent months
> >about Akebono getting beyond his ideal weight and suffering a loss of
> >mobility as a result.  Toward the end of his career, Konishiki, the
largest
> >ozeki ever, seemed to me to be embarrassingly impaired by his massive
bulk.
> >I remember one late bout when a much smaller rikishi got behind the
giant,
> >clamped on to his mawashi and simply steered him out of the ring.
Because
> >of his own mass and lack of mobility, Konishiki could not reach the
little
> >guy to do anything about it.
> >
> >Obviously, if Akebono's performance was suffering due to excess baggage
he
> >seems to have risen above the problem, for now.  But, weight gain is an
> >insidious and relentless process and I will be surprised if we don't see
> >Akebono struggling again because of excess weight.
> >
> >In addition to the mobility issue, I wonder if greater weight carries
with
> >it a greater risk of injury as well?  Anyone have statistics on this?
> >
> >Kelly McGuire
> >
>
>
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