RE: [sumo] The Great Switcharoo

["ShiroiKuma" <ShiroiKuma@ShiroiKuma.com>]

Thanks Jay for doing that. Actually, I thought this was exactly the case, i.e. that Asashouryuu switched.

Then it's obvious that his "natural way of doing it" is nonsense, since it's a thought out switch.

Well, it then seems it's that "I'm special, so I do this my way" way. Which I find kinda hard to excuse in the sumou world. Especially when you're a Yokozuna, then you should strive for the ultimate excellence.

I.e. the idea of sumou is to make yourself a mountain. But you don't make yourself a mountain by trying to be special, which this seems to be, but exactly opposite, by suppressing yourself. By seeing that though you're high, you should try to be higher and do better.

I see exactly what Kitanoumi meant when he urged Asashouryuu to improve after his zenshou. And this thing is exactly opposite to that.

ShiroiKuma

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-sumo@statgen.ncsu.edu [mailto:owner-sumo@statgen.ncsu.edu] On Behalf Of Walker, Jay
Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 8:16 PM
To: sumo@statgen.ncsu.edu
Subject: [sumo] The Great Switcharoo

My recollection, along with others, was that Asashoryu used to receive
kensho with his right hand, and while not extensively researching the
matter, I squandered close to an hour looking at some of his old bouts to
try to determine if and when The Great Switcharoo happened.  

He was indeed using his right hand in his makunouchi debut (Hatsu 2001, Day
1 against Daishi, although no kensho).  The switch over seemed to occur at
the Kyushu 2001 basho.  For his last 2 victories at the prior Aki 2001 basho
(plus all the bouts I viewed before then) he received kensho with his right
hand.  In his first 2 victories at Kyushu 2001, plus all the bouts I viewed
after that, he used his left.

I can't say if there was ever a time after Kyushu 2001 when he went back to
using his right hand for a period, but it seems that that was the basho when
he started using his left.

-George W.
[EndPost by "Walker, Jay" <Walker@nhrc.navy.mil>]



[EndPost by "ShiroiKuma" <ShiroiKuma@ShiroiKuma.com>]