Re: [sumo] more on the 1-day Nagoya tournament

["Quinlan" <sumo@plusq.net>]

That screaming girl was indeed horrendous.  I've rarely heard such a cloying
type of scream.  She seemed to like just about everyone, as she yelled for
each match.  I wonder if she stalks some of them.

Thanks for the information, Katrina.  It's good to hear about it from an
informed view.  I wasn't sure what to think from watching it on TV.

Quinlan

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Katrina" <katrina@shoin.ac.jp>
To: "'Sumo mail list'" <sumo@sun01pt2-1523.statgen.ncsu.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, October 07, 2003 12:09 AM
Subject: Re: [sumo] more on the 1-day Nagoya tournament


> Having watched this kind of knock out tournament both on television and
> live, I would agree that they are not the "real" basho sumo, but I don't
> think there is any arrangement or predetermination, as there might be in
the
> jungyo exhibition sumo, where, for example, the hometown boy always wins
and
> certain rikishi can be relied upon for their "special" technique.
> Kyokushuzan's "special" is a Mainoumi style jump in the air.
>
> The point of these tournaments is that a rikishi is paid for each round
that
> he stays in.  When he loses, he goes to an office round the back to
collect
> his envelope of money calculated on how many rounds he completed.  Those
who
> really want to get some cash try very hard, others who think they don't
have
> much chance or don't care so much, make less effort.  In the past,
> Takatoriki was more ferocious in this kind of sumo than over the 15 day
> regular tournament, and often came away with a good chunk cash.
Kyokushuzan
> had a money hungry period too when he could be seen fighting all out.
>
> There is also room for grudge match fighting here and, although Stephan
> Dulka saw "not one slap" yesterday, sometimes the sumo has verged on a
> brawl.
>
> Pride is also at stake, and I remember nearly being run down in the
Osakajo
> Hall shitakubeya during the tournament sumo this spring, by a rampaging
> sanyaku rikishi, who was extremely "annoyed" by his loss to a lower, and
> usually weaker opponent.
>
> Wakanosato may have looked resigned when he walked off the dohyo after
> losing to Buyuzan by stepping out, but I don't think he was laughing.  No
> doubt he was cursing himself for his stupidity.
>
> Chiyotaikai, was smiling after he lost to Toki, but it was more likely a
> smile of chagrin.  What would be the point of agreeing to lose?
Chiyotaikai
> would have had a greater chance of getting to the purse.  If there were to
> be an arrangement it would be the other way around.   Probably a case of
> underestimating his opponent.
>
> I can assure you that even if they do not look quite like their usual
selves
> on the dohyo, the finalists are taking the competition very seriously,
> judging from their demeanor back stage.
>
> This year's Nagoya knockout tournament was certainly nowhere near as
> exciting as past ones.  Maybe the guys were annoyed that it was only one
day
> instead of the usual two.  Maybe they were eager to get back to Tokyo,
since
> the jungyo doesn¹t start in earnest till next Friday, so they didn¹t have
to
> wait around for the caravan of busses that transport the rikishi en masse,
> to take them to the next place.  Or maybe it was the awful screaming girl
> with the shrill voice that torments Nagoya audiences, that put them off.
> The rikishi were so irritated by her squealing for her multitudinous
> favourites, that they wanted to get out of there as soon as possible!
>
> Katrina
>
>
> [EndPost by Katrina <katrina@shoin.ac.jp>]

[EndPost by "Quinlan" <sumo@plusq.net>]