Chisaiyama

I'm torn between Kaio and Tenku (so it will probably be Bart) but I will go with: Day 9: Tokitenku

You know that the torikumi is done before makuuchi starts? Erm, apparently not... I was aware of that (other than on Senshuraku) but I was trying to think as deviously as I believed they were.

As good as Kise is doing this basho, Osh appears to be at least as determined to have a great basho so I believe tonights winner will be Osh thus sending Kise to 2 losses. Similarly as Kaio is also doing very well this basho I believe he will defeat Tokitenku and remain with one loss. If all that happens and if Baruto wins to remain with 2 losses then..... Day 8: Baruto

Hate to follow the parade but I agree Changed my mind, I think instead, for Day 7: Aran

Day 6: Asasekiryu

I'm sorry to see you go from the games but I fully understand your reasoning. I hope you will still be following sumo as you can and participating in the forum.

Day 5: Asasekiryu

Day 4: Hakuba

Day 3: Kitataiki

Extremely interesting story and as you say it makes much of what happened to Asa much more understandable. I am unsure however why you left out the following paragraph from the story you copied. It goes in front of the second to last paragraph: This makes the NHK's decision to not broadcast the Nagoya basho again much more understandable. The allegation that some of the executives of the sponsoring companies were also involved in the gambling might help explain the rush of many sponsors to distance themselves from this mess as well. They may be hoping that their involvement will not be publicized.

Day 1: Tokitenku Day 2: Kaio

With all the missing talent it makes this month's prognostications just that much harder. Here's is my shot at fame and glory for July: Match Guess 1. A 2. A 3. B 4. A 5. B 6. A 7. A 8. B 9.A10.A11.A12.X13.B14.X15.B16.A17.B18.A19.B20.B21.B

The link worked for me, but I have run into other links in these posts that sometimes don't. Did you try copying the link and pasting it into your browsers address bar, that sometimes will do the trick?

Lex nailed it here. Futabayama competed, as has been noted, in an era of 2 basho per year and of 11 & 13 day durations but more importantly only in the Kokugikan. The Nagoya, Osaka & Fukuoka bashos were added much later and as their dohyos are constructed of (I have to presume) of local materials not of the same rice, clay and sand as that in the kokugikan bashos. I have been watching and following sumo since 1972 and I have never seen the dohyos in Tokyo be as slippery and, let's face it, dangerous as those in the remote sites, especially Nagoya. Perhaps it is that July heat or something drys the sand on the surface I don't know but I believe if he fails in the 69 rensho attempt it will be outside Tokyo. This is one record I would like to see broken in the modern era because any Yokozuna who can accomplish it will have to be hailed as truly the "Greatest" of all time.

From the standpoint of a player who has generally tried not to use the "X" except for a couple of days a few basho back when I experimented with liberally using them and quickly discarded the idea I really don't care much one way or the other if the rule is changed. I always try to aim for a yusho but until this past basho have never managed to ever be in the competition at all (other than for the occasional opening day win when I share the lead for a day with about a hundred others). I do believe though that a straight numerical penalty eg simply counting it as half a point would be fairer to those who are seriously challenging for the yusho on a regular basis. For myself though I am usually only tempted (other than for juryo) maybe once or twice a basho to use one but generally fight the urge off. I could have used it gladly, however, on a couple of Kaio matches last basho.

Arigato gozaimasu, Tamanaogijima-san!

Will Day 15 results be posted soon? Just trying to tidy up the loose ends of this last basho.

Once again my goldend b*lled friend, you have outdone all your previous efforts in crafting an invitation worthy of a Pulitzer!

It is customary to have a hash-out-how-you-did-thread after each basho and since it hasn't been started yet, thought I would do the honors. I usually don't bother to participate in these because while I enjoy playing the games I do, whether I win or not I usually don't have results that I consider worth bragging about. For a change I had a rather good (for me at least) basho, with a couple notable exceptions. It's hard to believe I almost decided to sit out the daily games this basho because I was afraid I wouldn't have enough time to spend on my picks and I ended up having one of my best basho ever. I even took a Yusho in one of my Forum games, too bad it doesn't count for SuperBanzuke! Here is how I did with the ones as far as I can figure at this time: 21: did good for me, got 10 pts overall and finished up about midway down the list Bench Sumo: was Nana Sho/Nana Hai but lost on day 15 ended up MK with 7-8 Chain Gang: the one lousy bit - Out on Day 2! DST: KK figure it ought to be a 5-2 Fantasy: 93pts/#26 should be a 10-5 KK FAWL: KK 8-7, this is an absolutely bizarre little game and I love it but I suck at it so if I got a KK that proves what a great basho this was for me! Guess Kisenosato's Aite: got 3 correct, which for that game isn't exactly bad though not great either GTB: oops forgot the other lousy bit: 0-15 ISP: excellent, had a good run before I trusted Robocop and Osh on the wrong days: 11-4 Juryo Game: pretty good I think a KK with about a 4-3 Maegashira Game: had a great start but had a bad last 5 I figure MK about a 3-4 or 2-5 Roto Sumo: very good was at 1-2 most of the way but slipped a litle at the end: KK w/5-2 SalaryCap: again great start slipped in the last 5 but figure should be KK w/4-3 depending on the last day which isn't yet posted now posted and I self destructed on Day 15 and slipped all the way to the bottom - AARRRRRGH! (Shaking head...) SekiToto: extremely good ended up 11-4 chased the yusho most of the way SumoGame: much better than usual for me actually ended up KK with 8-7 TRIO: an Info-Sumo forum game: 10-5, Yusho, Gino-Sho & Kanto Sho! UDH: did very well here for a change, as of Day 14 I was at 14-1; Day 15 not yet posted but hopefully I didn't slip too far and might even have held my own, although a lot of losers won on Day 15!; now posted and I did slip a bit but ended at 8th place with a respectable 13-2!

And I thought I would be the only one who thought it would be: Day 15: Aran

Day 14: Asasekiryu

Day 13: Asasekiryu

Day 12: Tochinoshin

With Baruto doing so good in his shin Ozeki basho I believe they will continue the Ozeki matchups for him trying to build him up for a day 13 or 14 meeting with the Yokozuna especially with our hero being so mediocre this basho. I say either Miyabiyama or Tochinoshin and I think it will be: Day 11: Miyabiyama

So, was this one authorized by Takasago Oyakat in his new position (in charge of emergency exits)?