Oshi-dashi'd message

[Basten <cbasten@statgen.ncsu.edu>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2003 23:18:47 +0900
Subject: [commentary] Part 3: impressions from the crowd at this Osaka
	basho (spoilers)
From: "peter\"at\"my.email.ne.jp" <change"at"to@=anti-spam.measure>
To: <sumo@sun01pt2-1523.statgen.ncsu.edu>

Well, lucky to get to the Sumo again yesterday and so a few more comments
from the crowd.

Osaka was previously an everyday sold out venue, with the only chance of
getting tickets on the day being if you lined up very early in the cold, for
those few hundred tickets kept aside for daily allocation.  It has
definitely seen a change in the last two basho though, falling to the trend
that has been seen at other basho venues for a good few years now.  This
means I was able to get reasonably good seats for the last Friday and
Saturday for a friend very easily by just inquiring at the ticket office.
Had the bonus of being served by the oyakatta formerly known as Kotonishiki,
and pleased to see both he and another young oyakatta trying out there
English.  It seems that the foreigner invasion is not just restricted to the
rikishi ranks, and if you look around the crowd you'll see a very
significant percentage of non-Japanese faces.  Not to offend our long time
foreigner fans that have being hitting the basho for decades now, but the
percentage of foreign faces in the crowd is definitely a lot greater than I
have seen since I first went to the Sumo about 11 years ago.  The younger
oyakatta seem to recognise this, and make the effort to be as accommodating
as possible.  Maybe the old guard is still very much in control at the Sumo
Kyokai on issues like women presenting trophies on senshuraku and many of
the domestic crowd are not in love with the idea of so many foreigner
rikishi doing so well, but at least good to see that the future of the
Kyokai looks a bit more progressive, even if that probably comes more than
anything from a simple business imperative.

Regarding the bouts, was lucky enough to see Kokkai come up to Juryo for a
bout against Kitazakura.  At 3 wins, with one more probably assuring the
need for a kesho mawashi next basho this was a good test of his Juryo
worthiness.  A rather long but very well fought bout, that seems to indicate
he has what it takes to get his own tusukebito and join the salaried rikishi
ranks.  If Dale was lucky enough to tape this bout, would be a good one to
put on the highlights page to give those that haven't seen him yet an idea
of his abilities.  He seems to be getting a Tokitsumi-like kokeshi hairline
as well, which might make him a bit popular with the ladies as he ascends
the ranks.  Sad for Kitazakura though, who doesn't seem to be carrying the
Mitoizumi-like salt throwing torch anymore and looks like he will be trading
divisions with Kokkai at the next basho.  Maybe he should be making the most
of it and grabbing fistfuls of salt in his last few bouts this tournament as
when he goes down to Makushita he loses the salt throwing privilege
completely.

On the Takamisakari show, he's still wowing the crowd, these last few days
not just from his animated antics but also from his Sumo, although it really
is the former that seems to have everyone in love with Robocop.

Lastly having had the pleasure of meeting and asking a few questions of the
charming and very humble fuku-tate gyoji it is good to hear of the official
announcement of his promotion to the top rank for gyoji for the next basho,
but it was his performance in the musubi no ichiban for me that was the
outstanding performance of my day at the Sumo yesterday.  Majestic footwork
to stay constantly just in the right position for deciding which way to
point the gumbai.  It is only when you see how badly out of place see some
of the gyoji get themselves that you really appreciate why this man deserves
the top position.  Congratulations Shikimori Inosuke, and at only 62,
looking forward to a good few years as the No.1 gumbai pointer.

While espousing my adoration for our gyoji at the top, one question does
spring to mind, that some of the more learned list members might know.  It
was my impression that the tate gyoji only officiated the musubi no ichiban
(one bout per day).  In the predicament we have this tournament with the
tate gyoji retired and the fuku-tate gyoji not yet promoted to the top
position, does this mean that he carries out the duties for both roles i.e.
does he have to do 2 bouts per day, rather than the one he would have to do
as tate gyoji?  Maybe I'm just mixing it up with tate gyoji officiating only
yokozuna bouts, but probably not as what about the case of no yokozuna (he
still does the musubi no ichiban) and what about having 4 yokozuna in 4
separate bouts on one day (he doesn't officiate 4 times in one day).

Cheers, Pete.
<peter"at"my.email.ne.jp>
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