Re[2]: What's wrong with Musashimaru?

["Stephen Allanson" <Stephen_Allanson@accessline.com>]

     Pure speculation, nothing based on facts only observation.  Look at 
     the history of Konishiki, Akebono and now Musashimaru.  They have all 
     gone through a period when they were doing real well then not so well. 
      Then they get back on top of things and they start performing to 
     their potential.  
     
     Akebono went through a period where he was kinda stuck at 9-6 and 
     suddenly sprang into action to become a Yokozuna.  Konishiki went 
     through a period of time when he would be kadoban or barely kachikoshi 
     and then he started to win more and more and even won three 
     tournaments.
     
     This has nothing to do with being Hawaiian {I'm sorry for saying it 
     that way}, it is only that I've followed these guys for a while and 
     have seen what they've been able to accomplish.  I really think they 
     are under a lot of pressure to perform and every athlete succumbs to 
     the pressure of his activities/position once in a while.  Look at the 
     baseball player who performs well all year and then in the world 
     series falls flat on his face.  Or the golfer who goes into the final 
     round of a big tournament with a big lead and fails to perform up to 
     his capabilities in the last round.  There are many instances where 
     pressure deals a heavy blow to an athlete's performance.  Then, there 
     are other athletes who seem to never feel the pressure - 'Mr. October' 
     in baseball, Nick Faldo in golf and Takanohana and Chiyonofuji in 
     Sumo.
     
     The same may be said of Takanonami. He was doing very well for a while 
     and then he became the Ozeki no one wanted to accept.  Now, all of a 
     sudden he is performing as an Ozeki is expected to perform, he even 
     won a tournament and was on the list as a possible Yokozuna candidate. 
      He'll be there for quite some time I expect because he is really a 
     pretty good rikishi, or he couldn't have made it to the level he is 
     at. There are a lot of the rikishi who are expected to do big things, 
     i.e. become the next Ozeki or something like that who for some reason 
     or other do not meet their fans expectations. Just look at the guys 
     who have been bouncing around Sanyaku and the upper Maegashira 
     rankings for the past several years - Kotonishiki, Akinoshima, just to 
     name a couple.
     
     Anyway, no offense was ever meant and I apologize if it sounded that 
     way.
     
     Steve
     


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: What's wrong with Musashimaru?
Author:  IMZen@aol.com at Internet-Mail
Date:    6/22/96 2:19 PM


In a message dated 96-06-22 10:04:56 EDT, Stephen_Allanson@accessline.com 
(Stephen Allanson) writes:
     
<< But there maybe something else at 
      work.  He is going through a phase when no one is expecting big things 
      from him and maybe he wants some attention.  Like most of the 
      Hawaiians he is emotional and puts a lot of pressure on himself and if 
      he falters he thinks all is lost??????? >>
     
Hi Stephen,
     
Okay, I'll bite the bait.  What "phase" is he going through?  Why would 
people not expect things from him, let alone big things???  I am married to a 
coach (not sumo) and I must say that your speculation goes against everything 
I see and hear.  Maybe atheletes go through slumps but I have not been aware 
of an athelete, especially in the top caliber, not being expected to perform.
  Let alone performing for personal attention.   Let me understand the last
part, because he is Hawaiian he is an emotional athelete (which you seem to 
think is a negative) ?  Aren't you making a very broad assumption or do you 
know him personally?
     
I am interested in where you find your information or is it pure speculation?
    If it is simply your speculation how did you come up with this?
     
Respectfully,
     
       Zen