You only appreciate it when it's gone

[rhino 0]

This may just be me, since I'm pretty new to sumo (2 years now), but I've been having surprisingly mixed feelings about this new challenge to Asashoryu's supremacy. The whole time I've been watching sumo, I've wanted Asashoryu to lose in virtually every bout he's fought, and I've been dying to see a second yokozuna on the banzuke. But now suddenly, when he looks fallible and doesn't always fight the musubi-no-ichiban, it just feels wrong! I find myself longing for the indestructible Asashoryu who win tournaments so easily it was boring. I miss the sheer awesomeness that seemed to cause his opponents to melt down before they even started fighting. What the hell is going on when Aminishiki beats him twice in a row? What does Hakuho think he's doing fighting last? Why am I no longer shocked when he loses?

So from wanting Asashoryu to lose at every turn, I now want to see him kick the crap out of everyone, like the "good old days". Everyone except Kotomitsuki, that is- SURELY he can beat Asashoryu one of these days!

On the other hand, this is probably just because Asa is the only yokozuna I've ever known "first-hand". Also, it's pretty awesome having a shiranui yokozuna who might actually win a lot of yusho. And also, Asa might still be injured, so here's hoping for a return to form.

(Dohyo-iri...) (Dohyo-iri...)

[Koneko 0]

Post deleted.

(I'll never drink and post again.)

Excuse me while I go kill myself. (Dohyo-iri...)

Edited July 14, 2007 by Koneko

[Kotonosato 1]

I think you're just not used to seeing two healthy yokozuna up there at the same time.

I've been following sumo for about 8 or 9 years, but the bashos in which more than one yokozuna have been able to compete at the same time has been unbelievably low during this period.

I think over the next couple of years, after seeing many really exciting last matches and playoffs on Day 15, we'll get used to it. In fact, we'll wonder how we ever stayed interested in sumo during the recent dark ages.

[sildan 0]

I too have only really been following sumo in what we might term "Asashoryu's era", but no withdrawal here! In these new times, we will have experiences that we only have heard about in the past, like not being sure who's going to win the yusho by day four. I can hardly wait for the first Yokozuna-Yokozuna bout that I will get to watch as it goes down. Here's hoping for a kettei-sen! It is new and different and not quite normal yet, but very very exciting!

Yes, the past is nice, but the future holds so much opportunity.