Amateur yokozuna gives up sumo to pursue NFL dream

[Koorifuu 1,003]

The pessimistic take is that Hanada is being given a spot on the roster mostly due to PR & marketing but nobody truly expects him to have a chance at this stage.

[Inside Sport Japan 762]

15 hours ago, Koorifuu said:

The pessimistic take is that Hanada is being given a spot on the roster mostly due to PR & marketing but nobody truly expects him to have a chance at this stage.

That would be Koji Tokuda you are thinking of.

Like Hanada his spot was an additional special one created to take advantage of his fame.

Tokuda played in college but gave up the sport for a decade and became a TV star.

In his 30s he decided that he missed it and joined a lower division team called Fukuoka Suns. He's only ok as players go but his name and image is front and center on all promotional stuff.

There was a backlash against him being given a place on the Japan team and he withdrew soon after it was announced.

Hanada is a 'crossover athlete'

He gets a lot of media attention but his place on the team (and universal support from other teams and players here) is more about people wanting to see him succeed and hoping he'll help the game here grow.

He's a very likeable guy too and popular with players. We haven't heard a single bad word about him - which is almost a miracle in Japanese football as it's Game of Thrones like at the best of times.

As for his NFL chances. No one is under any illusions about how slim those are. It doesn't mean they don't support his efforts however.

[Inside Sport Japan 762]

Former amateur Yokozuna story #2 today

HIDETORA HANADA BRINGS SUMO RESUME TO COMBINE - CFL

[Inside Sport Japan 762]

 

[Akinomaki 40,622]

On 07/09/2022 at 14:55, Inside Sport Japan said:

Hidetora Hanada has given up on his dual ozumo / gridiron dream and is now just focusing on becoming the first Japanese player to make an NFL regular season roster. 

Today Hanada had a press conference in Tokyo to announce that he joins NCAA Division I Colorado State University where he can play for 3 years as a step towards his NFL dream - his body frame has switched by now from sumo to ame-futo, he is definitely lost for sumo

o o  o o o o o o o

Edited July 18, 2023 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 40,622]

Hanada Hidetora left for the US today - showing an obi at the airport he got from Hakuoho before the basho, they are acquainted since middle school. He watched the final day of the basho in Nagoya and was at the Miyagino-beya senshuraku party and talked to him, getting some words of encouragement o

 o  o o o

a year ago Nittaidai head coach Saito had introduced him to same name (even the first names are similar now 秀虎 and 虎上) amefuto sempai Hanada Masaru, who gave him some hints.

o

Edited July 30, 2023 by Akinomaki

[rhyen 1,842]

 

[Yamanashi 3,866]

Hanada is at Colorado State University (Fort Collins, CO), a Division I team in a medium level conference.  He is working out at Defensive End.

Here is an Associated Press article through the Honolulu Star-Advertiser:

https://www.staradvertiser.com/2023/08/18/sports/colorado-state-dl-hanada-gives-up-his-mawashi-for-football-gear/

 

[Chartorenji 237]

On 18/08/2023 at 00:12, rhyen said:

 

 

On 24/08/2023 at 17:58, Yamanashi said:

Hanada is at Colorado State University (Fort Collins, CO), a Division I team in a medium level conference.  He is working out at Defensive End.

Here is an Associated Press article through the Honolulu Star-Advertiser:

https://www.staradvertiser.com/2023/08/18/sports/colorado-state-dl-hanada-gives-up-his-mawashi-for-football-gear/

 

My old high school just had their generational football player/student join CSU with big hurrah from the city (not unlike rikishi reporting to their mayors haha.) Weird convergence of Sumo fan and personal life for me. 

[Akinomaki 40,622]

On 30/07/2023 at 13:33, Akinomaki said:

Hanada Hidetora left for the US today - showing an obi at the airport he got from Hakuoho before the basho, they are acquainted since middle school. He watched the final day of the basho in Nagoya and was at the Miyagino-beya senshuraku party and talked to him, getting some words of encouragement

And here with the accompanying kimono Hanada got from Magaki-oyakata (fashion designer Ishiura)

in March in Canada

  o

in January

o

He had his first regular match at the Colorado State Canvas stadium on Oct 28th

[Yamanashi 3,866]

In the football photos he looks like a typical "little Japanese guy", but he's 6'1" (1.85m) and 280 lbs (127 kg).  It's just that defensive linemen at the college level are typically 1.93 m at the same weight.

Edited November 17, 2023 by Yamanashi
Typo for weight: 170 -> 127

[Bunbukuchagama 732]

39 minutes ago, Yamanashi said:

280 lbs (170 kg)

Hm... Your math is off.

[Yamanashi 3,866]

7 hours ago, Bunbukuchagama said:

Hm... Your math is off.

50x more likely to be a typo; 127?

[Oortael 153]

8 hours ago, Yamanashi said:

In the football photos he looks like a typical "little Japanese guy", but he's 6'1" (1.85m) and 280 lbs (170 kg).  It's just that defensive linemen at the college level are typically 1.93 m at the same weight.

1,85 170kg is roughly Kotonowaka/Asanoyama/Takanosho/Takarafuji. He seems far fitter than that. So indeed, the lbs->kg translation is likely off.

45 minutes ago, Yamanashi said:

50x more likely to be a typo; 127?

Are we bargaining here   ? I say 134 with equipment on (as a joke obviously. Google agrees with 280lb=127kg). 

[Yamanashi 3,866]

@Bunbukuchagama, @Oortael: typo fixed; thanks.