YDC meeting after Haru 2021

[Kintamayama 41,287]

Yes, it's a bit early, but there is talk the the YDC will again not hold its usual after-basho session where they were expected to give harsh advise to the Kyokai regarding what to do with Kakuryuu. "No plan for an after-basho session yet.. At this point." said a member. It was not held last basho as well. 

[Sue 459]

If they skip five meetings in a row, will they be recommended to retire?

[Churaumi 688]

If they miss too many tournaments the NSK might realize how little they are needed...

[Morningstar 115]

The YDC was instituted to rubber stamp and give an air of extra legitimacy to decisions the NSK had already decided to make. This was done after a scandal in the 80's. They have held no real power and are should be put out to pasture.

[WAKATAKE 2,381]

Are these people paid? If not then if they want to continue that’s one thing, but yeah they may need to go wayside

[Seiyashi 3,527]

7 hours ago, Morningstar said:

The YDC was instituted to rubber stamp and give an air of extra legitimacy to decisions the NSK had already decided to make. This was done after a scandal in the 80's. They have held no real power and are should be put out to pasture.

Not true insofar as the YDC has been around since 1950, where promotion to yokozuna was decided by the NSK rather than the Yoshida Tsukasa clan. It is however true that the lack of independence was very badly shown up in Futahaguro's case, where the YDC in hindsight failed to perform the very function that they were supposed to. 

[Qwerry 25]

Seems like <<YDC meeting after Haru 2021>> don't need already.

Hakuho misses the May tournament. And now only Kakuryu can do yoko-dohyo-iri. Oh sorry, he can promise to do it.

[Akinomaki 35,590]

Shibatayama declared that the YDC meeting will take place after the basho, though it was not planned - to deal with this unprecedented case of 2 yokozuna http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202103160000482.html

[Seiyashi 3,527]

Uh oh.

[Sue 459]

12 minutes ago, Akinomaki said:

Shibatayama declared that the YDC meeting will take place after the basho, though it was not planned - to deal with this unprecedented case of 2 yokozuna http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202103160000482.html

Cue the Dragnet theme.

[Benihana 1,750]

15 minutes ago, Sue said:

Cue the Dragnet theme.

I'd rather go with dramatic squirrel...

Sorry, but enough is enough. As brilliant as the Yokozuna are, they are done. The YDC should recommend intai, or shaft themselves.

[Kintamayama 41,287]

3 minutes ago, Benihana said:

I'd rather go with dramatic squirrel...

Sorry, but enough is enough. As brilliant as the Yokozuna are, they are done. The YDC should recommend intai, or shaft themselves.

Sadly, i agree. and as we say in Hebrew:

ויפה שעה אחת קודם..

Edited March 16, 2021 by Kintamayama

[Morning 62]

But then they are completely without yokozuna, this way they have at least theoretical yokozuna.

[Kintamayama 41,287]

13 minutes ago, Morning said:

But then they are completely without yokozuna, this way they have at least theoretical yokozuna.

Not for long. Vacuums always fill themselves. What's happening lately is a farce and a cheapening of the rank.

Edited March 16, 2021 by Kintamayama

[hakutorizakura 464]

Well, at this point Hakuho and Kakuryu are basically like recently expired food. Still taste very good, but you can't put them on the shelf and sell them anymore.

Will they be given one last chance?

[Seiyashi 3,527]

Quite frankly I think they've blown it. The only thing the YDC can possibly do now is to give them both a recommendation to retire, otherwise it makes their previous warning look completely toothless.

It's clear that Hakuho and Kakuryu's bodies are no longer able to hold up to the rigours of sumo life - including their expected participation in both the basho and the yusho arasoi. However sympathetic we are towards their desire to stay in sumo, and however much we might admire their desire to continue fighting through insurmoutable injuries, they are providing very little leadership on the dohyo at the moment, and there's no reason to expect this to suddenly change for the better and for a prolonged stretch.

Besides, the arguments for their staying at the rank as wrestlers are dwindling. Hakuho's Olympics dream is fading for reasons out of his control. Kakuryu now has citizenship and can stay as an oyakata for 5 years even if he retires tomorrow. And needing a yokozuna at the rank makes no sense after sumo survived 8 months without a yokozuna prior to Akebono's promotion.

For their own sake, it's perhaps best that they call it quits ASAP. It would be a very inauspicious beginning to their careers as oyakata if it came on the heels of acrimonious disputes over their retirement.

Edited March 16, 2021 by Seiyashi

[Kintamayama 41,287]

The mere fact that the YDC is suddenly going to convene after it was declared it won't is not a good sign for the Yokozunae. Granted, the YDC is supposed to be toothless, but if they go so far as to give the dreaded "intai recommendation" as they had threatened in November, I don't think the Kyokai can totally ignore it. Has there been a precedent where a retirement was recommended but was ignored by the Kyokai in the past? Was there a case where a retirement was recommended by the YDC and was accepted? Interesting to see how this pans out.

[ryafuji 770]

The "caution" they gave in November was the farthest they've ever gone. Previously they'd issued an "encouragement" to Kisenosato in 2018. They've never issued an intai recommendation. 

Edited March 16, 2021 by ryafuji

[Seiyashi 3,527]

Just now, ryafuji said:

The "caution" they gave in November was the farthest they've ever gone. Previously they'd issued an "encouragement" to Kisenosato in September 2018. They've never issued an intai recommendation. 

What about Harumafuji and Asashoryu? Admittedly rendered moot by their own resignations. 

[ryafuji 770]

I'm talking about performances on the dohyo (or lack of them). 

Edited March 16, 2021 by ryafuji

[Asashosakari 16,980]

12 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

What about Harumafuji and Asashoryu? Admittedly rendered moot by their own resignations. 

On Harumafuji they essentially commented "we would have given him an intai recommendation" after he had already fallen on his sword, but of course we'll never know if they would have actually done so ahead of it, too. I believe the Asashoryu mess resulted in his intai before the YDC ever had a chance to comment. (And it was primarily the NSK pushing him out there, anyway, what with his assault allegation having been the kind of thing that can easily make the Kyokai dismiss you on their own.)

Edited March 16, 2021 by Asashosakari

[Asashosakari 16,980]

17 minutes ago, Asashosakari said:

I believe the Asashoryu mess resulted in his intai before the YDC ever had a chance to comment. (And it was primarily the NSK pushing him out there, anyway, what with his assault allegation having been the kind of thing that can easily make the Kyokai dismiss you on their own.)

And nope, bad memory on my part.

Intai recommendation planned by the YDC, which the board of directors was informed of ahead of time, who then put the "retire or else" gun to Asashoryu's head.

Edited March 16, 2021 by Asashosakari

[Kintamayama 41,287]

32 minutes ago, Asashosakari said:

A recommendation planned by the YDC, which the board of directors was informed of ahead of time, who then put the "retire or else" gun to Asashoryu's head.

Uh oh..

[Asashosakari 16,980]

4 hours ago, Seiyashi said:

The only thing the YDC can possibly do now is to give them both a recommendation to retire, otherwise it makes their previous warning look completely toothless.

I have the feeling Hakuho still has a little bit more rope (no pun intended) left than Kakuryu does. Thinking about that, it seems a bit like the one thing that could still allow Hakuho to take his desired last stand in July is Kakuryu riding off into the sunset first, right now. If he doesn't, the YDC may well be forced to look at them as a package deal (just like in November), and we know what that could well mean.

[Tsuchinoninjin 1,060]

43 minutes ago, Asashosakari said:

 and we know what that could well mean.

Yokozuna Gagamaru?