Asashoryu INTAI - Feb 4 2010

[Kintamayama 44,162]

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?

Usually, twirler is from a Yokozuna's heya. I'd be surprised if there won't be a Miyagino guy in the role in 2 basho. I seem to remember they already have a stand by guy-someone mentioned this a while back.

[Kintamayama 44,162]

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.

The Kyokai convened today and decided Asashouryuu will receive the special merit bonus. How much? They are not telling, they say.

[Asashosakari 18,644]

Usually, twirler is from a Yokozuna's heya. I'd be surprised if there won't be a Miyagino guy in the role in 2 basho. I seem to remember they already have a stand by guy-someone mentioned this a while back.

The only stand-by guy I remember was Hananosato, but I haven't really paid attention so it's possible a Miyagino rikishi was also mentioned sometime. I agree though that they'll probably switch pretty quickly. Oga took over in the basho right after Musashimaru's retirement, though admittedly the intai came a lot less unexpectedly there.

The Kyokai convened today and decided Asashouryuu will receive the special merit bonus. How much? They are not telling, they say.

Yeah, that's standard procedure these days, going back to about Tochiazuma's retirement. (But this case is high-profile enough that a number will probably leak anyway...)

Edited February 10, 2010 by Asashosakari

[Kintamayama 44,162]

Yeah, that's standard procedure these days, going back to about Tochiazuma's retirement. (But this case is high-profile enough that a number will probably leak anyway...)

They took a quick leak, and a kankeisha is saying it's 120,000,000, 10 mil short of Takanohana.

[Kintamayama 44,162]

Money money money- total sum, including special merit, retirement money, and kensho money (7226 carpets), equals 338,000,000 yen - $3,780,000. Not bad, for a bad boy.

Can buy many karaoke nights:

Many more fish to fry:

"Was it worth it? You tell me.."

"And I get the 30% paycut??"

Edited February 10, 2010 by Kintamayama

[Kotoviki 16]

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.

I believe ticket sales are much slower. Last year I could not get senshuraku masu seki which were sold out within 10 minutes. I tried to buy chair tickets next but there again I missed them and was not able to get them.

Last year I tried to buy tickets for others after a day or two and days like the last Saturday, Nakabi, etc were sold out for any good seats especially masu seki but this year there are plenty of tickets left. As of yesterday there were still chair seats for senshuraku as well.

[Kotoviki 16]

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.

I talked with Minanosato and he will continue through Osaka. Someone from Miyagino will be trained ( I was told it will likely be Owada or Hokazan (I am not worthy...) ) but it will take time so Minanosato will likely hand over after the jungyo and the new Miyagino guy will start in May.

That is the plan anyway. I'm really happy about this since Minanosato and I are friends. I worried I had seen his last at the Ushiomaru danpatsushiki....

One more basho and the Iruma jungyo for me to cheer him on as yumitori!! (Clapping wildly...)

[Fay 1,677]

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.

I talked with Minanosato and he will continue through Osaka. Someone from Miyagino will be trained ( I was told it will likely be Owada or Hokazan (I am not worthy...) ) but it will take time so Minanosato will likely hand over after the jungyo and the new Miyagino guy will start in May.

Well, I hope it will not be my Hokazan, he should better concentrate on his sekitori career.

[Torabayama 51]

There is some more news and coverage of Asa's Hawaii trip up on Japan Probe right now in case anyone is interested.

[Kintamayama 44,162]

Money money money- total sum, including special merit, retirement money, and kensho money (7226 carpets), equals 338,000,000 yen - $3,780,000. Not bad, for a bad boy.

Sponichi is now quoting 437,450,000 yen (about 4.5 mil US) as the magic number.

Edited February 10, 2010 by Kintamayama

[Takanorappa 86]

Has there been any talk of an "Best of" Asashoryu DVD? I seem to remember that with the last couple of retired Yokozuna , there was a DVD release within a couple of weeks of the intai announcement. Love to get my hands on one, if so.

[Asashosakari 18,644]

Well, I hope it will not be my Hokazan, he should better concentrate on his sekitori career.

Yes, Hokazan would be a bit of an odd choice as far as age goes. Career pattern-wise the only guy who fits is probably Mizakura, but I suspect a yumitori less than 170 cm in height may not be what they're looking for. So probably Owada...

[Asameshimae 220]

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.

Oh yes, I doubt we have seen the last of him by a long shot, even if he left Japan and sumo he would make an impact where every he went.

[Kimyouzan 2]

Has there been any talk of an "Best of" Asashoryu DVD? I seem to remember that with the last couple of retired Yokozuna , there was a DVD release within a couple of weeks of the intai announcement. Love to get my hands on one, if so.

I sure hope so. Also, does anyone know how I could get my hands on any of the previous DVDs? Sounds like they'd be an interesting watch. I hope they include all of the many fantastic matches he had with Hakuho.

[Jonosuke 28]

I guess it's pretty difficult to train a new yumitori rikishi without a jungyo prior to the Haru Basho, if they follow the customs, they will have to pick a yumitori from Hakuho's heya or ichimon. A yumitori is basically doing the ceremony on behalf of a yokozuna so if they will have to follow the traditions they have to pick him pretty quickly.

It's rather interesting that they really haven't seriously groomed another yumitori since Hakuho became yokozuna.

But these days they don't appear to take all that too seriously. Perhaps they may forgo the custom of having a yumitori rikishi from the same ichimon or heya as the yokozuna now. I don't think it's written anywhere that he has to be.

Edited February 11, 2010 by Jonosuke

[Asashosakari 18,644]

Yeah, that's standard procedure these days, going back to about Tochiazuma's retirement. (But this case is high-profile enough that a number will probably leak anyway...)

They took a quick leak, and a kankeisha is saying it's 120,000,000, 10 mil short of Takanohana.

It's being said now (unofficially again, of course) that the 120 million yen are to be read as "a highest-ever award of 150 million yen, but with a 20% penalty due to the scandal that led to his retirement".

Money money money- total sum, including special merit, retirement money, and kensho money (7226 carpets), equals 338,000,000 yen - $3,780,000. Not bad, for a bad boy.

Sponichi is now quoting 437,450,000 yen (about 4.5 mil US) as the magic number.

It's interesting that he's being credited with the full remaining 25,000 yen for each of those kensho, which kinda blows away the idea that part of the Kyokai holdings on each kensho are to cover taxes on the 30,000 yen direct payout in the envelope... Retirement money: 15,000,000 base figure (the standard for yokozuna), plus 21,800,000 due to career length (which now makes me wonder again how that's calculated; nominally it's 500k per yokozuna basho).

[Kotoviki 16]

Well, I hope it will not be my Hokazan, he should better concentrate on his sekitori career.

Yes, Hokazan would be a bit of an odd choice as far as age goes. Career pattern-wise the only guy who fits is probably Mizakura, but I suspect a yumitori less than 170 cm in height may not be what they're looking for. So probably Owada...

It seems difficult for them to find someone though you'd think they would have trained someone from Hakuho's group anyway.... in the past.

Anyway What Kiryu told me is that there really are limited choices. Everyone on Miyagino already has a job as tsukebito except for Hokazan and Owada. They are already borrowing the rest of the tsukebito from Kasugayama so trying to keep it in the heya. However, with only the two of them left they still may have to look elsewhere.

Of course I'm keen on them just keeping Minanosato for as long as possible (Foot in mouth...)

[Orion 431]

I guess it's pretty difficult to train a new yumitori rikishi without a jungyo prior to the Haru Basho, if they follow the customs, they will have to pick a yumitori from Hakuho's heya or ichimon. A yumitori is basically doing the ceremony on behalf of a yokozuna so if they will have to follow the traditions they have to pick him pretty quickly.

It's rather interesting that they really haven't seriously groomed another yumitori since Hakuho became yokozuna.

But these days they don't appear to take all that too seriously. Perhaps they may forgo the custom of having a yumitori rikishi from the same ichimon or heya as the yokozuna now. I don't think it's written anywhere that he has to be.

It's not written in stone; much depends on how 'traditional' the (other) yokozuna's heya is, and how many hands are available to do all the necessary work. The name escapes me, but there has been at least one case of a yumitori-shiki man continuing after 'his' yokozuna retired.

Orion, rapidly running out of time

Edited February 12, 2010 by Orion

[Orion 431]

It's interesting that he's being credited with the full remaining 25,000 yen for each of those kensho, which kinda blows away the idea that part of the Kyokai holdings on each kensho are to cover taxes on the 30,000 yen direct payout in the envelope.

Not sure if I'm reading this right but 25,000 per envelope is what he should get. He got 30,000 at the time and the kyokai held the other 30,000.

5,000 is deducted from that second figure to cover costs. The rest gets paid back to the retiring rikishi.

At least that's the way I understand it. Just going on what I've heard so I could be wrong.

That's the way I've heard it too. But the arrangement was made back in the days when pretty well all the rikishi were simple people when it came to managing their money, splurging the money as soon as it came in, and then finding there was nothing left in the kitty when tax time came around, and they asked the Kyokai to keep this money to cover their taxes. Dear old Dewanishiki, now long gone, was a fount of information on those days (not only this, but yokozuna dohyo-iri styles and the use of the TV replay to help the judges in a disputed bout).

But it is reasonable to assume that Ashashoryu has his own accountant and therefore his taxes will be handled by a professional. I don't see any conflict of information

(but this is an educated guess).

Orion surfacing briefly

[ilovesumo 12]

Minanosato mentioned nothing about his yumitori-future on his blog. Mybe it's just not in danger.

But I found some nice comment on Shoryu's retirement.

He realises now what a giant gap Shoryu leaves..."it is really like breaking up with your girlfriend, isn't it?" (sad smile)

[Sokkenaiyama 76]

He realises now what a giant gap Shoryu leaves..."it is really like breaking up with your girlfriend, isn't it?" (sad smile)

(Foot in mouth...)

One could easily get the wrong idea here.

[01010101 0]

Has there been any talk of an "Best of" Asashoryu DVD? I seem to remember that with the last couple of retired Yokozuna , there was a DVD release within a couple of weeks of the intai announcement. Love to get my hands on one, if so.

I sure hope so. Also, does anyone know how I could get my hands on any of the previous DVDs? Sounds like they'd be an interesting watch. I hope they include all of the many fantastic matches he had with Hakuho.

Hope someone posts a link.

[aderechelsea 124]

I was shocked when i heard. I am not sure i am really gonna miss him since he was "absent" from sumo for so long,BUT he was the best rikishi on the dohyo that i ever seen (old DVDs don't count).

Sad thing that he didn't get past the 32 yusho mark. That would have made him truly the best.

My Asashoryu tegata hanging on the wall makes me kind of melancholic the past 2-3 weeks.

i hope Hakuho will step up in his game after that.

[Washuyama 634]

i hope Hakuho will step up in his game after that.

Yeah, you're right... Only 86 wins last year... Sheesh, what a slacker :-/ !

[aderechelsea 124]

yeah .. but "only" 3 yusho.

and losing 3 kettei-sen matches won't be something he enjoyed either.Anyway ... "stepping up" means being more dominant until a "young horse" threatens him (just like he did to Asashoryu).