ikishima

(Punk rocker...) (Applauding...) (Eating...) (Eating...) (Eating...) (Eating...) (Eating...) (Eating...) (Eating...) (Eating...) (Eating...) (Eating...) I couldn't agree more.

Wow! Doesn't Asa already have the record for most bashos as the sole Yokozuna? His dominance has been amazing but this will not last forever. I think somebody will be promoted in the next 2 years. Hakuho and Bart are probably the most likely.

1. Atlanta GA (only for a year otherwise Madison, WI) 2. Banzuke.com 3. Cost 0 4. I watch it over lunch or whenever I get time.

(Blushing...) No Farve didn't retire. But last week he had a 40.9 QB rating, threw two interceptions and scored no points. B-) Kaio's Aki basho has been equally as bad. Last year Kaio was 10-5 at Kyushu. He had a very good well fought match against Asashoryu when Shoryu was almost unbeatable. if I were a local fan I would rather have that as my last memory of seeing Kaio live. A 0-5 or 2-8 start and retirement is not going to be fun for anyone, fan or rikishi. Naturally, his back (or hip) could get better for one last basho. If he feels like he can go, great. I would love to see him fight to the end but, if he is in this same condition in Nov., the better thing to do would be to call it quits before Kyushu.

Sal, I don't know if you follow American football. Watching Bret Farve last week was painful. As a Wisconsinite we love what he did for the Packers and our affection will last forever but, I don't want to watch him in poor form. I would rather remember the good years. I think the people of Fukuoka will have the same feelings. I like Kaio but I haven't been able to enjoy his sumo. It is so far removed from what he was capable of. Some rikishi are able to "fight against the dieing of the light" but Kaio does not look like one who can. I remeber Takanonami, Takatoriki, Akinoshima, Terou and even Konishiki. They were able to fight to the end (losing more than winning but Kaio has only pulled out 1 of 6 and has not looked competitive.

I might be starting to lean toward the old system. As mentioned there have been some pretty bad bouts this basho where it looked like one rikishi started before the other and those matches weren't very good. I would love to see some of the guys start from a semi-upright position. Wouldn't that also cut down on henka?

His sumo does look dreadful. Is there any excuse? I know a rikishi his age is always injured a little but, has anyone heard about any significant injuries that could explain his crappy sumo? He looks lifeless. I have been a Kaio fan for a long time and will miss him when he does retire but, what we are seeing this basho is not Kaio sumo. It is pathetic. If he is hurt he should pull out and wait for Kyushu. If his body has finally worn out then he should retire this afternoon. No sumo fan wants to see Kaio in this condition not even fans from Fukuoka.

I seem to remember hearing about a special toilet and plumbing system at the kyokai designed to accommodate heavier users and capable of transporting larger quantities of waste.

I see winning records at the top of Juryo and losing records at the bottom of Maegashira. How do they do against each other (Nodding yes...) ? This demonstrates the meat grinder effect perfectly, (Showing respect...) thanks (Holiday feeling...) . I wish I could find great examples of rikishi doing great at m7 or so and rocketing up to M1,2 or 3 and getting crushed

Kansai. For me Kanto is not built on a human scale, it is just too big and intimidating. I find Osaka and Kobe more managable than Tokyo. For a visit I like the history of Kyoto and Nara. I like that I can get a feel for Kansai. I lik flying into Osaka. I like getting off the train Kyoto. I like biking around the city. I like Nara as a quick day trip.

I find it funny that most people think that Hakuho will likely get promoted at some point but that he had an unfavorable vote total. Miyabiyama had a favorable vote total but I haven't seen many people writing about how he will be a good ozeki. I voted yes and yes. 14-1 were great results back in March.

I personally think that they both earned promotion but I am not on the YDC (who apparently no longer have to meet to deliberate) and accept the decision. Now, here is my question. If the ability to consistently deliver ozeki/yokozuna caliber sumo is one of the criteria would 10 and 13 wins be enough for Miyabiyama and Hakuho to be promoted next time around? Sure I know this should be in the form of a poll and I will do that but I wanted to throw it out here for debate first.

If I may translate this sentence from Kitanoumi-speak to English: "He is a 100% shoo-in with 10-5." I concur. Your translation of Kitanoumi-speak is dead on.

10-5, he is in. I think that discussion won't take five minutes even if we don't understand how the Kyokai thinks, and none of us do. 9-6 gives him 33 wins over three basho. That would usually be good enough but who knows. The thing to remember is that his 14-1 was a great record. TRIVIA WARNING I tried to look at Hakke yoi and I only found 20 14 win or better records since 5/1950 by non-ozeki/yokozuna. 12 of those 20 eventually were promoted to ozeki or yokozuna. the last rikishi to pull off that feat was Kotonishi from M12w in Kyushu 98.

I had to disconnect my home computer during a move and haven't been checking up on the basho. Why is there no talk about Hakuho? With a 9-2 record he still is in the running to finish at 13-2 and have a chance at promotion. Is he out of form? Did that first day loss quiet his supporters? What is the story?

I wonder how far back that Japanese ancestry is? If it is not too far back, he will probably be a citizen before he is a sekitori if he stays in sumo.

We all have opinions on if he should get promoted. If I were to chuck in my salt (Laughing...) , I would say 13-2 he is in, anything else no. At this point that would mean that he would have to have a clean record against all ozeki and Asashoryu, a difficult but possible task. I looked at the Kensho standings and he is 6th. That is 10 behind Taikai who has one more lose. I would assume that if there was any excitement over his yokozuna run he would be up near the top. I guess it just isn't that big of a deal? :-P

I think I remember Asashoryu going airborn vs. Musashimaru. It could have been Aki '01. Naturally I cant find the video, sorry.

I ran through the too many ozeki thinking in my mind as well. But if I remember correctly when Miyabi was last promoted we had Maru, Taka and Akebono as yokazuna + four other ozeki. That was an even more crowded top of the banzuke than we have today.

I have noticed several new users from Estonia. Any stats on how fast this group has grown?

curiosity of course. It seems that the rise of Bart has brought a whole country of new fans along for the ride.

Kaio vs. Tosanoumi or Kaio vs. Tochiazuma Those guys have been up near the top of the banzuke since Bart was small. Chiyanofuji.com is only updated through 2002, at the time Tosa & Kaio had met 28 times.

I think you are right about that one (Maru 39 Nami 21). Among active rikishi? Maybe Kaio and one of the other guys who have consistantly been at the top. I am sure that by the time I find the answer someone else will already have answered.

Ozeki runs starting in Makuuchi They may pass on him even if he got the yusho, but we can not dismiss it outright. Ozeki promotion is a moving target. Promotion without consecutive yusho or three consecutive sanyaku appearanes has happened in the past and will happen in the future (maybe not this time but possibly sometime in the future).

I can't believe that I am thinking about this. Miyabiyama From 1/06-7/06 M1 8/7, Kw 10-5, Sw 9-1 , ???? Kitanoumi From 9/73-3/74 Ke 8-7, Se 10-5, Se 14-1Y, Ozeki Musoyama From 9/99-3/00 Ke 8-7, Ke 10-5, Se13-2Y, Sekiwake (12-3 and then promotion) The blob may have a chance. A 14 and 1 (Clapping wildly...) could get him there THIS BASHO. Anything less we get to see if he still has his balance in Nagoya. Personally, I don't care if he makes it. This is just one more intriguing thing about sumo these days. If this isn't the big story at the end of the week, we could have Hakuho's first yusho, Taikai back on top of the world or a really big playoff.