Takanohana

[Guest kayanote]

This is the fourth consequtive basho Takanohana

is skipping over due to health problems. I understand

one yokozuna (Okonuni ?) has done the same earlier.

How long can he continue like this? I guess there

are no formal rules against him occupying a place

in the banzuke as long as he wants.

Does this not look like a desperate attempt to

stay in the game? Sad story, some five years ago he

was so thoroughly dominant.

[Chiyozakura 163]

I think Taka just needs the time to recover.He suffered a serious injury which cannot be taken lightly.If he was a rank and file Maegashira he could compete with 50%, but being a Yokozuna he has to be a Yusho candidate everytime he climbs the dohyo.One cannot compare Takanohana, one of the greatest Yokozuna ever, with Onokuni, who's Yokozuna career was one of the weakest.

Three bashos absence are not rare. Akebono missed 3 basho in a row twice, I think, also Hokutoumi missed 3 basho. Both were able to make strong comebacks and live up to Yokozuna expectations.

[Yubiquitoyama 4]

This is the fourth consequtive basho Takanohana

is skipping over due to health problems. I understand

one yokozuna (Okonuni ?) has done the same earlier.

How long can he continue like this? I guess there

are no formal rules against him occupying a place

in the banzuke as long as he wants.

Does this not look like a desperate attempt to

stay in the game? Sad story, some five years ago he

was so thoroughly dominant.

The last Yokozuna to do it was Onokuni in 1990. But still, 4 basho is not that exceptional, and should not in itself mean it's impossible to come back. But regarding rules. Well, it pretty much depends on who it is. With some Yokozunas, such as Akebono for example, there starts to be some serious discussion of retirement after 3 or some bashos away, and with every absent basho it will of course be worse. Both Wakanohana of late and now Takanohana though have been shown quite some latitude and have been allowed to stay away for the bashos needed, so that they could/can make a great comeback. Takanohana even hinted he wanted to try now in January, but apparently he was convinced  it's better to wait till he's really ready than do as Wakanohana did, to enter too early and then be forced to retire. A wise decision in my opinion, that should heighten his chances of a good comeback considerably.

As Chiyozakura said, there are examples of Yokozunas who have been away and have come back strong. I think some other sports may be good to mention as well, where old stars such as Lemieux and Michael Jordan have made good comebacks several years after initially quitting. No, if Takanohana has had injury problems (which of course he has) he probably has much bigger chances to come back if he rests and recouperates long enough rather than try again half-trained and half-injured. Therefore I don't think it should be considered a last-ditch attempt, but rather a fully legitimate choice to seriously try to contend once again instead of quitting from sumo completely. I really hope he does take it seriously enough to make that attempt and not give up in advance. He will hardly ever be as good as he once was, but if he comes back in a physically reasonable shape and with a mental decide to make it once again, a fine ending of his career, including one or a few yusho, is definitely believable. He was that good once, that even at 80-90 per cent he should be able to contend. Not at 50 though, why it's important he give his body and mind the chance to really be ready.

As a last note I'd like to (yet again) point out that Takanohana's career not substantially differs from other greats, such as Taiho and Kitanoumi, who were both early achievers who dominated the sport, but ended their careers relatively early and with injuries and worsened records behind them. I can't agree that it's sad really. It's rather reality of the sport, where about 10-15 years of top sumo is as much as can be normally expected.

[Kotoseiya Yuichi 3]

I have no rational arguments to back up my claim but I'd still say that Taka must be determined to conclude his career with a respectable end. We can only guess how weary he is of all those ozumo years under his belt. Then again he's been away from the basho for nearly a year soon and probably has managed to get his injuries healed except for those that are of clearly chronical sort.

Were I forced to guess the total number of his yusho, I'd say he'll surpass Kitanoumi (so, at least 25; now 22) but very unlikely to come within the striking distance of Chiyonofuji and Taiho (31 & 32 respectively).

Only time will tell and I sure can't wait to see his return. Luckily he chose to keep away from Hatsu! (Thumbs up...)