Asojima

That was the year when I made the fearless prediction that Hakuho would end up as a perennial Sekiwake.

It is still early in the torikumi-making day. Sekitori kyujos tend to be reported just before they start work on it.

The results through Day 8: Aki 2020 A B X Day 1 Ye Hakuho 9 M1e Terunofuji 0 24 Hakuho kyujo from Day 1 2 Kw Endo 8 Yw Kakuryu 11 14 Kakuryu kyujo from Day 1 3 Oe Asanoyama 30 S1e Shodai 3 0 4 S1w Mitakeumi 22 Ow Takakeisho 10 1 5 S2e Daieisho 28 Ke Okinoumi 5 0 6 M1w Takanosho 21 M2w Tamawashi 12 0 7 M2e Hokutofuji 26 M3e Myogiryu 7 0 8 M3e Terutsuyoshi 9 M4e Yutakayama 24 0 1 9 M6e Takayasu 22 M4w Tochinoshin 10 1 5 10 M5e Kiribayama 22 M5w Takarafuji 11 0 5 11 M7w Aoiyama 6 M6e Kagayaki 27 0 1 12 M7e Ryuden 28 M8e Tokushoryu 3 2 1 13 M9e Enho 18 M8w Wakatakakage 15 0 1 14 M10w Kotoeko 18 M9w Onosho 15 0 2 15 M11e Chiyotairyu 18 M10e Sadanoumi 15 0 2 16 M11w Kotoshogiku 15 M13e Meisei 18 0 2 17 M12w Kaisei 12 M12e Kotoshoho 21 0 2 18 M13w Ishiura 16 M14e Tobizaru 17 0 Ishiura kyujo from Day 1 19 M15e Shimanoumi 20 M15w Shohozan 13 0 20 M16w Hoshoryu 25 M16e Kyokutaisei 8 0 3 21 M17e Ichinojo 10 J2w Kotonowaka 3 20 No 21 matches scheduled for Days 4, 6, 7 and 8.

In makushita and below, rikishi show up on 7 of the basho days. The chances of 2 rikishi seeing or even knowing each are very small. It is a rare thing for the two to have ever fought against each other more than once. These guys do not participate in jungyo or degeiko. At this level, almost all training is for offensive sumo. The sekitori show up for 15 days, and they commonly meet or at least watch each other's matches. They often meet and observe each other in action during jungyo and at degeiko. The upper divisions add defensive tactics to their training regimen. These guys get very familiar with the abilities of the other guys. When new guys with unusual abilities and tactics show up in juryo, they are essentially unknowns, and they often do well UNTIL they become known commodities. Their tactics become known, and the other guys learn how to counter the new guys strengths and take advantage of their weaknesses. Jungyo and degeiko present many opportunities for meetings and observations. Familiarity becomes a bitch. If the new guy relies only on the strengths that got him there, he will in relatively short order become a very welcome opponent or damaged merchandise. The young guys are fun to watch, but don't expect them to last long if they do not adapt to reality.

That may be a gaijin fan showing the bottom of his feet to the rikishi.

Live PD

There are 33 entrants for Aki 20 with 693 picks ( 383 A's, 248 B's and 62 X's ). Aki 2020 A B X Day 1 Ye Hakuho 9 M1e Terunofuji 0 24 Hakuho kyujo from Day 1 2 Kw Endo 8 Yw Kakuryu 11 14 Kakuryu kyujo from Day 1 3 Oe Asanoyama 30 S1e Shodai 3 0 4 S1w Mitakeumi 22 Ow Takakeisho 10 1 5 S2e Daieisho 28 Ke Okinoumi 5 0 6 M1w Takanosho 21 M2w Tamawashi 12 0 7 M2e Hokutofuji 26 M3e Myogiryu 7 0 8 M3e Terutsuyoshi 9 M4e Yutakayama 24 0 1 9 M6e Takayasu 22 M4w Tochinoshin 10 1 10 M5e Kiribayama 22 M5w Takarafuji 11 0 11 M7w Aoiyama 6 M6e Kagayaki 27 0 1 12 M7e Ryuden 28 M8e Tokushoryu 3 2 1 13 M9e Enho 18 M8w Wakatakakage 15 0 1 14 M10w Kotoeko 18 M9w Onosho 15 0 2 15 M11e Chiyotairyu 18 M10e Sadanoumi 15 0 2 16 M11w Kotoshogiku 15 M13e Meisei 18 0 2 17 M12w Kaisei 12 M12e Kotoshoho 21 0 2 18 M13w Ishiura 16 M14e Tobizaru 17 0 Ishiura kyujo from Day 1 19 M15e Shimanoumi 20 M15w Shohozan 13 0 20 M16w Hoshoryu 25 M16e Kyokutaisei 8 0 3 21 M17e Ichinojo 10 J2w Kotonowaka 3 20 For Aki, ChickyStarr barely beat Sakura for the most agreeable spot. Chishafuwaku held down the most disagreeable honors. The first two and the last one matches are heavy on the X picks. Fixed one typo. Thank you, Profomisakari. Let's get this thing going!

I mail reminders to several of our 21 game players. Many of them cannot receive forum mail because their mailbox is full. This seems to be a common problem. I suggest that everyone should check their mail and clean out the deadwood that has accumulated in the box.

FWIW, Vaughn TV has returned with its old Sherming series of streaming links for Japanese TV channels. The new links are: NHK G: https://vaughn.live/sherming993 Asahi: https://vaughn.live/sherming994 TBS: https://vaughn.live/sherming995 NTV: https://vaughn.live/sherming996 Fuji: https://vaughn.live/sherming997 TV Tokyo: https://vaughn.live/sherming998 Part of Juryo and all Makuuchi should be streamed by NHK G for the Aki basho. On startup, Vaughn will display a series of short ads at the bottom of the screen. After a few seconds, the final ad will appear with a X-off in the upper right. Click the X and the rest of the streaming will be ad-free. It looks like the NHK stream is running with about a one minute delay.

1. X 2. B 3. A 4. A 5. A 6. A 7. B 8. A 9. A 10. A 11. B 12. A 13. A 14. A 15. B 16. A 17. B 18. B 19. A 20. A 21. X Asojima

Da rules: Game 21 Rules and Procedures. 1. Approximately 2 weeks before the start of each Ozumo hon-basho, the game administrators will post on the Sumo Forum, a list of 21 matches that may occur during the basho. The matches will be numbered 1 through 21 and will contain the shikona of the two rikishi, labeled A and B, that might participate in the match. 2. Each potentially active makuuchi rikishi will be assigned to one match. If it is known before match publication that one or more of the 42 makuuchi rikishi may not participate in the basho, one or more makuuchi rikishi may be assigned two matches, or one or more matches between two juryo rikishi may be included in the list of 21 matches. 3. The game participants shall post on the Sumo Forum, a list their choices for the winner of each match by entering the match number and either A or B. If the participant decides that the match will not occur during the basho, an entry of the match number and an X will be made. 4. Only one entry is permitted for a forum member. If a member submits entries using more that one shikona, all entries for that member will be disqualified. 5. The deadline for entry submission shall be 5:00 AM JST on the Friday before the start of the basho. Original entries can be made or modified until the deadline. No new or modified entries will be accepted after the deadline. 6. The game winner shall be the participant who makes the most correct responses for the 21 matches. Note: If the match does not appear on any torikumi, X is the correct response. 6a. Kettei-sen (playoff) results will be counted only if the two rikishi do not meet in a regular match during the basho. 7. In the event of a tie for the most correct responses, the participant with the FEWEST number of other participant responses matching the participant's responses is the winner. If two or more participants have the same number of correct responses and the same number of matching responses, the participant with the earliest entry is the winner. A modification of an entry constitutes a new time of entry for tiebreaker purposes. 8. Fusen wins are counted as a win for the rikishi who won, not as an X. 9. If a rikishi in a match withdraws or is withdrawn for the entire basho, all entries for that match shall be judged as correct, even if the rikishi is listed in the Day 1 and/or Day 2 torikumi. ((This rule overrides all provisions of rules 6 and 8.))

Welcome to the 21 game for Aki 20. The game is a simple pre-basho game in which you are given 21 matchups that may occur in the next basho. Your job is to decide whether each match will occur, and, if so, who will win it. Normally, each of the 42 makuuchi rikishi will be found in one and only one match. Abi has been suspended for Aki, so we have included one Juryo in the 21 club. The matchups are selected on the basis of closeness in rank and the closeness in win-loss records. The intent is to select 21 of the least predictable matches. Entries are submitted as posts in this topic. Each match will have two rikishi labeled “A” and “B”. For each match, enter the match number and either A or B for your selected winner. If you do not think the match will occur, enter an “X”. For example: 1. A 2. X 3. B ... The winner is the entry with the most correct answers. (X counts.) If one of the rikishi for a match does not appear on the dohyo for the entire basho, that match will be counted as correct for all entries. An entry other than A, B or X will be counted as incorrect. If two or more entrants have the same number of correct picks, the one having the FEWEST other entrants making each of those correct picks will be the leader. If the agreement counts are equal, the entrant with the earliest time of entry will be the leader. Entry deadline is 2 days before shonichi at 05:00 AM (JST) on Friday, September 11. No new entries or entry modifications will be accepted after the deadline. Here are the 21 matches for Aki 20. The numbers in parens are the the results of the most recent matches between the two. Aki 2020 A B 1 Ye Hakuho (0-0) M1e Terunofuji 2 Kw Endo (2-2) Yw Kakuryu 3 Oe Asanoyama (2-2) S1e Shodai 4 S1w Mitakeumi (2-3) Ow Takakeisho 5 S2e Daieisho (3-2) Ke Okinoumi 6 M1w Takanosho (1-0) M2w Tamawashi 7 M2e Hokutofuji (1-2) M3e Myogiryu 8 M3e Terutsuyoshi (0-1) M4e Yutakayama 9 M6e Takayasu (3-0) M4w Tochinoshin 10 M5e Kiribayama (1-1) M5w Takarafuji 11 M7w Aoiyama (0-2) M6e Kagayaki 12 M7e Ryuden (0-1) M8e Tokushoryu 13 M9e Enho (0-0) M8w Wakatakakage 14 M10w Kotoeko (2-1) M9w Onosho 15 M11e Chiyotairyu (1-2) M10e Sadanoumi 16 M11w Kotoshogiku (1-1) M13e Meisei 17 M12w Kaisei (1-0) M12e Kotoshoho 18 M13w Ishiura (0-0) M14e Tobizaru 19 M15e Shimanoumi (2-1) M15w Shohozan 20 M16w Hoshoryu ((2)-1) M16e Kyokutaisei 21 M17e Ichinojo (0-1) J2w Kotonowaka Each match must appear on a separate line in your entry. Use shift-enter to avoid double-spacing.

It appears that in mid-June the PCR threshold level may have been raised for the Hillsborough area. The June bump in positives indicates that there was a major change in the testing regimen.

Without checking, my guess would be Takamiyama. From the examples, it looks like the intention may be maegashira vice makuuchi. Edit: After a quick check, he was missing out on a lot of the lower maegashira ranks, He lived in an era when there were only 36 makuuchi slots. There were seldom basho with ranks below M13.

It sounded like a pretty direct statement to me.