How long.....

[Jonosuke 28]

How long???

Dare I say it...can Kaio can keep competing (and I am using the term rather loosely here)?

He has been looking anything but miserable this basho. His one win was more like an accident rather than of impressive nature.

I'd say if he loses to Aminishiki tomorrow, he may seriously want to contemplate his legacy and should call it quits.

He has no power left and worse that all mighty fighting spirit appears to be dissipating.

I've been a Kaio fan all my life and I believe he has done all he could have possibly done for every one of us.

There is no point in keeping on for the sake of keeping on.

And if he does, I willl take down my avator of the last Tomozuna yokozuna.

Edited September 13, 2006 by Jonosuke

[Jakusotsu 6,049]

If You mean how long it takes until Kaio will withdraw from Aki Basho, that's hard to predict. Could be any day now, but could still be KK in the end.

However, if You mean how long before his very last appearance on the dohyo: not before Kyushu, no siree!

[Tikozan 4]

He's a fighter, I hope he will get 8-7 and will not be kadoban.

But if he do an make-kochi, I think he will retire.

But I hope, that he can stay for the rest of the year 2006.

[Shomishuu 0]

After starting this thread -- http://www.sumoforum.net/forums/index.php?...amp;#entry78607 -- about Kaio in March, I will most definitely lurk for the remainder of this one! (Applauding...)

[Ryukaze 0]

I agree, he has looked particularily pathetic this basho. With the way he's going theres no way he'll get kachi-koshi, I'm predicting he pulls out due to "injury" but if not "make-koshi!"

[SalParadise 0]

Kaio will be an ozeki no matter what at Kyushu. Even if he gets a make-koshi this tourney, he will go back to Kyushu as an Ozeki. If he really is planning on retiring (and I think he'd be foolish not to), he shouldn't pull out of this tournament as no matter what he does, he can retire in Kyushu as an Ozeki. I would think it'd be better for him NOT to pull out, if he is going to retire, to give the fans one last chance to see him.

[mokele 3]

I've followed Kaio's entire career in the top division from his shin-nyumaku basho when he went 4-11 and was sent back down to Juryo. I remember a year back in the late 1990s when Kaio won 60 bouts even before he was promoted to ozeki. At the time I felt that he was the strongest sekiwake I had ever seen. It took awhile but he was eventually promoted to ozeki. He had a great rivalry with Musashimaru over the course of their careers. At one point I seem to recall that Kaio beat Musashimaru 8 straight times.

Today Kaio seems to be suffering a similar fate that befell Musashimaru a few years ago, namely that he's too heavy to be effective anymore when he's not in top shape, suffering from a minor injury, etc. The same thing also happened to Konishiki many years ago. It's a common failing of so many rikishi. They develop habits of keeping a lot of extra weight on, eating too much, etc. while they are in their teens and early 20s, and those habits die hard. I figure that Kaio will retire very soon, maybe after this basho. We shall see.

[yamaneko 2]

He might have again one of those incredibly dramatic turnarounds like he did a few basho ago, winning on the last day or something in order to beat the kadoban.

Kaio is like the energizer bunny.

[AsaMoe 0]

But if he do an make-kochi, I think he will retire.

However, if You mean how long before his very last appearance on the dohyo: not before Kyushu, no siree!

I think Jakusotsu is referring to the fact, that Kaio is a Kyushu man ? If he is not really injured, he will at least wait until the end of the Kyushu basho.

[SalParadise 0]

He's a Fukuoka man (and Chiyotaikai is an Oita man, from the next prefecture over). From what I gather, rikishi who have a yearly basho in their hometown or near to it, want to retire after giving their hometown crowds one last show. He may pull out this basho, but I can't see him pull out next basho in front of a home town crowd unless it's to retire.

[ikishima 0]

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.

[SalParadise 0]

He has chronic back pain. Sometimes it's bearable, sometimes not. I was at the Osaka basho when he was looking piss poor but somehow managed a kachi-koshi, and even in bad shape people were pulling for him. His hometown crowd would like to see him, even if not in top shape, if just to try to perform one last time for the crowd. He may lose, and pull out, and retire, but not to try would be a worse sin.

[Daigaiguma 0]

I think the criticism being leveled here is a bit harsh, especially considering the target. "Dreadful" and "pathetic" seem too vitriolic considering it is only Day 5. All rikishi have off days and off bashos. Kaio is approaching the end of wonderful (and long) career as an ozeki. I think we should all enjoy his last basho(s) rather than wasting space decrying him as "lifeless".

I may be proven wrong on senshuraku, but I think kaio will surprise many and pull off his kachikoshi.

[Hananotaka 8]

But Kaio has not looked good. Last basho he didn't look great, but he showed signs of strength, particularly in the first week. Right now he has no strength to hold his ground, and he's not recovering from throws at all.

[Asojima 2,874]

Last year at about this time, I confidently predicted that he would survive long enough to make a token appearance before the hometown folks in Kyushu and then retire. This year, I again make the same, but more confident, prediction. Next year, ...... (Laughing...)

Edited September 14, 2006 by Asojima

[Kotoseiya Yuichi 3]

He's a Fukuoka man (and Chiyotaikai is an Oita man, from the next prefecture over)

Though born in Chitose, Hokkaido where it is fondly remembered. He moved to Kyushu at the age of six with his mother after the death of his father.

[Blue_Wolf 24]

Kaio is special. I sure enjoyed his power sumo and great personality. But the man has done. Now my best advice or wish for him is to quit and rest his body + mind. And i think the time is coming. 3more days.

Edited September 14, 2006 by Blue_Wolf

[Asojima 2,874]

Kaio is special. I sure enjoyed his power sumo and great personality. But the man has done. Now my best advice or wish for him is to quit and rest his body + mind. And i think the time is coming. 3more days.

He is not kadoban now, so he can go kyujo anytime in Aki and still at least start the Kyushu basho as an ozeki. I agree that he should go kyujo in the next day or two, but hold off on the intai until the Kyushu basho.

[Jakusotsu 6,049]

How long???

No more - see here.

[ikishima 0]

His hometown crowd would like to see him, even if not in top shape, if just to try to perform one last time for the crowd. He may lose, and pull out, and retire, but not to try would be a worse sin.

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 think we should all enjoy his last basho(s) rather than wasting space decrying him as "lifeless".

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.

Edited September 15, 2006 by ikishima

[aderechelsea 125]

sorry for the (Nodding yes...) (Applauding...)

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 are 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.

Bret Favre didn't retire at least this year?

i haven't seen any new reports for this season but i was sure he would hang his shoes this time. He was pretty pathetic last season and i hoped he would give an end to our/his/the Packer's ordeal ...

but i guess a pre-season is not complete without a false "Favre retiring" rumour ....

sorry again for the (Applauding...)

[ikishima 0]

(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.

Edited September 15, 2006 by ikishima

[SalParadise 0]

His hometown crowd would like to see him, even if not in top shape, if just to try to perform one last time for the crowd. He may lose, and pull out, and retire, but not to try would be a worse sin.

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 disagree for one simple reason: sumo ain't a team sport. If Favre sucks, then he takes the team down with him. If Kaio sucks, he calls it quits and gives one fusensho in the process. It'd be like Arnold Palmer coming back and trying out for the PGA tour -- sure he may not make it past the first round, but it doesn't hurt anyone other than himself to try, and the joy of his fans if he succeeded would be greater than the disappointment if he didn't.

Kaio may put out the most miserable performance of his career in Kyushu, or he may not. Who knows? What we do know is that he'd be trying to give one last great performance for his fans before retirement, and even if it isn't him in his prime, he's still retiring when he's on top.

This is of course all conditional on him actually retiring then.

Then again, I don't find many problems with someone like Dejima, a former Ozeki, stagnating around mid-upper maegashira. I don't think that it's disappointing to see him competing even though he's far far far less powerful and exciting than he was in his prime because he's still competing, he's still trying, and he's still providing enjoyment for the fans.