Naganoyama

Anyone see a resemblance to Chiyotaikai?

I agree 100%. Sumo, any sumo. (Even without a commentary). :'-(

Great Kaio pic! (Enjoying a beer...)

I am sure he used to be much better, or at least that he used to be more enthusiastic. He certainly got me hooked on sumo. Perhaps he has become bored. I used to find that he could throw some interesting light on many aspects of sumo but hasn't done much of this recently. He has very much moved into 'repeating his standard facts every time' scenario. e.g. - What a technician Kyokushuzan is (despite the fact that many of his recent wins are hatakikomi or hikiotoshi) - Tamanoshima's father is a pro wrestler - Miyabiyama's father's threat - Iwakiyama being the cleverest rikishi and going to graduate school. - Translation of particular shikona every time the rikishi fights. (As if he knows only about half a dozen of these translations). etc. Many of these things might well be interesting the first time round, but repetition can become a bit boring. I think some of his general commentary skills are pretty good though. He always seems to have plenty of time to say things, even during the bouts. He compares favourably in this respect with the NHK guys (it is NHK in the banzuke.com bouts isn't it?) who sometimes descend into strange noises or multiple repetitions of one of the rikishi's names.

I don't really know enough details of the case, not having seen what is reported, but I think there is a certain element of foreign rikishi attracting criticism here. An aggressive gesture by a foreign rikishi almost always gets adverse notice whereas Japanese rikishi are allowed much more slack. Viz my comments about Takanohana above. Also remember the picture of Tochiazuma clenching his fists after winning the Yusho at Kyushu. (Perfectly OK in my opinion but can you imagine what the press would make of it if Asashoryu made that sort of gesture?)

In recent times Takanohana's personality has struck me as being rather 'superior'. I remember watching him fight Tochinonada in Aki Basho 2002 and, after a false start by Nada, Takanohana looked at him as if he were a piece of dirt on the ground. (If he were a foreign-born rikishi, I am sure that adverse comments on his hinkaku would have been made at this point...). If he applies this same mentality to coaching, I am not sure that it will be successful. OK it works in the army, but I don't know how it will pan out in the sumo world.

Perhaps the "Russian" thing plays a part too?

I think that this is pretty spot on. I think the skills required to teach are quite different from those required to perform. Some great athletes will turn out to be great coaches but I think they are the exception rather than the rule. Perhaps they don't have such a hunger to do well in coaching having already proved themselves in their own careers. How many coaches of famous (i.e. great) tennis players, footballers, etc have there been who really made the grade themselves? (True of all sports I think)

I find that they usually reply eventually when they can say "Yes there will be sumo coverage on ... ". They usually ignore the fact that that will be a different basho (probably don't even understand that fact given their description never includes which basho it is anyway.) Something I find a bit revealing is that their schedule often includes multiple repeats of a particular event (e.g. snooker trickshots world championship or a particular strongest man grand prix). The many hours given up to these repeats would surely be sufficient for coverage of several complete basho. I suspect that they don't pay for a program if they don't end up showing it at all and they get a discount for repeats. Perhaps they are suffering financial difficulties and (like the NSK with ticket prices) don't understand that it would be better to increase their costs slightly in buying programs that people actually want to watch, to improve their audience figures. Sigh...

Just making me jealous - British Eurosport have cancelled the only Kyushu coverage (one hour this evening) that they previously had scheduled. Are they ever going to show Sumo again? (Depressed...)

Sadly here in UK, we are not up when the early birds are queuing at the Kokugikan. The worms are already canned on the NSK site by the time we do get up and no need to squint at Kanji for the sekitori ranks at least. (I have a little program which I use to disintangle the names for makushita and below, but it reads the hiragana, not the kanji.) I am thoroughly impressed by Yubiquitoyama and Adachinoryu's brilliant kanji-reading efforts. (And quite jealous of your prodigious skills) (Applauding...) (Punk rocker...)

And a belated happy birthday to members of this forum who were 33 yesterday. (Clapping wildly...)

Thanks for that Zuikakuyama-san. It makes good sense now.

Out of interest, why are there so many Japanese in South America? I was in Peru a few years back and there were many Japanese there. A friend who went to Brazil commented the same thing about Brazil. Surely the living standard in Japan is higher than any South American country? (Sorry, off topic)

C o o l response ;-) I guess that a rikishi only has to announce his retirement about 3 days after the basho for it to be 'too late' as far as whether the rikishi is listed on the banzuke for the next basho, given how soon the Banzuke Hensei Iinkai meet. Why is the word 'c o o l' when typed without spaces converted to 'cold' on this forum? I can't even type the question properly as the word gets converted when I do a preview.

May 2003 (Sandanme 16W) . Sorry to be a smartarse! (Applauding...)

This looks really great! I think (hope!) my French is up to this. I have already browsed some of the rikishi quotes as I have seen so little of this before (being based in the UK). Keep up the good work. (Applauding...)

I hope you are right Fujisan. Digiguide has now dropped all but one hour, 2100-2200 on 27 December. (Depressed...)

Hey this is great stuff and well-observed. (Clapping wildly...) Perhaps you have some more about other top rikishi combinations?

The guy second from the back in the left row (side of head only) could be Kokonoe (Chiyonofuji)

Awesome :-)

In response to Yubiquitoyama-zeki's comment that there are others that can win the Yusho, I have prepared some stats to try and show who these rikishi might be. November 2003 Makuuchi Rikishi History shows, for all the rikishi on the Makuuchi banzuke for November 2003, what their ranks and scores have been over the last 2 years. (It probably only shows what most of you know already, but it might be helpful to have a snapshot) The Yusho is rarely won with a score worse than 12-3. Facts: Scores of 12-3 or better have been achieved in Makuuchi, in this period, as follows: 15-0 - 14-1 Asashoryu (2), Chiyotaikai (1) 13-2 Asashoryu (2), Musashimaru (3), Chiyotaikai (1), Tochiazuma (2) 12-3 Asashoryu (2), Chiyotaikai (1), Kaio (3), Kotomitsuki (2) Also, scores of 11-4 have been achieved in Makuuchi, in this period, as follows: 11-4 Asashoryu (2), Chiyotaikai (3), Kaio (2), Wakanosato (3), Iwakiyama (1), Tochinonada (1), Kotomitsuki (1), Aminishiki (1), Tamanoshima (1), Tokitsuumi (1), Hokutoriki (1), Buyuzan (1), Takanowaka (2), Dejima (2). Yusho have been won in this period by the following: Asashoryu (4) Musashimaru (3) Chiyotaikai (2) Tochiazuma (2) Kaio (1) Speculation: I suppose someone trying to use these figures to assess the odds for the next basho would order the rikishi as follows (I will leave out Musashimaru as he is retired): Asashoryu Chiyotaikai/Tochiazuma Kaio Kotomitsuki Wakanosato Dejima Takanowaka So there it is (Sigh...)

Possibly you are a bit generous. There are a few others who might be capable of winning, probably not lots.

Sorry for my ignorance but what is this magazine of Leonishiki-zeki's? I would be interested to see it.

It may be lacking hinkaku, but at least they are all smiling this time. (Laughing...)