SumoLyubo

Have to agree that the audience for sumo minus the stable system and ceremonial elements is not going to be any greater than sumo in its current incarnation. If anything, the traditional elements probably add appeal to the sport (including internationally).

Very distressing news. I'm surprised (maybe I shouldn't be) that Hakuho wasn't dotting his i's and crossing his t's given that he was expressly told he was on thin ice before he even became a sumo elder.

I feel betrayed that the audio link is automated text-to-speech rather than Hiro's voice

Also on the fair use discussion, the DMCA law gives organizations like Youtube no incentive to go to bat for uploaders if a video alleged to violate copyright might be fair use (I believe the way it works is that if they don't take down the marked content, the platform will also be liable for the copyright violation, not only the uploader. Happy to be corrected if anyone here knows more).

I thought the NHK World highlight show stays up until the following basho. I've definitely used it to catch up on bashos I've missed. Edit: ^I don't think they get every top-division bout on every day, though it's better than it used to be (they made the intro sequence shorter, presumably to leave time for more bouts).

Sentoryu chose his shikona because it sounded like his hometown of St. Louis, no?

I actually wondered for a long time if they had an explicit policy that they must define each term a certain number of times per day or per tournament. Not that I minded -- it worked to get me hooked on sumo.

Ryuden had a top rank in Juryo at the time he fell down the ranks and only made his top-division debut later.

American film (indeed, with part of the drama centering on short cons vs long cons), also an adaptation of a novel. I very much enjoyed it.

That was my reaction too...

That was a scary-looking tachiai; I'm amazed Terunofuji stayed on his feet. An amazing finish for him--3 for 3 ozeki matches.

"No yusho, no kanto-sho, nothing for Takayasu" -- well said by Hiro, but a little cruel

Never guessed that the Terunofuji-Takakeisho match would be so important for the yusho, but am glad that the last day is going to be so exciting

Yeah they had a different angle in the replay. Probably okay.

Did anyone else think Hokutofuji didn't have one of his hands down at the tachiai? Frustrating how that's occasionally not enforced.