sildan

There's precedent for denying a sanyaku slot to a 12-3 record at m7: Tamanoshima in Osaka 2005. In that case there were three open sanyaku slots, and three candidates ahead of him. There's only one precedent for promoting a 12-3 record at m5 to sekiwake, and that was in 1957. I think that if they open up any new sanyaku slots, it will be a komusubi slot for Kokkai only.

I think I first noticed the change in Nagoya last year. It took a while for Kokkai to learn to new style, but it's nice to see the hard work paying off. I hope he can keep it up.

Asa: Maybe if I pretend I'm a statue, no one will notice what just happened.

Unfortunately, I did it already before I saw this reply. I'd been set to do it for a few weeks and was just waiting for an opportune moment, so I didn't check here first. Oh, that's fine. I don't know how much time I'll have to play the admin in the long run, so it's probably better for the long-run admin to be in charge sooner rather than later. I just thought it would be a pretty convenient way to get started without spending too money much up front.

Well, if no one has bought the web space yet, I'll gladly offer mine. It's already paid for for the next two years, and not really being used (one of those great ideas that never came to fruition...). Anyway, it's only 15GB but unlimited transfer, and the domain could always be transferred at some later time. If someone wants to register the domain I can transfer it, or I can register it myself. Also, I can use fantastico to install either TikiWiki or PhpWiki, or a variety of CMSs (Mambo, Joomla, etc), and I'm sure I can manage to install something else (i.e. MediaWiki) if it is chosen. Anyway, no sense in spending money that doesn't need to be spent. If this seems reasonable, I can get it set up this weekend.

I think this is an important bout for the both of them. Obvious reasons for Asa. For Hakuho, he still has won only one yusho with Asa present and healthy, and that was the infamous henka. If Hakuho is ever going to be as good (or maybe even better), he needs to start beating Asa straight up, head-to-head. Now would be a good start, particularly since he had the early lead. As for Asa's condition: he's had some close calls this basho that he certainly wouldn't have had under normal conditions (e.g. Mickey), and the first few days in particular were pretty sloppy. Safe to say he came in a bit rusty. As for convincing people, he doesn't have to. He might win his 22nd yusho today: everyone knows he's good, one of the best of all time. But that doesn't mean we have to like him.

Well, as an Irish dancer, I must say their technique is terrible: their feet are nothing like crossed, heads down, shoulders not square, riding their knees, and they clearly have no control over their arms. I don't want to know what criteria the auditioners are using. At least they're not as fat as Michael Flatley.

(Bow...) Kokkai=Oshisumo guy, not so often gripping the Mawashi but in September he finished 4 of his 7 wins by the way of yorikiri (2x) or yoritaoshi (2x) Adicionally, his recent stats He doesn't win every day, but when he does "yori" techniques are a common part of his repertoire. Kokkai really seems to be trying to reinvent himself. He was starting to have trouble winning with his tsuppari, so he started going for the belt. I've been enjoying his transformation the last couple basho, even though he hasn't been winning too frequently. I hope he can find his metaphorical and physical balance and move back up the banzuke.

Kurosawa got 5-2 at Sd32w, which will give him his highest rank so far.

The last rikishi to be promoted to yokozuna with only one basho at ozeki was Nishinoumi in 1890. (See this query) Don't think it's going to happen this time, even if Micky gets this yusho and the next. (The possible exception is Miyagiyama. I couldn't readily find details on his career in Osaka, and I didn't bother digging since it would be irrelevant anyway.)

If anything that basho demonstrated that Kotooshu completely cracks under pressure. Two wins ahead of Asashoryu with three days left and he still lost. Your recollections are no doubt more accurate than mine.

He needs something, surely. But would ozumo, with it's only grudging acceptance of sports medicine, accept sports psychology?

I too have only really been following sumo in what we might term "Asashoryu's era", but no withdrawal here! In these new times, we will have experiences that we only have heard about in the past, like not being sure who's going to win the yusho by day four. I can hardly wait for the first Yokozuna-Yokozuna bout that I will get to watch as it goes down. Here's hoping for a kettei-sen! It is new and different and not quite normal yet, but very very exciting! Yes, the past is nice, but the future holds so much opportunity.

Surely his nerves should be settled by now? Being an ozeki is not just about talent; it's about will and demeanor. Kotooshu played his hit-off-center-at-the-tachi-ai-and-grab-the-migi-uate-and-use-his-leverage-to-move-the-opponent game very effectively to get to ozeki. I've never been a fan, but I cheered for him then because it was good sumo. Why can't he do that now? Nerves? Even though he's already demonstrated he can handle a fair amount of pressure (remember how close he came to the yusho)? Maybe he needs a new goal, something to work for. Maybe his opponents got wise to his game and he needs to come up with a new one. Maybe he's content just coasting along. I don't know. But however you slice it, it's a disappointing waste of talent.