Asashouryuu preparations Aki 2008

[Kintamayama 47,226]

Asashouryuu went down to Sakaigawa beya again. He had only 10 bouts and was seen being pushed around a bit, looking to be a bit late in his readiness. "The elbow is better than before, but I'm not fully recovered yet", he said. Asked about his feelings: "I feel the same as everyone. The basho will soon be starting and I'll be moving on..", he said.

[Itachiyama 119]

According to Sakaigawa-beya homepage, Asashoryu has been there for keiko 3 days in a row.

Some pictures

[Jonosuke 28]

Some other remarks:After his keiko at Sakaigawa Beya - "Goueidou and Toyohibiki have gotten stronger. Either that, or I'm just plain rusty..". He even joked.

I　wonder how he did against Toyohibiki. Hibiki has said in the past he wanted to train against Asashoryu - one of the few who was willing to really mix it up with Asashoryu. He is one rikishi who shows no fear whatsoever in any situation. He says he can't think of any incident or circumstance when he ever felt tense.

I guess being an ex-biker may be a good background for rikishi. Oyakata should start googlin' the clubs now that foreign recruitment is not in fashion.

[madorosumaru 7]

Asashouryuu went down to Sakaigawa beya again. He had only 10 bouts and was seen being pushed around a bit, looking to be a bit late in his readiness. "The elbow is better than before, but I'm not fully recovered yet", he said. Asked about his feelings: "I feel the same as everyone. The basho will soon be starting and I'll be moving on..", he said.

According to one of the on-line media sources, Ryu won all ten of his bouts against Goeido and Toyohibiki. His comment after the workout: "By my standards, I don't think I am in tip-top shape, but I am in pretty good condition."

As Kinta reported, his elbow was still bothering him. However, he said, "Like everyone else, I will [approach the basho] with a positive attitude. This is not the time for talk. I just need to gambarize and keep moving forward."

In the past, he had a habit of cutting off his preparations early. Not this time. "Two more days," he said. "I will [finish up] by doing keiko back at the heya."

[Kintamayama 47,226]

Asashouryuu indeed arrived at Sakaigawa for the third consecutive day. At some point, he was eager to join the moshi-ai, but was stopped by the shisho. "We don't have that many rikishi, and I'd like my boys to do as much as they can, so please wait..". And he waited. He usually goes for degeiko for two days, and then rests for one day, but this time around he has done keiko nearly every day, missing only two days since the banzuke was announced.

Asa praying :

With Iwakiyama- "Come to papa!"

Edited September 11, 2008 by Kintamayama

[Jonosuke 28]

The story is he is rather "soft" and he starts getting breathless relatively quickly.

Apparently his Body Fat Index went out from 22 to 33% now.

"I guess I've eating too much..."

However he appears to show no concern by saying he is working out at a gym.

Edited September 11, 2008 by Jonosuke

[Kotoviki 16]

Asa came to Kasugano today (ok, being after midnight make that yesterday!)

It was a real treat since there were only two of us there watching.

He was soon followed by the media circus who really pissed off Kasugano Oyakata and he yelled at them more than once!

Sorry I can't elaborate more.. but he did 10 bouts with the Kasugano boys and Futeno (who was also there for degeiko along with his tsukebito). He won all 10 bouts and he looked good actually. He looked exceptionally good against Tochinoshin who put up a good fight with him.

His elbow looked fine, no taping but he was coughing like crazy, sounded like a chain smoker cough! (no pun intended here!)

Anyway I really have to go to bed. 2 hours sleep before going to asageiko and I have to wake up in 4 hours again!!

I do have thousands of photos.. let me see if I can try to post one quickly...

[Kintamayama 47,226]

At the keiko with Toyohibiki:

[Kintamayama 47,226]

As ILT exclusively told us, Asashouryuu went to Kasugano yesterday. Even though he won all 10 of his bouts, he was in a foul mood. "Back off", he shouted at the hordes of reporters who followed him, hoping to get a juicy response to Musashigawa's threats of kicking him out if he continues to misbehave. He calmed down a bit upon returning to Takasago. "I went kyujo in Nagoya, so I know I better gambarize..", he said. It's the first time since his Yokozuna promotion that he has gone for degeiko for 4 days running. Still, when a photographer attempted to get a low angle shot, he barked at him- "STOP IT!!"

He has regressed into "rude" mode, says the kind article.

Edited September 12, 2008 by Kintamayama

[Kotoviki 16]

Sorry I haven't had any time to post any photos.. but I will try to do it tomorrow from my hotel in the afternoon!!!

better late than never..

Speaking of the media circus they certainly were bigger asses than Asa yesterday. I have never seen Kasugano Oyakata so pissed off. He and then also on of Futeno's Oyakata.. (sorry the name is escaping me right now) yelled at them.

First there was one guy who came early to sit down but when he realized Asa had shown up he ran outside to try to get some shots. He came back in to sit down and was chewed out via Tochinofuji Oyakata on orders of Kasugano Oyakata. I thought they should banish him..

Then it got worse, as soon as Asa told the Oyakata he was leaving and thanked him he turned to walk off and as he got to the door more than 2/3 of the media (who all showed up just before him and made their noisy distracting entrance an annoyance for the Oyakata and training rikishi) jumped up to run after him. They were noisy, distracting and didn't even bow out politely. I realize they are the media but a nod, a bow or a quiet thank you to the Oyakata would be the least they could offer. He screamed at them and we were just as pissed off as he was.

First of all the media get so much more information and access than any of the fans get really. They are allowed to use flashes during keiko where we can't. (That means that more than half my pictures are blurry.) They use noisy cameras where fans are told to be silent with theirs. They get up and down and walk around when we have to be polite and sit.. I'm not complaining to do those things myself but look how lucky the media are and aren't even thankful at all!

It was incredibly disrespectful to the Kasugano guys and Futeno to rush out after Asa as though the guys still there were nothing but rubbish. They hung around outside talking waiting for him to shower off and they were noisy outside the heya as Kasugano had the front door wide open for air.

In any case I was appalled. Should a fan act that way they would never be allowed back. Should the media be allowed to disrupt keiko and leave rudely and noisy as well? I think not! There was nothing else going to happen, they should have stayed and watched the rest of the keiko where they were.

Sorry for my rant but I was and still am pissed off at their behavior!

[paolo 0]

By your (or even anybody else's) experience, does it happen everywhere or is it only where Asashoryu goes ? And all the times ? What happens where Hakuho goes ?

[Kintamayama 47,226]

I know we've started, but this picture is so cool..

"I love having my picture taken with the dumbbell. These weights are cool too.."

Edited September 14, 2008 by Kintamayama

[Blue_Wolf 24]

You're the one in million. You're the man and we move you for being for who you are.