Atenzan

Speaking of off-time activities, I still haven't given up my childhood dream quite yet, which is becoming a professional pool player. I was probably on track to achieve that by 2024ish until Covid set me about a year back- currently fighting to get back in form. I won a nice little 8-ball tournament today in Athens, suitably happy with myself. If I can turn pro for a year or two in future at some point and then go back to pursuing a "normal career", I'll be thrilled.

Yes, that's my "nerd shelf". Some nice stuff there.

Peter isn't going outdoors on his own anytime soon, I'm afraid: he was born with only one eye and he can't see out of the other.

I love cats with human names, my own cat is called Peter :)

Takakeishou finally looked like an Ozeki facing a lowly opponent today.

You have to go back seventeen and a half years to Haru 04 to get a makuuchi banzuke without a current (Aki 21) makuuchi rikishi on it- but more than thirty years to get one that doesn't include a current makuuchi shikona. Can you figure out whose fault this is?

Since I didn't get an invite to this concert, I resorted to playing hockey on rollerskates and terrorise the local population. Tonight, I am fondly remembering the one I did attend as I examine my newest bruises.

Does this actually work? I thought the people who suggested this were blowing smoke up my arse.. Anyway, as Jakusotsu et al. said, I'm not sad to see him go, but it isn't because he smoked weed.

Posts like this (not singling you out!) got me thinking- I felt similarly cheated and disappointed after Hakuhou henka'd Harumafuji for a yusho decider, which I think was a kettei-sen but could have been a honwari day 15 bout. But then sumo moved on, Hakuhou remained in the picture and I slowly warmed up to him again. With his antics this time around, I doubt he'll be around for long enough to mend his reputation, and I honestly don't think I want him to. It's just a crying shame that these two days are going to be sitting on the top of the memory pile of such a brilliant rikishi.

Didn't know that The Kyokai had been fixing Guess Kitanofuji's Aite that long ago.

I think whoever keeps track of the records should do well to consider that in only six of his seven basho was Hokuseihou actually allowed to fight.

Last time we had multiple unbeaten makuuchi rikichi after day... 5, 6: 2021.01 7: 2020.11 8, 9: 2020.07 10: 2018.09 11: 2016.05

Apparently it was his first penalty kick for his senior career... madness.

I dedicate this victory to the random dice-rolling that gave me my third choice of representative team and therefore got me Italy as my C-team. Couldn't have done it without you.

His origin seldom helps overshadow rants yielded unsparingly.

Funny you should say that, after the last penalty when the English players were embracing each other I kept remembering Flintoff and Brett Lee in 2005, and missing that sport I care more about.

Congratulations to Italy - my heart goes out to the England keeper Pickford who was standing on his head all night long. The Italy goal to make it 1-1 was most definitely not his fault, and he saved two penalties. His team let him down.

All-Greek final for the Plate... what a disgrace!

My crystal ball, in this sport at least, is quite murky- I rarely watch it. I often listen to it these days though; I've been living within earshot of Panathinaikos' stadium for the past three years.

Asked Shounokuni, whom I've been texting during matches this tournament, if losing the Saucer final would be an acceptable price to pay to see England play in the final. "Yes", came the instant reply. "That's only because you're English", I said. "At least I've seen my national team win something before." Shounokuni hasn't replied yet.

That's a SumoDB thing, I think- there's some posts about it in the relevant thread.

Just sent you Shounokuni's lineup via forum PM

I'm impressed with the maturity in Terunofuji's sumo today. He went back to his old double-outside power move in the end, but only after trying hard to get an inside grip and fight more conventionally. And obviously his old power-move worked. He knows it's an asset that on his day he can overpower *any*one, but he has learned that it's not wise to try and overpower *every*one.

Same here... do you live in Gyzi, by any chance? :P

I'm just feeling very fortunate that Italy is my counterbalance team.