My thoughts on Wakanoho's allegations against Kotooshu. I really don't think his story, Kotooshu's record and his situation make for a convincing argument.
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And he said this is just from his Japanese-language Amazon account. (for the...The first column is page views (I would guess) so that's from 661 thousand page...There was a similar case two years ago when a police sergeant drove to work drunk,...Takes one to know one....I don't know what they're called, but you put them in your boots to make them stand...And here's that follow-up post:
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It's a shame to hear about this, but on a similar note I'm really getting into Sumo. Looking forward to seeing more of it when I return.
I like watching sumo too, but I am beginning to see it degenerate into a filthy sport which isn't being helped at all by foreigner wrestlers. Sure, fixed matches and hazing aren't new in the world of sumo, or any sport, it's just the level and quality of the wrestlers have gone down in recent generations.
"a filthy sport which isn't being helped at all by foreigner wrestlers"? Well, if the blame for sumo becoming in your opinion, a filthy sport, should be placed anywhere it should be placed with the Kyokai, which is made up entirely of former Japanese wrestlers. Don't blame foreigners in the sport for the mistakes of 3 complete idiots.
Like I said, incidences such as hazing and fixed matches are not new to the world of sumo.
Since Asashiyoru(sp?)took center stage as one of the most dominate sumo wrestlers in history, the whole sport has been rocked with scandal. Actually, it was because of Asashiyoru(sp?)that a lot of foreigners really got into sumo in the first place. It was his raw power and dominance, his arrogance, and disregard for tradition that put him at center stage which didn't help the sport at all, in fact it hurt sumo.
No one else prior to him caused such scandal in the history of the entire sport except maybe Rikidozan who was of Korean ancestory. But I had no respect for him anyway because he was an idiot and a racist himself, as the Japanese were to him. That's probably why he concealed his nationality for so long.
The point is,is the sport of Sumo is not for everybody,I've always been against the internationalization of the sport, and that's why I have also attacked C.B. Liddel for his art commentary in the Metropolis over this themes such as this.
The sport needs to be purged of foreigners completely for about five or ten years and then start over with newer and fresher talent. Foreign wrestlers from Hawaii like Konishiki and Akeboni made the sport beautiful for a lot of westerners because they understood the Soul of the sport.
What would purging sumo of foreigners accomplish? Nothing. It wouldn't do anything and would more than likely destroy sumo seeing as there aren't enough Japanese youth entering the ranks as of late. You'd be getting rid of the majority of the sanyaku (the best of the best in the Makuuchi division). Do you really think that would help sumo? That is an absolutely ridiculous thing to suggest and I sure am glad others are not saying these kind of things.
If I dare say so myself, what you are advocating is a xenophobic and reactionary response to the actions of a few foreigners in the sport. Asashoryu is more or less naturalized having lived in Japan most of his adult life. He is a big boy and has done the sport a lot of good as well as harm and has paid the price. As far as I know, he isn't the sole impetus for foreigners entering the sumo world either. The other three morons, all from the same area of the world, are gone and rightfully so.
What has Hakuho done to deserve this kind of talk? How about Ama, Baruto and some of the others? Doesn't Hakuho display hinkaku (most of the time) in his actions as a yokozuna? Is he not a good example of what a yokozuna should be?
They used to say that foreigners could never be yokozuna because of their "foreignness" yet Konishiki and co. proved them wrong in their actions and manners. So you are advocating only allowing Hawaiians into the sport? Nothing you have written here makes any sense and totally smacks of an irrational and xenophobic attitude.
Sumo is a Japanese sport.
Sumo would never die for lack of foreigners, in fact attendance had decreased for awhile because of Asashoryu. If anything, sumo would die for lack of viewers and people who attend the bouts, who cares about the lesser class wrestlers. As far as most Japanese are concerned sumo is a Japanese sport with a sprinkling of foreigner to add interest and a little competitiveness.
Sure, less Japanese are entering the sport, but that's because not enough is being done to stem the lack of interest in sumo. If the emphasis was less on baseball and more on traditional Japanese sports you wouldn't see this trend.
Most foreigners prior to Asashoryu knew nothing about sumo, absolutely nothing. It was when Asashoryu started making headlines that your ordinary foreigner started paying attention to sumo and its rules. I used to watch sumo a lot prior to Asashoryu, but knew nothing about the sport i.e. I had very little emotion for it. Not anymore, thanks to Asashyoru, I now have a real interest in it, and I'm sure a lot of viewers share my sentiment.
"A sprinkling of foreigner," you say? Like I said the majority of the sanyaku are foreigners. The fact of the matter is that foreigners in sumo are here to stay and are for the most part not a problem. I hate to say it, but your thinking is antiquated and your previous comments about foreign rikishi seem to really stem from your dislike of Asashoryu. If you don't like him that is fine, but at least refrain from pointing the finger at all foreign rikishi.
Furthermore, your assertions that foreigners are only interested in sumo because of Asashoryu is dubious at best. There are plenty of commentators out on the web who have been paying attention to sumo before Asashoryu was yokozuna. People outside of Japan are not nearly as ignorant about sumo as you'd like to think and I'd be willing to say that the original foreign yokozuna, Akebono, probably had far more influence in the matter than Asashoryu.
I've written about my dislike of Asashoryu's antics, but even I am not so blinded by that to say all foreigners are to be banished. That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
You can't fight the future. Foreign rikishi are here to stay and that is a good thing for sumo. It will never cease being a Japanese sport, but hopefully the backward and xenophobic feelings towards foreign wrestlers will cease to exist.
In the end it is your choice to watch and support sumo; with or without Asashoryu. Please exercise that right if you must.
Why can't Japan impose a temperary moratorium on its own national sport...? There's no international governing body overseeing this JAPANESE past time !
What doesn't make sense is when a foreigner like yourself feels entitled to tell Japanese that their own national sport needs foreigners in order to stay alive, and that by refusing foreigners the sport would simply dry up. I'd say that's pretty arrogant if you ask me.
Well, when the entire country of Japan decides on what should be done to counter the terrible things that are going on in sumo, I'm sure we'll be informed immediately. Until then we have the Nihon Sumo Kyokai to decide the fate of sumo.
Furthermore, my status as an American has nothing to do with the validity of my arguments. Last time I checked your blog you were a foreigner as well. So if that is the case what makes you think your view is one that is shared by the majority of those who attend basho regularly? I can tell you that the majority of those people would laugh at your assertions. Even those among the older generation who are often prone to entertaining such foolish xenophobic thoughts as yours would argue against you.
I think your silly little ravings about "the soul of Japan" and other such antiquated "orientalist" views would fall under the same category of "foreigner crimes" that you are applying to me. In the end I'm just one guy who loves sumo and has had some really great experiences with other people who love sumo. You are just one person with quackish opinions and while you are free to express said opinions, that doesn't mean they are valid or even worth expressing in the first place.
fin
I'll tell you this much, if you think that just because the Japanese whisper little pleasantries into your ear just because you are foreigner, doesn't mean they are true. Most Japanese do share my point of view, that's why sumo is under so much scrutiny now...Think about it...
What's criminal is when you defend such criminals as the Russian wrestlers who were kicked out of the sport. They were smoking drugs and got caught by Japanese people, not me, but Japanese people, and now they want to sue and drag everybody else in....hahaha...So lame, almost like your rebuttal.
The Soul of Japan is the Soul of Japan. As a matter of fact my opinions are like a fire on your back that burns through you, that's why they are valid opinions, and not some novice little retort in defense of two people who willfully broke the law and paid the price.
In the end you get the sour bowl of grapes, I get the nihonshu, and the hot springs and through me people get an opportunity to really understand the soul of a nation.
Now you are just saying nonsense. I never stood up for those wrestlers and if you had read any of the posts on my blog you would know that.
I'm done with this on going chit chat. Clearly you are incapable of reasoned discourse.
Having looked at your other ridiculous websites, I'm starting to think you are either one of the following: 1. a Westerner who has a ridiculously tacky view of Japan. or 2. a Japanese person who has a penchant for nationalistic foolishness and has to hide behind a Western sounding name. Either way, you are a silly person.
"should be placed anywhere it should be placed with the Kyokai, which is made up entirely of former Japanese wrestlers" Fin
"Don't blame foreigners" in the sport for the mistakes of 3 complete idiots" Fin
These are all your words.
Clearly you are trying to remove the blame from the foreign wrestlers by accusing the Kyokai. For what ?
I was merely suggesting a "temporary ban" on foreign sumo wrestlers. For what it could be worth, it may help clean up sumo by educating foreign sumo wrestlers on proper sumo etiquette.
You have poor reading comprehension. The Kyokai is the governing body of sumo. Who else would be blamed for the supposed "downfall" of the sport? (Which was your argument to begin with) They are at the end of the ship. The governing body ought to take some of the blame as they have for the incidents that have come up.
As far as asking you to not blame all foreigner wrestlers for the actions of 3 bone heads, that speaks for itself. I also wrote this:
"The other three morons, all from the same area of the world, are gone and rightfully so."
Clearly, your reading comprehension leaves a lot to be desired. I sure hope you aren't teaching English.
Resorting to petty attacks will get you nowhere. It's often a sign when a person has been had. Face it, you have no argument against me. Those were your words that I quoted, not mine. Maybe you have weak cogitative skills, and or maybe you contradict yourself and are not aware of it.
Hahaha. I never contradicted myself.. That's the funny thing about all of this. It's 1:15 AM. Enjoy feeling as though you won "the game." I'm going to peace out.
Dirty foreigner infesting your precious Soul of Japan, over and OUT!
You means as "though" I won ?
That is exactly what I means.
"Enjoy feeling as though YOU won "the game." Fin...
These are your words Fin !