Elenrian

;-) Wow.... A great match yesterday.... I thought at the end, that Hook would score the last penalty.... Great suspense, really ! I was hoping for an Irish grand slam because they deserved it. Has anyone else seen the match ? Of course I am unhappy for the French because of what happened to them last week near London. Their first defeat against Ireland was honorable, the one against england is still unbelievable.... Wooden spoon for Italia, their last was 4 years ago.... They have great players, but not enough. This is shamful because Sergio Parisse and the Bergamascos brothers are very good players.... Congratulations to the Irish Rugby team! (Clapping wildly...)

I voted for 2 Yushos, 3 12+ wins, and 6 to 10 Yushos before retirement. Of course, this is my optimistic choice. I could have chosen strait zeros, but, well, I think he'll make it. I think he still has the means to win again. And we don't know what can happen this year. Maybe some high ranked rikishis will get seriously injured, or, or, or, etc. So he has some chances.

Damn lucky I say ! As I like him, i a satisfied.... I always say it is the "magic", or the "great mystery" of the banzuke. This is one of the reasons of my attachement to sumo !

I don't think this beya is more famous than others. There are very few books in French about sumo. The most famous book must be Ozeki Kirishima's autobiography. I remember reading guidebooks that were giving directions to go see sumo keiko, maybe this heya is know for allowing foreigners watching the keiko ? So i don't think Izutsu beay is better-known in France than the others heyas. Other opinions welcomed !

Some videos are on Youtube.... ;-) Quality is OK ! Commentaries are in English or Japanese. Juts type "Nagoya basho 2008" and you'll find them. I can't afford to pay for these videos so I will watch them on Youtube. I don't like this idea to "sell" (let's say that) the videos, but I understand it is expensive for him to deliver such high-quality videos. This is a big problem.

I have a bad feeling about this.... He will eventually retire anyway ! I don't think he'll continue if he is demoted, because he will not be able to recover directly his rank. (In a state of confusion...)

I am back (at the same time !) after a four-month-long boycott due to what-you-know. I am glad to see Him again ! He looks OK, that's well.

I wonder how they're going to manage that.... But THEY wanted it ! It would be better if they had a real championship.... They should try to make one. But I understand : 7 Nations, it would be too much (and too long). Now, they're going to be world chamions ! (even if I really don't like them, they'll make it one day). Thanks to B. Lapsset for his decision (and thanks for the next World Cup with twenty (20) teams. )

:-) :'-( (I was stupid...) (I am not worthy...) Why did my "losing-after-beating-all-blacks theory allways work ???????????????" Sniiiiffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff !!!!!!!!!!!!! What an ashaming defeat ! I can't believe this ! French played like huge potatoes ! ps. Still, I am relieved that Yachvili, Cataign

This was obviously forward, I agree with you. But it was a so beautiful try ! Such actions must go tto the end. The rookie refs were not really skilled. Sometimes the ball was out and they didn't notice it. Same with a forward pass (from NZ), etc. It wasn't a great match. I admire the last ten minutes, where the french made no fault ! I thought there was going the be a penalty for New-Zealand ! It was really stressing ! (70 minutes : OK, just then minutes ! 71...72.......73............... Oh no ! 7 minutes left ! 74................................75...........................76............... ................................. What ?! It should be over for long !77...................................................................78..... .................................................................79............. ................................. ahhh ! just one minute !79'20" OK, now you wait ! 79"40 ! Ok kick the ball far away ! 79"50 ! PUT IT OUT, AND QUICK ! ! !80......... Ok it's over now ! 81 TAKE THE BALL, AND GO OUT !!! aaarrggghhhhhh ............. I thought this would never end !)

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHAAAAAAAAAAAA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THEY DID IT!!!! THEY DID IT!!!! FRANCE WOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 20-18 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!20/18 !!!!!!!!!!!!! (Help me...) (Doing a wave...) (Cheers...) (Shaking head...) (Singing drunk...) :-O (Hit the wall...) (Censored...) (Censored...) :-D (Dribbling...) (Censored...) yyyaaaaaeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a boooring match ! England deserved to win, but thre is no reason to be proud ! Both teams played like potatoes.... Vil Pinson and Gregan were not as good as before.... Still, I'am happy to see a nothern hemisphere team reaching the semis !

You're right. This is exactly what I thought when I saw the nations of this group ! Anyway we won't get bored whlie watching TV ! Hmmmmm. I still remember that match ! (Laughing...) I was 12.... It took place in Twickenham, but at times they were singing the Marseillaise ! They played well. (And Dominici took the ball.... He was aready running fast !) They didn't play very well at the final, because (this is my theory) when you beat the All Blacks in a world cup match, in your mind you are world chamipion ! So you consider the matches left are unimportant ! ps. I thought New-Zealand had lost 5 matches throught the diffrent World Cups (0 in 1987, 1 in 1991 against Australia, 1 in 1995 against South Africa, 2 in 1999 against France THEN South Africa and 1 in 2003 against Australia -> 0 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 1 = 5.... The same as France.... (Sigh...) ) But they are very strong this time !

I don't like this new suit. It looks like a poor training suit ! :-O Actually, it IS a training suit ! Proof : they played like potatoes last week-end against England. Happily, the English played like turnips.... (joke ! :-) (Sigh...) ) We are very lucky to have Attila with us ! We need such players for the World Cup. With Argentina and Ireland in our group, it will be very hard to reach the quarters !

What does Kinshin mean ? Punition ? (In jonokuchi...)

And one more idea for the "no-change" ! Kotozakura is not an Ozeki name, but a Yokozuna name. If Kotomitsuki really wants to change his shikona, he should do that as a Yokozuna.

I really don't want him to change his shikona. Kotomitsuki is very good ! I like it. Changing now, it would be weird ! And furthermore, I think "Kotozakura" would make him older than he is. For me Kotozakura is a former rikishi, not a bright, brand new Ozeki !

Asashoryu should have fought Kaio on day 14. As Kaio was wounded and has withdrawn from this basho, they had to find someone else, so they took Homasho, who seems quite well at this time (even if he lost some bout lately). And Kotoshogiku is 5/8, so it is not a real challenge for the Yokozuna.

Hmmm........... Tachiyama (#22 ) ? :-D

It is not the best way to win, but Chiyotaikai made a mistake, and Asashoryu took the opportunity ! The Kyoji could have called a matta. But it is not Asashoryu's fault ! In fact I think that if Chiyotaikai had not stood up, a matta would have been called (because Chiyotaikai would have fallen on his ass).... It was not a beautiful fight, but Asashoryu did nothing wrong.

Kaio was still inside the circle as Hakuho was down. See the pictures from Asojima ! (Applauding...)

Kotomitsuki lost today.... It seems like the Boss is back.... I didn't see the bout. Was Kotomitsuki OK ? Did he look stressed or something ? I hope he will get 2 other wins very quickly, or he will have a huge pressure ! He mustn't panic, or his promotion will go away ! But even with a 10/5, as he beat Hakuho, maybe hell be promoted.... A new Japanese Ozeki, THAT would be nice !

Wonderful pics. Thank you !

Nice performance indeed ! (I am not worthy...) And unexpected !

This is not a good behaviour for an Ozeki ! He should be ashamed ! But he lost, THAT will teach him a good lesson ! (In jonokuchi...) He really disappoints me.... I thought he would be a brillant Ozeki. But.... no. (In a state of confusion...)