[sumo] Oshi-dashi'd message

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

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2003 13:52:00 -0700 (PDT)
From: kj bauman <shimodahito@yahoo.com>
Subject: if it were up to me to decide
To: dsumo@statgen.ncsu.edu
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

good day all,
   does all the discussion/debate about
kadoban/kyujo/kosho stimulate interest and
attract/retain fans?  or is the debate a frustrating
irritant (like mawashi rash) that turns people off?

if i were rijicho for a day, this would be my new
rules:

rule 1A. any rikishi from the rank of maegashira all
the way down to jonokuchi that sits out a tournament
will automatically be demoted 3 ranks on the next
banzuke.  they will not be allowed to retain their
rank as the current rules allow.

rule 1B. if the rikishi is absent for a 2nd
consecutive tournament, he will be demoted 6 more
ranks on the next banzuke.  a 3rd consecutive
tournament equals a demotion of 12 positions.  4th
equals 24.  5th equals 48.  this will continue to
double until the rikishi is in the last position on
the banzuke.

example: rikishi wakawakawaka is ranked maegashira #9
west.
he sits out the jan basho.  next banzuke he is
maegashira #12 west (-3).
he again sits out in march.  on the next banzuke he
will be juryo #3 west (-6, if there were 15 maegashira
ranks).
he again sits out in may.  he drops to makushita #2
west (-12).
he sits out in july.  his next rank is makushita #26
west (-24).
etc. etc. etc. makushita #74 (-48), sandanme #70
(-96), jonidan #62 (-192).

rule 2A: any rikishi ranked komusubi or sekiwake that
sits out a tournament will automatically be demoted 1
rank on the next banzuke.

rule 2B: if a rikishi was demoted to maegashira #1
from komusubi because he sat out a tournament and
decides to sit out another tournament, rule 1A and 1B
will take effect.

example: rikishi wakawakawaka is ranked sekiwake east.
he sits out the jan basho.  next banzuke is komusubi
east.
he again sits out in march.  on the next banzuke he
will be maegashira #1 east.
if he sits out in may, he will drop to maegashira #4
east and follow the sequence in rule 2B.

rule 3A: any rikishi ranked ozeki that sits out a
tournament will automatically be demoted to sekiwake
on the next banzuke.

rule 3Ai: 10 wins during the next basho will promote
him back to ozeki.
rule 3Aii: if he his absent the next basho, rule 2A
and 2B will take effect.
rule 3Aiii: 8 or 9 wins will keep him at sekiwake
indefinitely until 10 wins can be achieved.
rule 3Aiv: a make-koshi will leave him at the mercy of
the banzuke committee.

rule 4A: rules for yokuzuna rikishi will not change.


benefits of the above rules:

** knowing that you will be demoted, there is
incentive not to sit out a tournament.  this is
especially true if you're on the bubble.....sitting
out = juryo.

** eliminates doctors who may be inclined to declare
inaccurate healing times for injuries.

** eliminates stupid doctors that might say an
legitimate injury did not happen during a basho
(takonowaka comes to mind), resulting in an 0-15, non
kosho record.

** it is somewhat of a compromise of the current
options for rikishi who sit out.  currently, if they
get kosho there is no punishment.  if they don't get
kosho, they could drop up to 15 positions.  this is
absurdly biased.  a guy with no kosho status that sits
is probably really hurting!  and a guy with kosho
status is possibly well enough to compete.  that's
crazy!

** allows rikishi to sit out a tournament for a
non-injury reason without getting hit too hard.  i
personally don't care why a rikishi sits out.  maybe
for injury.  maybe to grieve for a death in the
family.  maybe to take the wife on vacation.  i don't
care....because whatever the reason, they WILL be
demoted.  it's a decision each rikishi (and oyakata)
will have to make.



the banzuke committee (and doctors) will hate my rules
because it takes power away from them.  the number of
positions a rikishi drops due to absence is now
standardized.  to counter their resistance i would
remind them that they have great responsibility in
deciding the ranking of a rikishi who misses a portion
of a basho.  where do you place someone who finishes
6-2-7?  or 7-0-8?  or 7-6-2?  or 7-7-1?  5-0-10?  this
is where the wisdom and integrity of the committee is
greatly valued.

that's it.  tear it up, praise it, agree, disagree,
change it, blast it, or quietly slip it into rijicho's
pocket.

-shimodahito

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