Hinerikeri

I disagree slightly on the no effect other than Konishiki...I believe Asashifuji would have been promoted sooner....but again as I said....that is only a slight difference.

I posted this several years ago on some forum, prolly the old mailing list. But since someone else posted an "If there was no Hakuho" I thought I would post this....enjoy! Just for fun...If there were no Asashoryu. This is how I see it and please take it with a grain of salt. 21 new yusho winners - here is a synopsis of what I was able to come up with. 1) Only 1 new yokozuna - Kaio 2) Hakuho becomes yokozuna much sooner 3) Hakuho wins 5 more yusho - 10 total 4) Kaio wins 3 more yusho - 8 total 5) Kotomitsuki wins 3 more yusho - 4 total 6) Kotooshu wins 3 yusho total 7) Chiyotaikai wins 2 more yusho - 5 total 8) Single yusho winners are: Takanowaka, Wakanosato, Hokutoriki, Miyabiyama & Aminishiki Starting with Asashoryu's 1st Yusho Basho - Winner Comments 2002 Kyushu - Takanowaka Ranked at Komusubi he legitimately faced all the top rankers 2003 Hatsu - Wakanosato Actually 3 tied at 11-4 - Tochinonada, Dejima were also 11-4. Both Deijima and Waka lost to Asashoryu so it is very possible that they could have gone 12-3 and IMHO Waka was probably the strongest this Basho ranked at K1w. 2003 Haru - Chiyotaikai He won this one anyway 2003 Natsu - Kaio Actually tied with Aminishiki record-wise, certainly the Koykai would have made it tougher on Aminishiki. Chiyotaikai and Kyokutenho both lost to Asa which could possibly have brought their records up 11-4 like Kaio, however Kaio did it legit, so Kaio gets the yusho. 2003 Nagoya - Kaio Kaio wins the yusho with with or without Asashoryu and promotion to Yokozuna. 2003 Aki - Chiyotaikai Chiyotaikai lost to Asashoryu,so it's possible that he could have gone 12-3. My gut tells me that Iwakiyama & Kotomitsuki would not have had as good of a record had they been ranked in the joi-jin. So Chiyo gets the Yusho. 2003 Kyushu - Tochiazuma Tochiazuma won the yusho anyway. 2004 Hatsu - Kotomitsuki Not much to argue here. Koto lost to Asashoryu and was already 1 win better than anyone else. 2004 Haru - Kaio Kaio, Chiyotaikai & Asasekiryu had the same record. Kaio & Chiyo both lost to Asa and Sekiryu had an easier torikumi so it came down to Kaio or Chiyo. Kaio won their match during the basho and had a better head-to-head record at the time, yusho to Kaio. 2004 Natsu - Hokutoriki Again not much to debate. Hoku had the 2nd best record and lost to Asashoryu during the Basho and in the play-off. 2004 Nagoya - Miyabiyama Miya lost to Asashoryu and was one better than anyone else. The only contention here could be that if Miya lost his replacement match for Asa, he would be tied with Kaio for best record. Not going to go there, Miya wins the yusho. 2004 Aki - Kaio Kaio won this yusho on his own anyway. 2004 Kyushu - Hakuho Kaio & Hakuho both lost to Asa so it comes down to head-to-head between the two. Hakuho won their match during the Basho and evened up their record at 1-1. Tough to call but Hakuho gets the nod due to the win against Kaio. 2005 Hatsu - Hakuho Hakuho becomes Yokozuna in a play-off with Tochiazuma. Equal records and losses to Asa took this one to the play-off. Hakuho won their match and dominated their overall record 3-0 up to this point. Wow! 2005 Haru - Kaio This one could be debated. Tamanoshima clearly with the 2nd best record would have been matched up against 2-4 Sanyaku rikishi if Asa was not around. I don't think his record would be as good. It would only take 1 or 2 losses to end up in a play-off with Kaio. He was two ahead, but Kaio's loss to Asashoryu could have made him one better. Play-off or even an outright yusho to Kaio. 2005 Natsu - Kotomitsuki One better than Tochiazuma, Asashoryu's victories over both Koto & Tochi do nothing to change the outcome. 2005 Nagoya - Kotooshu This goes to the play-off as well. Koto beat Asa and Wakanosato lost to Asa. Waka possible extra win ties him with Koto but he's possible loss also gives the yusho to Koto. 2005 Aki - Kotooshu Pretty simple here. Koto went to a play-off with Asa & no other rikishi even lose. I don't think Koto would have been promoted to Ozeki at this point so his 2 consecutive yusho would not qualify him to become Yokozuna. 2005 Kyushu - Chiyotaikai Chiyo lost to Asa so his record is more than likely 1 better than Kotooshu who did beat Asa with no possibility of having a better record. Here's where the debate could start. Having won the previous 2 basho, would a jun-yusho be enough for promotion to yokozuna? Ooh-la-la!!!! 2006 Hatsu - Tochiazuma He won the yusho anyway. 2006 Haru - Hakuho Asa beat both so the records have no bearing on the yusho. Hakuho was 1 better than Tochi. 2006 Natsu - Hakuho Hakuho won this one on his own. 2006 Nagoya - Hakuho Not even close, Hakuho by a mile. 2006 Aki - Aminishiki Aminishiki had the harder way to go in this kettei-sen between heya-mates. Ama had a tough schedule towards the end, but in the end I give the yusho to Aminishiki for the quality of wins and tougher schedule. 2006 Kyushu - Kotooshu Homasho has the 2nd best record. If Asashoryu hadn't have been there, Homasho would ultimately have faced more Sanyaku rikishi as he would have been the sole leader on day 10. He lost to the only Sanyaku he faced and I believe he wouldn't have been 12-3. Soooo, that leaves Kotooshu, Tochiazuma, Kaio, Kotoshogiku, Dejima, Kyokutenho, Baruto, Takamisakari & Asasekiryu all at 10-5. Strength of schedule rules out everybody from Kyokutenho and below on the Banzuke. Asashoryu beat everybody except Dejima (which he did not face which eliminates him). Keeping as simple as possible, and based on Head-to-Head records Kotooshu would be the one left holding the Emperor's Cup. 2007 Hatsu - Hakuho This was another tough one. Again as with last basho, we have a lower raker that I don't think would have had the same record if they would have faced more Sanyaku rikishi than they would have if Asashoryu wqs not there. In the end it came down to Chiyotaikai, Ama & Hakuho. The yokozuna comes out on top of the kettei-sen. 2007 Haru - Hakuho Hakuho won this one outright anyway. 2007 Natsu - Hakuho Zensho yusho all on his own. 2007 Nagoya - Kotomitsiki Clearly 2nd best in this basho 2007 Aki - Hakuho Asashoryu's absence does nothing to change the outcome here. 2007 Kyushu - Hakuho Asashoryu's absence does nothing to change the outcome here. Hinerikeri

My opinion is that of physical strength not sumo records. Kaio can crush an apple in his hand and has literally destroyed the elbows of Kotoryu, Tochinonada and Tamanoshima...possibly more.

For those interested, I did some tweeting last night. No guarantee that I'll do it every night, but if you're interested my user name is....hinerikeri. Hinerikeri

It seems to me that there are defenders of the Kyokai on one side and defenders of Asashoryu on the other side. I would like to remind everyone that without the Kyokai, Asashoryu would not be a Yokozuna. The notion that Asashoryu is the one beyond reproach and the Kyokai needs to change seems ridiculous to me. Sumo is a culture, the good and the bad, and when you change the culture it will go away and never come back. Yes, there is room for some change, but not as much as some people would think. Why bring someone from the outside in? For the sake of the 21st century? LOL! Why not educate the ones that earned their way into the association. If it's the rules you don't like, go start your own Kyokai and play by your own rules. As far as 21st century morality, you can keep it. 21st century practicality I'm OK with! As for bringing sumo into the 21st century, the Kyokai can't seem to win. They implement drug testing and actually catch someone doing it and then get called out for going on a witch hunt. Unbelievable!!!! Is it really a witch hunt if you actually catch a witch? Wonder which witch gets caught next?!?!?!? Hinerikeri