Kotonosato

My biggest disappointment was the SML's inability to put aside their childest flaming (Showing respect...) during one the most exciting basho I've seen in years. The good news is that that was enough incentive to bring me to this Forum on a regular basis. (Zabuton flying...) Thanks for allowing this sumo refugee into your homes.

Wouldn't Oshiogawa Oyakata still be considered his shisho, even if he's retired?

One man's superstition is another man's religion, I guess. There are two dohyo-iri styles. You can read about them in this story from Jonosuke: http://sumofanmag.com/content/Issue_12/Rikishi_of_Old.htm

There was no need for Musoyama to add "the bitter word". Asashoryu always had that fire and drive. Hakuho has never been anything other than calm and respectful on and off the dohyo. If anything his on-dohyo behaviour is becoming more Takanohaka-like by the day. That's funny I didn't read it like that at all. Maybe someone could give us their impression of the original. As for becoming like Takanohana, I think you're right, Nishi. (Scratching chin...) Hakuho has almost always been very composed and centered (with the exception of what he did to Kyokunankai). Personally, I think Takanohana is a weirdo from a family of weirdos, but I always admired his hinkaku. I'm really hoping Hakuho continues to show such dignity on and off the dohyo. As for wet blanket Musoyama, I think there is a lot of pressure on the Toshiyori to comment on every little aspect of the sport once they retire. It reminds me of all the intensely annoying things that Uchidate and the rest of the YPC members say. Basically some shoves a microphone into Musoyama's face, so he thinks it's his job to give advice as an elder statesman. Especially in such a tate-shakai like the sumo world, they can't help but sound obnoxious. The only thing worse for a young rikishi must be all those disgusting old men from their koenkais who offer a ton of unsolicited advice despite never having played the sport.

Oh.........somebody speaks that out........I am impressed... Thanks. Don't be so hypocritical. If anybody else said that you would have been fuming. What a crap wet blanket statement from Musoyama. Hakuho has never been like Asashoryu and to come out with such a generalisation about him because he is Mongolian on the day that he showed the world he truely deserves to be yokozuna smacks of jealousy and bitterness from an ex-ozeki whose pathetic efforts at that rank put him far below the new yokozuna even at this stage of Hakuho's career. I don't understand your reaction, Nishinomiya. Musoyama is in complete support of Hakuho here. He thinks there should be MORE celebration for Hakuho. Not less. As for imitating Asashoryu, Kyokunankai and I are both hoping that Hakuho won't do that. (Scratching chin...) I suspect he won't, but most 22 year olds who suddenly became one of only two world leaders in their field would naturally imitate their senpai. Personally, I hope that Hakuho finds his comfort zone quickly and shows who he really is, rather than what he thinks someone in that position has to be.

I find this hard to believe. Consider how much mental fortitude a yokozuna must have to maintain such a prestigious rank. I can't believe that someone about to take on that role would allow himself to be swayed by this kind of superstition.

I really enjoyed watching him on the dohyo, but like so many professional athletes he can't articulate a single clear thought. Does anybody really believe that it is "easy" to become a yokozuna? Anyway, I agree that there is tremendous pressure in trying to maintain the rank. An interesting comment was also made by Asashoryu. It was after he got his first loss, I believe. He said that it was easier to be a follower than it was to lead the race. This I can believe. Imagine how all the 'followers' get themselves geared up for their bouts against the yokozuna. Every single rikishi knows who they're up against and prepares themselves mentally to face the best. The yokozuna constantly faces this pressure. So I would agree that, for most rikishi, it would be more difficult to lead than to follow. Ironically, I don't think this is true in Asashoryu's case: Besides some mild physical injuries, his complete collapse now is mostly due to his lack of mental preparation. He has never been in the situation where he wasn't either striving to become the best by beating the best (like a few years ago), or trying to maintain his dominance of everyone (since becoming yokozuna). This is uncharted territory for him. It may take a basho (or at least the next few weeks) for him to realize that he is no longer the sole "king of the ring". (Man, I hate that clichee.) It will be interesting to see if his character mellows in some way from having to share the limelight with Hakuho from now on. Maybe he will show a bit more humility and fewer badboy antics.

I still say it's your fault. You can easily set up the filter to make a copy of the next days pairings and leave it in your main folder, away from the SML folder. Maybe it would be a good idea for you to do so now before you kill someone. Haha. Fair enough. I guess I can endure a pain-in-the-ass for the sake of public safety. (Yusho winner...)

Over in Honbasho Talk as part of Doitsuyama's results postings (and for the lower divisions by Naganoyama), but those appear later than Kobayashi-san's obviously. So I guess the only way I can get tomorrow's torikumi without seeing today's results is through the good old ML. Otherwise, I could probably live off the Forum alone. All the really informative posts seem to appear on both.

He actually was in juryo two times already. Pretty streaky rikishi, here are some of his stops: Ms48 - Sd29 - J9 - Ms50 - J14 - Ms32 - now again in juryo. His style is pretty aggressive tsuki-oshi with harite and nodo-wa. He's known to slap opponents silly. This bout should give you an idea (I hope it's him, can't check here): Is that Kintamayama's commentary on the video? I thought I was reliving the Kissinger years. (Sigh...)

This is kind of a follow-up question to the ML vs. Forum topic: Most people here seem to agree that the benefits of the Forum include avoiding off-topic messages and flame wars. I've noticed that there is even a whole "off-topic" sub-forum for those that are interested. For someone with limited time to spend here, what sub-forums do you veterans recommend? I've been trying to follow "Ozumo Discussions" and "Honbasho Talk". Are there any other must reads?

This one I never understood. In case of honbasho going on (with the desire to avoid spoilers) SML really should be ignored totally. This is so easy do achieve with filtering all mails with "[sumo]" in the header to a separate folder which gets touched later. I feel this should be in the responsibility of the human who desires to read the mail later. I understand it perfectly. I record the bouts and watch them later when I get home. I use filters for the ML, but I go to that folder to get Kobayshi-san's list of the torikumi for the following day, which he posts daily during the makuuchi bouts. I like to have a copy of the next day's bouts with me while watching the current matches. Of course, I don't read anything marked "spoiler" until after I have a chance to watch. But when the subject line screams: Asashoryu Loses!! I don't have a lot of choice in the matter. I could have killed someone. (Sigh...) By the way, is the next day's torkumi list posted somewhere here on the forum every day?

I'm wondering if it's true that "mailing lists don't cause flame wars, people do". Would flame wars begin here too if everyone from the list moved here? How does the moderation work exactly? Are inflammatory remarks erased immediately?

This probably should be placed under a new heading, but as a new guy I'm not sure exactly what the protocol is. Anyway, I'm curious to know people's opinions regarding the SML vs. this Forum: First of all, about the comment above, is there in fact any more misinformation on the ML than here? And second, for those of you who use both, what are the good points of either? For a long time now, Joe Kuroda and John Gunning have being stating how good this Forum is on the ML. Now that I'm on the Forum, I can see that it is very good. Is there anyone here as willing to defend/promote the Mailing List?

Was Wajima a stablemaster at the time (like Miyagino), or only a kabu-holding toshiyori? I'm sure that would make a difference in what the kyokai decides.

Jonosuke, Does this rag print this kind of garbage about other sports too? Or is it just Ozumo they have an agenda against?

Thanks for the info. everybody. I stand corrected (and so do my captions). (Whistling...)

What a mess! I think Kumagatani may kill him before he has a chance to resign. After all, he gave this guy his heya and his daughter, and he has disgraced both of them. I think Miyagino may have to give back the heya and the daughter. You can see her here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jracine/17909...57594183166899/ Kumagatani: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jracine/17909...57594183166899/ Big mouth: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jracine/17909...57594183166899/

The three-wins rule was abolished ages ago. It's enough to participate in one maezumo bout (no matter if win or loss) in order to get back on the banzuke nowadays. I see. But do they still need three wins to enter Jonokuchi for the first time? No! Wow! I had no idea. You're saying that any 15 year old who has had even a single maezumo bout (and lost!) will be ranked on the banzuke for the following basho? Any idea why they changed the rules?

The three-wins rule was abolished ages ago. It's enough to participate in one maezumo bout (no matter if win or loss) in order to get back on the banzuke nowadays. I see. But do they still need three wins to enter Jonokuchi for the first time?

No, they're the guys who have competed in mae-zumo this past week, and qualified to get back on the banzuke for July. So does that mean that every time a rikishi goes banzuke-gai they are either injured or actively participating in maezumo? They have to pick up another three wins to be ranked back on the banzuke for the next basho?

Is it usual to make the banzukegai returnee announcement during the basho? Does that mean they will compete in maezumo as of today, or do they have to wait till next basho?

It's difficult to say exactly how he is doing because he is simply in a different league from his opponents. He's been moving forward without any problem. They can't really do anything to resist him. He hasn't shown any really amazing technique because he really hasn't had to yet. He can win by sheer power. On the other hand, in the one bout that he lost, he went in too high and complained later that he didn't want to risk any more injury to his leg. In other words, once he was on the defensive, he gave up soon thereafter. I think he'd have to have a really good tachiai every time if he wanted to compete like this in makuuchi. Anyway, his time in Juryo is giving him a chance to recuperate.

Unlike the Mongolians, the Europeans don't seem to come into ozumo with a natural feel for technique. I think these problems are just growing pains. His technique is still a bit sloppy, but he and his oyakata will work them out over the next few basho. I'm sure he'll progress in a manner similar to Kotooshu, or more likely Kokkai. You've got to hand it to Shironami, though. That was the most beautiful utchari ozumo has seen since the 1960s!

Chiyo seems like the kind of man who would push a woman away if she tried to get close to him. A little tsuppari humor. (Sign of approval...)