Mongolian FG kicks everybody's ass

[FG Lurker]

Hopefully. I don't want to watch him making a buffoon of himself on K-1 like Akebono.

Or doing kids TV shows like Konishiki.

I don't see anything wrong with the stuff Konishiki's doing.

It's better than K1... But it's not very "Sumo-like" either. Yah, that's a vague and fucked up thing to say, but I think you understand what I am trying to say.

To me it stinks of wanting a Japanese Yokozuna.

Well you don't need a Ph.D. in Niponomics from Waseda to figure that out.

One thing that has been bothering me about sumo lately is that fans have such a hard on for throwing their zabuton onto the dojo. They do it for no damn reason.

Beats me... I don't pay too much attention to all the extra bits, just to the fights.

[cstaylor]

I would like to see blows to the face banned from Sumo...

8O I can't agree with that. The best thing about sumo is how violent it is.

Sumo isn't PRIDE or K-1. If you want to watch bloodsports, watch those. It's about throws, trick grips, and feints. Blows to the head just show how unskilled a rikishi is, or that he's going to cheat.

What do you have against Chiyotaikai?

He's a one-trick wrestler. Can you show me a recent match where he doesn't tsuppari his opponent out of the dohyo? He mainly goes for his opponent's face too, so it makes for very boring sumo.

Huh? I don't think any honest sumo fan could think anyone comes close to Asashoryu these days. They may not like it but those are the lumps.

That's my point: the people who fund sumo don't like it, and at least from my limited exposure they don't like him either. Akebono and Musashimaru faced the same issues, but at least they were personable.

Hopefully. I don't want to watch him making a buffoon of himself on K-1 like Akebono.

IIRC, Asashoryu's brother already does professional wrestling, so that'd be bad form to step into the same line of work.

Hey, do you know if there's any good book about gaijin sumos (like You Gotta Have Wa) or even a good book about sumo in general?

Sure, the book I first read was "The Big Book of Sumo"

[cstaylor]

I like Kaio, think he's a good wrestler.

But I really have to wonder: If Kaio was the sole Yokozuna right now and Asashoryu was the struggling Ozeki... Does anyone actually think that the Sumo Association would be even considering promoting him?

To me it stinks of wanting a Japanese Yokozuna.

Bingo. If hard-core paying sumo fans want a Japanese Yokozuna, the association will do everything it can to get one promoted.

Conversely, if patrons funding sumo wanted a foreign Yokozuna, the association would make sure that happened as well. Think of Sumo as a large welfare state, where your ticket prices go for paying all of the salaries of present and some past wrestlers. If the people buying the expensive seats, supporting the stables, commissioning the kesho-mawashi are upset that there are no strong Japanese wrestlers, a lot of people could be in financial trouble.

[cstaylor]

One thing that has been bothering me about sumo lately is that fans have such a hard on for throwing their zabuton onto the dojo. They do it for no damn reason.

It's very bad manners to do so, but they usually do it when Asashoryu loses a key match.

[FG Lurker]

If the people buying the expensive seats, supporting the stables, commissioning the kesho-mawashi are upset that there are no strong Japanese wrestlers, a lot of people could be in financial trouble.

There is no doubt about this.

Promoting a not-strong-enough wrestler (Kaio) to Yokozuna won't fix this problem though. Increasing his rank won't suddenly make him a stronger wrestler and thus placate the high-paying sumo supporters.

[Steve Bildermann]

Promoting a not-strong-enough wrestler (Kaio) to Yokozuna won't fix this problem though. Increasing his rank won't suddenly make him a stronger wrestler and thus placate the high-paying sumo supporters.

However that small consideration has never stopped the money machine promoting whoever they think will pull in the loot. Promotion followed by a 'miraculous' improvement in wins is pretty much business as usual for the Sumo Kyokai.

[cstaylor]

However that small consideration has never stopped the money machine promoting whoever they think will pull in the loot. Promotion followed by a 'miraculous' improvement in wins is pretty much business as usual for the Sumo Kyokai.

I wonder who it will be. I like Kaio too, but I've gotten the impression that he doesn't want to be Yokozuna. I think he likes things just the way they are.

[AssKissinger]

he doesn't want to be Yokozuna

That I cannot believe. Only a fucking pansy athlete wouldn't want to be a champion. Kaio didn't make it to Ozeki by being the type to settle for second best. How did you get that impression?

[Mulboyne]

Back around 1986/7 I remember there was a Yokozuna drought and they promoted a relatively novice wrestler to top rank. Almost immediately, he began losing alarmingly and there was speculation he would have to retire. He solved the problem for them by beating up his stable-owner's wife and getting thrown out of sumo. He then went on to a so-so career in pro-wrestling. And I can't recall his name...anyone remember?

[Mike Oxlong]

Futahaguro.

[Steve Bildermann]

That I cannot believe. Only a fucking pansy athlete wouldn't want to be a champion. Kaio didn't make it to Ozeki by being the type to settle for second best. How did you get that impression?

Strictly speaking Ozeki is the highest sumo rank with Yokozuna being a specially awarded title.

Remember that after a losing streak you don't go down from Yokozuna to Ozeki you have to retire but a Ozeki can bounce around the ranks after being an Ozeki and possibly be re-promoted, it has happened.

In terms of maintaining a long career (and a long earning potential) many wrestlers are very happy to sit it out at Ozeki.

The best example of this was the 70's Takanohana (father of Waka and Taka no hana) who was never promoted higher than Ozeki but retired the richest earner from Sumo ever. Then both his sons were promoted to Yokozuna,

Now who'd have thunk such a nice coincidence like that would happen.

[cstaylor]

Remember that after a losing streak you don't go down from Yokozuna to Ozeki you have to retire but a Ozeki can bounce around the ranks after being an Ozeki and possibly be re-promoted, it has happened.

In terms of maintaining a long career (and a long earning potential) many wrestlers are very happy to sit it out at Ozeki.

Exactly. The pressures of being a Yokozuna, especially the sole Japanese Yokozuna, are enormous. AK, have you been listening to the coverage of Kaio during the tournament? Kaio normally loses a few matches early in the tournament (one reason he's not a Yokozuna), but they are magnified a bazillion times this tournament because paying Sumo fans want a Japanese Yokozuna very very badly

[ramchop]

That would be best, but IIRC Asashoryu made Yokozuna without defeating a single Ozeki (everyone was out with injuries).

Not quite true, though I always thought Musoyama was useless

1 and 2

[AssKissinger]

Strictly speaking Ozeki is the highest sumo rank with Yokozuna being a specially awarded title.

I didn't know that. Thanks.

Remember that after a losing streak you don't go down from Yokozuna to Ozeki you have to retire

Yeah, but if they lose a couple they just drop out with an injury. Btw, from the look of the bandages on Kaio's shoulders let me make a bold prediction: Kaio will drop out before the end of this basho.

It's very bad manners to do so, but they usually do it when Asashoryu loses a key match.

Towards the end of his last basho they were doing it at the end of all his fights. In a Time article they wrote it's a protest against a Yokozuno losing but I think it's just something they tend to do when a Yokozuno loses. Not really a protest. And recently they even do it when Asashoryu wins a big win. Oh well.

I paid attention to Chiyotaikai today and he really was bitch slapping the Hell out of his opponent's face. He lost anyway.

[Mulboyne]

Yeah, but if they lose a couple they just drop out with an injury.

That's almost compulsory to prevent a Yokozuna from racking up a embarrassing record but he isn't allowed to sit out for long. The Sumo Council let Takanohana rest for a long time but, eventually, they demanded that he show up which hastened his retirement because he still wasn't on top form. That was part of the problem with Futahaguro (thanks for the name, Mike), he couldn't post a decent record but he couldn't just sit out so a forced retirement was looming.

[AssKissinger]

That's almost compulsory to prevent a Yokozuna from racking up a embarrassing record

They way I understand it, if a Yokozuna has just one losing record he must retire. Is that correct?

[cstaylor]

That would be best, but IIRC Asashoryu made Yokozuna without defeating a single Ozeki (everyone was out with injuries).

Not quite true, though I always thought Musoyama was useless

1 and 2

He only had to beat a wrestler of the same caliber twice to make Yokozuna, so that's pretty much it. I can't honestly say if he'd be treated better if he had beaten Takanohana, but my guess is not.

[cstaylor]

That's almost compulsory to prevent a Yokozuna from racking up a embarrassing record

They way I understand it, if a Yokozuna has just one losing record he must retire. Is that correct?

I can't imagine a Yokozuna losing more than three matches and not pulling out with an injury.

[cstaylor]

Yeah, but if they lose a couple they just drop out with an injury. Btw, from the look of the bandages on Kaio's shoulders let me make a bold prediction: Kaio will drop out before the end of this basho.

I will take that bet. What's the wager?

Kaio gets injured all the time, and I'm making a guess (this is just conjecture) that he's not really injured... maybe just some face saving.

If he loses any more matches before going kachi koshi (at least 8 wins), he may pull out due to injury, but why retire? He still has a winning record, so why not make as much money as possible? He will still be Ozeki next tournament even if he's got a losing record this time.

[AssKissinger]

I will take that bet. What's the wager?

If you win I'll use no profanity at all on FG for a month and if I win you have to carry my band's web address in your signature for one month... How about that?

[cstaylor]

I will take that bet. What's the wager?

If you win I'll use no profanity at all on FG for a month and if I win you have to carry my band's web address in your signature for one month... How about that?

You got it, that's a bet.

[Mulboyne]

If he loses any more matches before going kachi koshi (at least 8 wins), he may pull out due to injury, but why retire?

You guys had better be clear on the bet. I think AK is saying Kaio will pull out of this basho, not retire from sumo

[cstaylor]

If he loses any more matches before going kachi koshi (at least 8 wins), he may pull out due to injury, but why retire?

You guys had better be clear on the bet. I think AK is saying Kaio will pull out of this basho, not retire from sumo

That's a good point. I'll carry the address if Kaio pulls out with injury, and if he doesn't AK has to refrain from swearing for a month.

[AssKissinger]

If he loses any more matches before going kachi koshi (at least 8 wins), he may pull out due to injury, but why retire?

You guys had better be clear on the bet. I think AK is saying Kaio will pull out of this basho, not retire from sumo

Oh that's right Mulboyne, I don't mean retire. That would be an even bolder prediction. I should have read what taylor wrote more closely. I don't think Kaio's gonna retire. I'm just sayin I think he's already started malingering and is gearing up to quit this basho.

[AssKissinger]

If he loses any more matches before going kachi koshi (at least 8 wins), he may pull out due to injury, but why retire?

You guys had better be clear on the bet. I think AK is saying Kaio will pull out of this basho, not retire from sumo

That's a good point. I'll carry the address if Kaio pulls out with injury, and if he doesn't AK has to refrain from swearing for a month.

OK! Thanks for being a good sport about it.

[cstaylor]

OK! Thanks for being a good sport about it.

If I win, I'll have to employ the other moderators to swat you whenever you utter vulgarities.

[cstaylor]

Okay, you've won. Kaio is absent starting today.

What shall my new signature block say?

[AssKissinger]

Okay, you've won. Kaio is absent starting today.

What shall my new signature block say?

Like this, please: Check out AK's awesome folk band, CanneryRow, here http://www.soundclick.com/bands/2/canneryrowmusic.htm

[AssKissinger]

Well, it's only Friday and Asashoryu has already won the whole tourney.

The announcers didn't make any mention of it but I think after the victory he gave Wakanosato an unnecessary shove. It looked unsportsmanlike to me. Did anyone else notice that?

[cstaylor]

The announcers didn't make any mention of it but I think after the victory he gave Wakanosato an unnecessary shove. It looked unsportsmanlike to me. Did anyone else notice that?

Supposedly Asashoryu is not a nice person, but I can't imagine enduring Sumo life as a foreigner would improve on an already sour personality. I've never met him, so it's all hearsay from other wrestlers' stories.