[sumo] Iijime...

["Tom Quinn" <ytmq945@hotmail.com>]

My romanji is awful, so beware of the speling...-L-  If you go to asa geiko 
long enough, you will see some guys getting the snot kicked out of them, 
literally.  I never really enjoyed that part, it was even worse than having 
to sit there under Kawauchi's baleful gaze...

But I have to tell you, I was really disappointed in the level of sumo the 
past two-and-a-half years I was in Tokyo.  Now that I am back in my 
California home, I don't think I'l miss the basho like I used to.

The rikishi of these days -- the Japanese ones anyway -- are just awful.  
Their technique stinks, they have no fighting spirit and they are too fat.  
What is the fun of sitting through four minutes of shikari, only to see some 
idiot side-step and let their equally lazy opponent fall on his face.

I know, we have all discussed the relative value of henka before, but that's 
not what fans want to see.  They want action, and if they don't get it at 
kokogikan, then they'll watch K-1, and screw sumo.  And the tremendous drop 
in sumo's popularity reflects the pure garbage the association is letting 
pass on the dohyo.

There was a Japanese movie a few years ago.  The star was the same actor who 
beat Tom Cruise senseless in "Last Samurai."  The movie -- Tasugari Sebei -- 
and I apologize again if the romanji sucks, was about the end of the 
shogunate.  Samurai had become salarymen.  There was only one guy in their 
"office" who could fight, and he ended up doing their dirty work.  He was 
poor, and a widower, but he still "had it."  This is one of the best movies 
I have seen period, so don't miss it.

I love Asashoryu's sumo cause he doesn't take the easy road.  He kicks butt, 
period.  Like most Japanese fans, I could care less about all the gimracks 
around the dohyo.  Hey they New York Yankees, uniforms  have one less 
pinstrip compared to the 1949 version.  Not really, but would you care?  Not 
me, I want to see a cracking good baseball game, and when I watch sumo, I 
want to see technique, bravery, resourcefulness and finality.  Who has the 
most kensho, or who is the oldest yobidashi means zip if the real product is 
 sucking eggs.

I think Asashoryu -- as the sole yokozuna with no one else in sight -- 
should publicly smack around every one of those lazy blobs in public, 
starting with Miyabiyama and Chiyotaikai.  Just beat them til they puke.  
Either they start acting like rikishi instead of matadors or get out and let 
some other guys have a crack at it.  Otherwise sumo is doomed... YMMV

Tq


[EndPost by "Tom Quinn" <ytmq945@hotmail.com>]