Raishu

I swear, this comment would fare very well below a Chris Gould video.

The implementation of the sanyo-role has definitely contributed to the current crunch and what is boiling up at the moment was foreseeable long time ago (since you have read the entire thread, you have probably noticed that me and some other members have predicted this scenario a few years back already). With that many eligible rikishi, the NSK really needs to pay close attention to who they want to have in the association and what qualifications they prefer to keep in the business (decorated rikishi, the ones with presumably good coaching skills or the ones that bring a good business sense/ education into operations? (guess that might especially apply to the university graduates)). Of course, preferably, a new oyakata embraces all these competences combined. As you pointed out correctly, most or even all current loanees need to be prepared to exit the NSK sooner or later, since at least from their career records they can be replaced by more successful sekitori rather easily. Guys like Enho might have the benefit of being Hakuho's protégé, but I always found it hard to believe, that the NSK would keep him in the association when they can choose from dozens of other eligibles. Regarding the current ex-Ozekis, I might differ here. Takayasu seems to me like a good fit for the soon-to-be vacated Minezaki share and Shodai has the benefit, that several sanyo are currently employed within his ichimon. Depending on how long he can continue in the paid ranks, he might succeed one of the consultants (picking up the name) right away in a few years. Generally, I dont think the NSK will change their policies anytime soon. The older oyakata won't resign out of good will to bring in younger blood into their hierarchy, since it is their paid job in the end. The fact that they installed the consultant role (employment with reduced salary) until the age of 70 appeared to me as a move to reduce salary costs, but that's just my personal impression. End of the story: Let us not expect that anything will change regarding the oyakata system in the near (and probably distant) future.

That was my immediate thought when I heard of the possible Hakuho resignation. So far, there was no obvious kabu available for the Asahifuji-Terunofuji swap. The rumor regarding Asahifuji becoming the new NHK guest commentator á la Kitanofuji always seemed very farfetched to me, since the latter just passed away around the time when the Isegahama succession topic started to accelerate. Asahifuji becoming sanyo is and was always the logical outcome.

@Doitsuyama: I just got reminded by the Wakatozakura news (and the implementation of his death date in the database) that I have sent you around 50 more death dates roughly 12 months ago - basically like I did in 2018. Unlike 2018, I had used the DB form (not the email address) and don't have a copy of the message, so I can't give you any details on the content (the list on paper got lost when I moved to a different apartment). Among these was Asashio's death date and it's still missing in sumodb. I only want to take the opportunity to ask whether you have received them at all? I guess I should have used email and the dates would have been archived. My bad!

In a way, this supports the rumour that the currently vacated Kiriyama name has been promised/transfered to Takarafuji. Terunofuji would have picked up the name right away if he was in fact the owner. If the plan is to succeed Isegahama in July, he will have roughly seven months from now on to score a share and swap with the shisho once he turns 65. Within his own ichimon the situation looks pretty grim reagrding the availabilty of a kabu, so he probably has to get it from somewhere else. I can't remember the exact video, but "sumo tabloidist" Chris Gould once stated that Terunofuji and Isegahama are not on good terms and Tateyama is the preferred successor to running the stable in the future and the former Homarrefuji has already been doing the recruitment for quite some time. You decide for yourself what to make out of that.

If I remember correctly, the last completely bald rikishi was Taikomaru who fought for Azumazeki beya between 2004-2012. https://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi.aspx?r=6036 At the end of his career, he started to have some hormonal treatment and some hair had started growing, but he appeared with a cleanly shaved head for his dampatsu-shiki - which was basically a handshake event according to his Japanese Wikipedia entry.

M8 Roga (Futagoyama beya) He injured his foot/lower leg (?) during butsugari at the Soken, lending his chest to a lower ranker (was captured on video). He had to be replaced by another sekitori to finish the session and a yobidashi threw some salt into the ring. I am obviously not sure whether this is the exact reason for his absence, but I wouldn't be surprised.

Long covid ... that's what many people assume. His results declined after he had to sit out that one basho due to a corona infection. No official statement regarding this as far as I remember.

As mentioned before, the media more or less have followed the shisho's wish to keep her out of articles, but that doesn't mean he has kept her hidden. When the heya buildings in Ibaraki were opened, she was very active during the opening ceremony... often times posing for pictures with koenkai members and other local guests (alongside the shisho of course) and actively welcomed media representatives and other Rikishi (IIRC, Takayasu paid a visit too). There is/was (can't check it right now) a fan video on YouTube that showed her multiple times as she was fulfilling the duties mentioned above.

You are probably right about that and I also do not believe such a transfer is very likely. But speaking of political support: As a sumo fan of over two decades, I have followed Takakeisho's career from the start till the end ... reading many dohyo related articles and sure enough, I am aware of the father's role regarding the ex-Ozeki's sumo life. But do we know anything about his career aspirations as an Oyakata? For example, Kisenosato's preparations for his post-active career were widely featured in newspapers and it was clear from the start, that he wants to leave his mark in the administrative hierachy as well. Has Takakeisho ever voiced any intentions publicly? The reason I am asking is, that political support within the ichimon only seems to be relevant if you actually have these aspirations, right? If you just want to focus on your heya and leave the politics to other alphas (Musashimaru comes to mind here), the ichimon-affiliation probably wouldn't matter that much (regardless of that hypothetical transfer or not).

I guess I should wait with this until the basho is over/next Wednesday (no jinx intended), but I will take the risk: With Onosato's 12th win today and a more or less sealed Ozeki promotion, he will become the first top tier wrestler that has secured a sansho in every Makuuchi basho he participated in before he reached the second highest rank (he will get at least one special prize again this time for sure). Didn't even bother to check the database, since no one else has made it that quick either.

I have had the very same thought. If they really want to re-establish "the" heya as it was back then, a kabu swap seems reasonable to me. Just checked the database and the Hatachiyama name has crossed ichimon lines before (unlike Minatogawa), so there is no deep historical connection with the Dewanoumi group. My impression is that ichimon affiliation (regarding elder stock) is not as important as it used to be and a normal trade (without money being involved) could happen out of generosity. On the other hand, maybe Takakeisho wants to bring the heya back to its original ichimon. There are a lot of possible scenarios, I guess.

So Myogiryu doesn't want to continue in Juryo, it seems. I don't see a kabu-swap-bonanza considering how the shares are currently distributed among the loanees.

My guess is Ryuden, but I am not 100% sure myself.

Finally, they hire again after more than nine years. Glad for the three guys who made it. I always expected long-serving veterans like Shoketsu, Musashiumi or Dairaido to patiently wait for a spot, but it looks like they were not considered (or simply want to perform as active rikishi). That will boost the number of sewanin up to 11 for a couple of months. Fukuryudake will turn 65 in May - which means we will settle at 10.