Just an interesting tidbit to pass on…
As you probably know, Sumo wrestling is quite a pastime in Japan, and has roots way back in the history of Japanese culture. You may catch it on ESPN or something late at night. I do wish they could wear something besides those little waistbands…. but I digress. Anyway, if you look closely at the referee at the match (you may have to peer to see him among the big fellas), you’ll notice that a part of his tradition costume is a dagger sheathed at his waist. That’s really just for show now, but up until a hundred years ago it had a very real purpose. If the referee made a call that was challenged by a wrestler, there was a committee of three officials nearby who would rule on the challenge. (Side note – there’s really not much to call except for ruling someone stepped out of bounds.) If the committee overruled the referee, the ref’s honor would be seriously damaged. He would walk out and sit in the middle of the ring, and push the dagger through his heart.
Just think about that next time you’re complaining about a ref’s crappy call, or when a coach calls for an instant replay review of a fumble or something…