Amamaniac 1,261 Posted July 29 Hakuho, back when he was "audacious"! https://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0006702781 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gaijingai 472 Posted August 4 Terunifuji Interview http://www.asahi.com/sp/ajw/articles/13603476 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gaijingai 472 Posted August 5 John Gunning re: Terunofuji https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2020/08/05/sumo/terunofuji-comback/ 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryafuji 536 Posted August 7 This was from last month, looking at 50 year-old Hanakaze, also features Ichinoya: http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/13523950 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
code_number3 328 Posted August 12 Nishikifuji by @John Gunning https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2020/08/12/sumo/nishikifuji-juryo-promotion/ 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kaminariyuki 228 Posted August 12 3 hours ago, code_number3 said: Nishikifuji by @John Gunning https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2020/08/12/sumo/nishikifuji-juryo-promotion/ I do enjoy reading John's tales, particularly engaging since he's been in the ranks himself. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gaijingai 472 Posted August 13 Outstanding article on the Mongolian wrestlers!! Make sure to read it! https://thediplomat.com/2020/08/mongolias-sumo-champions/ 2 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gaijingai 472 Posted August 14 Hiro Morita reviews the past basho. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/backstories/1252/ 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John Gunning 3,013 Posted August 19 Article is here 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tigerboy1966 231 Posted August 19 58 minutes ago, John Gunning said: I don't know where Simon is from but Siddall is a North-to-North-West English name. We gave the world Cumberland Wrestling, Westmorland Wrestling, Catch-as-catch-can Wrestling and the elusive Lancashire martial art of Ecky Thump . AND most importantly, I once tied for first place in Jason's competition back in 2015. It's a roses and black pudding thing: you might not understand. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yamanashi 1,088 Posted August 19 3 hours ago, John Gunning said: Article is here Great article as always, John ! Two comments: 1) When I read that Doreen Simmons had predated Strange and Watson, I had the image of a raptor hunting down and killing a rabbit. Hadn't noticed that language quirk before. 2) Centuries from now, when historical details inevitably get muddled, will Hakuho be known as the Pandaazuma of live Sumo? 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John Gunning 3,013 Posted August 26 I wrote a bit about Hakuho and Hokuseiho 4 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yamanashi 1,088 Posted August 27 4 hours ago, John Gunning said: I wrote a bit about Hakuho and Hokuseiho John, I've been thinking about whether Sumo will follow the history of American Football. Linemen used to be big fat guys (w/o diapers) whose job was to get in the way of running backs. Now linemen are big w/o so much fat and more muscled, but significantly faster. They have taken over the NFL. I kind of think of Hakuho this way: tall enough, able to put on weight and still be panther-fast, with a toolbelt full of moves. Does the new kid seem that way, or is he just big? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jakusotsu 3,361 Posted August 27 8 hours ago, John Gunning said: I wrote a bit about Hakuho and Hokuseiho "It’d be naive to imagine that for a man who has adapted his ring-entering ceremony over the years to honor various historical yokozuna, the idea of “Hakuho Dojo” persisting well into the next century hasn’t occurred to the Mongolian veteran." That's news to me. Did you mention it in a previous article? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gaijingai 472 Posted September 2 Sumo and health: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2020/09/02/sumo/sumo-health/ 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shinobi Steve 41 Posted September 2 2 hours ago, Gaijingai said: Sumo and health: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2020/09/02/sumo/sumo-health/ That was a good article with some very good points about health concerns. The constant theme throughout the article was that change needs to happen at the heya level. I haven’t followed sumo for very long. I’ve noticed that many of the oyakata seem, outwardly at least, not to be in the best health. So, I’m just pessimistic about any change in attitudes toward health within many of the heya. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kaninoyama 502 Posted September 2 12 hours ago, Gaijingai said: Sumo and health: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2020/09/02/sumo/sumo-health/ Enjoyed the article but was surprised at this: "That’s mostly a result of an open-door policy, where pretty much any Japanese male under the age of 23 who wants to become a rikishi can do so." Is this true? I had always assumed that there was some sort of screening process to assess whether recruits have the potential to make it as a rikishi. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ethixz 1 Posted September 2 12 hours ago, Gaijingai said: Sumo and health: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2020/09/02/sumo/sumo-health/ outstanding article :) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eikokurai 1,984 Posted September 3 (edited) 1 hour ago, Kaninoyama said: Enjoyed the article but was surprised at this: "That’s mostly a result of an open-door policy, where pretty much any Japanese male under the age of 23 who wants to become a rikishi can do so." Is this true? I had always assumed that there was some sort of screening process to assess whether recruits have the potential to make it as a rikishi. The process seems to be mostly “Are you alive?” Given Hattorizakura made it in, I assume they must check closely for a pulse to answer this as he shows no visible signs of life. Edited September 3 by Eikokurai 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kaninoyama 502 Posted September 3 43 minutes ago, Eikokurai said: The process seems to be mostly “Are you alive?” Given Hattorizakura made it in, I assume they must check closely for a pulse to answer this as he shows no visible signs of life. Jokes aside, although the article mentions that even the hapless rikishi are assets to the heya as what amounts to slave-labor, there are also costs involved in feeding and housing them. At what point does cost outweigh the benefit? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yamanashi 1,088 Posted September 3 1 hour ago, Kaninoyama said: Jokes aside, although the article mentions that even the hapless rikishi are assets to the heya as what amounts to slave-labor, there are also costs involved in feeding and housing them. At what point does cost outweigh the benefit? Several of our posters (including me) have asked what is the per-rikishi allowance the oyakata receives from the NSK. Still mysterious (though whatever it is, I think it's been reduced by 10% due to these Difficult Times® ). 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eikokurai 1,984 Posted September 3 7 hours ago, Kaninoyama said: Jokes aside, although the article mentions that even the hapless rikishi are assets to the heya as what amounts to slave-labor, there are also costs involved in feeding and housing them. At what point does cost outweigh the benefit? It’s an interesting economics question. For someone like Hattorizakura who probably doesn’t eat much, there’s probably more value having him around for the housekeeping than not. For someone like Orora, who never earned a salary but consumed the food of four men every day, I can’t imagine what the benefit is. I suppose you can’t kick someone out for eating you out of pocket though. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gaijingai 472 Posted September 8 https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/09/31174fe35894-sumo-portrait-of-former-yokozuna-chiyonofuji-displayed-at-station.html 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
code_number3 328 Posted September 9 https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2020/09/09/sumo/sumo-coronavirus/ Sumo would benefit from picking up tips from other sports BY JOHN GUNNING 1 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
