Seiyashi

Technically so is Chiyootori, but we still don't know who is the ultimate owner of Sanoyama.

https://hochi.news/articles/20220630-OHT1T51148.html?page=1 Ex-Shōtenrō has switched from the Kitajin kabu owned by Endō to the Nishikijima kabu left vacant by ex-Asashio after the Asanoyama scandal. Unless Endō is more seriously injured than we know, I doubt it's a omen of Endō's imminent retirement, and more Shōtenrō securing his long-term future with the NSK. After Shōhōzan's retirement, the next kabu crunch is likely going to be in Ōshima-beya, with Kaisei and Kyokutaisei. Based on his lack of form and age, Takarafuji may also be nearing the end of the line. The chances are probably quite high we will see Kitajin as a loaner again for a while rather than Endō taking it up immediately.

Not succeeding to ex-Wakashimazu's stock is one thing but there is the vacant Nishikijima which in theory the NSK has control over. Then again, there could also be an element of self delusion if he couldn't come to an agreement with his shisho on stock to begin with. I highly doubt the conversation only started recently.

Is that really "his" Twitter/FB or just the accounts set up to publicise his danpatsu?

As big a worry is his wife and kids.

Ouch. That is one hell of a trauma conga line. That said, if he's truly resolved to show it in his sumo, I wouldn't want to be anyone between him and makuuchi, and that might actually add the vicious edge to his sumo that he needs to become yokozuna.

Even in China, coaches placing bets on their own team to win is heavily frowned upon, and that's a culture where morals in the face of profit tend to mean a bit less than in other places. I know esports teams - or at least their coaches - that have gotten in trouble for that.

Ok then it's not the age? Like Chiyosakae is 32 and somehow looks like a slightly overgrown kid who's been allowed to stay up late from now on, whereas Ōshōma has a lot more gravitas about him.

At least in Kyūshū if I remember correctly, the zabuton in the masuseki are twofers - so 2x rectangular 1x2 rather than 4x square 1x1, so people can't throw it as easily. Even before COVID, zabuton were already a fairly serious injury risk because it's quite hefty, and obviously with COVID they're an infection risk. So that is probably a good habit to kick and not to have back when COVID-related measures are completely lifted, and the NSK could help it along by ordering that type of zabuton for all the basho venues if they haven't already done so or planned to do so.

It's probably his age, but somehow Ōshōma already looks like he's been sekitori for a while. He has a very... mature look in the banzuke photo.

The fact that once he gets found out - and rikishi don't seem to be masters of subtlety - he is finished.

Ok 48, seems I goofed my math somewhere. Wasn't as bad a score in KK/MK terms as I thought (and it's hard to beat the 3-12 I scored in my third try that I seem to have done too well in forgetting). Well, last time I got the joi right, this time round I got the ....nakai? chui? right, hopefully the next time I'll get the bum end right, and then hopefully after that I can string that all together...

Today's update is a twofer: First, the TV program Junk Sports gifted a clock to Nishonoseki-beya for the keikoba. Second, and more interestingly: Nishonoseki streamed their keiko online for (I think) members, which seems a bit of a refinement on Naruto's previous streaming in that it's only open to members. Some Q&A was tossed in as well.

Hah, 46 - joi, the Isegahama trio, and the jūryō promotees did me in. This will be my worst MK ever, I think. Probably should stick to DB scripting and tool creation XD That, and it looks like this shimpan committee is just very mechanical about things, and jūryō promotees are placed even lower than I think they will be.

So it's really looking more and more like a default expectation than an optional.