Tokyo Tom

"By hook or by crook?" That's virtually admitting to yaocho, isn't it? Only the crook part. Sorry but I don't think of that statement as any kind of admission. He could mean "even though my back is killing me I got to get up on the dohyo and take care of this joi-jin opponent" or "wow my knee is busted up but I know rikishi X is hurting too and maybe I can throw a Kaio-nage and take this match". 'By hook or crook" is taken to be by all means necessary- if Plan A isn't working, better switch to Plan B-if that doesn't work, go to Plan C- whatever it takes to get the job done. It could also mean just showing up for a match when he knew when wouldn't be able to compete, just so he wouldn't go fusen and might be in better condition the next day.

I first started watching sumo with the Kyushu 2006 basho- Kaio was kadoban and the press (okay, Japan Times) were writing of Kaio being on the verge/should be considering immediate retirement. He then started 9-0 on his way to (I believe) 12-3 and he became my favorite of all Japanese rikishi. Like others, I was hoping the last basho would keep him active until a final swan song in Kyushu this year but it is not to be. Thank you Kaio-zeki for the wonderful memories!

Rather requote this passage than the one before. Excellently worded explanation of current realities and in laying out the differences between "yaocho" and "backscratching".

There had been some talk on this forum a while back (maybe last year) that the NSK was considering holding a July basho in Sendai due to cooler weather and sparse crowds in Nagoya the past few years. If attendance doesn't pick up this basho do you think that maybe next year the tournament would move to Sendai on a trial basis- with the thought of maybe alternating between Nagoya and Sendai in the future? Or does the Nagoya tournament usually draw fans from the Kansai region and there might not be enough fans in Tohoku to support a basho? The good will gesture from the NSK might help draw a crowd and hopefully there will be some semblance of normalcy by next summer in the region. I'm back in the states now (and have been away from the forum for a bit) but would have considered going up to Sendai to see a day's worth of action. Nagoya in July- not a chance!

At this late date in the basho shouldn't Okinoumi be given a little stiffer competition (maybe along the lines of proven maegashira in the M4-M8 range like Goeido, Homasho, Tokitenku, etc)? With Hakuho being "under the weather" with the top 3 Ozeki to go, one slip up and we are looking at another playoff between a low ranked maegashira and a Yokozuna. At least Toyonoshima had a previous pedigree of success in his career. Then again, maybe I am assuming too much in that one of the current Ozeki will rise up to beat Hakuho...

Thanks as well for this information. I am vaguely familiar with the Konishiki issue where (I believe) he claimed he was denied Yokozuna promotion due to being gaijin after meeting the standard set by previous Yokozuna promotions. I am not familiar with the Futahaguro situation- can someone provide a brief explanation? I guess the bottom line is this: would the YDC recommend a promotion for Kaio should he again finish a tournament with 12+ victories but fail to win the yusho or jun-yusho? I know this subject has been covered before but with the declining attendance and TV ratings would the JSA hot-shot a promotion to get a spike in interest and reward Kaio for his long and scandal-free career?

I hope his health condition is not in serious- but losing 15 kg is not a good sign. Kokkai was one of the first rikishi I learned to recognize by sight when I started following sumo in 2006 (I could always predict a loss when he came to the dohyo freshly shaven) and always enjoyed his straight-forward sumo.

IMO, throwing out 10 names is like listing the usual suspects. I think the challenger will come from a sanyaku/high maegashira veteran- a crafty type of rikishi who could leverage a leg sweep. My vote is with either Aminishiki or Kyokutenho. I am more confident that the kimarite will be some sort of leg sweep (counter intuitive given Hakuho's giant thighs) but I can't see him being vulnerable to a push out or upper body throw. If someone has the time, can you post the W/L record of Aminishiki and Kyokutenho vs Hakuho over the past couple of years (or direct me to a link where I can find the answer for myself)? Thanks in advance

I also would like to thank you for all of the rikishi comments you post as well as the match time durations!

My feelings are the same- I thought Hakuho was vanilla compared to Asashoryu when I started following sumo but am now so impressed with how he has dominated the sport. I see Hakuho as playing the "Larry Holmes" role in boxing, always being compared to predecessor Muhammed Ali while quietly setting records for victories, length of reign, etc. The sumo purists appreciate the quiet dignity of Hakuho going about his business of domination. A fluke loss may spell the end of the consecutive match win streak- but the consecutive yusho streak will stretch on for some time and Taiho's yusho record could certainly fall in the future as well. As for other career records- Are there any career rankings for kensho won?

Maybe Sly's presence will help spike ticket sales (if not already sold out). One time Billy Blanks (Billy Boot Camp) was at the KK during a promo tour and a long line formed to greet him and take pictures- I can only imagine the circus when a real "star" is in the seating area. Of course, nothing will match the hubbub that occurred on my first visit to the KK:

I don't think I qualify as "non-disturbed" but will give it a go: I think ol' Oji-san just developed a gimmick where he can get down close to the action and have a good time without spending a lot of his own money. I once had my 15 minutes of fame and did enjoy the attention that came along with the notoriety: it does help the ego when complete strangers want to be with you! I have seen people at the KK call out to the Oji-san to come over and sit with them, take pictures, share food & drink, etc- one day after the matches Oji-san even agreed to take a picture with me! Then three gyaru came up to get a picture and he dropped me like a hot potato. I saw him getting into a cab with those gyaru a few minutes later. Desperate for attention- or knowing a good thing when you have it? Or, in current business speak- Knowing and Cultivating your Personal Brand!

I'll give props to Kaio for this clean win- HaruAMAfuji never seemed to have good balance in the match; once he lost his arm bar at the edge Kaio used his physical asset to move Harus' center of gravity out of the ring. The somersault was more pronounced because of the 2 foot drop off to the floor. The result was similar to the earlier sakatottari when Kakizoe lost his balance in spite of having the arm bar on Toyozakura. Thanks to Kintamayama for providing both feeds so that we can continue this lively discussion!

Fay posted: "I suspect Baruto was not real fit today. Yesterday he went out with the Yokozuna..." (sorry but I have not mastered how to add quotes on a reply) I can understand going out with a rival between honbasho but- in the middle of the tournament? Baruto was 7-1 at that time and one loss off the pace for the lead. Maybe he thought he would let the Yokozuna "win" at drinking games so as to affect his performance the next day? Jejima posted: "But, Hakuho has a real chance to make history with a record that probably would not be broken for at possibly 50 (maybe 100?) years.... " I also agree- Hakuho has separated himself from the Ozeki because of his focus- why put oneself at a potential disadvantage by carousing around during the basho? I felt that Asashoryu's last offense was not that hit hit the bar owner while drunk- it was that he did it during the middle of a tournament! Would Tiger Woods go out to pick up waitresses during the middle of the Masters.... oh, never mind. No matter the cause of Baruto's performance- hat's off to Kaio for seizing the advantage in his bout and claiming the win. That bout looked pretty legit to me and Kaio continues to show "Ozeki Pride"!

My best advice is to make the education a priority and continue with his studies until he has earned his degree. In all seriousness, his background may be better with professional wrestling or MMA than American Football. He may be too old to learn enough football skills to make a career in that sport- but just playing at college, learning English, and getting a formal education will help in career development in any area outside of sports. If he excels at Webber he may get noticed by a larger university that may bring him on for a year or two (until his college eligibility has expired). His sumo experience and size may be suited for lineman play at the college level but the chances of moving onto professional football are unfortunately very slim. As stated before, under NO CIRCUMSTANCES should he seek out professional representation at this time- doing so would make him ineligible for college football. Former professional wrestling champion Dory Funk Jr (well known to puroresu fans) runs a training school in central Florida that has a very strong reputation. If Wakanoho is open to scripted athletic endeavors this could make a viable option and possibly lead him back to Japan where his notoriety could be marketable in that sport. If returning to Japan is not possible, he could still be a marketable competitor in America if he can develop basic pro wrestling skills. Please pass along my congratulations on successfully losing 40kg of weight and moving on with his life in a positive manner. He was one of my favorites while I lived in Japan and, as I have a more relaxed view of his transgressions than the Japanese, felt that his punishment was more extreme than necessary.