RabidJohn

If that's a racist slur, then I'm a victim of racism. My government has been telling everyone to go home and stay there for the last couple of weeks...

Otokonoyama is right about the two chaps in the photos. I don't know their names, but they both coached Asanoyama back in his amateur career. Now I may have this totally wrong, but didn't the first die around the time Asanoyama got promoted to makuuchi and the second just as he was on a confirmed ozeki run? Knowing how superstitious rikishi tend to be, maybe Takasago oyakata is hoping his protégé doesn't go on a tsuna run too soon... --- Tangential and possibly irrelevant, but they showed his promotion on the video. I watched Takasago oyakata back when he was ozeki Asashio Taro IV on the Channel 4 coverage in 1987 and 1988. He was past his best and, though he KK-d, he didn't shine (he retired in early 1989). All I really remember about him is he was the first rikishi who struck me as having been beaten with the ugly stick as a baby, so I checked his career. Six years as an ozeki, a yusho and four jun-yusho. Not many double digit scores as ozeki, which struck me as being a bit Goeido-ish, but Asashio only posted three MK... Like Goeido, though, he had dai-yokozuna to deal with (Kitanoumi and Chiyonofuji) - and he retired as ozeki. I last saw him as a shimpan at the London Basho in October 1991. --- Can't you tell I'm stuck at home! Anyone else on lockdown and at a loose end fancy transcribing the above video into English?

Not much of a gamble. Asanoyama is an ozeki. Look at his record: 5 double-digit scores in the last 6 basho. That's ozeki sumo already. I'd say promoting Tochinoshin was more of a gamble. Sure, his ozeki-run numbers were undeniable, but looking at the big picture, it was only a matter of time before his shot knee sent him to kadoban. Now, if you'd posted that Asanoyama has the potential to be a yokozuna, I wouldn't disagree.

I liked Sokokurai. He could produce some lovely yotsuzumo at times. There are many 'if only' stories about rikishi who lose (part of) their careers to injury, but Sokokurai is the only one I know of that lost three of his best years to injustice... I wish him better fortune as Araisho oyakata.

Congratulations to Asanoyama. I don't believe it's the 32/45 that matters so much as his 61/90 (with a 12/3 yusho and a very understandable post-yusho slump to 7-8) featuring 5 double-digit scores in the last six basho. That's ozeki sumo - end of. Hakuho nominated Asanoyama as his likely successor, so don't be surprised if Asanoyama is the yokozuna doing the dohyo iri at the 2121 Olympics opening ceremony. All he has to do is continue doing his excellent sumo and gaining experience at the same rate, so I hope he gets the chance to in May and beyond.

So what was the magic number? I like 'komusubi' tyvm.

I've just noticed I'm a komusubi, which I'm kind of delighted about, but at the same time I'm slightly disappointed that I don't know exactly when it happened. A notification would've been lovely. What's the criteria for promotion? I'm curious because I checked my profile and noticed I joined on 16.3.16, which made me wonder if it was a time served thing. Do I have a 'promotion history' stored somewhere?

According to Miki-san, jumaime stems from the time when makushita was the second division, and it was a way of distinguishing the top 10 makushita rikishi on the east and west of the banzuke - like juryo is still the bold part on the mainly makushita second row of the banzuke.

I knew 'maku(no)uchi' meant 'inside (of) the curtain', but I didn't know where it came from, and I had no idea of the origin of 'juryo'.

Is young Kotonowaka going to be heyagashira after just one makuuchi appearance?

I hope that's a typo... 44+6=50.

Ok, so I'm off work with my back again and at a loose end. I've been playing Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order to death, so I decided to record another play through and upload it to YouTube. I'm guessing there must be a couple of gamers here, so check it out: It's certain there will be Star Wars fans here who aren't gamers. I recommend this to you too. There's a lot of watching me play and talk about how I play, but this game also has a far better story than any of Disney's trilogy of films.

I'm probably partisan, but I think Asanoyama was hard done by with that mono-ii decision. Kakuryu was shinitai - no doubt in my mind.

Takanosho playing the spoiler! He's another one like Daieisho, coming in under the radar and suddenly he's a joi regular. When did Onosho develop his yotsu skills? That's 2 yotsu wins now. Never seen the big guy pull that move on the little guy - it's usually vice versa. I also thought they forced Enho to beat Daieisho twice today. He definitely wasn't dead body when Daieisho touched out, but maybe the shimpan were just being nice to the gyoji, as has been suggested. No doubt about the 2nd win though... Both way out of contention, but I really enjoyed Hokutofuji-Ryuden - much effort on both sides. Why didn't Abi just keep thrusting? That pull was every bit as disastrous as 1 of Kakuryu's. Asanoyama showed some decent defensive skills against the GOAT, but never really looked in it at all. I think he'll have to beat Kakuryu tomorrow to keep his promotion chances alive; an 11th win against an ailing Takakeisho on senshuraku won't cut it.

I'm really surprised at Shodai withstanding Hakuho's slap attack, but less surprised that Hak lost once it didn't work. I fancy Asanoyama's chances of getting 11, and that may be enough, fusensho notwithstanding. Beating 1 or both the yokozuna should clinch it. That's if he gets a chance. There's going to be some torikumi shuffling because of Aoiyama's lead. I'll be amazed if Aoiyama manages to maintain his lead over the last 3 days, but yeah, why not another Bulgarian taking the Emperor's Cup?