Urban legends

[ilovesumo 12]

True/False? Every japanese knows top sumo wrestlers.

For me false as the couple of japanese I have talked to about sumo were in difficulties with coming up with names of current top rikishes.

Sooo damn true...and they tell me it is strange that I like it so much that I can recognize most Sekitori from seeing their backside... (Enjoyable TV program...)

[Kotoku 0]

They do get the pretty girls though...

[Jakusotsu 4,993]

They do get the pretty girls though...

Yes, but not all of them! (Eh?)

[Guest heru]

Estonia has fjords

[hoshidango 0]

Tartastan is an island nation.

[Ossetian Yokozuna 1]

hoshidango -

Who do you mean?

[Ossetian Yokozuna 1]

hoshidango - Well, well, well ...

I undestend your joke.

( TATARSTAN is nation who living neer URALs mounteens. )

[Zenjimoto 39]

One that SEEMS to be a legend is that, rikishi have to retire once they lose too much hair to make a mage... I have seen strong disclaimers to this in this here forum, but have actually heard Musashimaru say that on the live NHK broadcast... so finally, which is it? (Laughing...)

[Takanobaka 0]

You guys should know that each man can be one for the right woman.

Impossible. There are millions of more men than women. Of course, after... (What? 75 years of age?) the roles are reversed. I, too, could have a harem if I lived to be 85. (Laughing...)

Is this the case in Japan / Finland / elsewhere? Worldwide I don't believe this is so, though I could be wrong due to certain practices in population-controlled countries. Historically, there were more men than women because so many women died in childbirth, but as medicine has advanced, the tables have generally turned, with there being more women than men because of men who die in combat. Also, for whatever odd statistically glitchy reason, slightly more women are born than men (probably because if someone's missing a chromosome, they'll be born a woman). In Russia and the former Soviet republics, women still outnumber men by nearly 30 million. In the US, women outnumber men by about 4 million. Take out India and China, where practices recently existed (or even still exist) to abort female fetuses more frequently than male ones, and the female population outnumbers the male population by a fairly great deal. Even Japan and Finland look pretty even to me...

[aderechelsea 107]

in case you don't believe Nishi .... (Laughing...)

[slt 8]

in case you don't believe Nishi .... :-)

... I would've preferred THIS to remain an "urban legend"...

(Laughing...) :-P

[Kotoseiya Yuichi 3]

Is this the case in Japan / Finland / elsewhere? Worldwide I don't believe this is so, though I could be wrong due to certain practices in population-controlled countries.

Over an extended period of time in a sufficiently large population there will always be more boys being borne than girls. The ratio fluctuates between 103 and 117 boys for every 100 girls. Undoubtedly you can find other figures but boys always outnumber girls, even more so at the time of conception but proportionally more male fetuses suffer miscarriages. Nature favours males, probably because boys and men are about to die younger anyway. Lately it's been reported that the male numbers are slightly diminishing, apparently because of the feminizing chemicals in our environment. Everything above refers to non-controlled situations. Abortions of female fetuses naturally skews the ratio further.

Historically, there were more men than women because so many women died in childbirth,

As men died in combat.

but as medicine has advanced, the tables have generally turned, with there being more women than men because of men who die in combat.

Thankfully not nearly as many men die now in combat.

Also, for whatever odd statistically glitchy reason, slightly more women are born than men (probably because if someone's missing a chromosome, they'll be born a woman).

X0 women are statistically insignificant. According to CIA statistics there's not a single nation where newborn girls outnumber their brothers.

In Russia and the former Soviet republics, women still outnumber men by nearly 30 million.

The same in Finland. The loss of 85 000 men in WWII in a nation of three million can still be seen although not for long any more.

In the US, women outnumber men by about 4 million. Take out India and China, where practices recently existed (or even still exist) to abort female fetuses more frequently than male ones, and the female population outnumbers the male population by a fairly great deal. Even Japan and Finland look pretty even to me...

True, women outnumber men in industrialized countries because women live longer. In Finland I think the difference is about eight years. It's likely to be somewhat less in other comparable countries for reasons I won't go here.

Since Ilovesumo's original comment referred to the age group where the couple formation is common, I think it's safe for me to say that bachelors are created by the nature for some odd purpose. One man in 25 or 30 is a superfluous creature in this regard. So when someone asks me (thankfully not many do so any more at this age; I'm probably assumed to be homosexual) why am I a bachelor, I answer that mathematically someone has to be. Most don't understand the answer, though. :-P

In less than 50 years in my age group there will be about seven ladies to each man. Then again, who cares any more... (Laughing...)

[Zenjimoto 39]

One that SEEMS to be a legend is that, rikishi have to retire once they lose too much hair to make a mage... I have seen strong disclaimers to this in this here forum, but have actually heard Musashimaru say that on the live NHK broadcast... so finally, which is it? B-)

Azumazeki Beya has a completely bald rikishi so that puts that one to bed.

Right, that's why I was so shocked to hear Musashimaru himself say it in the NHK broadcast, when he was asked that exact question (IIRC, when Hakurozan was on the Dohyo, and that obvious topic came up) :-P

[Shibouyama 1]

One that SEEMS to be a legend is that, rikishi have to retire once they lose too much hair to make a mage... I have seen strong disclaimers to this in this here forum, but have actually heard Musashimaru say that on the live NHK broadcast... so finally, which is it? (Clapping wildly...)

I've heard this from my Japanese students, as well.

Another myth might be that Japanese know more about sumo than non-Japanese.

or maybe not.

(In a state of confusion...)

[sumofan 6]

One that SEEMS to be a legend is that, rikishi have to retire once they lose too much hair to make a mage... I have seen strong disclaimers to this in this here forum, but have actually heard Musashimaru say that on the live NHK broadcast... so finally, which is it? (Dohyo-iri...)

I've heard this from my Japanese students, as well.

Another myth might be that Japanese know more about sumo than non-Japanese.

or maybe not.

(Dohyo-iri...)

I once sat next to a Japanese guy in an airplane, and we talked a bit about Sumo and martial arts in general. He watched sumo from time to time, just like me. The only difference is that I visit the Sumo forum, while he didn't.

As a result, I knew more trivia than he, thanks to all of you guys / gals

(Dohyo-iri...)

[Torideyama 21]

Having read the entire thread today for the first time, here are my thoughts.

On butt wiping and such, there was just way too much information provided on that topic.

On bald rikishi, does anyone know the sumotori's name in the picture? And what is his story? He looks like a recovered cancer patient. I had a friend in Alaska who had been out of chemotherapy for years, and still looked like this guy.

On Yokozuna's retiring after two losses. I find that the few people that I meet here in Georgia (USA) who know ANYTHING about sumo wrestling, do not understand the banzuke rankings, and the fact that a tournament is made up of 15 bouts (as opposed to each match standing on its own merits, as in boxing). And winning a basho does not make you, "Grand Champion".

Just my 2 cents.

Edited September 27, 2006 by Torideyama

[Yubiquitoyama 4]

On bald rikishi, does anyone know the sumotori's name in the picture? And what is his story? He looks like a recovered cancer patient. I had a friend in Alaska who had been out of chemotherapy for years, and still looked like this guy.

The rikishi in question is Taikoumaru.

Try this thread.

And everyone from the Nordic region doesn't hate Asashoryu. Dislike might be a better word... (In a state of confusion...)

Edited September 27, 2006 by Yubiquitoyama

[kawika 123]

Wow, the testicle myth is kind of cool, reminds me of the one about gay strippers, but i don't think the ass wiping is a myth, and perhaps is it not because he can't reach his butthole, but because he has a tsukebito who has to do that kind of, pun intended, shit.

[kawika 123]

True/False? Every japanese knows top sumo wrestlers.

For me false as the couple of japanese I have talked to about sumo were in difficulties with coming up with names of current top rikishes.

FALSE.

Heck, most of them have never been to Kokugikan!

[Randomitsuki 2,548]

I just read an interview with the fitness coach of the German soccer team.

He recommended taking six light meals a day. To prove this claim he stated something along the lines of: "Take sumo wrestlers as an example. In order to gain weight, they only eat one meal a day".

Fact or fiction?

[Kaikitsune Makoto 189]

He recommended taking six light meals a day. To prove this claim he stated something along the lines of: "Take sumo wrestlers as an example. In order to gain weight, they only eat one meal a day".

Fact or fiction?

Fiction for sure. They would get very hungry otherwise. Depends a bit on what is meant by "meal" but at least in some heya they actually prepare a lighter evening meal at the heya and many sekitori eat out. Also no doubt there are plenty of snacks. In rikishi's case it is also vital to get protein also in the evening so muscles get their fuel.

Light meals principle is just simple logic of not giving the body an excess amount of foodstuff at once so it won't boost the conversion to fats processes to maximum. If you eat a massive amount of food, fat conversion goes to full steam. When a forum member X goes on couch potato mode and consumes a big bag of potato chips, that is the ultimate way to boost fat conversion and fat intake into fat cells as insuline goes high and brings also fat inside the cells.