Asashoryu INTAI - Feb 4 2010

[sekitori 492]

It

[ilovesumo 12]

It

[William 0]

So sad to hear he is retire so early!

[wanderer 159]

I bet Asashoryu's got more selling point left in him than you think. Watch for him. His off dohyo charisma landed him many deals in the past, and it may well be the same even after his retirement.

[Asashosakari 18,647]

Back to the danpatsushiki issue for a moment...if they're really doing it after Aki basho, it would likely be on back-to-back days with Chiyotaikai's which AFAIK is scheduled for Oct 2. That makes me wonder about two things: Would that be a reason to pick a different date, and if not, would it be the first time for two ozeki/yokozuna to be danpatsu'ed on the same weekend?

(In a semi-related note, things have gone awfully quiet about that tentatively planned new Las Vegas jungyo, which was also pencilled in for after Aki...)

[Babaryutaikai 1]

Back to the danpatsushiki issue for a moment...if they're really doing it after Aki basho, it would likely be on back-to-back days with Chiyotaikai's which AFAIK is scheduled for Oct 2. That makes me wonder about two things: Would that be a reason to pick a different date, and if not, would it be the first time for two ozeki/yokozuna to be danpatsu'ed on the same weekend?

(In a semi-related note, things have gone awfully quiet about that tentatively planned new Las Vegas jungyo, which was also pencilled in for after Aki...)

I believe Asa's is scheduled for Oct 3, but who's the other ozeki? Unless I'm really losing my mind............

(semi-related - I wonder if the LV jungyo would not be as popular without the press's acclaimed Bad Boy, but it could have been just an idea. Don't forget, the dollar is a good deal for the Japanese and I doubt it will rebound quickly this year to near former levels.)

Edited February 7, 2010 by Babaryutaikai

[Babaryutaikai 1]

Just realised Asashoryu was sent packing the day after setsubun. That's the day people throw beans and shout "Demons out! Good luck in"!!!

I'd hardly call Hawaii "sent packing", Nishi! Although I know what you meant.

[Jonosuke 28]

Back to the danpatsushiki issue for a moment...if they're really doing it after Aki basho, it would likely be on back-to-back days with Chiyotaikai's which AFAIK is scheduled for Oct 2. That makes me wonder about two things: Would that be a reason to pick a different date, and if not, would it be the first time for two ozeki/yokozuna to be danpatsu'ed on the same weekend?

It will be really nice to see Chiyotaikai in the final yokozuna dohyo iri at the Dampatsu ceremony. It will be the first and last time and that alone can sell more than a few tickets seeing Taikai doing a Tachimochi and say, Harumafuji doing Tsuyuharai. Taikai is in the same Ichimon but Haruma being so close to Asashoryu on and off the dohyo since he came up, it will be a nice gesture for them and for fans.

[Jonosuke 28]

If they follow the custom, then he will have active rikishi, more than likely Hakuho and Harumafuji but even without a mage, I wanted to see Taikai do the dohyo-iri for his Ichimon yokozuna.

Regardless this will be one event worth paying your hard earned money for. It should be filled with so many special moments, something you can tell your grandkids about.

[Kintamayama 44,165]

Regardless this will be one event worth paying your hard earned money for. It should be filled with so many special moments, something you can tell your grandkids about.

Anything can happen between now and September, and if you use " anything can happen" and "Asashouryuu" in the same sentence, well then ANYTHING can happen. I wouldn't use that hard earned money just yet.

[Chiyozakura 128]

Back to the danpatsushiki issue for a moment...if they're really doing it after Aki basho, it would likely be on back-to-back days with Chiyotaikai's which AFAIK is scheduled for Oct 2. That makes me wonder about two things: Would that be a reason to pick a different date, and if not, would it be the first time for two ozeki/yokozuna to be danpatsu'ed on the same weekend?

In 1975 Kitanofuji and Kotozakura had back to back danpatsushiki. I am not sure about Wajima and Masuiyama. They retired within days from each other in 1981.

[Orion 431]

Back to the danpatsushiki issue for a moment...if they're really doing it after Aki basho, it would likely be on back-to-back days with Chiyotaikai's which AFAIK is scheduled for Oct 2. That makes me wonder about two things: Would that be a reason to pick a different date, and if not, would it be the first time for two ozeki/yokozuna to be danpatsu'ed on the same weekend?

In 1975 Kitanofuji and Kotozakura had back to back danpatsushiki. I am not sure about Wajima and Masuiyama. They retired within days from each other in 1981.

Masuiyama Sat. Oct. 3, Wajima Sun. Oct. 4, 1981.

Orion

[sekitori 492]

Anything can happen between now and September, and if you use " anything can happen" and "Asashouryuu" in the same sentence, well then ANYTHING can happen. I wouldn't use that hard earned money just yet.

For example, assume the extremely unlikely event that he refuses to have his dampatsushiki ceremony. Being the egotist that he is, he could possibly say that the sumo establishment forced him to retire involuntarily and therefore, why should he be present at a retirement ceremony that they caused to occur? If that should happen, will he still receive his bonus money? Or suppose that he has another outburst similar to the one that finally caused his retirement? I would assume that would destroy any chances of his receiving any bonus.

Then again, 130 million yen seems like a pretty good incentive for him to stay out of trouble until his formal retirement. ;-)

[Fay 1,677]

Some of my Asashoryu pics as a last farewell from me ;-)

Asashoryu

[madorosumaru 7]

For example, assume the extremely unlikely event that he refuses to have his dampatsushiki ceremony.

You've got it backwards. Dampatsushiki are held to raise retirement funds [unrelated to what NSK pays] for the intai rikishi. As such, the Kyokai is doing the retiring rikishi a favor by providing the personnel and lending the Ozumo prestige for the event. It is the Kyokai that decides whether the rikishi could use the Kokugikan or whether any of the active rikishi, oyakata, guyoji, yobidashi, etc. would even participate. Ryu has plenty of incentive to stay on the right side of NSK.

Edited February 7, 2010 by madorosumaru

[Kintamayama 44,165]

October 3rd is the date set for Asashouryuu's danpatsushiki, although the Kyokai's public relations office is saying the KKan has not been formally booked yet.

As for the money he will get as a special merit bonus rumored at around a million and a half bucks-not so fast. A special rijikai will convene on the 10th to decide if he actually deserves the full amount after causing the Kyokai so much "bother". He definitely will get money, but the guys in the know say the sum will be much lower than he is expecting, citing the fact that he hurriedly retired after being advised that if he won't he'll be dismissed sans allowance of any kind.

Edited February 7, 2010 by Kintamayama

[Gusoyama 93]

Goodbye Yokozuna Asashoryu. Hello future Prime Minister or President Dolgorsuren. I am saddened by the fact that there will be no more outstanding Y-Y bouts on day 15, they were becoming very special events. Its for the best though, and Im sure Asa will be happier elsewhere.

[Orion 431]

Goodbye Yokozuna Asashoryu. Hello future Prime Minister or President Dolgorsuren.

That would be President Dagvadorj. Dolgorsuren is his father. Mongolians don't have surnames.

FWIW

Edited February 8, 2010 by Orion

[Torabayama 51]

Asa's been apparently enjoying some golf since he arrived in Hawaii, one news source has come video footage.

I swung by his hotel today and while I didn't spot the man, there was a small contingency of Japanese press camped outside on the sidewalk across the street along side another plain-clothed security guard who was there to keep the press out. Hotel security were keeping a strict watch over the pedestrian and vehicle entrances as well, much more so than usual.

[ryafuji 806]

Being the egotist that he is

;-)

[Gusoyama 93]

Goodbye Yokozuna Asashoryu. Hello future Prime Minister or President Dolgorsuren.

That would be President Dagvadorj. Dolgorsuren is his father. Mongolians don't have surnames.

FWIW

Thank you, I knew I was going to screw that one up. >:-(

[Asashosakari 18,647]

Small photo series posted at Sankei Shimbun the other day...

At Meitoku Gijuku HS in Kochi-shi, September 1997:

At a tournament in Tokushima, 1998:

Makushita yusho and juryo debut, Nagoya 2000 Day 13:

Non-keiko day during Nagoya 2001:

[Kintamayama 44,165]

The papers are reporting (gleefully, I might add..) that ticket sales for Osaka are the same as last year. The tickets went on sale today, and papers are interviewing fans, some say they are sad Asashouryuu is gone, some say they're happy, but all say they don't think it will affect the ticket sales.

[Treblemaker 254]

I'm waiting to see the sales in Tokyo in May. That will tell the tale.

[Yubinhaad 11,498]

and his tsukebito Minanosato ( I wonder who the next yumitorikishi will be..)

I would have thought it likely that Minanosato will continue in the role until there is a specific reason to change, such as injury or his own retirement.

On the subject of injury, does anyone know if there is an assigned deputy for the role? As far as I'm aware all of the previous performers are long since retired, so who would take over should Minanosato get injured during a basho and go on kyujo?