Asashouryuu preparations- July 2009

[Kintamayama 47,379]

Asashouryuu has left for Mongolia, after handing in a medical certificate- bruised chest, three weeks to heal. He plans on returning before June 29th, Banzuke announcement day.

Edited July 5, 2009 by Kintamayama

[Mattjila 0]

And the inevitable Uchidate comment is forthcoming... (Also, June 29 is better known as my birthday. :D )

Edited May 30, 2009 by Mattjila

[Harry 67]

He must be going to the world famous Bruised Chest Institute in Ulan-Bator.

[Chisaiyama 11]

After the, so far realtively minor, hubbub over his political endorsements in the mongolian election; the not so minor hubbub over MonGolf before the basho; the number of complaints over the amount of keiko he's been doing; the schmack he got for skipping the summer jungyo in '07 and playing soccer; I mean damn is he asking to be asked to retire? Going off and skipping another summer Jungyo? You KNOW he's not going to be able to keep a low profile at home.

Maybe he's thinking that since HaruAMAfuji is doing so well there will soon be another Mongolian Yokozuna candidate to fill the void if he retires now and goes home to make his name in politics like his former nemesis Kyokushuzan has. Can this be his way of easing out of Ozumo? And yet if so, why go to the bother of getting his Permanet Resident status? The man is just one big question mark. He should try out for the part of Riddler in the next Batman epic!

[Treblemaker 254]

After the, so far realtively minor, hubbub over his political endorsements in the mongolian election; the not so minor hubbub over MonGolf before the basho; the number of complaints over the amount of keiko he's been doing; the schmack he got for skipping the summer jungyo in '07 and playing soccer; I mean damn is he asking to be asked to retire? Going off and skipping another summer Jungyo? You KNOW he's not going to be able to keep a low profile at home.

Maybe he's thinking that since HaruAMAfuji is doing so well there will soon be another Mongolian Yokozuna candidate to fill the void if he retires now and goes home to make his name in politics like his former nemesis Kyokushuzan has. Can this be his way of easing out of Ozumo? And yet if so, why go to the bother of getting his Permanet Resident status? The man is just one big question mark. He should try out for the part of Riddler in the next Batman epic!

Actually, I think those ribs are worse off than we might realize. It wouldn't surprise me if he cracked one or two in that major take-down. That or some damage to the cartiledge or ligaments of the ribcage and muscles. Retreating to Mongolia has worked for him in the past, so it's probably not a big deal here.

[Kotoviki 16]

Going off and skipping another summer Jungyo? You KNOW he's not going to be able to keep a low profile at home.

There is no jungyo until after Nagoya so he isn't missing anything at the moment except Keiko!

[Pippooshu 1]

The grandfather of my wife thinks Asashoryu is finished. Is off. Too fisical problems for him...but I don't know. My hope is Asashoryu continue for long time to fight in the Dohyo, but from some tournments I'm seeing another Asa. Fast but less creative than the past and much less strong.

[Kintamayama 47,379]

Asashouryuu has invited his good friend, martial arts fighter Satoshi Ishii to come to Mongolia and go into the mountains for a "survival camp". Back in October when Asa was struggling with his suspension and lack of fitness, Ishii invited him out to the wilderness in Japan. All they brought with them was some rice-everything else they had to get themselves-so they hunted wild boars, deer, wolves etc. They drank from a river and bathed in it - very cold at 0 degrees centigrade. Some say this experience helped him astound everyone and win the yusho upon his return in Hatsu against all odds. At present, he is injured again (lower back and chest added to the nagging elbow injury) and is resting, although he is training according to sources close to him. Ishii himself has announced he is entering a big event, and is training as well. Asashouryuu is said to have entered the mountains yesterday, after calling Ishii and inviting him out.

But will he come?

[Kintamayama 47,379]

Back in Mongolia, Yokozuna Asashouryuu has received the highest honor bestowed upon a Mongolian- something like the People's Honor Award. It's the first time a rikishi gets this award, and it will be presented to him on June 12th. Some are saying this is the current President's way of thanking Asashouryuu for his support in general and in the latest elections in particular , which he lost.

Outgoing President and incoming Yokozuna:

In English:

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ss20090613a1.html

Edited June 13, 2009 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 47,379]

http://ubpost.mongolnews.mn/index.php?opti...iew&id=3056

[Kintamayama 47,379]

On July 11th, a day before shonichi, Asashouryuu will be DJ-ing on a radio show called "All Night Nippon", which airs at 1 am. He will appear as Fan-taro the thirteen year old exchange student from Mongolia he has been portraying in various Fanta commercials. "As long as it doesn't interfere with keiko and that everything he says he says as his 'Fantaro' persona and as long as it is pre-recorded, we have no problems with that", said the Kyokai. This show has been on since 1967, but it's the first time a rikishi will be on it. He will be advising listeners on love matters, talking about his dreams for the future and more.

Now , for his situation- his people are saying his back is completely recovered but he still has chronic elbow pains.

Paper is saying it will be very hard for him to sit out Nagoya (if that's what he intends to do to heal) with all of his "side stuff" going on.

[Kintamayama 47,379]

Some of his entourage has returned yesterday to Japan. They are saying he is not fully recovered from his various injuries and still has some pain. He was doing light training during his Mongolian trip at a gym and in a pool and did some Mongolian sumo training as well. "He will be ready in time", said the bold one.

Edited June 28, 2009 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 47,379]

Asashouryuu is back in Japan. "It's really hot..", is all he said. His people claim he was training in Mongolia, mostly at the Jim with weights. As for how he'll do in Nagoya - "We won't know until he does some sumo".

[Treblemaker 254]

mostly at the Jim with weights.

Jim? Jim Who? Jim Nasium? Oh, you must mean GYM...... (Showing respect...) heh... had me wondering just who Jim was, and what Asa was doing to/with/in/at him.

[Kintamayama 47,379]

At the airport upon returning:

[Kintamayama 47,379]

Asashouryuu has started training today at Takasago beys-14 bouts against Asasekiryuu. He usually starts training a bit later, but this time he was earlier than Hakuhou and Harumafuji who were resting today. He was mostly practicing coming in at a low stance and grabbing the mawashi. His muscles looked "fallen" and there was no "spring" to his body. "My body feels pretty light, but it will gradually get better. There are still more than ten days..", he said. As for his hopes for Nagoya: "I have no choice but to aim for the yusho!", he said.

Asa training today:

Edited June 30, 2009 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 47,379]

A bit more about yesterday- he was 13-1 and after only 3 bouts was already seen out of breath and grimacing. Hs body looked soft, and when he was asked about it, he replied angrily: "It's like always- I'll be doing keiko while checking it out". After the short interview (another source says it was after the rikishi-kai), he was heard telling a photographer to "get lost" and made like he was going to ketaguri him with a leg sweeping motion.

Flub-o:

Edited July 1, 2009 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 47,379]

Asashouryuu is not wasting any time this time around-he went for degeiko at Kasugano today. 17 bouts against Tochiouzan, Tochinonada and others. Throws and yoris from hidari-yotsu, an occasional uchimuso, energetic sumo and 16-1 (lost to Tochiouzan by yorikiri). "I'm still feeling kind of light, but I have the de-ashi and it's not bad, huh?", he said. His moves are still not sharp and his injured elbow was heavily taped. He seems to feel the crisis he is facing. "I've got to do it. I'll be increasing the bout numbers daily. I'd like to train with Harumafuji at least once..", he summed.

Edited July 1, 2009 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 47,379]

Asa is scheduled to record his radio show tomorrow. If he misses keiko because of that, murmurs will be heard.

Hotter than July, Asa cools off a TV reporter:

Edited July 2, 2009 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 47,379]

Asashouryuu skipped morning practice and went to do the radio show at noon, causing some papers to subtly needle him.. He is slated to record a new version of the commercial in the afternoon as well, so busy busy busy.

We'll be hearing more about this for sure.

[Kotoviki 16]

Asashouryuu skipped morning practice and went to do the radio show at noon, causing some papers to subtly needle him.. He is slated to record a new version of the commercial in the afternoon as well, so busy busy busy.

We'll be hearing more about this for sure.

With the fuss he (must) know it will cause why didn't he tell them he could record the show after keiko. He could have at least done a short keiko & then left to do the show... When he knows they are watching him so closely.... :-P

[Kintamayama 47,379]

Asashouryuu and Harumafuji went to Naruto for degeiko. Asa was 9-7, Harumafuji was 20-8. Head to head, they were 6-6. "I'm not in great shape.. Harumafuji was really awesome, huh?", said Asashouryuu. "I'm glad I got to do good keiko". deadpanned Harumafuji.

I suppose more details will soon surface.

Edited July 3, 2009 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 47,379]

Back to the radio show. Sawamura-san, member of the YDC: "I was utterly amazed. Outrageous behavior is an understatement.. If he does badly this basho, this will definitely be an issue at our meeting!". The whole promotional day was planned like a military operation. No one was allowed into the recording studio or its vicinity. The car that came to pick him up went inside the premises and when they were in the car, employees were standing in front of the car waving their hands trying to block the view and telling the photographers not to take pictures, which was very funny for the reporter. Fan-taro will be "retiring" by the end of the year, as the Coca Cola company does not use the same character for more than a year, said someone who knows.

The papers are bemoaning the fact that he missed keiko and not the campaign itself, and are saying this is the third straight basho with Asa going extra-curricular and skipping keiko before the basho-we had the runway modeling, the golf tournament, and now this. Also, the Kyokai had demanded that all the activity be done in the afternoon so as not to interfere with the keiko, but that seemed to have gone unheeded.

Asa in the car being whisked away from the studio:

This is the picture Nikkan chose to use, stressing the fact that he is ill-prepared going into Nagoya:

Edited July 3, 2009 by Kintamayama

[Orion 431]

This is the picture Nikkan chose to use, stressing the fact that he is ill-prepared going into Nagoya:

Weird! He's wearing a black keiko-mawashi that should be worn only by men and boys below sekitori level, and, it sould be a loose bandage, but ythat white stringy thing looks like unstarched cotton sagari worn only by the lower ranks for basho appearances, not keiko. Can anybody elnighten me?

Orion popping in briefly (Sign of approval...)

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

He's not breaking in his shimekomi for the honbasho, as some sekitori do in pre-basho keiko? (Sign of approval...)