Re: [sumo] kaio chances

[Stephen <stephen@loxinfo.co.th>]

You know, my feeling is that the "best" is not possible to state easily, if
at all. It's kind of pointless. Some amazing chess players must surely have
thought there was no point in struggling so much for ego's sake...but they
were able to take on the other top people and maybe / most likely win. I
think it's like this in many sports. Some sportspeople know they are top
dogs but can't be bothered to struggle so much (they don't have the need for
public recognition) and are happy enough to KNOW they are darned good at
what they do. No need to go head to head with anyone to "prove" anything. It
takes a certain kind of person to need to "prove" this, but it doesn't
always mean they are "the best". "Best" is like colours. There are many.
Efforts should be appreciated by individual valour or
battles-against-the-odds, or particularly able performances accounting for
those wonderful attributes, dynamic spontaneity and character flaws. Better
than technique, anytime, in my book. Even incredible pianists screw up in
one of those "blips" sometimes amidst gorgeous performances.
Technique-players, like so many Chinese pianists, for instance, are very
good but lack soul interpretation of the music...no putting of individual
feeling into it. So...in my view Kaio should be given the human touch here
and be allowed to break the mould of semi-stiff flexiplex tradition and
system nervousness, and be honoured for his terrific contributions as a very
special case. He's done it his way. I reckon he is worthy, albeit by a
circuitous (non-direct) and non-conventional route.
It's also a "decent" thing to do. I may be wrong, but if promoted he would
generate more interest in this sport as Yokozuna, and he seems to be
respected in the sumo world, so even if he fluffs it as Yokozuna afterwards
he can retire (move on within the system, having won 5 yushos) a contented
man, and the Kyokai would benefit also. C'mon, get him there...he could say
his back made it impossible, and leave with dignity if he had a bad basho or
two. I don't think anyone would really mind in the end.
Boltono.


> From: thierry.perran@club-internet.fr
> Date: Wed,  1 Dec 2004 11:16:13 +00:00
> To: sumo@statgen.ncsu.edu
> Subject: Re: RE: [sumo] kaio chances
> 
> So, the unwritten chess world champion system was horrible, unfair, and quite
> shocking. But, when you look at the chess history through a global view, you
> just realize that only the very best chess players found their way through
> this opacity to reach the chess world champion title. Top class chess players
> with unique skills got eventually to the crown. This unfair system was not
> that bad, quite shocking isn'it !
> 
> I've got the same feeling for the yokozuna promotion system. It looks
> terrible, opaque and unfair at some points of history (like today) but when
> you take a few steps backwards, you realize it is still accurate to detect and
> to highlight only the very top class individuals !

[EndPost by Stephen <stephen@loxinfo.co.th>]