Aminishiki

[Jesinofuji 11]

During the tournament, right after Takanohana's retitrement, articles flew up all over the place.  I even read one that said that his retirement was attributed to his losing to a thin, lanky, lowly ranked Maegashira.  I could only feel sorry for Aminishiki, I mean I know journalists want to make their articles dramatic and everything, but Aminishi dosn't deserve to be spoke of like that.  He is small for a Makuuchi rikishi yes, but any true fan of sumo knows that Sumo is not just about size.  Skill is far more important, and in that last match vs. Takanohana, Aminishi executed a very skilled tachiai.  I don't think it would be unthinkable for him to beat a healthy yokozuna either, he already has 3 (correct me if I'm off) wins vs. Ozeki.  Aminishiki got into Makuuchi faster and younger than most rikishi do, he's already been to Maegashira #1, and I predict he ends up in Sanyaku before too long, and makes it back a few times as well.

[Zentoryu 154]

I think the more embarressing aspect for Taka about this loss is that he was wrestling an injured and clearly off form Aminishiki.

The fact that he couldn't, as a Yokozuna, win under what should have been an optimal condition for him was probably one of the straws that broke the camel's back, so to speak.

[QttP 0]

The fact that he couldn't, as a Yokozuna, win under what should have been an optimal condition for him was probably one of the straws that broke the camel's back, so to speak.

Optimal conditions for Taka? I don't know how injured or out of form Aminishiki was. What I do know is that Taka had a dead left arm and a right knee that will never heal. You call that optimal conditions?

It's much more surprising that he managed to beat Tosanoumi and Toki with that, than the fact that he lost to Dejima and Aminishiki.

Taka did not retire because he was weak. It was those unfortunate injuries that killed him.

[Yubiquitoyama 4]

The fact that he couldn't, as a Yokozuna, win under what should have been an optimal condition for him was probably one of the straws that broke the camel's back, so to speak.

Optimal conditions for Taka? I don't know how injured or out of form Aminishiki was. What I do know is that Taka had a dead left arm and a right knee that will never heal. You call that optimal conditions?

It's much more surprising that he managed to beat Tosanoumi and Toki with that, than the fact that he lost to Dejima and Aminishiki.

Taka did not retire because he was weak. It was those unfortunate injuries that killed him.

While you are right it was injuries that caused him all these problems reality is that many if not most rikishi succumb to injuries, or are at the very least weakened by them, at the end of their careers. It's not possible to say what would have happened without those injuries, so instead it's what actually happens that has any bearing. Maybe Hayateumi would have become a dai-yokozuna without injuries, but that doesn't matter because he isn't without injuries. The conditions were as good as they could be for Taka (since the injuries isn't something that he could chose not to have or the Kyokai could have made him not have), but he still lost to Aminishiki. It's sad to see a once-great rikishi be so weak because of injuries, but the fact remains that he was, and therefore had to retire.

[QttP 0]

While you are right it was injuries that caused him all these problems reality is that many if not most rikishi succumb to injuries, or are at the very least weakened by them, at the end of their careers. It's not possible to say what would have happened without those injuries, so instead it's what actually happens that has any bearing. Maybe Hayateumi would have become a dai-yokozuna without injuries, but that doesn't matter because he isn't without injuries. The conditions were as good as they could be for Taka (since the injuries isn't something that he could chose not to have or the Kyokai could have made him not have), but he still lost to Aminishiki. It's sad to see a once-great rikishi be so weak because of injuries, but the fact remains that he was, and therefore had to retire.

Well, of course I agree that injuries are part of the sports, and I also agree that it was Taka's time to retire. But I really don't think it should have had anything to do with the loss to Aminishiki. Yokozune have been beaten by Maegashira before, and they will be beaten by them again, hence the Kinboshi. Taka has been beaten by Maegashira rikishi in the past. And if it happens once or twice, it's not a good enough reason to retire. Taka retired because he knew he could never return to his past form.

What I really cannot understand is how someone can say that the conditions before the bout were optimal for Takanohana. What is so optimal about not being able to use half of your body?

[Manekineko 200]

I think what Yubi-zeki wanted to say is that conditions were optimal for Takanohana such as he was at the occasion: weakened, injured, struggling yokozuna. He was given another injured rikishi to wrestle with, a gift of torikumi-makers of sorts... because if he'd have won, he might have continued with the basho. He couldn't have had an easier oponent, and that's what "optimal conditions" meant.

Of course with all his injuries it was far from being real optimal condition, but if year and a half wasn't enough for his knee to heal, it never would...

[Yoavoshimaru 0]

He was given another injured rikishi to wrestle with, a gift of torikumi-makers of sorts... because if he'd have won, he might have continued with the basho. He couldn't have had an easier oponent

That's what I thought too when I read the article.  It's not disrespecting Aminishiki, just the fact he's a Maegashira who's not 100%.  That's about as "easy" as opponents get for a Yokozuna, right?  :-D

Other than that, obviously, injuries mean Taka is also lessthan 100%.  Unfortunate, but part of the sport :-D

I don't see Aminishiki in sanyaku any time soon, unlike Jesinofuji-zeki above.  He's solid, but there are definitely enough better rikishi to fill the sanyaku ranks I think.

[Zentoryu 154]

What I really cannot understand is how someone can say that the conditions before the bout were optimal for Takanohana. What is so optimal about not being able to use half of your body?

As Manekineko said so perfectly, Aminishiki was the best possible opponent Taka could have had given the circumstances. The fact that he couldn't beat a rikishi in as equally poor condition as himself, if not worse, was one of the things that probably helped convince him that retirement was his best option.

This has nothing to do with giving up a kinboshi. It was the psychological aspect of the loss that I was refering to.

I think that Taka realized if he couldn't win under such circumstances, ideal as they could be given the condidition of himself **and** his opponent, than it was probably time for him to retire.

I understand perfectly that Taka retired because of his injuries. But I don't think Taka himself truly understood it until the final two losses to Dejima and Aminishiki.

Taka even said publicly that he made the decision to retire after this loss. That's why I said that this was the straw that broke the camel's back. The loss that made him realize he could no longer physically compete.

[QttP 0]

Hmm... OK, I understand your point, guys.

Yes, the last straw is probably what it was. That is, a loss to Aminishiki in such a condition isn't something so terrible, even for Takanohana, but given the fact that he's been absent of so many tournaments, that he has been plagued with injuries of which he could probably never recover, Taka made the right decision to quit. Probably needing those last two losses to understand how poor his condition was.