RabidJohn 1,837 Posted March 16, 2016 Hello all! I got into Sumo when C4 showed it in the UK in the late eighties and early nineties, and I went to all five days of the London Basho at the Royal Albert Hall in October 1991 to watch the likes of Hokutoumi, Asashifuji, Kirishima, Konishiki, Akebono, Terao, Takatoriki, Mainoumi... I lost touch with Sumo after C4 lost the rights, and I was only vaguely aware that Akebono and Takahanada (as he was then) made it to Yokozuna. The subject cropped up in conversation late last year at work ("Didn't you used to watch Sumo?") when I hadn't thought about it for probably 20 years, and that night I Googled 'Sumo coverage with English commentary'. That led me to Jason's All Sumo Channel on YouTube, then to Kintamayama's channel to watch the rest, and that led me here. Basically, I've been in Sumo heaven for the last few months, binge-watching whole Bashos online and coming here for further enlightenment! I had no intention of registering here, but I appear to have gotten back into Sumo at an interesting time, and this Osaka Basho is just so exciting that I want to stick my tenpennorth in! 14 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kuroimori 1,634 Posted March 16, 2016 Welcome along and cheers to your colleague who reactived your interest in Ozumo! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
orandashoho 720 Posted March 16, 2016 Welcome! We're all fans here... I started in 1998 but had a long dry spell after Eurosport stopped broadcasting sumo digests and before I found this wonderful forum! More amazingly, when I started watching again I found Aminishiki and Kyokutenho still there in the top division! Tenho has retired now but Aminishiki is still going strong. I was a lurker at first but soon found the delight of being able to share views with fellow fans. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Swami 245 Posted March 16, 2016 Hello all! I got into Sumo when C4 showed it in the UK in the late eighties and early nineties, and I went to all five days of the London Basho at the Royal Albert Hall in October 1991 to watch the likes of Hokutoumi, Asashifuji, Kirishima, Konishiki, Akebono, Terao, Takatoriki, Mainoumi... I lost touch with Sumo after C4 lost the rights, and I was only vaguely aware that Akebono and Takahanada (as he was then) made it to Yokozuna. The subject cropped up in conversation late last year at work ("Didn't you used to watch Sumo?") when I hadn't thought about it for probably 20 years, and that night I Googled 'Sumo coverage with English commentary'. That led me to Jason's All Sumo Channel on YouTube, then to Kintamayama's channel to watch the rest, and that led me here. Basically, I've been in Sumo heaven for the last few months, binge-watching whole Bashos online and coming here for further enlightenment! I had no intention of registering here, but I appear to have gotten back into Sumo at an interesting time, and this Osaka Basho is just so exciting that I want to stick my tenpennorth in! Yes, my interest in sumo was also piqued by Channel 4's sumo coverage which petered out so disappointingly in 1992. Swami Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Orion 431 Posted March 17, 2016 Hello all! I got into Sumo when C4 showed it in the UK in the late eighties and early nineties, and I went to all five days of the London Basho at the Royal Albert Hall in October 1991 to watch the likes of Hokutoumi, Asashifuji, Kirishima, Konishiki, Akebono, Terao, Takatoriki, Mainoumi... I lost touch with Sumo after C4 lost the rights, and I was only vaguely aware that Akebono and Takahanada (as he was then) made it to Yokozuna. The subject cropped up in conversation late last year at work ("Didn't you used to watch Sumo?") when I hadn't thought about it for probably 20 years, and that night I Googled 'Sumo coverage with English commentary'. That led me to Jason's All Sumo Channel on YouTube, then to Kintamayama's channel to watch the rest, and that led me here. Basically, I've been in Sumo heaven for the last few months, binge-watching whole Bashos online and coming here for further enlightenment! I had no intention of registering here, but I appear to have gotten back into Sumo at an interesting time, and this Osaka Basho is just so exciting that I want to stick my tenpennorth in! Yes, my interest in sumo was also piqued by Channel 4's sumo coverage which petered out so disappointingly in 1992. Swami Channel 4 's show foundered when NHK started its live coverage on (then) satellite 2. Channel 4' s eight programmes were a nicely edited version of the September basho, put out in January-February the next year. They couldn't compete with a repeat of something that NHK had put out live three to four months earlier, plus the November and January basho, also live. Some people in the UK complained that NHK's show was less polished -- but you can't compare a live broadcast with something produced in a studio (where you can stop and do a comment again). Orion, who saw both from the inside. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RabidJohn 1,837 Posted March 17, 2016 Thanks for the warm welcome. I've noticed that many members here post under shikona. I thought about doing so myself, but I don't understand Japanese and I don't really trust Google translate, so I signed up under my online gamer moniker. I did try translating 'RabidJohn' but it came up with: 狂犬病のジョン & Kyōkenbyōnojon. The Kyōkenbyōno bit's ok, if a bit of a tongue-twister, but the Jon is a bit disappointing - though I don't know what I was expecting! Anyway, 'John' isn't just a name; it's also American slang for a toilet, and for a prostitute's customer, amongst other things. Any of you Japanese speakers know a good slang word for either a sh*thouse or a geisha's client? That could be amusing to tag on to Kyōkenbyōno... Then, if I fancy the result, maybe one of the mods could be persuaded to let me change my account name. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Akinomaki 40,688 Posted March 17, 2016 (edited) I don't know the slang expressions, but for toilet the euphemistic (o-)te-arai (hand washing) might sound not bad, and the using the other reading of the Japanese characters for it as Mitarai would give a touch of Mitakeumi. Using Benjo = toilet might sound even better, a tiny bit of John in it - and the meaning "place for convenience" (but ben is the word for excrement) might be a hint for the other slang meaning of John as well. You can PM Exil to ask him to change your shikona, once you have decided on it. Edited March 17, 2016 by Akinomaki Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
egparis18 622 Posted March 17, 2016 Your route to sumo is similar to mine, though I only saw a little sumo on BBC2, just once, some time in the nineties. I was on a visit (not living in the UK any more) and only saw a few bouts, but it was a chance remark at work too that set me on exactly the same path as yours. Welcome. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RabidJohn 1,837 Posted March 18, 2016 (edited) I've just remembered that it was Kitanoumi's passing mentioned on a newsfeed that prompted my workmate to mention Sumo... :( I've also remembered why I picked John as part of my gamer name (online shooters mainly, but also SWTOR for a chunk of time, and even Minecraft); it's also one of the most common/anonymous names there is. You know, John Doe = unidentified. Google translate tells me 'unidentified' = fumei, so for anyone willing to help me out, does Kyōkenbyōnofumei make any sort of sense? Edited March 18, 2016 by RabidJohn Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jakusotsu 6,017 Posted March 18, 2016 Google translate tells me 'unidentified' = fumei, so for anyone willing to help me out, does Kyōkenbyōnofumei make any sort of sense?If you're going to enter any of the sumo games with that name I'll kill you! (...just kidding...) 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
