In sports, names like Lou Gehrig, Cal Ripkin Jr. , Mickey Mantle are synonymous with playing through injury. Dick Butkus, the linebacking legend played through serious knee injuries, never letting it kill his fire, despite doctor recommendations to retire.
Since 2005, Ikioi has never been absent. Never missed a bout. Never missed a tournament, unless it was canceled. His body, wracked with injuries to his ankles and legs has made it nearly impossible to withstand frontal attacks, his acute ring sense being his only saving grace, but often not enough to get the win.
The November basho saw a similar story. Two wins in a row gave us hope that the Ikioi we all know and love was going to give us something great. What followed was 7 losses in a row as he struggled to keep up with the attacks of his opponents. Two wins would come in the middle against Fujiazuma who turned in a dismal 0-15 performance surely sending him back to Makushita in January, and another against veteran Shohozan. Three more losses and a surprise win against Ura gave him a 5-10 end to the year.
What makes Ikioi so likable is his love of the game. His drive to keep going and to never disappoint his fans. His spirit is something that I myself as an amateur wrestler admires and hopes I can live up to.
As Joe DiMaggio said to the Sporting News in April of 1951, "There is always some kid who may be seeing me for the first or last time, I owe him my best." This is the way Ikioi wrestlers. He gives us his best, even when it's not enough. His spirit, always willing, tells him to keep going, but his flesh tells him it might be time to hang up his mawashi and take his final bow.
No comments:
Post a Comment