In this morning's feel good story, #7 maegashira Kyokutenho, 11 years after he first entered sumo's top division and at the ripe old age of 37 years, eight months, has won his first tournament. He becomes the oldest first-time winner ever.
For a sport still reeling from gambling, drug-use and even wrongful death scandals, having such low-ranked rikishi with a lengthy record of just-barely-above mediocre performances (in what was, until the Kisenosato/Baruto bout, a rancid tournament) is a flash of good fortune.
Bad news for the sumo purists who long for the great days of yore: Kyokutenho, though possessing Japanese citizenship, is still Mongolia-born, extending his countrymen's crushing domination of the sport for the last six years. (E)
Good news for Mongolia might be very good for Japan, considering the rare earth minerals and whatnot they may have in them thar hills...
ReplyDeleteMr. Frid -
ReplyDeleteExcellent point. Treat the Mongolian rikishi with respect and Japan-Mongolia relations flourish.
Your comment reminds me of a remark that an Clinton-era American diplomatic player made to his Japanese counterpart at a particularly strained moment (and there were a lot of them in the Clinton Era) oin Japan-U.S. relations: "Currently, the most important person in Japan-U.S. relations is Hideo Nomo."
Sport really can build bridges.