Muhomatsu

Sankei sports is reporting he will be: Harumafuji (day-horse-fuji)

What is the link for the stream? I never tried before because I was not in the time zone. I am now, or sort of, just moved to Wellington, NZ. MUHOMATSU

I saw an article that our sai-Juryo, Takamifuji, of Azumazeki-beya will retire in advance of the Nagoya Basho. Apparantly, it has something to do with additictions to pachinko and gambling debts. You may recall that Takamifuji (who made his Sekitori debut earlier this year) is a former college level Yokozuna who also worked in the public service.

My adoptee Hochiyama is the first (and only) wrestler out of our original "draft" back in 2000 - my god, was it that long ago? Anyway, he finally made it up to the top division on the heels of his outstanding 13-2 Juryo Yusho in Nagoya. He was in for a letdown though, and only managed a 5-10 record as a shin-nyumaku. He will surely find himself back in Juryo for the Kyushu basho. However, he is strong enough and young enough to become a makuuchi regular and perhaps get to Sanyaku. He is a Sakai-gawa beya wrestler meaning he gets to train with talents like Goeido, Kadomoto, and Fukunaga as well as the veteran Iwakiyama. I hope all of them can make it to the top division and "help each other out" even more! Muhomatsu

The article says that Onoe Oyakata will establish his independent heya on August 1. Former Komusubi Hamanoshima (current Onoe Oyakata) will break off from Mihogaseki-beya on August 1st and establish the Onoe-beya as of that date according to the announcement on the 16th from the Nihon Sumo Assocation. Curent Makunuchi wrestler Baruto, Juryo's Satoyama, Makushita's Shiraishi, Sandanme's Hamaeiko, Jonidan's Sakaizawa and Kurazono will be the 6 wrestlers moving with him it was also released... ◇尾上親方が８月１日付で独立◇ 　元小結濱ノ嶋の尾上親方（36）が８月１日付で三保ヶ関部屋から独立し、尾上部屋を興すことが、１６日の日本相撲協会理事会で承認されました。 　内弟子である幕内・把瑠都、十両・里山、幕下・白石、三段目・浜栄光、序二段・境沢、倉園の６力士の転属も認められました。

Hochiyama, my adoptee from the open of the "game" won the Juryo Yusho and will become the first adoptee of that class to make the top division!

I think 10-5 is a "one more basho" from the Kyokai. I just cannot see them giving it to him with a 10-5. To be sure, he had a good run and he would meet the minimum 33 wins. However, just 10 wins in the last basho is a bit too little. 11 wins, and he would have it for sure. They will let him try again. 14 11 11 and he gets it. I cannot find anyone promoted to Ozeki with only 10 wins in their "promotion" basho in recent memory. Even Takanohana went 10-14-11 (wins) in his basho prior to promotion to Ozeki. Also, like Miyabiyama - Wahanohana III won 10-14-10 and was NOT promoted back in 1993. Muhomatsu

Kintamayama: I am mostly a lurker and I have enjoyed most of your posts and I happen to agree with your approach toward the treatment of Roho after this. On the other hand, I am quite dissappointed with your attitude toward sumo as expressed in these posts. You seem to long for the good old days of sumo before these rowdy foreigners and their fans entered the picture. Fortunately, the sumo of Oshiogawa-oyakata (this was his attitude as well from what I have read) is gone for good. Sumo has evolved many times in the past. Look at the diffenence in sumo pre-Meiji and post-Meiji. Look at pre-war sumo and today's. The sport seriously modernized - and all of the changes were for the best. Thank god we do not have "draws" instead of wins/losses in each fight just so some particular rich sponsor is not ticked off. We have 15 day tournaments now, rules for promoting a Yokozuna beyond having a rich supporter, and 6 tournaments a year. The inclusion of foreigners and their fans is part of the change and modernization of the sport and it is here to stay. The globalization of sumo is the only thing that will save it as a major sport and not relegate it to a sort of "sideshow freak status". Again, I admit that what Roho did was wrong. But your reaction to other non-Japanese fans was just as wrong. You are an expert, but you are not the Rijicho. Nor are you even Japanese - so you cannot (as it appears you are attempting to do) claim to speak on their behalf (i.e. in defense of their time honored customs). Speaking of which, if you studied sumo history, you would know that the "time honored customs" arguement is BS. When did the title of Yokozuna come into being again? If you do not like it, you do not have to watch anymore and associate yourself with them. You are not Japanese either (neither am I), so I find your tone quite arrogant and condesending. I am sure you claim to be a tolerant man, but your true colors were shown in a fit of anger. Much like Roho in that respect.

The story of Makushita 60 East, Ken'o, is fairly interesting. Ohno!Matz-beya's Ken'o began his career as a promising wrestler under his real name (Kumai) reaching Makushita in only seven tournaments from his hatsu-dohyo. He firmly established himself in Makushita in 2000 rising as far as Makushita 19. He then suffered a major injury and only appeared in one full basho from Hatsu 2001 all the way through Aki 2002. He then fell off the banzuke for seven basho starting in 2002, spending all of 2003 as a banzuke-gai wrestler. Upon his comeback in Hatsu Basho 2004, he promptly won the Jonokuchi Yusho. He won the Jonidan Yusho the following tournament and appeared to be on his way back. He has since languished in upper Sandanme. His new rank (Makushita 60) represents his first appearance in Makushita since 2001 - a span of 30 basho or 5 years! He certainly has tenacity to keep going on for so long and after such a devastating injury. I think it is awesome that he has returned to Makushita and I hope that he can press onward to breaking his career high rank in the coming year! Muhomatsu.

You know that Hochiyama went 4-3 this time. He could become the first of our original draft of adoptees to make Juryo! I picked him way back when he was in Jonidan and have supported his rise up the banzuke. You know that I also have experienced his frustration as he has twice been ranked at Makushita 1 East and gone 3-4 (losing the final bout to clinch a longer stay in Makushita).

Our mystery is now explained. Tamanoi-beya wrestler Murayama fell off the banzuke 13 tournaments ago (more than 2 years) - what happened to him? That is a long time to be banzuke-gai. Finally we get some sort of closure. His retirement was announced Wednesday. However, it seems his career in sumo will continue. I hear he has become a tokoyama (hair dresser). Perhaps that is why he was kept on the "roster" of Tamanoi for so long without actively wrestling. Have we ever encountered anything like this before? A former wrestler who becomes a Tokoyama? This is the first I have seen of this sort of sumo career switch. Muhomatsu

The Kyokai can do what it wants. Absolutely. I may not agree with those actions, but you are right. The whim of the Riji is the law of the land. I see all of this wrangling over how to make sumo better and how to make it more popular in these forums and I just wanted to add my two cents to the debate. I know that this discussion will not actually lead to any policy in the Kyokai. I am just using this forum to express my opinions (just as all the other users are) on the issues that affect our favorite sport, sumo. Muhomatsu

This is simply not true. Where was Musashigawa-beya 10 years ago? It had Musashimaru and Musoyama. That is it - it was not the behemoth it is today. The poor got rich. Where was Futagoyama-beya 10 years ago? Takanohana, Wakanohana, Takanonami, Akinoshima, Takatoriki, Naminohana, Wakashoyo, Misugisato - today, only a creaky Takanonami (and for how long?) The rich got poor. Look at where Isegahama is now versus where it was before the Oyakata had his streak of "bad luck". Sometimes it takes years for a heya to get its first sekitori (Oguruma - Tomikaze). Sometimes the small heya actually does recruitment and gets a college grad (Sakaigawa - Iwakiyama). Some stables are small and remain that way. The operation of the Oyakata has a lot to do with that. Sure, smaller stables are at a disadvantage when it comes to getting the top college talent - but the idea should be for them to strategically eliminate the disadvantage and create advantages as opposed to just willfully knock down any others who are already successful.

I never said that. Please re-read. I was careful to state your opinions only on the situation at hand. I still have a question for you - where do you draw the line? What kind of "threats" (to use your term) do you find acceptable and why? If you want to continue this conversation "off-forum" because it does digress, I would be happy to indulge. Thanks, Muhomatsu

It has become quite clear to me what your political views are as well. Now, stop trying to make this a political thing, as this is a sumo forum and politics is pretty much out-of-bounce. At least we can all see how philosophy has practical applications. One set of metaphysics/etc. leads to one set of conclusions for the Kyokai's administartions while a different set can lead to an entirely different conclusion. In some cases, like this, I think it will be difficult to separate politics from sumo. We are talking about the administration of an organization after all.

The reason I don't see that this can go anywhere is that you have used extremely provocative statements and language up to this point, although I have hardly said anything yet. Nothing suggests that would change to the better if I actually start to argue. Therefore this is the last thing I say in this. "The reason I don't see that this can go anywhere is that you have used extremely provocative statements and language up to this point, although I have hardly said anything yet. " You have said a lot. I know where you stand on this issue and if I apply your principle to other issues, I know where you stand politically as well. I am also glad that I use such strong statements to stand up for freedom. If one does not stand up for it, one loses it. One cannot be meek in the face of a challange to freedom and then claim to be a enemy of authoritarianism. On a side bar: I notice you have Quito in your name - have you been there? I am about to go there!

Think of it this way: There is Microsoft and a small software firm. What the proposal does is tell Microsoft that it can no longer hire engineers and designers from the best colleges. First, let us say that this clearly limits the opening salary and final pensions of new engineers. Second, it clearly restricts the freedom of both engineers to choose where they want to work and where they want to live and what sort of projects they want to work on. It also limits the freedom of both Microsoft and the small companies to hire whom they want. Clearly this is not good for commerce, not good for consumers, and not good for any individual. (Look at it from this standpoint - some bureaucrat decides where you work, what salary you get, and what your pensionable retirement will eventually be without consulting you at all). This is the same case as the proposal. There is de-geiko - but that is a totally different situation than heya life. Living with and practicing daily with the best people in the sport is totally different than visiting them from time to time - and it can have an affect on the first few basho in sumo as well as throughout the career. If the Oyakata are only thinking about the short run ("other than the long run" to use a quote) - then they should not be operating a stable. Careers of wrestlers are often 10-15 years - not a short run at all. The bottom line is that we should not be telling these potential wrestlers who their boss will be, where they will live, and what their training schedules will be. They should be able to decide for themselves. This is their career after all. They are the one who has to live there 24/7/365. If they decide based on advice from their coach (a brother-in-law of an Oyakata) - then they had additional information on which to make THEIR own decision. Some other Oyakata or even Sumo fans have no right to make that decision for them. If you are looking for "fairness" - then the proposal should be to make sumo a 16 day basho with each wrestler going 8-8 over the tournament and all sharing the emperor's cup. That is what would be "fair". However, sumo is a competitive sport (Unfair by definition). That means that there will be competitive heya and uncompetitive heya. It is a fact and it is good for the sport. Muhomatsu

Kintamayama: "With all due respect to the esteemed views voiced here, I think if you are good enough, it's not that important if you have a lot of high-ranking heya mates-you can always do de-geiko..Rohou from Odake, Kokkai from Oitekaze, are two of many that come to mind. Hakuhou has been doing pretty well out of Miyagino. Tochiazuma had no-one to go against when he was coming up in Tamanoi. Neither did Taikai, with all due resopect to Kokonoe." The first few examples you give are of foreigners (Kokkai, Roho, Hakuho) who have to deal with the restriction on foreigners - so it is not like they had much choice to begin with when being recruited. They had to go where the slots are available - famous heya-mates or not. Even Tochiazuma had little choice about what stable he would enter. Do you honestly think he would have chosen a stable other than the one run by his father? Of course, a great wrestler can come out of a small stable. It has happened many times in the past. The question at hand is, does a college graduate WANT to join a small stable versus a larger one? Look at Takekaze - he joined Oguruma - why? He was actively recruited by Kotokaze. That is EXACTLY what needs to occur in other stables. If the Oyakata DO their job as stable masters - improve living conditions, develop talent, get modern facilities - then they should have little problem attracting good talent. Mohomatsu

I did not intend to declare Musoyama, himself, the best current wrestler. But he has made Ozeki, and as Ozeki, is one of the best wrestlers in Sumo and is certainly a great rikishi to train against. Take Musashigawa-beya - it currently has the best crop of wrestlers - Musoyama (current Ozeki), Dejima and Miyabiyama (former Ozeki - let us not forget how hard it is to even become Ozeki - what percentage of wrestlers ever get that far?), Wakanoyama (former Komusubi), Buyuzan, Kakizoe, Bushuyama. They also have a modern gym. It sounds like a great place to go if I am a college recruit. Any new recruit does not have to do de-geiko to meet and compete against some of the best atheletes in the sport (these are just names of the top 70 out of more than 700 - so the top 10% of active wrestlers). If you want to perfect your sumo, there seems to be no stable better at this time to go to for some good practice. Now - I hated the Futagoyama factor. I am not really a fan of large, powerful stables. On the other hand, I HATE restrictions and regulations even more. I think that the restrictions placed on new recruits (including foreigners) are one of the biggest causes of Sumo's declining popularity. Instead of placing limits and ceilings on sumo operations, I would prefer that the Oyakata stretch the limits as far as they can - in other words, do their best to make Sumo a better institution - for wrestlers and fans alike. Sumo has evolved too far to allow it to be stunted in bureaucratic/artifically created "traditions" now. It seems to me that if Oshiogawa has a problem with Musashigawa, he should draft some college boys himself and let everything be settled on the dohyo. Thank you all for your welcome. Muhomatsu

I totally disagree with this. Sumo is a competitive sport. There should be full competition for new deshi as well. If Oshiogawa-Oyakata has a problem with Musashigawa grabbing lots of new recruits, perhaps he should re-evaluate his own recruitment policy or do something to make his heya more attractive to college sumo boys. Notice his proposal has NOTHING to do with improving the living conditions at stables, creating more time for busy Oyakata to do some recruiting chores, or providing increased training and management for their careers. All he does suggest is to penalize the good stables (for NO OTHER REASON than that they are good). He never asks why Mushashigawa is popular for college boys. Could it be the modern gym? Could it be the instruction of a good Oyakata? Could it be a chance to practice with the best (Musashimaru, Musoyama, etc.). I think a college kids career could me made or broken depending upon whose chest he borrows for practice. Would you expect a college kid to gain more skill and learn quicker in a stable filled with talent, or one like Isegahama with only ONE perennial jonokuchi wrestler to offer as a regular competition? Sure, Musashigawa grabs a lot of talent - they OBVIOUSLY have done their best to do so - and they should be rewarded for their best efforts, not penalized. The biggest victims of such a restriction would be the college grads themselves - their right to LIVE and WORK where they want (their right to free trade - the same right you have to live and work where YOU want) would be restricted with potential career damaging impacts. I love to see good tori-kumi just as much as the rest of you do. I would rather see some Oyakata do SOMETHING to improve their lot rather than sit on their behinds and take snipe shots at other, more successful Oyakata. Mohomatsu