Shomishuu

Good point, and no disagreement...so maybe I will bury him, at least up to the kneecaps. (Neener, neener...)

My fingers are crossed. (Whatever above, it is funny...)

I agree with Yaku-san in spirit. Unfortunately, I feel that Asashoryu enthusiastically sought and embraced this role many moons ago. I think it would have been more accurate to say that, now that Asashoryu is no longer the only protagonist, he should shed his role as a heel and endeavor to re-make himself to become the kind of yokozuna that would be respected by all. There was a time several years ago when I thought he was actually doing that and I defended him, but I was wrong. That was when life was a bed of roses and all the dragons were dead. Now, as long as Hakuho keeps his nose clean and can at least match Ryu yusho for yusho, I believe Ryu is stuck with this role. He won't/can't be Mr. Nice Guy unless he's king of the hill. I'll add the usual, "I hope I'm wrong about this." knowing there are some who won't believe it...

Day 16 Henka Nominations: ROHO vs. ...uhh... sorry, force of habit. Sorry again, just couldn't resist that. Anyway, to be a little serious here, Roho deserves some special attention. We all know by now that he has a serious and chronic back condition of some kind, and I believe it's much worse than most people have realized. I remember back on Day 2 of Kyushu when he hoisted Wakanoho out. I thought that must have been all his back could take, and I'm convinced that was true. He didn't push another time for the whole basho, just slipped and slid and henka'd all the way to the end. This time he used power sumo a couple of times, but spread those occasions out. It reminded me of my softball playing days. I was an outfielder with a decent throwing arm, but with age the arm became practically useless because it hurt too much to really let one fly. If I let one loose in the first inning, I had to wait till the fifth inning before I could do it again...in the meantime the baserunners ran wild on me. Roho is the same way with his back. He can only use it once or twice a basho. So he's doing what he can, and he's getting so good at his tachiai mojo that he can usually win with it, even when his aite knows it's coming. Is it 'real sumo'? Of course not, but I'll admit that I'm not the purist I once was. I don't see the point when no one's ever going to get tagged with a loss for excessive henka or matta, so I've decided to just enjoy the show. Roho knows his joi-jin days are over but at least he's figured out how to survive. He'll stop what he's doing when it no longer works, and then he'll figure out some other way to win. In fact, he's probably working on a plan right now. To me, one of the most interesting aspects of sumo is how the Rijikai approaches rules and behavior. Clearly, they despise both matta and henka, and they could easily make both of them go away with appropriate rules and enforcement. But they also despise the use of punitive measures on the dohyo...they prefer the rikishi to police themselves. And so they use chastisement behind the scenes rather than carrot and stick. It used to work to some degree but not nearly as well with the foreign rikishi. And now I believe the Japanese rikishi are 'catching up.' Didn't Kotoshogiku say after his Day 12 action against Tokitenku that he cared more about the quantity of wins than the quality? So I come not to praise Roho, for his deeds will live after him...but neither do I come to bury him. (Henka!!!) (I surrender...) (Roho...)

Is Uchidate injured? If not, she should be suspended...two basho should be about right. (I'm not kidding).

It is being mentioned that people close to him are saying he will stay in Japan, and only after he gets his revenge in March, he will return to Mongolia. But all this can change quickly, of course. Doesn't he have kids in Mongolia? Seems rather harsh to me to punish them for his loss to Hakuho. Who would be doing the punishing? His oyakata has already said he will allow him to go.

During the NHK telecast, the hanamichi reporter on the Enlish side mentioned that Asashoryu had said he wouldn't allow himself to go back if he lost to Hakuho...as a way of motivating himself. I haven't seen that comment surface anywhere else, tho I'm not in a good position to have seen it, if it did.

nope .... (Clapping wildly...) Will anyone inform Robo of that before their senshuraku match?? (First prize...) No!! (First prize...) (Bye, bye...) (Henka!!!) (First prize...) (First prize...) Nice call!

SUMO FAN MAGAZINE - Day 15 Henka Nominations: ROHO vs. Takamisakari Vote yea or nay at http://www.sumofanmag.com/interactive.htm if you have an opinion on whether or not the rikishi in bold print above committed a henka in his match. Click on

SUMO FAN MAGAZINE - Day 14 Henka Nominations: ICHIHARA vs. Hokutoriki ROHO vs. Goeido ASASEKIRYU vs. Ama Vote yea or nay at http://www.sumofanmag.com/interactive.htm if you have an opinion on whether or not any of the rikishi in bold print above committed a henka in his match. Click on

Nice try, but that wasn't a henka. Actually, four others agreed with you (as long as you voted), but the majority of eight did give it their blessing. Not analyzing, just reporting....

Try this one. And this one. Ironically, same basho, Aki 2005, Days 2 & 9. The Robocop has so far been targeted a total of four times but this has been the only successful one...took the world champ to pull it off, though. In the Asashoryu bout, it may have been the last time Shoes-on ever did move forward (haven't checked that out...). As for what happened prior to Nagoya 2005...I have no idea.

SUMO FAN MAGAZINE - Day 13 Henka Nominations: YOSHIKAZE vs. Hokutoriki TAMAKASUGA vs. Takamisakari ROHO vs. Tosanoumi ASASEKIRYU vs. Futeno KYOKUTENHO vs. Kisenosato AMA vs. Miyabiyama TAKEKAZE vs. Kotooshu Vote yea or nay at http://www.sumofanmag.com/interactive.htm if you have an opinion on whether or not any of the rikishi in bold print above committed a henka in his match. Click on

SUMO FAN MAGAZINE - Day 13 Henka Nominations will be posted later than usual, but will be up there sometime.

I think he speaketh with loose lips. Since Henka Sightings started in Nagoya 2005, Slik Rik hasn't even been nominated for a henka against Kasugao. The English translator for the interview said Kasugao referred to losing by a slapdown to Hokutoriki. The only time that ever happened was on Day 4 of Nagoya last year when Kasugao was stood up with a straight ahead charge and then slapped down. It happened very fast and he was probably embarrassed by it but 'Riki did go straight at him first. I don't mind a good henka now and then but I wish the perpetrator wouldn't reach all the way to Mt. Fuji for an excuse. ;-)

SUMO FAN MAGAZINE - Day 12 Henka Nominations: ICHIHARA vs. Kokkai TAKEKAZE vs. Iwakiyama KASUGAO vs. Hokutoriki ROHO vs. Miyabiyama KOTOSHOGIKU vs. Tokitenku AMA vs. Kisenosato Vote yea or nay at http://www.sumofanmag.com/interactive.htm if you have an opinion on whether or not any of the rikishi in bold print above committed a henka in his match. Click on

SUMO FAN MAGAZINE - Day 11 Henka Nominations: ROHO vs. Baruto ASASEKIRYU vs. Kyokutenho Vote yea or nay at http://www.sumofanmag.com/interactive.htm if you have an opinion on whether or not either of the rikishi in bold print above committed a henka in his match. Click on

SUMO FAN MAGAZINE - Day 10 Henka Nomination (Additional): HAKUHO vs. Ama Vote yea or nay at http://www.sumofanmag.com/interactive.htm if you have an opinion on whether or not the rikishi in bold print above committed a henka in his match. Click on

SUMO FAN MAGAZINE - Day 10 Henka Nominations: KYOKUTENO vs. Tochiozan KOKKAI vs. Futeno KAKIZOE vs. Hokutoriki TOKITENKU vs. Dejima AMA vs. Hakuho Vote yea or nay at http://www.sumofanmag.com/interactive.htm if you have an opinion on whether or not any of the rikishi in bold print above committed a henka in his match. Click on

SUMO FAN MAGAZINE - Day 9 Henka Nominations: No henka nominations for today! If you believe an actual henka occurred in any match today, request a nomination by e-mail at itsulon@wavecable.com, and visit the SFM site here at a later time to cast a vote.

SUMO FAN MAGAZINE - Day 8 Henka Nominations: KAIHO vs. Tamanoshima ICHIHARA vs. Kyokutenho TAMAKASUGA vs. Hokutoriki AMA vs. Dejima HAKUHO vs. Kotoshogiku Vote yea or nay at http://www.sumofanmag.com/interactive.htm if you have an opinion on whether or not any of the rikishi in bold print above committed a henka in his match. Click on

SUMO FAN MAGAZINE - Day 7 Henka Nominations: WAKANOHO vs. Takamisakari KASUGAO vs. Kakuryu TAMAKASUGA vs. Wakanosato Vote yea or nay at http://www.sumofanmag.com/interactive.htm if you have an opinion on whether or not any of the rikishi in bold print above committed a henka in his match. Click on

SUMO FAN MAGAZINE - Day 6 Henka Nominations: ROHO vs. Homasho Vote yea or nay at http://www.sumofanmag.com/interactive.htm if you have an opinion on whether or not the rikishi in bold print above committed a henka in his match. Click on

The SFM Henka Sightings data backs up this theory. Here are the top ten active henka-makers currently, with an appreciable number of bouts studied (in percentage of their bouts that were voted as henka): Sorry if the numbers don't line up well... Rikishi Henka % 1 Roho 13.17 2 Aminishiki 7.11 3 Hakurozan 6.54 4 Hokutoriki 5.73 5 Kotooshu 5.56 6 Yoshikaze 3.87 7 Kotomitsuki 3.56 8 Kaio 3.23 9 Tokitenku 3.11 10 Kyokutenho 3.06 Ama's henka rate is only 2.22%, putting him considerably below the average per bout for all rikishi (2.93%). However, his nomination percentage (percentage of his bouts for which he has been nominated for henka consideration) is 9.78%, which places him fifth among active rikishi. This is almost double the average nomination rate for all rikishi. So this implies that he is often 'creative' with his tachiai, but most viewers wouldn't count these moves as henka. The link to the SFM henka database can be found in the Kyushu Henka Summary here. (1st page, 3rd column). The columns in the perpetrators and targets worksheets are sortable for anyone who accesses them.

SUMO FAN MAGAZINE - Day 5 Henka Nominations: KYOKUTENHO vs. Takamisakari WAKANOHO vs. Iwakiyama TAMAKASUGA vs. Toyohibiki ROHO vs. Takekaze Vote yea or nay at http://www.sumofanmag.com/interactive.htm if you have an opinion on whether or not any of the rikishi in bold print above committed a henka in his match. Click on