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Sumo Digest

 
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Keikai



Joined: 18 Feb 2002
Posts: 178
Location: Miami, FL

PostPosted: Sat Jan 18, 2003 12:49 pm    Post subject: Sumo Digest Reply with quote

You know, I've wished for an off-topic forum here for a while, as I've wanted to discussing some things that never seemed to fit the other forums, but now I can't think of any of the subjects I wanted to breach. Shocked

Okay, here's one, anyone else here fans of Japanese Sumo? I noticed that there haven't been any eps of Sumo Digest on ESPN2 for a long time. I emailed them but, unsurprisingly, they havent responded. Has my TiVo just missed them or has it been cancelled? I assume the latter since their website shows nothing whatsoever about the sport.

Man...I can't believe I couldn't come up with something better. Cool
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LaughnCynic



Joined: 16 Jul 2002
Posts: 105

PostPosted: Mon Jan 20, 2003 3:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sumo! Hehehe...

It's funny I actually used to follow sumo a little when I lived in Miami. WPBT (local PBS) in Miami carried Todays Japan (Light daily news overview in english produced by NHK Tokyo) for a while and they used to cover the various tournaments when they were running. Akebono was still competing and king of the hill back then. (Yokozuna Grand Champion?)

Though some might sneer at it as silly and boring etc. I actually found it pretty cool. I caught a few mins of sumo coverage not too long ago (probably flicking past espn) and I was surprised I could still recognise some of the guy's names.
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Keikai



Joined: 18 Feb 2002
Posts: 178
Location: Miami, FL

PostPosted: Mon Jan 20, 2003 12:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Aye, noone was as surprised as I was that I liked Sumo. Like most Americans I discounted it for a long time. Then, I have no idea why, I watched an episode of Sumo Digest a few years ago and I noticed the complexity going on and have followed that show ever since. Once you get a few favorite wrestlers, you're hooked. And I know it's not just me, since all my pals with varying sports tastes that I've introduced it to, got into it after watching one basho.

I'll have to see if that Today's Japan is still showing on PBS, if only to see some highlights. Thanks for mentioning it. Aye, Akebono was something else, not just a Yokozuna but one that really dominated the other two Yokozunas in the league during his later years. His primary rival during his reign, Takanohana, was just on his way back from injury the end of last year, but I have no idea how he did.

American Sumo, which is becoming more popular, holds no interest at all for me, however. Besides the fact that the skill level isn't there, it just seems lifeless without all the cultural and religious elements, even if many of those aren't taken that seriously by modern wrestlers.

I think allot more people would get into it if they could get past the "fat men in diapers" stigma. Once you ignore that, its a very interesting and exciting sport. And ESPN's show, even though it was overly condensed, was decent, giving an hour's worth of highlights for the 15 day bashos.
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LaughnCynic



Joined: 16 Jul 2002
Posts: 105

PostPosted: Mon Jan 20, 2003 6:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I left Miami several years ago (3/4? God time flies...) and PBS had stopped showing Today's Japan before I left so I doubt it's on anymore.

Takanohana! Hehe... Yet another name I recognise. Smile

"American Sumo"??? Never heard of it and I think I'm greatfull I haven't. Just doesn't sound 'right'. The spectacle that is a grand sumo tournament is part of the feel I think. I just don't see any american clone having the same cultural weight and drama.

Quote:
I think allot more people would get into it if they could get past the "fat men in diapers" stigma.


Haha! Indeed. Yet it's amazing how fast and furious some bouts can be not to mention the technique. Seeing a 'little' guy with a multi-hundred pound weight difference overcome one of the bigger dudes is something.

I never watch ESPN but I guess I should go and check thier scheduals and see what's what sumo wise even though I'm not a big sports watcher.

I think I caught something somewhere on sumo in the last few months and there was another big dude like Akebono that was competing but I forget his name. A Hawaiian or Samoan guy I think. (Akebono was/is Hawaiian if memory serves.)
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Keikai



Joined: 18 Feb 2002
Posts: 178
Location: Miami, FL

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2003 12:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

LaughnCynic wrote:
I never watch ESPN but I guess I should go and check thier scheduals and see what's what sumo wise even though I'm not a big sports watcher.
There was a basho on ESPN2 (I think, I doubt it was ESPN) yesterday, but I missed it. But hopefully that means they will be showing them again.

LaughnCynic wrote:
I think I caught something somewhere on sumo in the last few months and there was another big dude like Akebono that was competing but I forget his name. A Hawaiian or Samoan guy I think. (Akebono was/is Hawaiian if memory serves.)
Aye he is. Although in order to open his own stable in Japan, he had to change to Japanese citizenship. But yes, it was always a bit entertaining to see an American born citizen whooping ass in a traditional Japanese sport. Twisted Evil

Right now, I can't think of any particularly large Hawaiian or Samoans in the Makuuchi league. There are some promising Mongolians I think, but the biggest of the big right now is Musashimaru and I'm pretty sure he's Japanese. Noone is really even close to his size, although he's still smaller than Akebono was. I remember a Daily Show headline where they popped him up on the screen and announced a new weight-loss video called "Sweatin' to Everything". Razz

I should note, however, that since I haven't watched since the middle of last year, lots may have changed.
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LaughnCynic



Joined: 16 Jul 2002
Posts: 105

PostPosted: Wed Mar 05, 2003 6:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well crap! I was watching ESPN2 for 5 mins last night as I dozed off and didn't see it. Maybe I need to watch ESPN2 for more than 5 min/week? Wink

I really need to get off my ass and go dig up a schedule and see when that stuff's on. Hmmm... Not on tonight. I don't see it listed over the last few days or the next few either. Doh! There it is. It was on the 3rd on ESPN not ESPN2. No repeat showing according to the ESPN website's schedule thingy for the rest of this month. Oh well...

I do see what I was watching last night for a few as I dozed off however. Women's Pro Billiards Nationals. Don't ask... I was sleepy... Really! I swear I was. Wink I remember it because it was held out at the 'Miccosukee gambling den' at what used to be called "Dade Corners" (intersection of Krome Av. and Tamiami Trail).

Wandering around the net briefly I ran across this page with some interesting sumo news/history. Bye-bye Takanohana. Sad
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Keikai



Joined: 18 Feb 2002
Posts: 178
Location: Miami, FL

PostPosted: Wed Mar 05, 2003 11:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Argh, my computer crashed after I had composed this whole thing. Here goes again...
LaughnCynic wrote:
It was on the 3rd on ESPN not ESPN2. No repeat showing according to the ESPN website's schedule thingy for the rest of this month. Oh well...
Aye I discovered that once I watched what little I had of it on my TiVo. What happened was my friend was picking up a calzone for our dinner at a local sports pub when he saw it on the TV there of all things and called me, so I caught the last 15 minutes on my TiVo.
LaughnCynic wrote:
I remember it because it was held out at the 'Miccosukee gambling den' at what used to be called "Dade Corners" (intersection of Krome Av. and Tamiami Trail).
Hehe, I used to waste money playing poker there back in my college days. Shocked
LaughnCynic wrote:
Wandering around the net briefly I ran across this page with some interesting sumo news/history. Bye-bye Takanohana. Sad
That's devistating. I was so happy to see him wrestle again. Crying or Very sad Ah well, some of the up-and-comers are pretty good, but don't approach his pure skill. I like Kaio and Chihotaikai (sp?) and a few others. Musashimaru is interesting since he's so big. He was 522 lbs in that basho the other day (which was from 2002). But I greatly prefer the finesse of Takanohana. Akebono was fun since he had the size of Musashimaru and similar skill to Takanohana, IMO.

I generally avoid Sumo news as ESPN usually shows Sumo Digest very delayed from the actual bashos and I don't want to know how they did. Also, since they only seem to show each basho once, you have to catch it those 6 times a year they have it on (one for each Makuuchi basho). Luckily, I have a TiVo so I don't have to watch the listings for it, but if I notice an episode planned for taping in the future, I'll be sure to let you know.

Actually, that's a point. If we discuss Sumo in the future, lets not go past that which has been most recently shown Sumo Digest, as I don't want to know who won or who was promoted ahead of time. Of course the news about Takanohana is a different matter, and I'm glad to know about that.
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