[OT-Sumo] Aichi July 2003 Basho

[Black Omega]

And here we are into the home stretch for yet one more sumo grand tournament. And things have gotten interesting. Not only is the tournament very much up for grabs (five sumo are tied for first) but Asashoryu has just been getting into more trouble.

At the moment Musoyama and Tosanoumi are in the lead. Three other lower ranking wreslters are also tied in there at 7-2 but it's unlikely they will last now that the tournament is getting tougher. Chiyotaikai, Kaio and Tochiazuma are all also very much in the running. I'm really impressed with Musayama. After nearly a year of very average results he's finally impressing again.

With Musashimaru out of the tournament with that lingering wrist injury, Asashoryu is the only Yokozuna fighting on, and he's having trouble. His record is only 5-4 at the moment and he may end up withdrawing. In addition, after a loss to Kyokushuzan, out in the parking lot Asashoryu broke the mirror on Shuzan's car, then later almost got into a fight with him at the public baths. It's gotten bad enough some fans have been taunting him at the matches. Very unusual for sumo.

 

[Gizzard]

It's gotten bad enough some fans have been taunting him at the matches. Very unusual for sumo.

Would taunting be different than throwing your cushions because you were unhappy with the result of the match? ;-) There's a lot of emotion under the veneer of civility.

Lets hope that what has happened here in American baseball doesnt happen there - fans running out of the stands to try and blindside the refs. OTOH, it might be funny to see what would happen to the fan when a nearby sumo grabbed him.

 

[Black Omega]

Would taunting be different than throwing your cushions because you were unhappy with the result of the match? ;-) There's a lot of emotion under the veneer of civility.

Throwing seat cushions? A traditional way of congratulating someone who defeats a yokozuna. Not quite the same thing really.

I don't think someone running from the stands will be a problem. It's just asking for trouble rushing guys that huge.

 

[Brown Jenkin]

Throwing seat cushions? A traditional way of congratulating someone who defeats a yokozuna. Not quite the same thing really.

Just as throwing Octopuses at Red Wings games has become a sign of love and respect.

I don't think someone running from the stands will be a problem. It's just asking for trouble rushing guys that huge.

I guess the streakers are right out too since you already have a couple of naked guys as the main event.

 

[MacMathan]

So does anyone know what channels the Basho might be available on in So. Cal?

 

[DanMcS]

I've seen them on ESPN2, I'm in Ohio but it's a national channel. I don't know how up-to-date those broadcasts are, though, they sometimes talk about them as though they happened some time in the past.

 

[Black Omega]

Just as throwing Octopuses at Red Wings games has become a sign of love and respect.

What -is- the reason for throwing out Cthuhlu's favorite creature onto the ice? I've heard about it a couple of times but never heard any reason why they do it.

I guess the streakers are right out too since you already have a couple of naked guys as the main event.

Mostly naked, thanks so much. Let's get our facts right here.

 

[DanMcS]

Mostly naked, thanks so much. Let's get our facts right here.

Listen, one of these guys dressed for a match is showing as much skin as two of me put together, if I were both naked. If he wants to call the sumos naked, it's not rediculously inaccurate

 

[Brown Jenkin]

What -is- the reason for throwing out Cthuhlu's favorite creature onto the ice? I've heard about it a couple of times but never heard any reason why they do it.

Some hockey fan or detroiter can give you the year and more details, but it dates back to one time the Red Wings were in the playoffs and were eight games from winning the title. Someone threw one out on the ice and it became tradition ever since.

Mostly naked, thanks so much. Let's get our facts right here.

Is there realy that much of a diffrence between a 500lb man naked and one in a thong?

 

[Black Omega]

And on we roll. With 14 of 15 bouts finished, what had been a wild, wide open race has narrowed down to Kaio and Chiyotaikai. They'll meet today with the basho on the line. If Chiyotaikai wins, he'll have won two of the last three tournaments, and he should have easier requirements for winning Yokozuna next time.

Both Yokozuna started the basho but were forced to drop out. Musashimaru was 3-2 at the time he withdrew, having faced fairly weak opposition. Evidently that wrist is still healing slowly. Asashoryu went 5-4 before pulling out, not wrestling well at all after he lose a strange bout to Kyokushuzan. Asashoyu had actually won the match but there was a discussion afterwards and the result was reversed due to Asashoryu cheating by pulling the hair to get the win.