What the...

[Peterao 3]

That was the first time I have ever seen NHK end their broadcast in the middle of a yusho interview! Has NHK lost the ability to run over a little bit on a sumo broadcast? I was shocked that they wouldn't air the conclusion of the interview for Harumafuji's first yusho.

[madorosumaru 7]

NHK did Harumafuji a big favor. The poor guy had "stage fright" and could hardly utter a coherent word. We knew his Japanese was mediocre at best but it was downright embarrassing. I was watching the stream and was cringing throughout the ordeal.

[Sasanishiki 57]

I was watching the stream so I'm not sure where NHK cut off. However, while he was lost for words for a lot of it, he at least found his tongue towards the end.

[Takamizawa 0]

NHK did Harumafuji a big favor. The poor guy had "stage fright" and could hardly utter a coherent word. We knew his Japanese was mediocre at best but it was downright embarrassing. I was watching the stream and was cringing throughout the ordeal.

I thought it was rather endearing to be honest (Sign of approval...)

[ilovesumo 12]

Well, he can speak well if he is not Yusho-interviewed.

Must have been shaking all over.

I cannot even say my name in front of some Oyakata (Sign of approval...)

[Peterao 3]

I do agree that what I heard of the interview was cringe inducing. I'll go as far as to say that, regardless of his record, Harumafuji should not be promoted to Yokozuna until he can at least learn enough Japanese to understand the questions of a yusho interview.

EDIT: OK, perhaps I didn't give enough credit to the emotion of the moment. I'll wait for the nightly news interviews, after which he should have had some time to compose himself, to pass judgement on his interview abilities.

Edited May 24, 2009 by Peterao

[ilovesumo 12]

I do agree that what I heard of the interview was cringe inducing. I'll go as far as to say that, regardless of his record, Harumafuji should not be promoted to Yokozuna until he can at least learn enough Japanese to understand the questions of a yusho interview.

He understood. The one question if the interviewer could repeat that - was due to the noise.

Then asked about how he feels winning this while his mom was in the hall - emotions broke loose.

I would have cried and said:"mama, I love you" (Sign of approval...)

Edited May 24, 2009 by ilovesumo

[Takamizawa 0]

It's not like the questions the interviewers ask are ever insightful or earthshaking. Just seeing the emotion and happiness is good by me.

[kame 0]

Yah, they should have broadcasted the whole thing, he thanked everyone and it sounded sincere. While his Japanese wasn't good at all, it's a fact that accents go off under stress. Just imagine the intensity of his emotions... After so much work. Remember when they first put a mic to Asa after his hatsu yusho? His voice was gone, and it wasn't because he was winded. It was a good interview.

[Kintamayama 47,412]

I do agree that what I heard of the interview was cringe inducing. I'll go as far as to say that, regardless of his record, Harumafuji should not be promoted to Yokozuna until he can at least learn enough Japanese to understand the questions of a yusho interview.

EDIT: OK, perhaps I didn't give enough credit to the emotion of the moment. I'll wait for the nightly news interviews, after which he should have had some time to compose himself, to pass judgement on his interview abilities.

Who gives a #$%% about anyone's accent or knowledge of Japanese when he's just had his greatest career moment ever? Be happy for him and give him some leeway... yeah, the Kyokai shouldn't promote him to Yokozuna till he passes his BAFTA..

Geez Pete, give it a break already. Pass judgement indeed.

[sekihiryu 51]

FWIW 5 years ago in this thread whose Japanese is best?

Amanogawa (a Japanese lady) and Mark Buckton ( know it all (Sign of approval...) ) both said Harumafuji's Japanese was decent and that was 5 years ago, .....can't imagine it has gotten worse. Interview your average gold medal winner at the Olympics in their native tongue and they are speechless. Cut the guy some slack FCS!....Thats all I have to say about that ..(Forrest Gump)

[Asashosakari 20,310]

If anyone's interested: Yusho interview from the webstream

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

Baseball games get cut here all the time for the regularly scheduled programming. The six o'clock new is sacrosanct.

[Asameshimae 220]

Nothing, but nothing stops NHK from it's regularly scheduled programming. I have been amazed at what they'll cut off. And they don't have to worry about pissing anyone off, cuz they are state owned and public funded. Did Haruama really talked about his dad after the cutoff. I will definitely have to check that out.

[Asameshimae 220]

Nothing, but nothing stops NHK from it's regularly scheduled programming. I have been amazed at what they'll cut off. And they don't have to worry about pissing anyone off, cuz they are state owned and public funded. Did Haruama really talked about his dad after the cutoff. I will definitely have to check that out.

Nah, I watched the link someone provided. He thanked the kyokai, fans, his mom and dad who bore him; but he didn't say anything specific about his dad. I love the guy, but having taken a long listen his Japanese is kind of, tekitou, a little hit and miss.

[Asashosakari 20,310]

Hey, that's two people who've referred to me as "someone" in the last couple of hours, looks like I've got my next inter-basho tagline.

[Asameshimae 220]

Hey, that's two people who've referred to me as "someone" in the last couple of hours, looks like I've got my next inter-basho tagline.

At least you're somebody, eh?

Edited May 24, 2009 by Asanomeshi

[Kofuji 0]

Hey, that's two people who've referred to me as "someone" in the last couple of hours, looks like I've got my next inter-basho tagline.

Hey, better than what I get ... I'm thinking of changing my name to "nobody" ... seems like at least once a week someone sticks his or her head into the office I share when I happen to to be the only one here and mutters "nobody's here" then wanders off ... My colleague has been here about 10 years longer than I have and is a bit of fixture but is lately at least 1/2 time somewhere else. Today I decided to quit answering his phone after being hung up on for the third time today after running over to pick it up.

Edited May 24, 2009 by Kofuji

[Orion 431]

Nothing, but nothing stops NHK from it's regularly scheduled programming. I have been amazed at what they'll cut off.

In fact it quite often happens that NHK extends the sumo by two minutes if the final bout is still happening -- but no longer. Probably the providers outside Japan make the cut on the dot, however.

Orion

[Harry 67]

NHK cuts into sumo programming all the time for "breaking news" on swing flu, speeches by politicians, etc. Today it seems they didn't let the sumo go on at all. I suppose the extra half hour normally alotted for the hoisting of trophies is usually enough but with even a single kettei-sen match, it was too short. What would have happened if Harumafuji and Hakuho had lost and they'd needed matches with Asa and Kise too???

[Peterao 3]

EDIT: OK, perhaps I didn't give enough credit to the emotion of the moment. I'll wait for the nightly news interviews, after which he should have had some time to compose himself, to pass judgement on his interview abilities.

Well, his NHK News interview wasn't great, but it was a heck of a lot better than his yusho interview. I guess with Asashoryu and Hakuho already on board, what he's got now is good enough to get by as a yokozuna.