Re: Sumo World , info on promoting our passion...

["Barbara Ann Klein" <baklein@attglobal.net>]

Ah, but, Tom, many of us HAVE offered our services. Gratis, in my case. But
nary a response from Clyde.  And, as much as I love YOU, I find Clyde to be
a self-centered prig, who couldn't care less about his mag's constituency.
Sure, the occasional ML ,member reports having received a response from
Clyde, but that's the exception.

And, should a foreigner, in passing, pick up Sumo World (where? a special
trip to Maruzen or Kinokuniya - no newsstand copies anywhere), even if they
were unaware of the factual errors, would they not be appalled by the
horrendous grammar, spelling, failure to follow up in succeeding pages, etc?

It's kind of you to defend Clyde, but if he is not prepared to take care of
business, perhaps he should look for another owner.

Babanoshuzan
----- Original Message -----
From: "Quinn, Thomas" <Thomas.Quinn@asm.ca.gov>
To: <sumo@statgen.ncsu.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, 05 February, 2002 12:01
Subject: Sumo World , info on promoting our passion...


> I cannot disagree with Moti on his assessment of Sumo World.  It was
always
> a bit, er, quirky.  We'll just leave it at that.  In fact, in the dark old
> days before Sumo was broadcast in English, Sumo was the passion of a small
> self-proclaimed elite and the occasional tourist or military person who
was
> stationed in Japan.
>
> Back home, Rikishi - Sumo rasslers - were fat guys who sat on their
> opponents to win.  Those horrible shots of cellulite butts spreading
across
> the movie theatre's screen during the short news clips before the movie
were
> about the only contact Americans got with sumo.
>
> The take on the whole thing was the same as eating raw fish - yuck!!!
>
> Those of us on this list are really fortunate to be able to share our
> passion.  But what about the general public?  Travelers buying a magazine
at
> Narita, tourists coming through Japan for the first time, etc., etc...
>
> Sumo needs a good English-language publication, plain and simple.  As for
> Sumo
> World, I think that people like Moti or the Honorable Mr. Crouch :-) and a
> few others hanging around here ought to contact Clyde and work with him to
> make the magazine better.
>
> I'm serious.  Clyde is one of the better examples of human beings that
I've
> met on this planet.  He is also a good guy to hang with. With some help,
he
> could turn it around and produce a valuable product for anyone interested
in
> Sumo.
>
> In my 12 years in Tokyo, I saw a lot of recalcitrance by those in charge
of
> Sumo.  And the egos, backbiting and generally bad behavior of those gaijin
> on the fringes of the scene were really detrimental to promoting what is
one
> of the greatest shows on earth.  For every Lynn or Katrina or Clyde, there
> were more than enough snotty people who really made the whole thing
> difficult.
>
> So gentle readers, instead of throwing brickbats, I would humbly request
> that we take an active and positive stance to help Clyde.
>
> YMMV, :-)
>
> Tommy