SOS - Shinjinrui on Sumo Chris Gould Chris sinks his teeth into how sumo can go about pulling in the younger fans - currently so noticeable by their absence. The first of a three-part series. Sumo World Championships Mark Buckton Mark Buckton reports from Sakai near Osaka, site of the latest Sumo World Championships. Rikishi of Old Joe Kuroda Joe Kuroda finishes off his look at former yokozuna Minanogawa. Sumo 101 / Eric Evaluates Eric Blair Eric expains sumo fan terminology - with the inevitable twist - for those just getting into the sport and still subject to the know it alls. Age stands still for no man Joe Kuroda Former ozeki Kiyokuni will retire in November under the compulsory '65 and you are out' rule. JK takes a look at this quiet earth mover. Feel the Sumo Eduardo de Paz Read and feel the renowned Leonishiki's passion for all things sumo at his first live event. SFM Interview Mark Buckton Mark interviews Colin Carroll - again - Irish star of Sakai. Photo Bonanza See the Aki Basho bonanza as well as the largest collection of pics you are likely to see on the Sumo World Championships earlier in October. Aki Basho Summary   Lon Howard Lon wraps the September Aki Basho and throws in some henka sighting results for good measure. Lower Division Rikishi   Mikko Mattila The lower divisions, their members and results get the once over thanks to Mikko's eye of things 'beneath the curtain'. Kyushu Ones To Watch   Carolyn Todd Carolyn shares her thoughts on whom to keep an eye on in Fukuoka. Kimarite Focus Mikko Mattila Mikko's latest clarification of several of the sport's plethora of kimarite. Amateur Angles   Howard Gilbert Howard Gilbert - manager of New Zealand's amateur sumo team takes a look at the approaching Russians. Kokugi Konnections   Todd Lambert Click on Todd's bimonthly focus on three of the best sumo sites online. Fan Debate   Facilitator - Lon Howard Jesse Lake and Rich Pardoe hammer out their differences on a current furor - promotion criteria. SFM Cartoons    Benny Loh & Stephen Thompson In this issue's cartoon bonanza, sit back and enjoy Benny Loh's offerings and put a caption to Stephen Thompson's picture to win yourselves a banzuke. Sumo Odds ’n’ Ends    SFM's interactive elements including Henka Sightings, Elevator Rikishi and Eternal Banzuke! Lets Hear From You   What was it that made you a sumo fan? Kevin Murphy reveals all. Readers' Letters   See what our readers had to say since we last hit your screens. Sumo Quiz    The Quizmaster Answer the Qs and win yourself next basho’s banzuke.

the modern examples of chaos?  Even the yokozuna examples we discussed are 20 years old.  The time separation of both sets of data hardly makes a compelling argument that the current situation is a mess. Responding to your points that my examples of “non-promotion” would still have been promoted eventually:  sorry, history is fixed. We have no idea how these rikishi might have performed if they were not promoted when they were.  While they are expected to face the same rikishi over the course of a basho, the order in which they face these rikishi is not the same.  Suffering an early loss or two might have changed their basho performance.  But again,

we delve into the hypothetical.  The heart of the discussion is important.  The essence of a rikishi’s performance isn’t just a simple matter of wins and losses.  For that reason, promotion by committee better serves sumo and its intrinsic place within Japanese culture. And nowhere is that more clear than the two candidates that started this discussion – Hakuho and Miyabiyama.  Both of these rikishi have shown so far in the current Aki basho why hard promotion criteria should not be used.  Granted the basho is only half over, (ed. – at the time of this writing) but the performance to date certainly isn’t up to par for the rank they were

each denied.  The committee system appears to have worked in this instance, where hard promotion criteria would have failed. LH:    Thanks to both Jesse and Rich for working this discussion into their busy schedules.  .  Both of their arguments are convincing, and each has given me more information to plug back into this controversy, in hopes that I can stay on one side for good.  Let us know  what you think of their ideas, and about the Fan Debate segment in general.  We can’t have too much opinion. Home