YDC convenes after Aki 2022

[Kintamayama 40,089]

The YDC, after not convening after Nagoya due to COVID, convened and was all over the Ozeki, although they are not the ODC. Regarding Terunofuj's kyujo: "It was greatly  regrettable .As good as he may be, a deteriorating knee can be an obstacle to doing sumo..I want him to carefully heal. I am praying for another yusho from him," said chairman Koumura, hinting in general that they have no issue with Terunofuji taking time off at this point. Regarding the Ozeki : "They are undergoing some technical and mental problems now, including 10 bout winning Takakeishou. We have to point this out. We want them to shake things up again, including Ozeki demotee Mitakeumi.," added the chairman. There were voices calling for a drop from Ozeki to Komusubi with a really bad record. It's not for the YDC to decide of course. "We, representing the fans, have suggested this to the Kyokai. The current system has good points, so in order for the fans to not be disappointed  it's important that the Ozeki wake up.." he added. They then went on to say good things about Tamawashi, Takayasu, Wakatakakakge  and Tobizaru. "Wakatakakage's legs remind me of Wakanohana I. He got 11 wins after losing his first three. He needs to concentrate more on the first days and ask himself why he lost on those days. He should aim for Yokozuna. Tobizaru used to do "circus sumo" and make the fans happy. This time he showed some very strong sumo and has become a rikishi to watch out for in the future. I'd like him to make the effort to move forward.. " summed the chairman.

 

Edited September 27, 2022 by Kintamayama

[Jakusotsu 4,840]

11 minutes ago, Kintamayama said:

There were voices calling for a drop from Ozeki to Komusubi with a really bad record.

And still be able to regain the rank with 10 wins? What's the point??

[Yarimotsu 177]

Whoa, they think suggesting a harsher fall for kadoban ozeki who underperform will somehow motivate ozeki to do better?! That would have to imply ozeki performing poorly while kadoban are just lacking motivation! Surely they'd prefer a system which allows more ozeki a chance to rebuild and have a good run from the correct ranks to become a worthy yokozuna... 

[Kintamayama 40,089]

5 minutes ago, Jakusotsu said:

And still be able to regain the rank with 10 wins? What's the point??

I'll ask them when I see them..

[Tsuchinoninjin 972]

8 hours ago, Jakusotsu said:

And still be able to regain the rank with 10 wins? What's the point??

Reduce the chance Ross Mihara says seki-wacky again

[Chartorenji 136]

feel like everyone is waiting with baited breath to see if Waka can make Ozeki. Most hype I've seen in a wrestler in a hot minute. 

[Reonito 597]

11 hours ago, Jakusotsu said:

And still be able to regain the rank with 10 wins? What's the point??

Right? And one is supposed to be Sekiwake before an Ozeki promotion, even if it's a re-promotion.

[Yamanashi 2,821]

11 hours ago, Yarimotsu said:

Whoa, they think suggesting a harsher fall for kadoban ozeki who underperform will somehow motivate ozeki to do better?! That would have to imply ozeki performing poorly while kadoban are just lacking motivation! Surely they'd prefer a system which allows more ozeki a chance to rebuild and have a good run from the correct ranks to become a worthy yokozuna... 

"Heal faster, stupid Ozeki!"

[Seiyashi 3,316]

24 minutes ago, Reonito said:

11 hours ago, Jakusotsu said:

And still be able to regain the rank with 10 wins? What's the point??

Right? And one is supposed to be Sekiwake before an Ozeki promotion, even if it's a re-promotion.

10 wins to be repromoted from sekiwake, 11 from komusubi? 

[Kintamayama 40,089]

36 minutes ago, Yamanashi said:

"Heal faster, stupid Ozeki!"

If you're in, you're in. The minute you're in injuries are not taken into consideration ever and that's how it should be. Injured? Stay out. I don't buy the "late COVID" theory regarding  Shoudai and Mitakeumi. They should and will be judged by their records, period. It has always been that way. The current Ozeki crop is the worst in many years, even worse than when we had the mediocre Ozeki groups in the past. I don't ever remember two Ozeki going 4-11. Injured?  Go rest. You're getting a makekoshi anyway, so why aggravate the injury? Or, maybe, there simply is no physical injury?

[Benevolance 2,253]

The YDC stopped just short of recommending karaoke. 

[Reonito 597]

1 hour ago, Seiyashi said:

10 wins to be repromoted from sekiwake, 11 from komusubi? 

Wherever the problem might lie, this doesn't strike me as a solution. 

[Kintamayama 40,089]

1 hour ago, Reonito said:

Wherever the problem might lie, this doesn't strike me as a solution. 

I don't think this was a serious suggestion. Whoever brought it up probably thought he was encouraging them to do better. 

[Takoyama 8]

6 hours ago, Chartorenji said:

feel like everyone is waiting with baited breath

I'll be waiting outside getting some fresh air.

[Takoyama 8]

Glad to have the YDC back. Good to get a bit of comedy to spice up a bit of an average basho.

[Koorifuu 438]

3 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

If you're in, you're in. The minute you're in injuries are not taken into consideration ever and that's how it should be. Injured? Stay out. I don't buy the "late COVID" theory regarding  Shoudai and Mitakeumi. They should and will be judged by their records, period. It has always been that way. The current Ozeki crop is the worst in many years, even worse than when we had the mediocre Ozeki groups in the past. I don't ever remember two Ozeki going 4-11. Injured?  Go rest. You're getting a makekoshi anyway, so why aggravate the injury? Or, maybe, there simply is no physical injury?

Whilst I do agree that they should've just gone rest and recover instead of embarrassing themselves and the ozeki rank, and that rules are rules... if it really is long COVID is not a physical injury. Aggravating the symptoms, yeah, that's a real possibility too.

I'm not saying it's your case - but it really irks me when people downplay the effects long COVID might have in a sportsperson. They haven't got the slightest clue. The bloody creature put me a seriously bad spot about 20 months ago, and even when I thought the nightmare had finished, it sure didn't. I couldn't do a tenth of the exercise I used to. To this day, I still haven't gotten quite where I used to be.

It's not your regular case of being exhausted / running out of breath much earlier than usual. It feels like your body is giving up, shutting down. And quite frankly, if you knew what signs to look for, it was clear on Shodai's body language that it was the case with him for a long time. Nowadays he's mostly recovered and his issues are 90% psychological though.

Mitakeumi's 4-11, on the other hand, was absolutely related to this. You could tell his body could only take a few seconds of effort before its strength just vanished.

[Godango 751]

1 hour ago, Koorifuu said:

Whilst I do agree that they should've just gone rest and recover instead of embarrassing themselves and the ozeki rank, and that rules are rules... if it really is long COVID is not a physical injury. Aggravating the symptoms, yeah, that's a real possibility too.

I'm not saying it's your case - but it really irks me when people downplay the effects long COVID might have in a sportsperson. They haven't got the slightest clue. The bloody creature put me a seriously bad spot about 20 months ago, and even when I thought the nightmare had finished, it sure didn't. I couldn't do a tenth of the exercise I used to. To this day, I still haven't gotten quite where I used to be.

It's not your regular case of being exhausted / running out of breath much earlier than usual. It feels like your body is giving up, shutting down. And quite frankly, if you knew what signs to look for, it was clear on Shodai's body language that it was the case with him for a long time. Nowadays he's mostly recovered and his issues are 90% psychological though.

Mitakeumi's 4-11, on the other hand, was absolutely related to this. You could tell his body could only take a few seconds of effort before its strength just vanished.

I agree wholly with this, but to Kintamayama's original point -- if this IS what they're going through, they would have known they weren't 100% and arguably should have rested.

Otherwise, much like other ozeki before them (including the current yokozuna), chronic injury/health issues lead to loss of rank.  The more concerning thing to me is that there is no obvious 'next ozeki', let alone 'next yokozuna' looming on the horizon; even with Wakatakakage I feel it's a bit premature (but I'm as hopeful as anyone).

[Yamanashi 2,821]

Here's merely what I think:

1) Mitakeumi is still suffering from the shoulder injury; long-Covid is only a possibility.

2) If he takes off his kadoban basho and guarantees a fall to Sekiwake, he gets twice as much hassle from the Guardians of the Sumo Galaxy.

3) I don't disagree with @Kintamayama; I'm just saying that the reason that Mitakeumi did so poorly was an injury, so I am also agreeing with @Yarimotsu that suggesting a "double secret probation" at Komosubi won't suddenly shame his T-cells into action or other such nonsense.

4) Bah, humbug.

[Kintamayama 40,089]

6 hours ago, Koorifuu said:

I'm not saying it's your case - but it really irks me when people downplay the effects long COVID might have in a sportsperson. They haven't got the slightest clue. 

 

I’m not downplaying anything. I just don’t think either of them are suffering from it. I’ve read that Mitakeumi actually  has a bad shoulder, so wherein lies the truth? He started off  Natsu basho heading straight for a makekoshi till the Covid thing sidelined him.

Edited September 28, 2022 by Kintamayama

[Koorifuu 438]

6 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

I’m not downplaying anything. I just don’t think either of them are suffering from it. I’ve read that Mitakeumi actually  has a bad shoulder, so wherein lies the truth? He started off  Natsu basho heading straight for a makekoshi till the Covid thing sidelined him.

Oh, absolutely - I tried making it clear I wasn't pointing my finger at you, I'm sorry that it came across as that.

The shoulder injury would've shirley sunk Mitakeumi down in Nagoya, and COVID was a saviour of sorts there - I'm sure it didn't help him in Aki either, but it doesn't explain why his body seemingly went limp as he was forced out by people who'd usually be unable to.

As for Shodai, well - I agree with you for Aki 2022, but not previous basho i.e. Natsu, where everybody and their aunts could steamroll him out of the dohyo on longer bouts (his speciality beforehand) and he only started raking those shiroboshi once he changed his approach and went gungho from the tachiai.

11 hours ago, Godango said:

I agree wholly with this, but to Kintamayama's original point -- if this IS what they're going through, they would have known they weren't 100% and arguably should have rested.

Otherwise, much like other ozeki before them (including the current yokozuna), chronic injury/health issues lead to loss of rank.  The more concerning thing to me is that there is no obvious 'next ozeki', let alone 'next yokozuna' looming on the horizon; even with Wakatakakage I feel it's a bit premature (but I'm as hopeful as anyone).

Absolutely. Carrying on throughout was a lose-lose situation. Were they afraid of the YDC's judgment later? Either way, it's really sad that the makuuchi people with the lowest amount of wins who competed in the basho was a tie between Yutakayama... and two ozeki.

[Tsuchinoninjin 972]

Seems inevitable that asanoyama is going to come back and stomp everyone’s face in huh.

[Yamanashi 2,821]

3 hours ago, Tsuchinoninjin said:

Seems inevitable that asanoyama is going to come back and stomp everyone’s face in huh.

Could be. I'm so old that I remember when his retirement was a serious possibility.  Now he may come back looking like Thor and the Seven Dwarfs.

[Fashiritētā 21]

3 hours ago, Tsuchinoninjin said:

Seems inevitable that asanoyama is going to come back and stomp everyone’s face in huh.

If that were the case, he (Asanoyama) would have gone 7-0 and be on the next boat to Juryo

Edited September 28, 2022 by Fashiritētā

[Yamanashi 2,821]

23 minutes ago, Fashiritētā said:

If that were the case, he (Asanoyama) would have gone 7-0 and be on the next boat to Juryo

Maybe the loss means he will be stomping a little more gently, who knows?

[Benevolance 2,253]

I think that understates just how well Yuma performed in his bout against Asanoyama. It should be huzzah to Yuma for doing a very good job, especially along the bales, and not 'boo-urns' Asanoyama for not getting seven wins.