Swami

Happy birthday and hearty salutations from the Swami! Swami

Although on the evidence of 2020 results you could never rule it out, I'd be very surprised if gets promoted. Asanoyama, if he gets his act together, is the better long-term bet. Swami

I think the services of a fortune-teller may be needed to predict what happens in the next year or so, if this year is anything to go by. When Terunofuji returned to Juryo I thought he'd be lucky to get back to mid-maegashira but now who knows? If his knees hold out he can certainly get back to ozeki. Swami

Kakuryu definitely needs to retire if he can't get through the first week in January, Hakuho is running out of leeway as well. If both Yokozuna were to retire in January, it might actually spur one of the hopefuls to seal a promotion run, much like 1992 after the retirement of all four Yokozuna, and Konishiki's promotion attempt failed, eventually Akebono emerged with two consecutive yusho. Swami

The end to a long and distinguished career, here's hoping Kotoshogiku becomes successful in this new stage of his career. Changing of the guard very much under way, the two Yokozuna must surely be amongst the next to retire (along with Shohozan and Ikioi,). But equally somebody, Takakeisho, Asanoyama, Takanosho, needs to make a concerted drive for further promotion. Perhaps the leader of the new guard hasn't put in an appearance yet, who knows? Swami

Hearty salutations from the Swami! Swami

Wajima was another one who some accused of extending his career somewhat, although more in the case of predicting that he would retire in March 1981 when his oyakata reached retirement age, thereby paving the way for Wajima to take over Hanakago Beya - albeit not for very long. Swami

The only ones were forced out were Futahaguro and Asashoryu, although poor performance plus a premature promotion contributed to Futahaguro's exit as well as bad behaviour. In the past 40 years: Mienoumi was a late-bloomer who made Yokozuna very late, and he declined very rapidly, retiring less than a year after his final yusho. Wajima had a few kyujo near the end but won his final yusho only two tournaments before he retired. Kitanoumi should have retired late 1982 to be honest, in 1983 he only completed one full tournament (Kyushu). Takanosato, like Mienoumi, reached the top but old injuries/illnesses came back with a vengeance and possibly he retired a year too late. Chiyonofuji was going after Taiho's yusho record and won his final yusho in his final full tournament (November 1990) before retiring. Hokutoumi retired pretty quickly when he realised his old injuries were not going to heal very quickly. Asahifuji also retired very quickly, following a rapid decline. As mentioned before Onokuni's broken ankle probably extended his career by a year. Of more recent Yokozuna, perhaps only Akebono timed his retirement best. Swami

With the benefit of hindsight Onokuni's broken ankle in January 1990 (and missing the next four tournaments as a result) extended his career by a year. He did offer to retire after his 7-8 in 1989 Aki but it was rejected. Hokutoumi retired pretty quickly when it became clear his chronic injuries were not going to heal. Again, with Musashimaru, chronic injuries were to blame. Wakanohana was slightly different in that his performance when promoted to Yokozuna never really took off, and with a make-koshi he was on borrowed time. I think Kisenosato's situation now seems to have set a dangerous precedent (in terms of almost indefinite withdrawals, even though he was very unlucky to get injured when he did), and Hakuho and Kakuryu seem to be cynically using kyujo quite liberally. Swami

Kitanoumi was harshly criticised for his many withdrawals in the two and a half years leading to his retirement, but nothing compares to the way Hakuho and Kakuryu have acted, almost shamelessly. Kakuryu should definitely have retired already, both need to call it quits in January if they don't show or can't make it through the first week. Hanging on for a Olympic Games is not a reasonable excuse for dragging out a career. Swami

Hearty salutations from the Swami! Swami

Hearty salutations from the Swami! Swami

Happy birthday and hearty salutations from the Swami! Swami

Hearty salutations from the Swami! Swami

Happy birthday and hearty salutations from the Swami! Swami