More news for July 21st

[Kintamayama 47,171]

I tried my best. I have no regrets.", said Chiyotaikai today. Up till yesterday's bout, he lost 5 consecutive bouts to KaioU. "I was thinking of which tactics to use", he said. In the end, he chose to go head -on with tsuki-oshi. "I'm not one with a bag of tricks. Since it was the Yuushou deciding match, I wanted it to be power against power."

After he got his third loss, he called his parents and complained that he was losing weight and was not training enough, but he was leading at the crucial stages regardless."I really am looking forward to going for de-geiko at KaioU's heya again, so we can have our mutual training bouts.", he said.

Takasago Oyakata told about 20 reporters who were crowding in on him, that Asashouryuu wil not be speaking to the press for the time being. This, at Takasago's Senshuuraku "pa-atee". Controversy-plagued Asashouryuu's presence brought tighter than usual security measures, with two patrol cars circling the area.

All eyes are on the YDC's meeting today. Will the Yokozuna be punished in any way? What will happen?

Since his neck (is that part connected to the pride bone?) injury, he has not been seen in public. His plans: He is leaving today for Mongolia, together with Asasekiryuu and a trainer he was introduced to by Akebono Oyakata. He is slated to return before the 30th to get ready for the summer Jungyou in Hokkaidou.

Takamisakari. "I'm happy to get my first Shukun-sho. I would have never dreamed I would get a kinboshi, let alone two, and beat two Oozekis this Basho!." His Sanyaku promotion is sealed, but how far can he go? Akebono Oyakata:"The highs and lows tend to come pretty intensely, so it's impossible to know. That's Takamisakari. I think his "tarento" extra-Sumo activities have helped him get some self confidence."

Sakari will be doing a lot of public stuff in the near future.It looks as if his popularity will reach new heights...

[Yoavoshimaru 0]

I think sanyaku (K/S) is it for Takamisakari for now. Unless he trains enough to add significant pushing power to his bag of tricks.

"I was thinking of which tactics to use", he said. In the end, he chose to go head -on with tsuki-oshi. "I'm not one with a bag of tricks. Since it was the Yuushou deciding match, I wanted it to be power against power."

Perhaps it is time for Chiyotaikai to practice other techniques? I think he could be excellent with tottari, hikkake, kotenage, and some other arm-strength based kimarite.

[Kintamayama 47,171]

Perhaps it is time for Chiyotaikai to practice other techniques?  I think he could be excellent with tottari, hikkake, kotenage, and some other arm-strength based kimarite.

I rather think Taikai went the right way from two aspects;

1.He went with what he does best.

2. He decided to go head on and frontal, which is good for pride, honor, respectability, etc., which he needs to accumulate for his future plans.

Edited July 21, 2003 by Kintamayama

[Yoavoshimaru 0]

I agree... I meant more for the earlier fights in a basho. Oshidashi and yorikiri are very honorable, and for someone as strong as Chiyotaikai they're usually enough. But it'd be nice to have an ace or two up his sleeve, an extra trick, for when he meets Kaio, Musashimaru...

Dreaming of a (Bye, bye...) Chiyotaikai - Musashimaru komatasukui yusho-clinching victory (Applauding...)

[Zenjimoto 40]

I think sanyaku (K/S) is it for Takamisakari for now. Unless he trains enough to add significant pushing power to his bag of tricks.

Yes... I think in the general euphoria about his persona, people tend to lose sight that he also had a LOT of luck in at least two of his wins, and defeated the two Yokozuna when they were clearly ailing. His "unexpected" losses at the end pretty much showed Takamisakari's cards, as far as what can be expected from him. I fully expect him to fall back out of Sanyaku again after Aki, as much as I'd like to see him stay there.

Cheers

Zenjimoto

[Gaijinohana 0]

Yes... I think in the general euphoria about his persona, people tend to lose sight that he also had a LOT of luck in at least two of his wins, and defeated the two Yokozuna when they were clearly ailing. His "unexpected" losses at the end pretty much showed Takamisakari's cards, as far as what can be expected from him. I fully expect him to fall back out of Sanyaku again after Aki, as much as I'd like to see him stay there.

I agree...I think that he will fall back out of Sanyaku, but I do think that he is impressive in the sense that he is a bit unpredictable. He also seems to get better every basho, but to me his problem seems to be energy. He falters at the ends of tournaments alot, not in a ChiyoTaikai-choking kind of way, but in more of not-enough-conditioning sort of way. But I don't think that it can be insinuated that he is in anyway one dimensionsal. He seems to be technical when he needs to be and he seems to muster some strength when it is required. That's why I think with better conditioning/strength training he has a lot of possibility to move up. However, I fear that he may do too many public appearances before Aki and not get in enough training. That's why I predict he will drop next tournament.

[Fujisan 533]

The other factor here is that whether hes good or bad,we all love Robocop because hes unique and a real character.

[Yoavoshimaru 0]

The other factor here is that whether hes good or bad,we all love Robocop because hes unique and a real character.

This is true, I agree. But when Asashoryu shows character, we say this is not how a yokozuna should act? (Shaking head...)

[QttP 0]

The other factor here is that whether hes good or bad,we all love Robocop because hes unique and a real character.

This is true, I agree. But when Asashoryu shows character, we say this is not how a yokozuna should act? (Shaking head...)

I understand that you are joking, Yoavoshimaru-zeki, but I think it's obvious that there is a huge difference between the "unique character" of Takamisakari and that of Asashoryu. And definitely not in favor of the latter.

[Yoavoshimaru 0]

I know, but I couldn't resist (Applauding...) (Shaking head...) At least I manage to amuse myself during these between-basho times...

[QttP 0]

I know, but I couldn't resist (Applauding...) (Shaking head...) At least I manage to amuse myself during these between-basho times...

Yeah... It can be a bit dull between bashos...

[Kashunowaka 300]

Yes... I think in the general euphoria about his persona, people tend to lose sight that he also had a LOT of luck in at least two of his wins, and defeated the two Yokozuna when they were clearly ailing. His "unexpected" losses at the end pretty much showed Takamisakari's cards, as far as what can be expected from him. I fully expect him to fall back out of Sanyaku again after Aki, as much as I'd like to see him stay there.

I agree...I think that he will fall back out of Sanyaku, but I do think that he is impressive in the sense that he is a bit unpredictable. He also seems to get better every basho, but to me his problem seems to be energy. He falters at the ends of tournaments alot [...]

I don't think Takamisakari falters a lot at the end of tournaments; this is his record in the last six tournaments (o=win, *=loss):

Aki    *******O*O*O*O* (K, 4-11)

Kyushu O*OO*O**O****** (M4, 5-10)

Hatsu OOO*OOO*OO**O*O (M9, 10-5)

Haru **O***OO*OOOOO* (M2, 8-7)

Natsu OOO****O****O*O (M1, 6-9)

Nagoya O*OOO**OO*OO**O (M3, 9-6)

In Aki 2002 he faced all the top-rankers during the first week; in Kyushu he faced them during the second week.

In Hatsu he again had to face a few sanyaku at the end of the tournament due to his good record that far. In Haru he was 3-6 but saved the day with five straight wins in the second week (3 against sanyaku rikishi), a very strong finish.

In Natsu he faltered around the middle of the basho with some unexpected losses and was makekoshi already on day 12. And in Nagoya, he had one (1) unexpected loss on day 14 against Kasuganishiki and did better than expected otherwise.