Looking to dethrone Asashoryu

[Otokonoyama]

Japan Today

by Fred Varcoe

For those who may have forgotten,the Japan Sumo Association virtually banned foreign wrestlers for five years in the 1990s. It was a move typical of smug sporting organizations in Japan. "We're all right, Jack. We don't need Johnny Foreigner."

How stupidly wrong they were. The reason they banned foreigners was because, well, foreigners were good. Yeah, that makes sense, especially for a sport that has international (even Olympic) pretensions. But with the decline of Wakanohana, Takanohana and Akebono (one of the foreigners who beat the ban to become the first "gaijin" yokozuna grand champion), the Sumo Association quietly backed off its decision

[Tomoe]

(Enjoying a beer...) (Enjoying a beer...) (Enjoying a beer...) (Enjoying a beer...)

But I hope, that a lot of young Japanese wrestlers will hear that wake up call and start to act like Asa.

Hard work, building up strength and learn a lot about wrestling and grappling techniques, be confident of victory and accept the challenge of this marvelous foreigners. Come on boys...I want to see some new japanese Sumo-heros (Punk rocker...)

[Burainoan]

Varcoe screwed up on his analogy. Asa said 5% natural ability; he said nothing about technique. they're entirely separate things. some of the Mongolians do have excellent techinique, and that's in part because they tend to be smaller and their styles depend more on it. but for example, tsuki-oshi power rikishi on the other hand, don't. actually, the key is the other 95%. there are any number of Japanese rikishi with enough natural ability to blow away the Mongolians, Asa included. the problem is that 95% effort thing; they're not hungry enough, and not trying hard enough. and Asa knows it.

Come on boys...I want to see some new japanese Sumo-heros  :'-(

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Kisenosato, Kotoshogiku, Kanbayashi...just wait. they're coming.

[Araiguma_Rascal]

I'm sorry, but this guy is really an ass.

How stupidly wrong they were. The reason they banned foreigners was because, well, foreigners were good. Yeah, that makes sense, especially for a sport that has international (even Olympic) pretensions.

What kind of drugs is this idiot taking? Which sumo is he talking about? The one with "international (even Olympic) pretensions" would be amatuer sumo, which has never "banned" foreigners to my knowledge. The other sumo, Ozumo, does not have "international (even Olympic) pretensions." Ozumo could care less whether amasumo becomes an olympic sport.

I guess being completely ignorant of a subject is no reason not to write a critical article about it though, by today's reporting standards.

[Otokonoyama]

I'm sorry, but this guy is really an ass.

How stupidly wrong they were. The reason they banned foreigners was because, well, foreigners were good. Yeah, that makes sense, especially for a sport that has international (even Olympic) pretensions.

What kind of drugs is this idiot taking? Which sumo is he talking about? The one with "international (even Olympic) pretensions" would be amatuer sumo, which has never "banned" foreigners to my knowledge. The other sumo, Ozumo, does not have "international (even Olympic) pretensions." Ozumo could care less whether amasumo becomes an olympic sport.

I guess being completely ignorant of a subject is no reason not to write a critical article about it though, by today's reporting standards.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Would like to see ANR corner the local market for sumo reporting/editorials in the daily rags. Going by his work in Kansai Time Out not so long ago, it would be a major step up from the usual fare. MAS (Dave Wiggins) isn't too bad, but he is an exception to what we usually get in the English dailies.

[Burainoan]

What kind of drugs is this idiot taking?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Probably the same ones that got him fired from the Japan Times a few years ago.

[Asashosakari]

The alt.usage.english FAQ states that the "could" version of the idiom has been around since about 1960, so good luck trying to get people to change now. ;-)

[Araiguma_Rascal]

Ozumo could care less whether amasumo becomes an olympic sport.

i know i know (Shaking head...) but shouldn't this be couldn't care less.

i see alot of americans use could care less but this in fact implies that the person cares a lot.

the english teacher in me is running wild today

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh, yeah. (Oops! )

I slipped into sloppy English there. It's a common mistake that has become common usage, as Asashosakari points out. (Shaking head...)

[Erkhembulgan]

Varcoe screwed up on his analogy.  Asa said 5% natural ability; he said nothing about technique.  they're entirely separate things.  some of the Mongolians do have excellent techinique, and that's in part because they tend to be smaller and their styles depend more on it.  but for example, tsuki-oshi power rikishi on the other hand, don't.  actually, the key is the other 95%.  there are any number of Japanese rikishi with enough natural ability to blow away the Mongolians, Asa included.  the problem is that 95% effort thing; they're not hungry enough, and not trying hard enough.  and Asa knows it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If Asa said that only 5% of his skills and power came from his natural ability-he lied. More than 50% of his wrestling ability was inborn. I think that any Mongolian teenager can reach sandanme with some effort. And Mongolians wrestle well not only because they are hungry... Wrestling is the most popular sport in Mongolia and it is considered an honour to become a wrestler. I can confidently say that there are much more stronger and "hungrier" wrestlers in Mongolia. Asa and Hakuho are just examples... Again: genetic predisposition 55% and environment+training 45%

[Zeokage]

Same here... I've seen it suddenly spring up a lot in other forums I visit and wondered when it changed from "couldn't".

Nice to know I'm still correct.

[sumofan]

English is not my mothertongue, but i read, write and speak English since i was 12. I only read English books, and I have a number of English speaking colleagues.

They have told me on several occasions that my vocabulary and grammar is much better than theirs. I speak very 'clean' English because I learnt everything from books.

Their English can be pretty sloppy at times.

[Naganoyama]

Same here... I've seen it suddenly spring up a lot in other forums I visit and wondered when it changed from "couldn't".

Nice to know I'm still correct.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It hasn't changed in England. This is US English only FWIW.