I am the Yokozuna

Thanks for that tidbit. For a second, I thought it could have been Asashoryu. Had forgotten about the little fighter from Tosa.

Who is the gentleman with the black MSVP tracktop?

It is baffling or rather befitting that a brand known for use of prison slave labor in Xinjiang, toxic working environment at Japan offices, poor quality and cheap valued products, partners with the Sumo Association. On one hand we have this lower valued items and then on the other we have rikishis wearing tailored mader suits after retirement costing 1 mln JPY at least. Some balance would have been better.

Hope he can fully recuperate and has a great life post sumo career

Great news

A very sad news. A great man.

So is there any update when Miyagino would be allowed to reopen his heya?

Any video of the tokkurinage in sandanme?

In his retirement press conference Takakeisho stated that he joined the sumo to become a yokozuna and once he realized that he cannot achieve that dream due to lack of physical strength and necessary results to progress to the rank he decided to retire. Of course all dream to become yokozunas, regardless of how realistic that could be, but most enjoy the sumo way and continue doing keiko and keep on fighting during the tournaments until it is physically possible to them or a heya kabu opens up for them. I have never heard the reason - I could no longer become yokozuna as a retirement reason. He did not mention his health as a reason for retirement au contraire he said he did not feel the injuries being painful, the oyakata talked about this but even he did not say he retired because of injuries. In my mind that is kind of entitlement, which when put on top of his refusal to bow for me is smugness. That does not make him a bad rikishi, he had an amazing career. Overachiever as I would always point out in life it is always about timing. He finished with more championships than Kisenasato, Tochiazuma, Chiyotaikai, Baruto and Kotoshu, all of whom I consider superior fighters than him but in more competitive times to clinch more championships for themselves. Does he care about my opinion? Nope. Am I fine with that? Hell, yes. Anyhow, once again I wish him success in his career as an oyakata.

Rugby union player at Keio, I think but cannot find any of the articles among the flood of new articles

Be dishonest for a while, won’t you. I imagined a different situation where you just rang the phone and said “hey it’s Moti, I am coming on Thursday for a dinner. Have the beers cooled and gather the boys for some motivational talk” and Isegahama dutifully complied.

So, the messengers were Dewanoumi (Oginohana) and Hanerogoma (Tamanoshima)

Totally missed out on the news that Kisenosato got married two years and even now has a child. I always thought of him like Kotoshogiku - unhappy in his love life with a lot of failed relationships. Has Akinomaki reported on this? How could I have missed it? Good luck to the new ozeki Onosato!

We would never know what they would have done in case they were not those two additional retirements in terms of who would have been demoted. The two additional retirements feel like a kind of a helping hand not to be forced into making any decision.

Have they had new recruits recently? I cannot see any new names but it could be me.