Datchayama

I was wondering that myself... with all the harite to the head going on it almost seems to maybe not be too well to actually have contacts in... so much head moving might make contacts damage the eyes... Thought that later in appearances it was discussed on the show how she still was interested... and naming off some of the rikishi,etc. but that was maybe now 2 yrs ago? Or maybe longer. Time flies....and don't even have to have fun... Aside from that tho..haven't seen quite as much...granted.. for me it's because of watching the net stream more now instead of the regular japantv broadcast (so they might only briefly show the family once instead of regularly thru the broadcast). Anyways Re: Harumafuji: Dang that was an awesome bout! Saw a couple times where normal people might get taken down by Hakuho... and yet 'fuji kept in it by pure will... I definitely say he earned the promotion with this... Missed the pre-bout stuff tho...(I work and someone just _had_ to call while they were doing that...:/ )

I had a good run myself... hadn't been doing any of the 'games' in a loong time and with the systems as they were I chose a new shikona, Daikondai. Unfortunately, I forgot to get my pick done in time for day 5... and my backup/alternate stunk. Still chugging along in ISP nicely, however :)

misc info: 'Lady' Gaga wasn't Gaga till 2006-7... originally born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta. I like our Gaga better.... :)

From what I can remember seeing last basho...he got a bit predictable towards the end. Seemed to me that he was constantly doing an arm grab/pull after the tachi-ai to throw the opponents off. But after doing that so regularly opponents got wise to expect that. I see him still going for that pulling movement last several days...but this time he has more issues with the fact that some of these are bigger to pull...and his strength/body size isn't enough to cause much unbalancing. The pull then puts him at more of a disadvantage. I just about think he needs to stop pulling them into him so he can spend better time on other methods.

His bout with Myogiryu today really surprised me. I think I've seen a good number of his bouts where he regularly tries to grab the arm to pull his opponent down. Unfortunately, I think that these later ones have figured that out as well and done better blocking against that. If they stay centered on him, it then ends up at the bales quickly. But he's kind of like a Takamisakari (in his heyday) with being real dangerous when caught on the bales... Strong enough to Utchari people around, and light+nimble enough to move out of trouble in a hurry. His escape today was awesome :) He's definitely got me rooting for him....

I've wondered about the dohyo for awhile... I remember a show on sumo (either Nat. Geographic/Discovery chan or maybe a translated interview on NHK) where they were interviewing the lead yobidashi that "runs" the dohyo creation/maintenance. (may be special name for the person but I don't know it myself) He was retiring soon after that piece. In the interview it was talked about how he watched and fretted over cracks,etc in it. Over last few years it's seemed to have gotten worse....and don't seem to see any corrections to the side cracks whatsoever. I know about the lack of the original clay availability,etc... but still always thought that if this one caretaker had this kind of attitude, that more regular maintenance should be being done yet today. Dunno... I know they work more on topside cracks,gouges,etc (think I saw something being done on the West side by the bales yesterday even) but maybe they're just thinking the cracks are superficial.. still seems the north/camera facing side should be at least maintained more...

A bit of a late followup as this was from a blog post back on the 10th... But taken from a Japan blog site: http://hatimaki.blog110.fc2.com/blog-entry-848.html was this pic of 'shoryu snoozing. The gaming site was making comments on having an XBOX.. but a side thing was it showed the way he is using an electrical stimulus thing on his arm while sleeping. (2 terminals taped to elbow, wires going to another box above the towel he had his arm on). Just thought I'd post it in here.... -D

Yeah I really wish Katayama could've stayed up in the ranks longer. Gets up there, then constant make-koshi's just not good. Always an impressive sight to see. Wondered what happened with him...whether it was more a strength issue, (flexable but not forceful enough to accomplish much in bouts) or just plain not really being ambitious in working on general skills? Really hoped he hadn't make-,make-,make'd so much after getting to upper ranks. Crowd always likes his shiko...

For those that might want to look at it... http://www.g4tv.com/attackoftheshow/exclus...in-Pereira.html has the video of it. Aand for the heck of it... a search on their site pulls up 2 videos from May: LA Sumo Tourney: http://www.g4tv.com/attackoftheshow/exclus...os-Angeles.html Musashimaru Interview: http://www.g4tv.com/attackoftheshow/blog/p...usashimaru.html

I still think it's funny seeing him in that spiked ball outfit and rapping in the kid's show Nihongo de Asoba... Is he actually supposed to represent a real life "something"? or just a show character representation....

1. Clinton Township (Near Detroit) 2. Japan TV (comcast) 3. Too much... ^_^ 29.95$/mo 4. Record on DVR...work night shifts. Watch the webpages from work ^_^

Just a quick Q... I've been pretty much 'away' from the games,etc for awhile now. Time/activity constraints, and bad network access timing issues,etc. Used to rotosumo,isp,chain,sekitori-toto + quad. Anyways, due to all of this I've pretty much vanished from all banzuke (I think since at least March for most). Does any know of any issues with starting up again on these games still using my original shikona, or are there regulations since I'd ended up "intai" I guess from these games... Couldn't find anything on the sekitori rules, and since I can't access sumogames.com I can't tell yet on those games... so thought I'd ask. Thanks -Dat

The San Francisco Taiko Dojo is the oldest Taiko group established outside Japan. They were pretty impressive but I thought it went on a tad too long. I guess I felt that way because I heard it three days in a row. Well.. the 3 day repetitiveness was kind of bad in a way. Their performance essentially was more of a full stage/show performance than more specific to the Sumo drumming.... The biggest thing I saw with them however, is that the rhythym patterns which normally have great accents along with the show artistry of the players moving alll around the stage was really kind of not so hot. Especially for the 2nd half when they played that bigger drum. Due to the ringing acoustics in the place, you couldn't hear any "definition" due to the big drum only sounding like a constant big rumble... I could "see" the players hitting out patterns on that drum but you couldn't tell it. Due to this you ended up with just too long of a big constant "rumble" rather than a good sounding beat pattern...and that gets pretty tiring quickly. (yeah, I dig drums ^_^)

hmm. trying to decipher my scribblings... Chiyo beat Miya on the 2nd day-quarter finals but yes Miya beat Chiyo on day 3 quarter finals..Oshidashi. He didn't fight Tochiazuma on day 2 or 3...maybe on day 1...am not sure at this moment. Just got back in from the flight from Vegas a half hour ago... but I had problems that 1st day (didn't have anything to take notes with at the event). I have camera pics of every bout however....but man, it's a lotta pics to go thru right now...(at least 2/3 gig of pics....) Anyways, I definitely enjoyed it... I was in section 106 -T row all 3 days. Slightly cheesed off that what I "thought" I was getting...row D.... was a heavily-indian voiced salesclerk that sold me these over the phone. Row D would've got me some better pics...my camera would only zoom into full-dohyo sized shots. No good rikishi closeups. Also was told about it being the same seat all 3 days... my seat shifted every day in the row. On the last day Magicians/Comdeians/whatever-ians Penn & Teller were in that last row in the bottom of my section...(I think that was the row D line). On the first day the news crew gathered together people on the one side of the section (made them move/clump together to make it look more "filled") but I had an opposite side seat from that. On the last day the TV crew grabbed some brief footage of me wearing my "Asashoryu" T-shirt while waiting for the doors to open. Have no idea if the footage was used... The bouts were great....most looked authentic...only a few looked like they might not have really been trying. I also agree...needed some zabuton to throw on the first couple days. Only negatives: eh...it's the "purist" aspect I guess...quickly got tired of the "hype" during each match... 'is it going to be East? or is it West?".... Wonder if it made the announcer yobidashi annoyed to be talked over his callups.... Anyways, that kind of killed some of the "tradition" mood.. but it's a Vegas show so what can ya expect ;-). The 2nd "mood killer" was thanks to Toshiba... I'm all for the supporting advertising,etc.. but you go into the arena, listen to the Japanese flute music for the hour beforehand, they show that festival footage also... great. you're in a Japanese mood. Then all of a sudden Blues Traveller music blares in for part of their ad..... it could've been done better with the same advert "result". Even later, after the nice Taiko drumming (even tho the acoustics to me weren't the best....made it all rumble together too much at times...) gets you in the mood again...there was another "pause".... in blares Blues Traveller again. Their ads/video footage also ran about 2x as loud as the flute music too.. :/ Other misc: wish I could've been there "earlier" to see the dohyo construction/blessing ceremonies (if they let people see it.... maybe they only let press see that. Saw a pic of it from AP I believe). I got there on early Friday morning.... was to have been Thurs night but I missed my first flight :/ Also would've liked to maybe have met some of the sumoforum'ers. I don't have a laptop (and didnt want to use their pay terminals) so kind of was in the dark about any specifics of anyone from here. Kind of wish I also had stayed at the Mandalay.... maybe could've had more rikishi sightings myself. Saw a few.. most of the time they were too swarmed by people so I didn't try to approach any. Oddly enough...most I saw seemed to be near that buffet... (Sign of approval) I ended up staying in the Excalibur so most of the time when I was over at Mandalay it was when the crowds were already heading over... Anywho, that's my take on the whole thing. Was nice to even see some kensho giving.... guess the supporters figured that they'd need some $ to spend (after the casinos already got the most of their moneys at the slots/whatever ^_^) so it was nice to see that. Got kensho counts as well...although I need to shuffle thru all my photos for that first day's counts. I'll see if I can throw together a list by later today sometime. On another note.... a question. Does the Takasago Beya's trophy case have electrical outlets in it?? What you can't see too well is that the overall championship trophy: has fully working neon in that star and lights all around it.... (Eh?) It's gonna need power.....