Re: [sumo] Sumo and Soccer

["Howard Gilbert" <h.gilbert@auckland.ac.nz>]

Just adding my two cents worth...

Sumo fans are not necessarily different or more genteel than other fans
(remember the uproar recently about the actions of the Nagoya crowd?).
However, we must look at the context of the two examples that Joe has
provided.

The China jungyo/koen was a smaller crowd, watching something promoted as a
cultural performance as much as a sporting contest. Also, there was not
really a sense of nationalism that went along with it, as the whole thing is
nationalised as a 'Japanese' event (even though there are Mongolians,
Chinese, Brazilians etc involved). So, the crowd came to observe rather than
support one side or the other.

The soccer crowd is a competitive, nationalistic event where one side
belonging to the home fans, is pitted against the opposition (the enemy). To
support your team involves not only cheering and chanting FOR your team, but
also AGAINST the opposition. This was obviously carried over into showing
little restraint during the different national anthems. Another layer that
has been mapped onto this is the political element and the unsavoury past
between the two countries. The question is, who is mapping that onto this
event, and is that really the reason that one group of fans was booing the
opposition?

Howard

[EndPost by "Howard Gilbert" <h.gilbert@auckland.ac.nz>]