So I was watching the sumo today (only two days left to go now), and really looking forward to the Takanohana/Chiyotaikai match. Chiyotaikai is pushing to get the Yokozuna title, and every win is important (including the whole tournament championship).
These are two very strong, very popular rikishi. Takanohana is on of the greatest Yokozuna of the past 20 (maybe even more) years
…but he steps to the side at the start.
Chiyotaikai nearly goes completely flying off the dohyo (the raised platform that the ring is on), manages to turn around and give Takanohana the BEST “WTF?” look I’ve ever seen before getting back into the bout. But the damage was done. He was rattled and lost.
WHAT the HECK was Takanohana thinking? I don’t care how long he’s been out nursing a sore leg, a Yokozuna just doesn’t do henka (the jumping to the side thing). I was stunned and terribly disappointed. My estimation of Takanohana has fallen dramatically.
Are there any other sumo fans out there who feel the same way?
I saw that too. I wasn’t that disappointed, though–I like to see an occasional win by means other than mass and brute force. That particular move can be very effective, sometimes resulting in a 1-second bout.
Still, I see what you mean; it somehow doesn’t seem quite right for a yokozuna. I sort of felt the same way about the way Ali beat Foreman in Zaire. (Jeez–was that almost 30 years ago?) I mean, Ali beat him fair and square. He didn’t break any rules, he just took the blows while Foreman exhausted himself. Then when Foreman was just about ready to fall down on his own, Ali knocked him down. Ali won, but he didn’t really outbox Foreman. He didn’t put on the show that people expect to see from a champion.
Oh, sorry. It’s a sumo thread. (Boxing and sumo are about the only sports I can get interested in.) Anyway, another surprise I got today was watching Musashimaru get toppled. He also had a sort of “WTF?” look, as he fell.
I watched a documentary on Sumo once. The narrator was an American living in Japan who got as caught up in the popularity of it as the natives. He did little profiles on each of the big names and showed how they were glorified and merchandized.
What was interesting was that Sumo had recently started to allow foreigners to compete, and I’m wondering how that’s going over. In one match they showed, the American competitor won because he started slapping his opponent and chased him out of the ring. Good ol’ American exploitation at work.
I love watching the sport on the infrequent occassions that Sumo Digest appears on ESPN2. My favorite competitor is Musashimaru, but I think that’s because he looks like the Peter Clemenza character from The Godfather.
I watch sumo whenever I’m in Japan – it’s strangely addictive. I’m disappointed to be missing it! Here’s an English Sumo site for those who’re interested.
Tsubaki, Takanohana should know better. Definitely not cricket.
And, Captain, Yokozuna Akebono (Chad Rowan) is who you are thinking of, the only American Sumo Grand Champion.
I watched sumo all the time when I was a high-schooler at ASIJ in 1985-87; what an incredible sport.
Is Chiyonofuji, aka The Wolf, still competing? What about Konishiki, the 500-pound Samoan? I used to hear something about him every now and then. Is he the American Yokozuna who retired in 2001 that Captain Amazing was referring to?
Chiyonofuji has retired, and become Kokonoe Oyakata (or “stable master”, very roughly translated). He is also one of the chief judges for the sumo bouts. He is still a very good looking guy! One of his protege is the formerly mentioned Chiyotaikai.
Konishiki retired a couple of years ago, and has become an entertainer under the name Konishiki. He hasn’t lost much (if any) weight. Actually, I was surprised to hear on the broadcast yesterday that The Moose (Musashimaru) actually weighs MORE than Konishiki now. But he carries it a hell of a lot better. He is the heaviest Yokozuna ever. Konishiki never became Yokozuna…the highest he ever reached was Ozeki (the next level down).
Although foreigners are competing, AFAIK they are expected to take out Japanese citizenship once they reach the professional ranks. So technically Konishiki, the former Akebono, and Musashimaru aren’t American, they are Japanese. There are a number of Mongolian-born rikishi at the moment too, the most noticable at the moment being Asashouryu, the new Ozeki.
I lived in Tokyo for two years and was able to go to the sumo basho twice. Each experience was fantastic, full of fun and excitement and a few beers as well.
At the time the crowd favourite was Mitoizumi. The way he threw a large handful of purifying salt into the air always got the crowd going.
I was fortunate enough to see Akebono perform the special yokuzuna ceremony because the Emperor showed up that day!
And Wartime Consigliori, I enjoyed watching Sumo Digest as well.
If someone visits Japan I recommend they catch a sumo match if possible. You won’t be disappointed.
Ahh, I wish I could (have) watch(ed) our locol boys (Konishiki, Akebono and Musashimaru are all from Hawaii. And there was another one from the 60s whose name I don’t know) but NGN is a pay channel. But “Go Musashimaru!”
I haven’t heard anything about our next wrestler though. Shame really. It was a blast have 3 competitors to root for at once.
I’m disappointed to be missing it! Here’s an English 
Definitely not cricket.