Asashouryuu preparations-Haru 2007

[Kintamayama 47,194]

We'll start this thread with a non-preparation - Asa was not to be seen in this morning's Takasago keiko. Yesterday, he promised he would be doing 2-3 days of keiko at home and going out for degeiko as well. "He is planning to start degeiko tomorrow", said someone from the heya. Asa also promised the Osaka fans to show them his best, after winning the last three Osaka basho, but it seems he is off to his own "special training system" he uses as of late, which to some observers seems to be no training at all.

Expanding on this, his former high school coach and mentor Hamamura-san has voiced his concern over Asa's fitness. "For the moment he is able to win this way, but if he loses his speed he won't be able to win for long. I will tell him to pile up those butsugari-keikos!!", he announced, and will be arriving at Takasago beya's keiko on March 4th to personally convey his feelings. "If there is anyone that can come away from this stronger, it's him", he added when asked about the yaocho scandal and its possible effect on Asa. He will be undertaking the 4 hour each- way trip because, in his words, "I decided I HAVE to meet him face to face, especially this basho".

[Kintamayama 47,194]

He's off. Visited Sadogatake-beya today for degeiko. 16 bouts, won them all. He did Kotomitsuki, Kotooushuu, Kotoshougiku and visiting Ozeki Chiyotaikai, among others. He did it in a very convincing fashion, blowing everyone out without a problem and smashing his high school junior Kotoshougiku against the wall of the keiko-ba in the process. He wasn't even breathing heavily after the 16 bouts, and was heard telling Osh to "go at it more seriously". The keiko-ba was in a jovial mood. "I seem to be in not such a bad shape. I'm feeling pretttttty good. Maybe I should pick on (play around with) the Sekiwake (Kotoshougiku) again..", said Asa, smiling.

[Afrozuna 8]

I don't know why people always criticize the Yokozuna's preparations just before each Basho only for the Yokozuna to blow everyone away. Perhaps the Yokozuna pays people to criticize him so that everyone will expect him to loose and the rikishi will go easy on their training and can then be defeated easily by the Yokozuna. Clearly Asa is very ambitious, you can rest assured he is targeting the Yusho record which is well within reach right now. There is no way he is eating ice cream and seating on his couch watching TV with a jug of beer on his lap. He is probably the hardest working rikishi right now just like Chiyonofuji. That is the only reason he is dominating like this. To suggest otherwise would be to insult the other rikishi who work very hard also.

[aderechelsea 125]

i think Asa is just doing modern training.

He is secretly training himself, starting 1 or 2 weeks after the basho, and then cools down a bit when everyone else is starting. He is just doing dohyo work now and then 1 week before the first day he'll get a cold and stay off keiko completely .... (Holiday feeling...)

worked perfectly well in the past, why change it now?

[Shibouyama 1]

He wasn't even breathing heavily after the 16 bouts

I`m reminded yet again that I should quit smoking.

[Kintamayama 47,194]

Some more details from the Asa-geiko (hehehe...double entendre..asa-geiko..hehehe): He had the most bouts with Kotoshougiku- 6 of the overall 16. "I think he has become stronger. Maybe I should come back for some more bouts with him..." , said Asa.

When he came into the keiko-ba- he questioned every cameraman present as to who he was and which newspaper he was working for. "Where ya from?", he was heard asking guys. Looking for a Shukan Gendai rep no doubt.

Edit-another paper has it 1 with Osh, one with Taikai, 6 with Shogun and 8 with Mickey.

Pictures of Lily:

Manhandling the Shogun:

Edited March 1, 2007 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 47,194]

"Hmmm..you look familiar.. Say 'yaocho' for a second.."

[Babaryutaikai 1]

i think Asa is just doing modern training.

He is secretly training himself, starting 1 or 2 weeks after the basho, and then cools down a bit when everyone else is starting. He is just doing dohyo work now and then 1 week before the first day he'll get a cold and stay off keiko completely .... (Holiday feeling...)

worked perfectly well in the past, why change it now?

Actually, when he was ozeki, that's exactly what he used to do. There is another training room (as I understand it) below street level at Takasago, and he did a lot of training there alone or with his tsukebito. But that's in Tokyo, and the facility in Osaka is on one level at that temple.

Edited March 2, 2007 by Manekineko
broken tags

[Kintamayama 47,194]

Asashouryuu went to degeiko at Dewanoumi beya today, taking along his high school mentor Hamamura-san with him. As he promised, his mentor came to check Asa out from up close. Asa chose to focus on Futenou today- 15 bouts, three losses, but won his last six straight with all kinds of hikiotoshi and stuff. "Great fighting spirit. He's in good shape", said a relieved Hamamura- san. "Watching him go through these last weeks made me wonder if he was OK. I felt his strong spirit and he will blow away all this 'noise', added the mentor.

Hakuhou was there as well, but they did not face each other. "Too bad.. I wanted to face him..", said Hakuhou.

Edited March 4, 2007 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 47,194]

Asashouryuu returned to Sadogatake today, and boy was it crowded.. Chiyotaikai, KaioU, Kotooushuu, both sekiwake - 16 bouts in all. "The Ozekis gathered, it was good keiko!", he said. In the middle of the session it looked as if he got a '"stiff neck" and was yorikiried three straight times by Osh. "Hey, it's a keiko-ba - we're there to make each other better. Nothing to do with win-loss records", he explained.

Those were his only three losses.

Edited March 5, 2007 by Kintamayama

[Sashohitowa 6]

Asashouryuu returned to Sadogatake today, and boy was it crowded.. Chiyotaikai, KaioU, Kotooushuu, both sekiwake - 16 bouts in all. "The Ozekis gathered, it was good keiko!", he said. In the middle of the session it looked as if he got a '"stiff neck" and was yorikiried three straight times by Osh. "Hey, it's a keiko-ba - we're there to make each other better. Nothing to do with win-loss records", he explained.

Did he meet Kotoshogiku again? I wonder what was the outcome of these bouts (considering the "stress" Asashoryu caused to the young Sekiwake during his previous visit (Holiday feeling...) )

[Kintamayama 47,194]

Did he meet Kotoshogiku again? I wonder what was the outcome of these bouts (considering the "stress" Asashoryu caused to the young Sekiwake during his previous visit (I am not worthy...) )

I'm glad you asked. He did indeed "meet" him. He threw him to the ground, pulled him by his mage, and caned his ass with a bamboo stick-something he would do to a young'un in his own heya, but this was at Sadogatake and with a sanyaku, not from his own heya. This is obviously not commonplace.

He became a devil. "Get up quickly, you idiot!! this is how you push!!", he shouted at Shogun, giving him the "love treatment" as it were. "He's got to develop a strong oshi to become stronger. He's my cute junior, but it's important to be stern with him!!", he added, showing he actually cared by giving him a personal course.

In the final butsugari session, he kicked a cowering Shogun and caned his ass and pulled his hair. Instead of the usual 5 or so butsugari, he made him do around 20. A sand-covered Kotoshougiku was heard uttering strange noises during the "treatment".

Edited March 5, 2007 by Kintamayama

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

A sand-covered Kotoshougiku was heard uttering strange noises during the "treatment".

Naw, he's not scared (I am not worthy...)

[slt 9]

I know "The search function is your friend", but I don't think we have any of these great "Asa/Kaiou/Chiyo/etc... Preparations" topics from a few years ago - so what I'm wondering is;

Was Asa manhandled in this way when he was climbing up the ranks ? I mean, are there any "Takanohana caned Asashoryu's ass today, after dragging him by his mage from Tokyo to Osaka" stories from when Asa was a young upstart ?

This is not actually to criticize Asa - I think this kind of treatment would have worked to give HIM the drive to succeed, and made him stronger come honbasho. I wouldn't be sure it works with everyone, that said.

[Kintamayama 47,194]

I know "The search function is your friend", but I don't think we have any of these great "Asa/Kaiou/Chiyo/etc... Preparations" topics from a few years ago - so what I'm wondering is;

Was Asa manhandled in this way when he was climbing up the ranks ? I mean, are there any "Takanohana caned Asashoryu's ass today, after dragging him by his mage from Tokyo to Osaka" stories from when Asa was a young upstart ?

This is not actually to criticize Asa - I think this kind of treatment would have worked to give HIM the drive to succeed, and made him stronger come honbasho. I wouldn't be sure it works with everyone, that said.

I don't know for sure, but he was so strong coming up I don't think anyone could have manhandled him. At least in his own heya, he was manhandling everyone when he was in Makushita, and the then Makuuchi guys were not that keen on practicing with him. This is what I saw with mine own eyes back then, but that was only one keiko session..

Edited March 6, 2007 by Kintamayama

[Fay 1,677]

I'm glad you asked. He did indeed "meet" him. He threw him to the ground, pulled him by his mage, and caned his ass with a bamboo stick-something he would do to a young'un in his own heya, but this was at Sadogatake and with a sanyaku, not from his own heya. This is obviously not commonplace.

He became a devil. "Get up quickly, you idiot!! this is how you push!!", he shouted at Shogun, giving him the "love treatment" as it were. "He's got to develop a strong oshi to become stronger. He's my cute junior, but it's important to be stern with him!!", he added, showing he actually cared by giving him a personal course.

In the final butsugari session, he kicked a cowering Shogun and caned his ass and pulled his hair. Instead of the usual 5 or so butsugari, he made him do around 20. A sand-covered Kotoshougiku was heard uttering strange noises during the "treatment".

(Whistling...) (Whistling...) I would like to believe that he really cares about Shoki and wants him to get better and stronger ... (Help me...) (In jonokuchi...)

He will get it all back on the dohyo, Kotoshogiku no kachi ;-)

[aderechelsea 125]

Asashoryu is doing too much keiko lately ... should i be worried? When will his "cold" some to affect ? Is there something wrong with him this time? Is he trying to destroy all opposition along with the yaocho rumours ? Are the ozeki trying to do te same and that's why they are ctually doing keiko with the Yokozuna after all this time?

the basho better start soon, so that i can stop thinking and do more watching !!!!!

[Petr 0]

(In jonokuchi...)

I know "The search function is your friend", but I don't think we have any of these great "Asa/Kaiou/Chiyo/etc... Preparations" topics from a few years ago - so what I'm wondering is;

Was Asa manhandled in this way when he was climbing up the ranks ? I mean, are there any "Takanohana caned Asashoryu's ass today, after dragging him by his mage from Tokyo to Osaka" stories from when Asa was a young upstart ?

This is not actually to criticize Asa - I think this kind of treatment would have worked to give HIM the drive to succeed, and made him stronger come honbasho. I wouldn't be sure it works with everyone, that said.

I don't know for sure, but he was so strong coming up I don't think anyone could have manhandled him. At least in his own heya, he was manhandling everyone when he was in Makushita, and the then Makuuchi guys were not that keen on practicing with him. This is what I saw with mine own eyes back then, but that was only one keiko session..

Back in the day, one of our club's OBs has beaten him during a degeiko. That's one of our club's legends. (Whistling...)

[Shimpu 0]

(Whistling...) (Help me...) I would like to believe that he really cares about Shoki and wants him to get better and stronger ... ;-) (Whistling...)

He will get it all back on the dohyo, Kotoshogiku no kachi ;-)

Thing I like the most about Kotoshogiku is his ability to improve mentally. He will fail this basho badly (4-11) - I'm sure about it. He will fail like in his first Makuuchi basho (5-10 back to juryo - than 13-2 Juryo Yusho) or first appearance at M1e spot (3-12 than streak of KK - 10-5, 10-5,9-6) but he will learn from this failure. He will be back stronger (In jonokuchi...) I like his sumo a lot - very japanese - almost no throws.

[Kintamayama 47,194]

Asashoryu is doing too much keiko lately ... should i be worried? When will his "cold" some to affect ?

He has that "cold", which is actually hay fever. He's coughing his way through keiko.

[slt 9]

Back in the day, one of our club's OBs has beaten him during a degeiko. That's one of our club's legends. (I am not worthy...)

(I am not worthy...) What's an OB ?

[kaiguma 0]

Back in the day, one of our club's OBs has beaten him during a degeiko. That's one of our club's legends. (I am not worthy...)

(I am not worthy...) What's an OB ?

Ole Bastard?

Off-banzuke?

Only bluffing?

Oily buffet-man?

Omnipotent bloke?

Obaa-chan?

or

Old Boy.

Those are my top 7 guesses. One of them had better be right.

[Kintamayama 47,194]

Back in the day, one of our club's OBs has beaten him during a degeiko. That's one of our club's legends. (I am not worthy...)

(I am not worthy...) What's an OB ?

Old Boy.

Overweight Buyuuzan is also good, metaphorically speaking.

There is also OB1KnoB, who is coincidentally in the news today;

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070306/ap_en_...costume_auction

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

I like his sumo a lot - very japanese - almost no throws.

(I am not worthy...)

[Petr 0]

Back in the day, one of our club's OBs has beaten him during a degeiko. That's one of our club's legends. (I am not worthy...)

(I am not worthy...) What's an OB ?

Old Boy.

That's how Japanese call it. There's also OG.

Sorry for going OT but what would be the correct English?

(Perhaps OY can teach me..)