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Gaijingai

Is Sumo On the Ropes?

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1. Who is Fred Varcoe? Asking seriously.

2. Other than Terunofuji, who were among the "large numbers of top-ranked wrestlers who pulled out of the tournament due to injuries'" in Aki?

etc. These are old issues-very old. I have  heard that the fans are all old ever since i started watching sumo three weeks ago. And where are the solutions? Some correct points were made, but what are the solutions? Any ideas for change in this article? "Things need to change" doesn't really mean anything any time.

And what ropes are there in sumo? Oh, they probably meant the tsuna. Clickbait.

Edited by Kintamayama
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1) I know the sport is ~ 1200 years old; is that why something that happened ~12 years ago is "recent history"?

2) The "play on their mobile phones" line is a general complaint; has it kept kids away from other sports?

3) The recent fan experience was amazing, and should be extended; also the jungyos are back, and that's great.  But outreach to schools, etc. seems to have been mostly sponsored by rikishi and oyakata; there must be an NSK coordination there, but they could be doing even more if they want young people to get interested.

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1 hour ago, Yamanashi said:

3) The recent fan experience was amazing, and should be extended; also the jungyos are back, and that's great.  But outreach to schools, etc. seems to have been mostly sponsored by rikishi and oyakata; there must be an NSK coordination there, but they could be doing even more if they want young people to get interested.

These events will probably unleash a new generation of amateur and Ozumo Rikishi, and hopefully regains the dwindling recruitment numbers (which should be the only real concern for sport, and eve then that will probably be overcome.) 

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I get the impression this chap, while not dumb or just going through the motions, sees only what he wants to see, and takes a certain delight in being subversively but mildly offensive. Some of it may be British humour at work, and I don't know about his claiming to have been fired from some reasonably big-name outlets, but I don't think that's the full story.

Edited by Seiyashi
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6 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

Buckton? 

 

 

I wouldn’t be surprised! 

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Sumo can't be on the ropes, because the dohyo isn't surrounded by ropes like a boxing ring. Is sumo on the tawara? Not really.

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15 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

Buckton? 

 

 

The Takanohana giveaway?

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21 hours ago, Yamanashi said:

https://fredvarcoe.com/bio/

As the saying goes, "I've been kicked out of more places than there are places."

lot going on here. 

 

Did dude really think putting (Fired) was gonna make him look impressive? Or how his music writing is really "fucking good"?

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Dude's bio reads like one of the Edgelord dipshits on the talking about Sumo site. The piece is just silly and full of logic holes. 

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14 hours ago, Chartorenji said:

lot going on here. 

 

Did dude really think putting (Fired) was gonna make him look impressive? Or how his music writing is really "fucking good"?

I still think the bio was written in jest . I don't think we know him, as his sumo knowledge is , well, lacking for a reporter who "is a British journalist who has written about sumo for publications around the world",

Edit-Oh my.. I  am recusing myself from this discussion..

Edited by Kintamayama
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11 hours ago, Tigerboy1966 said:

Useful rule of thumb.

When the headline is a question, the answer is probably "no"?

 

Betteridge's Law.

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Fred Varcoe is probably best known for being fired from the Japan Times twenty years ago over an article about the World Cup which opened with him being solicited by a sex worker in Seoul.

Some in Korea didn't like that and apparently pressure was brought to bear which resulted in his sacking.

He's a long time member of the foreign media set in Japan and has worked for various publications and sites over the years. He has a 'unique' style.

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20 hours ago, rhyen said:

The Takanohana giveaway?

I guess it’s not him, then.

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Be careful, say his name too many times or he’s going to appear here like the candy man (or lawnmower man I forget which honestly)

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