Re: Re: Re: [sumo] Asashoryu should retire

[takanomizu@mchsi.com]

>>I was recently in a Japanese food store in a small community near Dallas, TX. 
>> A Japanese lady in the store had a TV set and she was watching NHK. I asked 
>>her 
>>if she watched sumo and she said, "I have not watched sumo for a long time  
>> because their are too many foreigners in it now." 

And yet there she is, living among those very foreigners...how awful for her.

>>Then their is the other contingent 
>> of Japanese, like my wife, who has not followed sumo since the late 60's 
>>early 70's. She lost interest in the sport and it had nothing to do with 
>>gaijin.It was just boring to her. 

Among my extended family in Japan, now 19 people from 60 to 13, only one other 
adult loves sumo. They're all surprised that I do, and thanks to this ML, can 
talk about it with some knowledge.

Irene
> If Asashoryu was Japanese I honestly believe a lot of the incidents that have 
> been reported would have been "swept under the rug". Or they would at the very 
> least not have been blown out of proportion. If anyone who is a fan of sumo will 
> let his "actions" discourage them from watching sumo then they are not that 
> interested in the sport to begin with. 
>    I was recently in a Japanese food store in a small community near Dallas, TX. 
> A Japanese lady in the store had a TV set and she was watching NHK. I asked her 
> if she watched sumo and she said, "I have not watched sumo for a long time  
> because their are too many foreigners in it now." Is this because of Takamiyama, 
> Konishiki, Akebono, Musashimaru or any other foreign rikishi bringing disgrace 
> to sumo? I don't think so. She just didn't like foreigns, no matter how "rikishi 
> like" they were / are, in her native sport. Then their is the other contingent 
> of Japanese, like my wife, who has not followed sumo since the late 60's early 
> 70's. She lost interest in the sport and it had nothing to do with gaijin. It 
> was just boring to her. We have friends visit us from Japan that are in their 
> 20's and they don't follow sumo. I guess they don't think it is exciting to them 
> or maybe it is too "dirty" for them too watch. You can find any reason to 
> dislike something or someone. Most of the !
>  Japanese who do not follow sumo don't really care what happens in the sport. 
> Asashoryu's "indiscretions" aren't going to change their opinion of sumo.
>    Now some of the "anti foreigners in sumo contigent" have no problem watching 
> Ichiro or other ex-Japanese stars play MLB and I know they would have cried 
> "foul" if they were not allowed to play because they were not born in the U.S.A. 
> (I know many of them were disappointed their stars came to play in MLB). I 
> welcome them and anyone else who can play well. I don't follow baseball anymore 
> because of the amount of money many players are making and how mediocre they 
> are. In my opinion all of them are overpayed.
>   One last point. I am sorry for the length of this email...... A couple of 
> years ago Toki was involved in a fatal car accident and he was driving the car. 
> Rikishi are not allowed to drive. It was a terrible tragedy and a sad all around 
> affair. He had to sit out for 2 tournaments, if I am not mistaken? If this had 
> been Kyokutenho or another lower ranking foreign rikishi, do you think he would 
> have received the same punishment? Hmmmmmm....? The way some of the people on 
> this list are acting you would think that all of the things Asashoryu has done 
> recently is worse than the Toki tragedy. Sorry but I just don't see it. 
> 
> Whitney in Texas
>               
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Josh Reyer" <reyer@benchsumo.zzn.com>
> To: <sumo@statgen.ncsu.edu>
> Sent: Wednesday, July 30, 2003 9:16 PM
> Subject: Re: Re: Re: [sumo] Asashoryu should retire
> 
> 
> > 
> > > Well, if he is no longer a Yokozuna then we won't have to worry 
> > > about him being a Yokozuna with a bad image. 
> > >
> > > Whitney in Texas
> > 
> > Um, yes we would.  What's better for sumo: a Yokozuna who makes 
> > youthful indiscretions eventually becoming the very model of the 
> > dignified Yokozuna, or a Yokozuna who makes youthful indiscretions 
> > and then is drummed out/demoted?
> > 
> > The hyperbole around here is getting pretty thick.
> > 
> > Josh Reyer
> > 
> > If a first you don't know what to do... henka
> > ____________________________________________________________
> > Web-Based E$B%a!<%k%5!<%S%9$O(B http://www.zzn.com $B$GF~<j$G$-$^$9(B
> > 
> > [EndPost by "Josh Reyer" <reyer@benchsumo.zzn.com>]
> 
> [EndPost by "Whitney" <kishiko@charter.net>]

[EndPost by takanomizu@mchsi.com]