madorosumaru 7 Posted March 16, 2009 Asashoryu: (Reaching a career victory milestone against an over-matched Kakuryu) I saw a fan holding a sign saying "600 Wins." Has it been ten years already? 600 wins, huh? [sigh]. More Ryu: (Not satisfied despite the easy win) My sumo [of the past two days] hasn't been that good. I would like to do the kind of sumo I did during keiko. Even more Ryu: (Showing he is quite a baseball aficionado) I'd like to see [Team Japan] beat Korea in the next game. Will Darvish be pitching? I am a bit concerned. In any case, I think Venezuela will probably win the whole thing. Hakuho: (Making short work of Hokutoriki) I was able to get right into my [preferred] form. After that, it got into the proper flow. More Haku: (Asked to evaluate his own sumo) C'mon. You should know the answer. Musashigawa Rijicho: (Impressed by the yokozuna performance) His [initial] step-in was really good and he followed that up nicely. When he does that, there is nothing his opponent can do. Kumagatani Oyakata, Hakuho's mentor: (Watching his deshi get better and better) He is starting to look like Takanohana during his Golden Days. Encore Haku: (Showing he is a baseball fan too) [Daisuke Matsuzaka] has been a friend [since we played golf together]. [His win against Cuba] was the ultimate. I am going to call him later. Harumafuji: (Dancing a pirouette in a fortunate victory) I haven't been able to do Ama-type sumo. It's been really tough. Isegahama Oyakata, Harumafuji's shisho: (Explaining his deshi's troubles) [With all the promotion-related functions] he just hasn't been able to do as much keiko as he used to do. Kisenosato: (Missing out on a big opportunity) [For just a moment] I thought I had him, but he is no ordinary rikishi. Tochiozan: (Overwhelming Kotooshu with blitzkrieg sumo) My oyakata advised me to charge into his harite. More Ozan: (Savoring his faultless sumo) Geez. I am totally elated. He is an ozeki so this is a real confidence builder. More Ozan: (Asked about his next goal) I have never achieved kachi-koshi in the joi-jin. I am going to do my best to make that happen. Kotooshu: (Looking miserable while watching Ozan being interviewed on TV) I'll just have to gambarize tomorrow. Kotomitsuki: (Rueful would be putting it mildly) I knew that the only way I would lose would be on a pull. I should have been a lot more careful. Miyabiyama: (All smiles after his dohyo-edge win) Geez. Has it gotten to the point where there isn't any kensho for a bout between two old veterans like us. Kaio: (Winning on a kote-nage while back-tracking) That's about all I can do. I want to be moving forward but I am not in shape for that. More Kaio: (Concerned about yet another injury) I feel a bit of tightness [in my left leg]. I am going to get some treatment so it won't turn into a muscle tear. Chiyotaikai: (Commenting wryly on all five ozeki being 1-1) Looks like another close neck-to-neck race. Baruto: (Salvaging a victory on a gyoji decision reversal) I wasn't sure where the tawara (straw bale) was but I sort of felt confident . Toyonoshima: (Defeating Aminishiki for the eighth straight time) I wouldn't call him an easy mark now, but compared to when I was losing to him, I have gotten bigger and am able to do [more effective] oshi. More Toyo: (Still bothered by his injured arm) The elbow won't last a long bout, so I need to do quick sumo like today's. Bart Sez (Snatching victory from jaws of defeat) What the hey. I won so I feel good. [smile and wink] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ilovesumo 12 Posted March 16, 2009 Thank you very much. Really? No Kensho?? Wow...this is indeed strange...Sumo's got a biiig crisis Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jonosuke 28 Posted March 17, 2009 Thanks so much from me too. I don't think there is any need for Asashoryu to stay with the Kyokai - he appears to be interested in all types of sports from baseball to boxing to soccer to horse racing. He will make a great sports commentator and I am sure one of TV stations wants him if the price is right. Not only that he has so many friends in pro and amateur sports. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Asashosakari 18,959 Posted March 17, 2009 Asashoryu: (Reaching a career victory milestone against an over-matched Kakuryu) I saw a fan holding a sign saying "600 Wins." Has it been ten years already? 600 wins, huh? [sigh]. One of the papers points out that he's the fourth-fastest to reach 600 career wins. One of names ahead of him surprised me when I checked into it, as did the placements of some others. In case somebody else is interested, here are the numbers for all ozeki and yokozuna who reached 600 wins (62.02 is to be read as "Day 2 of the 62nd basho", the number in brackets is the career win total, ozeki are coloured red): Taiho Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jakusotsu 5,869 Posted March 17, 2009 It might be save to say that Asashoryu would have easily surpassed Takanohana if he hadn't kicked the ball. Perhaps even Wajima. The most surprising appearance for me on this list is Kotozakura whom I filed mentally as late-bloomer, even more so than Chiyonofuji. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Washuyama 638 Posted March 17, 2009 Wajima also had the assist of starting in Makushita and getting to the top rather quickly. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sasanishiki 57 Posted March 17, 2009 (edited) Wajima also had the assist of starting in Makushita and getting to the top rather quickly. This has plusses and minuses: Wajima got to having 15 days of competition 7 basho quicker than Asa. This gives more opportunities each basho to get career wins. However, by missing the lower ranks, Wajima missed out on the 'easy' wins that Asa was able to pick up to start his total of 600+ career wins. Edit: Actually, as you were. It seemed to favour Wajima as he had 78 after his first 9 basho, the number that it took Asashoryu to become a sekitori (and in which Asa accumulated 53 wins) Edited March 17, 2009 by Sasanishiki Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gusoyama 98 Posted March 17, 2009 Encore Haku: (Showing he is a baseball fan too) [Daisuke Matsuzaka] has been a friend [since we played golf together]. [His win against Cuba] was the ultimate. I am going to call him later. What would it take to get Hakuho in Red Sox paraphernalia for a photo shoot? Or maybe a trip to Fenway Park? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Asashosakari 18,959 Posted March 17, 2009 Wajima also had the assist of starting in Makushita and getting to the top rather quickly. Upon investigation, something similar also boosted Kotozakura. He only started competing at 18 years of age and took just three years to reach juryo, whereas somebody like Kitanofuji started before he turned 15 and took six years, so he had a lot more "short" basho and fewer winning opportunities than Kotozakura. And as Jakusotsu indicated about Asashoryu, full attendance (or lack of it) has a pretty big influence, too. Case in point: Toyozakura has won more bouts over the last year and a half than Asashoryu has. That's also what sunk Akebono, though I was still surprised that Konishiki beat him to 600 wins (albeit just by one day). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Washuyama 638 Posted March 17, 2009 Wajima also had the assist of starting in Makushita and getting to the top rather quickly. I guess what I was getting at was in his only two 7-bout basho he was 14-0. After that it only took him 2-years-ish to be consistantly putting up double digit/yusho/jun-yusho worthy records. Very little "getting used to" Makuuchi level sumo. Even during the emergence of Kitanoumi, he was really successful. Not to get off-topic, but the senshuraku battles between Asashoryu/Hakuho remind me somewhat of that rivalry. Aside from the crappy tachi-ai of the 70s, they were awesome bouts to watch!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hidenohana 0 Posted March 18, 2009 Thanks so much from me too.I don't think there is any need for Asashoryu to stay with the Kyokai - he appears to be interested in all types of sports from baseball to boxing to soccer to horse racing. He will make a great sports commentator and I am sure one of TV stations wants him if the price is right. Not only that he has so many friends in pro and amateur sports. Are you being sarcastic,Jonosuke? :-O Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Washuyama 638 Posted March 18, 2009 Aside from the crappy tachi-ai of the 70s, they were awesome bouts to watch!! :-O Do mine eyes decieve me? It's funny, the only bad tachi-ai rikishi I remember from the 70s was Arase. Watching them now, they were all bad! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
