Pak

I have access to some online journals, so if you see a reference, perhaps I can get a copy. I have the one you mention, but Kofuji already has that for you :) PM me if you have some specific journal/article you wish to see, and I can check if I can get a copy. Regards, Pak

It's good to see Sakeizawa promoted back up from makushita. I remember that match with Kakizoe in March, with him collapsing backwards right after the tachi-ai. I hope his knee can hold out for him in juryo. Regards, Pak

That shows how alert I am, I only noticed Kakuryu :/ Regards, Pak (Wearing a paperbag...)

I just started tinkering with my guess. All I have 'set' so far are the sanyaku ranks, which are in sync with yours, but I am continuously reworking the maegashira, especially upper. My guesses have some insane promotion levels for 8-7s and some gentler demotions than normal. One question: did you intentionally leave Kakuryu at the same rank as in Aki even with his 7-8? Regards, Pak

Thanks for the pictures. It looks as if the Mongolian lads had fun, even if some did seem to be uncomfortable in their mawashi :) And that expression on Kokkai's face (Struck by lightning...) I noticed on several of the pictures of the day's bouts that some of the rikishi had their fingers partially taped/tied together. Is this to help keep the fingers from hyperextending/bending wrong, or perhaps nagging injuries? Regards, Pak

I was rather hoping Kotomistsuki and Ama would win, so that the yusho could be decided on the last day, perhaps with a playoff if Kotomitsuki happened to best Hakuho. Ah well, for the victors of those matches, I was glad to Kaio get another win and would like to see him end up with 10-5 this basho. I was worried about Goeido after he got smashed by Kaio (ouch!) , but thankfully he seems to be fine. I'll keep my fingers crossed for Baruto for his eighth win tonight. I know the first week at komusubi is always rough, but I didn't think he would be able to pull himself out from underneath a 2-7 record. Go, Baruto! If he wins, could he possibly slip up into sekiwake with Toyonoshima dropping down in rank? Regards, Pak

Doitsuyama, You update your database fast, and I owe you a beer if ever we meet. I usually can catch the live stream of the final makuuchi matches just before I have to leave for work, but this morning the stream was hiccuping badly and I had minutes of still frames and in and out audio. I was particularly interested in the Kaio/Goeido match, and I was staring at a frozen picture of the gyoji from the previous match and no audio, so I couldn't even hear the audio announcing the winner. Arrrrgh! On a whim, I checked the database and you had the result already posted on the banzuke on the front page. Yessss!!!! I could go to work without wondering all day who won, lol. Arigatou, arigatou gozaimasu!!!! Edit: Adding some thoughts .... For some reason, Day 12 has always been a day that focuses my interests in a tournament. By then, the top yusho contenders are already decided and a few winning or losing records for the tournament already established. Yet for most, the real struggle for that eighth win or avoiding that eighth loss, sanyaku promotions/demotions hanging in the balance -- and I find myself following the last few days with much more intensity. While I am of course interested in the competition for the Emperor's Cup, I find myself more focused on whether or not a wrestler will manage to avoid that make-koshi for one more day, or get that treasured eighth win. Will Kokkai and Kakizoe be able to breathe a sigh of relief at securing 8 wins at the bottom rung of makuuchi? Can Baruto cling on to his sanyaku rank? With Kotoshogiku pull off the remaining three wins he needs to get back into sanyaku? Etc., etc. I will have to get up early tomorrow to catch more matches than usual, and hope for a good connection to the live stream server :) Regards, Pak

Hopefully this will give his elbow a chance to heal and train so he will be in good form next basho. Regards, Pak

I finally got this book. I haven't had a chance to read it yet, as we have a number of houseguests here because of that !@#$ hurricane and I put it up so it would not get misplaced or damaged. I did flip through it and look at the pictures, and as Babaryutaikai and Jonosuke mentioned, the photographs are well-done and nothing that I could see should cause any uproar. The only pictures that gave me pause as to the reason for their inclusion were some of the ones obviously meant to be artistic -- such as a full page photo of sweaty skin. There are only a few of those, and someone with a better appreciation of such things might enjoy them more. It's a beautiful book, and I'm looking forward to when things get back to normal so I can read it. Regards, Pak

Not sure how the B Sample not getting tested was NSK's screwup. The B samples were at the lab to be tested, but the brothers waived their right to have them tested; it was not the NSK's decision, it was theirs. Regards, Pak

He'll be working closely with the new appointees and would probably like to submit his own list of names for the positions. It is going to be a big change for the kyokai, and Musashigawa should select men that would work well with his style of leadership. Regards, Pak

Check to see if cookies are enabled. I think on IE7 it is under Tools/Internet Options/Privacy/Advanced. Regards, Pak

He decided to go the manga route, and got a subscription to a couple of the monthy manga magazines and is going to explore getting some of the other titles suggested here. I'm looking at the novels for myself now -- I could use some fresh reading material besides Sumo magazine, lol. Mark, is this one of those series books you were talking about? Regards, Pak

Three basho -- would they keep their ranking in the banzuke, or demoted as if 0-0-15 for those tournaments? Quite a plummet in ranking if so.

Its now some years that I have the feeling that as long as people write something about KaioU retiring he'll continue and defy retirement. ;) I am glad Kaio did not retire. I have only been back watching sumo this year, and he has become one of my favourites. In the unlikely event he wins another yusho, I would certainly be happy for him. In the meantime, I'll enjoy watching his bouts. Now I will have to explore the sumo reference and see if I could determine who is the oldest man to win a yusho... I know Asashoryu is still dealing with the injury to his elbow, but I had not heard of anything amiss with Hakuho. I recall reading something about his being tired from all the travel for the summer jungyo, but surely he has recovered from that? Regards, Pak