Musashimaru.....

[Amanogawa 79]

Yes he's retired. Just now the NHK evening news reported his sad decision. Musashigawa Oyakata persuaded him, according to the report, that he'd probably better give up the rest of this Kyushu tournament..... Nothing further just yet. :'-(

-update ( Nov. 16th)

Just saw Musashigawa Oyakata on TV. He said it was Maru's own decision, not that Oyakata suggested him to leave or anything, but Maru himself decided after Day 7's bout against Tosa, that it was about the time to exit because he couldn't have upheld the dignity of yokozuna... But still, obviously there must have been lots of pressure ( especially from Kitanoumi ) piled upon Maru, although Kitanoumi has commented that Maru has made a great yokozuna and he'd truly highly appreciate his yokozunahood. :-D :-P

Edited November 16, 2003 by Amanogawa

[Fujisan 533]

The end of another GREAT Yokozunas career-It doesnt seem like two minutes since Maru was winning everything,now Asashoryu is doing it-

"The king is dead long live the king."

[Zenjimoto 40]

No surprise there, really, but a great shame to lose the last of the real giants. I was hopeful there for a while, after all his "I will go the distance" talk, but realistically, Yokozuna dignity is after all more important, and it probably really is time to go.

Thank you Musashimaru, for many thrills and chills in the short time I have been a sumo fan. You will be missed. Please, please don't pull any crap like Akebono did. Preserve your legend as is worthy of a former Dai-Yokozuna.

Tears,

Zenjimoto

[Zenjimoto 40]

Next question: will we have Kaio on the next banzuke, or not??? :-D

Imagine... Akebono... Musashimaru... Kaio.... in a row... :'-(

[QttP 0]

Who would have thought back then that this bout would mark the end of two great careers...

[Naifuzan 1]

That basho was the basho that got me interested enough in sumo to go out on the web and search for sumo sites and learn more about the sport.

When Kyushu then came and I followed it live I was wondering who ever could stop the giant Musashimaru.

But that apparantly was no big problem :-D

I'm sad to see Maru go, but on the other hand he's been gone for over a year so it wasn't a very big surprise.

[Kashunowaka 300]

Next question: will we have Kaio on the next banzuke, or not??? :-D

After seeing Nada toying with Kaio today, I'd say not. :-P Unless he can turn things around like Musoyama did in Natsu.

[Jesinofuji 11]

Though I wish he could have continued, even if he did miraculously survive Kyushu, he probably would not have lasted another few basho. His time was past, and finally today, the era of the Hanada's and Hawaiians has completely come to an end.

Musashimaru had a full and spectacular career. Any word on what he plans to do next?

[Tumppi 0]

No!!! Why! :-D :'-( (Depressed...) :-P

Musashimaru was really the reaason why I started following sumo in the first place.. this is a sad day. :-)

Thank you Maru for all the great bouts you've provided for!

[Tumppi 0]

And what's this with Kaio?? What's wrong with him?? An injury or something?

Who would have thought, it seems like yesterday Takanohana made his comeback, and it almost was. No wonder sumo popularity is going (Sign of disapproval)

Edit: The nsk website still has Maru vs Iwakiyama as tomorrows last bout.

Edited November 15, 2003 by Tumppi

[Naifuzan 1]

And what's this with Kaio?? What's wrong with him?? An injury or something?

Edit: The nsk website still has Maru vs Iwakiyama as tomorrows last bout.

Kaio is injured pretty much everywhere. He has been that way since last basho and it just seems to get worse.

Iwakiyama will probably pick up a fusensho tomorrow.

[Zentoryu 154]

And what's this with Kaio?? What's wrong with him?? An injury or something?

Injured tail-bone, injured arm from last basho, the old back problem acting up again. He seems to be in a great deal of pain. You can see it just in his movements on the dohyo. I would greatly surprised if he manages to finish the basho, let alone get his KK.

[Fujisan 533]

This is the way it goes unfortunately,with the relatively short career spans sumo wrestlers have-when they reach the peak of their reigns the only way is down and out.

Time for some new blood-

[Takanobaka 0]

And what's this with Kaio?? What's wrong with him?? An injury or something?

Injured tail-bone, injured arm from last basho, the old back problem acting up again. He seems to be in a great deal of pain. You can see it just in his movements on the dohyo. I would greatly surprised if he manages to finish the basho, let alone get his KK.

I wouldn't be too suprised if he withdraws from the Basho and drops to Sekiwake, but I highly doubt he'll go intai as well. If he manages to not suffer any more injuries, and gets some rest between basho, he still stands a good chance of garnering 10 wins next basho and jumping right back up to Ozeki. For that reason, if Kaio retires in the near future, it probably won't be until at least Basho.

[Amanogawa 79]

Injured tail-bone, injured arm from last basho, the old back problem acting up again. He seems to be in a great deal of pain. You can see it just in his movements on the dohyo. I would greatly surprised if he manages to finish the basho, let alone get his KK.

I wouldn't be too suprised if he withdraws from the Basho and drops to Sekiwake, but I highly doubt he'll go intai as well.

The "( possible ) intai implication" was made by KaioU himself actually, like, "If I'd ever get to face the demotion in wake of MK after Kyushu, I'll just leave lest I should disgrace the rank of ozeki" and he implied this was his Oyakata's will too.

He can't seem to use his entire lower body. His legs wouldn't move. His buttock muscles wouldn't dance like before. I don't think he willingly plans to do any yotsu-zumo for the rest of this basho, but, just think of how this strategy(=henka stuff )

up to Day 5 would work if anyone else ( like, say, Kyokushuzan ) tried? KaioU was winning because he deserved it. True, he may possibly get miserable losses once this "henka stuff" doesn't play well towards higher rankers like

Wakanosato or Tochinonada, however, he more than that could possibly fight back with his "real power" from deep inside his sumo being, his indwelling "sumo strength", which Takanohana truly admires.

I don't exactly know how much pain he has had to take only to walk or even to stand up. Not to mention about showing up on the dohyowhere mean, stern, heavy guys fight sumo for life. With cheers, expectations from local fans, and pressuress fully loaded on his shoulders.

I am not all that huge a KaioU fan, but I start to admire him. Though it's

not "Ozeki-zumo" that he's performing, it certainly is a "wisdom" and

instinct too that he's earned and refinedthrough his sumo career.

He's doing great. And I believe I'm not the only one feeling this way.

RIJICHO: Cosmetic editing as requested.

Amanogawa: Kiitos Rijicho!

Edited November 16, 2003 by Amanogawa

[Jesinofuji 11]

Kaio's situation seems very troubleing. For him, Yokozuna is the only thing left for him to accomplish. He has already become the Ozeki who has won the most Yusho without being promoted to Yokozuna (excepting Ozeki before Yokozuna existed like Raiden), and quite likely the greatest Ozeki of the modern era. If he can't make Yokozuna, there's nothing left for him. Should he be demoted now, and fail to make 10 at Sekiwake in Hatsu, he would be in a very very bad predicament.

That would put him in a position where he would need 3 solid basho to gain Ozeki back, then 2 more superb basho for Yokozuna. Thats a minimum of 5 basho --almost a year. With his health, which will probably get worse before it gets better, the chances of him putting together 3 consecutive 11 win basho are very slim. And even if he somehow did, he would then be in the same position he is now, just a year or so older. If he wants to be a Yokozuna, he's got to pull through by hatsu --no surprise he's pulling sidesteps and whatever other trick he can think up to get those wins.

Should hemiss in Hatsu, he could either retire or go on like Takanonami is now, as a former Ozeki. Nobody wants to compete while in pain, so chances are he'll take the former :'-(

[Onnagumo 4]

:'-( (Blushing...) (Scratching chin...) (Eh?) Goodbye Maru.....

[sashimaru 10]

(Eh?) Goodbye Maru! You did it all! Thank you for many thrilling bashos. You leave a very big hole. (Scratching chin...)

[Kaikitsune Makoto 209]

It is a shame his wrist couldn't be fixed as it was more or less the only factor contributing to his intai. He still had his motivation+power and even though indirectly that long absence killed his sumo sense, he didn't look as clumsy and bad as could have been expected. Last bout against Tosanoumi told the story. He was more one-armed than ever and even turned his body partly sideways to keep his left side totally out of the game. And since there were assurances from both his oyakata and himself that he will finish the basho after loss against Tamanoshima, something must have changed and that must have been a deteriorated wrist which finally was the last straw and realization of "Wrist will never endure sumo anymore" may have emerged strongly. Maybe that was all over his face too after loss to Tosanoumi.

In any case it is sad to see him go and now we don't have a 200+ rikishi in makuuchi anymore which cannot be taken lightly because there just "should" be a super heavy individual too at all times! (Scratching chin...)

[Amanogawa 79]

Update ( Nov 16th, after Day 8 )

During the NHK sumo broadcasting, they carried a little Maru interview clip. Not much, but what caught my ear was that his wrist injury had something to do with the very old neck injury that he had had while he was playing American football.

I don't know how these two injuries could be related to each other though... ( Doc?

(Scratching chin...) )

And he said actually this neck injury was killing Maru towards the end of his career. Maru, asked what his genki-ness really was like, answered, "Well, to tell the truth, it was pretty bad"

[Gaijinohana 0]

I am intererested in the quality of medical attention that rikishi get in Japan. When I lived in Japan it was not uncommon for wealthy and sometimes not so wealthy japanese to head to the States for any important medical help. There is a belief in Japan that their doctors aren't nearly as good as they are in the States and that they aren't as forthright in their diagnosis because they are loath to give bad news. When I heard that Takanohana went to France(no slight intended) to get help with his knee, I wondered why he didn't visit the States to see one of the great sports doctors that work with MLB or the NBA. If a doctor can take a guy like Kerry Wood and move a tendon from one part of his body into his elbow and get him throwing a fastball in the upper nineties and a curveball that drops a couple feet then surely that doctor could have done something for Musashimaru. Although, I suppose that it is acceptable in the States for Kerry Wood to rest for a year and more without pressure to retire.

[Kotoseiya Yuichi 3]

When I heard that Takanohana went to France(no slight intended) to get help with his knee, I wondered why he didn't visit the States to see one of the great sports doctors that work with MLB or the NBA.

Because he thought Jean-Pierre Bacret would do the job just as well?

[Asashosakari 19,320]

In any case it is sad to see him go and now we don't have a 200+ rikishi in makuuchi anymore which cannot be taken lightly because there just "should" be a super heavy individual too at all times! ;-)

Perhaps Towanoyama can bulk up from his current 197 kg a bit. (Applauding...) He has looked pretty good in lower Juryo and, as other people have remarked, he really needs to have a real bout in Makuuchi sometime.

Edited November 16, 2003 by Asashosakari

[Jan 0]

Maru was the man who first interested my family in Sumo, life won't be the same without him. (Depressed...) (Applauding...)

[Yoavoshimaru 0]

Man I'll miss Musashimaru... The Moose is finally loose from us... I hope he has a long healthy life now (Applauding...)