Itachi

Wajima has a bit of a colourful history with the kyokai. While I lived in Aomori, someone gave me a yukata that supposedly belonged to him. It has his shikona all over it so perhaps it really was his. Upon receiving this gift I researched and discovered that he had been one of the most successful Yokozunas only to fall from grace after retirement for allegedly using his kabu as collateral in deals with organized crime. He also had a bit of a pro-wrestle career - probably after being booted from the kyokai. I don't recall the specifics of his record so don't take my word for it - look it up. He may have been suspected of yaocho too - he's the Pete Rose of sumo in a way. Was he the first Yokozuna to 'disgrace' himself by turning to pro-wrestle after retiring? Akebono has the excuse that he isn't Japanese so he may not be expected to hold the traditions in his heart after ending his career. Wajima on the other hand... I prefer not to judge him on those things anyhow. I respect him for his accomplishments and I'm glad to see he finds a way to stay involved in the sport. I would have been thrilled to see him there.

Zentoryu's Nakatani was a great pick! I'm glad he wasted a joker on Sawaii although now there is no possibilty of catching him in the rankings (since I'm surfing with Sawaii too). We shall see if Oshirokita's Wakafujita can hang on to a single loss and keep him ranked above me (assuming Sawaii doesn't falter). I'm sure glad I didn't waste another joker on Masutoo. Perhaps he can find his feet and get back on track. Itachi

I am glad to see Sakaigawa doing well since I like the former teacher Iwakiyama (being a former teacher myself) but I am not familiar with his heya mates. Their % is 10% higher than the nearest heya with a comparable number of rikishi. Iwakiyama is not doing this all by himself. Who else do they have of note? (I will look this up myself of course but I wonder out loud to the group) I am also surprised to see Tamanoi so high. I would've expected to see more heya with lots of sekitori at the top. Another possibly interesting way of presenting the data would be to incorporate the number of rikishi in a heya. How do the heya do in order of size? It would be more difficult for a large heya to maintain a top winning %.

jd25w Sawai Just because I can.

I've played at least 14 of the games on the list up there and also one that is no longer active, Oddsumo. I've had to cut back on the amount of time I spend on the games so I only played 7 this time. 2 of those were just try outs and I'll try to keep one of them going next time (Salary Cap). I'm shifting to pre-basho games more because I like following the results each day but can't keep up with making a lot of daily picks. My BIG THREE includes Benchsumo and Seki-Toto for reasons that are probably obvious. The third one for me is the Juryo Game because I like having my attention drawn to the lower divisions, I've had lots of success at it (made it to Ozeki this year), and the game play has been modified to make it even better over the years. I wish there were a Makushita game. I'd be unable to resist making entries for that! Itachi

I feel rather beaten and battered this tournament but my results aren't that bad in my main games. In order of senority; Benchsumo: 7-8 from the top of Juryo - I really want to return to Makuuchi but I just haven't played the gaem that well lately. Sekitoto: 10-5 from upper Makuuchi - I think I may have been in sanyaku once before. This probably isn't good enough to get back there. Juryo Game: My best game, this is my debut as Ozeki. I just barely earned kachikoshi - how embarrasing! 8-7 and a bit lucky to have done so well. I really dropped the ball with my lower division calls. At least I nailed the yusho pick! Guess the Yusho Winners: 10-5 not great but I'll continue moving up the banzuke even if those ranked near me move up faster. Banzuke Surfing: I was the only one to pick 6-1 Jonidan 97 or so Takamiryu. My joker form Jonokuchi also went 6-1 so I really can't complain. Unfortuately, much like GTYW the top rank grows with the success of the leaders and those ranked ahead of me are pulling even further away. I might be in 3rd place overall but I've lost ground to #1 and #2. Salary Cap Sumo: 3-12! Wow, I know I'm not the greatest sumo gamer but I thought I was competitive. I guess my strategy for this game was a total failure. Back to the drawing board, I'll try to do better in May. Ciber Sumo (Not Cybersumo) : My three rikishi finished 4-3; 3-4; and I can't remember but probably 2-5 or worse. I entered late so everyone's ranked right near the bottom and I'm going to let them drop right off the banzuke. I may give this game another shot in the future but probably not in May. That's my story. I think I got off easy because my results aren't that bad but I feel like I underperformed. I'm glad I didn't go mk in Juryo and make the promotion committee look bad because I just barely earned that promotion. I hope to justify my rank next time.

Will Takamiryu make it to Sandanme on a 6-1 from Jd97? It would be nice to have the whole of Jonidan to pick from. I guess my joker was wasted. Masutoo did fine but I didn't end up needing him. Perhaps I'll forego the insurance next basho.

I've been too busy to notice my 'adopted' rikishi this tournament and now that it's almost over, I'll share their results with you. Sandanme lifer Sasaki just picked up his 2nd win but has already gone mk, now at 2-4. He had a terrific basho last time which catapulted him up to the top of Sandanme where he's a bit out of his element. It's probably too late for him to blossom into even a Makushita regular but I've been watching him since he emerged from Jonidan in the first place so I guess I'll keep on watching. Perhaps one day I'll even be able to see him in action on one of Dale's movies. Makushita inmate Nishikikaze is ranked in the lower middle of that division as usual and improved to 3-3 on day 12. 3-4 or 4-3? This is par for the course for this Oguruma beya veteran. He's had a cup of coffee in the limelight as an upper Makushita facing a lower ranked Juryo rikishi a couple of times but he obviously doesn't have what it takes to be ranked up there. I'd just like to see him hang around near the top and maybe accidentally get promoted to Juryo for a tournament.

Oguruma-beya is a fine Heya to be going to. They may not have many sekitori but Takekaze is pretty good and there are several who can hold a makushita rank. For a long time I have received banzuke from Oguruma courtesy (indirectly) of Nishikikaze's father. I tend to notice the banzuke positions of rikishi from that heya because of this. Maikaze is now in Juryo after a long time floating around in makushita. Takekaze floated up to Makuuchi fairly quickly but seems to be having some injury trouble now. Nishikikaze just floats around in mid to low makushita usually. No one in Oguruma has spent a long time as a sekitori recently (I consider Takekaze a new sekitori - how many years has it been?) It might be useful for them to have a seasoned sekitori such as Wakatoba around. Also, there are obvious benefits to having a prospect like Wakakirin around.

I'll take Takamiryu Jd 97w As a Joker I'll take Masutoo Jk 33e. While it is tempting to take Sawai as a second joker, I'll save my jokers for later rounds.

Thanks Zentoryu! Another Sandanme riksihi, Sd26e Takanofuji Gifu Naruto 22.05.1980 184 143,5 looks promising. Here is his recent record: Hatsu 17 Jd20e 7-0 Kyushuu 16 Jk11w 7-0 Aki 16 Jd112w 1-0 Nagoya 16 Jd42e 0-0 before that ??? He is turning 25 this year but his record has enough momentum to take him to makushita at least (a return? I can't remember him and I used to memorize the banzuke down to Sandanme) Also, I'm crossing my fingers for Sasaki. Sd18e Sasaki Aomori Naruto 12.01.1987 189 109,8 He has been stuck in mid to lower Sandanme since his initial quick rise to that rank. Here is his recent record. Hatsu 17 Sd75 6-1 Kyushuu 16 Sd58 3-4 Aki 16 Sd99 5-2 Nagoya 16 Sd80 3-4 Yes, I am getting my historical information fom my own porous memory and from www.scgroup.com. Unfortunately, Scgroup only provides four basho records so I rely on my memory for the rest. If I follow the rikishi, he looked new and promising at some time. Sd49e Saita Kagoshima Hanaregoma 28.09.1984 180 148,5 Here is another rikishi who may do well in Osaka. In the past four basho, scgroup reports these ranks and results: Hatsu 17 Jd10w 6-1 Kyushuu 16 Jd89w 6-1 Aki 16 Jd19w 0-0 Nagoya 16 Sd59w 0-0 I recall having memorized this rikishi's position on the banzuke before so it is probable that he was ranked at least in upper Sandanme for a few basho (I sometimes begin learning the sandanme banzuke once I've memorized all of makushita). He may even have breached makushita, though I would guess not from the scraps of my memory. I am hoping that someone who pays attention to the really fresh faces can give us a bit of a report on Jonidan and Jonokuchi rikishi who may not have been in sumo for more than a year and thus still may blossom into rising stars. In particular, little is reported about the backgrounds of the new entrants that we might adjust our relative expectations of, say, Masutoo vs. Sawai or Sato (looks very BIG!) I hear scraps of information now and then but if someone could present it like Zentoryu, it would be very nice for those of us who try to keep up from afar with limited time due to work and family.

Often someone contributes valuable insight regarding the rikishi to watch in the lower divisions. I am hungry for such information. Please share your projections, information about the lower division rikishi YOU will be watching in the upcoming basho. I always watch Sasaki (now high Sandanme) and Nishikikaze (mid makushita as usual) but I have an interest in some of the foreign rikishi as well as promising rikishi from Aomori in general. If only there were some place one could go to see the records of all riksihi in each division going back a few tournaments on the same page. There used to be such a place for Juryo and Makuuchi but it seems to be inactive. It is a bit tedious to look up each rikishi's records one at a time. Has anyone got a filtered list of interesting prospects and their recent records? Just fishing ... Itachi

Kurosawa is well known. No one mentioned Ran which I really liked, especially since I had been studying King Lear around the time I first saw it. Two newer and lighter movies I saw and enjoyed are Shall We Dance (NOT the J-Lo version!) and Kikujiro (with Kitano). I haven't seen Zatoichi yet but I look forward to it. A good old black and white film is Women of the Dunes (Suna??? no Onna). It's more of a slow moving thoughtful movie as opposed to action, adventure, or comedy but if you're in the right mood, it's really neat.

I would like to thank the promotions committee of the Juryo game for deeming me worthy of Ozeki status. I will do my best to maintain the standard that earned me the rank and compete for each yusho. Also, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Hoshifransu for the fine prize he sent me to recognize my super yusho in January. I am looking forward to defending my title and justifying my rank in March. Sincerely, Itachi (aka Jason Russell or Wakatanuki)

For me the weirdest shikona are the ones that have to be presented partly in hiragana because most fonts won't support the obscure kanji. Yotsukasa is the most obvious example of that. The Yo should look like Hanahadashi (as in ka from Chuka ryori) with a fire radical on the left side. Kaishozan has an odd sho. It took me a long time to find that one. Beppu and KotoBeppu sound odd to me. What kind of name is Beppu? What does that mean? It sounds too much like Geppu. Other shikona that I find odd are those involving unusual readings of kanji such as Shikona with Suruga. Once you learn the combination, it's ok, but until then, you would likely not get it right. How about Ooga? Big Fang? Nice.

I am very appreciative of all the work that went and continues to go into the setup and upkeep of this forum. As for the avatars, I would like to select some surrent sekitori who are not among those appearing in the choices available. In particular, I would like Iwakiyama to represent me but I am stuck with Jumonji - the next closest to my loyalties as a former Aomori resident. Probably there is a way for me to access an Iwakiyama image to use but I don't know much about this and so it is much more convenient for me to choose form the available images on the menu. My wish is that whoever set up the menu that allowed me to choose Jumonji update it so I can change to Iwakiyama. Thank you. Itachi

I've tried sending my picture for the second time. I hope it works. If not, just use Boltono's cartoon of Wakatanuki which is me anyway. Thanks, Itachi

I wish they'd leave 'Sato at the last Komusubi spot. If he were 7-8 he'd have a shot at staying at Sekiwake some of you said, so why not allow 6-9 to stay at Komusubi?

I like to see a new ozeki every now and then to shake things up. It seems like Hakuho will be less disappointing than most recent ozeki promotions so why not push him on? The only drawback I see is that the proportion of non-Japanese contenders is getting pretty high. I think it is vital that some Japanese rikishi get their act together and make a show of competing with all these outstandiong foreigners. I'm not giving up on Wakanosato but he has suffered a big setback. It may be a year before he gets this close to ozeki promotion again and he's just an injury away from never having the opportunity again. Other than the obvious Hakuko, who else could take a run at Ozeki promotion in the near future? I don't think either Kotomitsuki or Miyabiyama will do it. Kotooshu and Kokkai don't seem ready to me (ok, maybe Kotooshu). Perhaps there isn't anyone on the horizon. Kaio and Chiyotaikai are fairly shaky. We could have a pretty sparse upper sanyaku for a while.

After a solid start, Ms 20 Nishikaze has tailed off a bit but sd ? Sasaki is now 5-0 after defeating that Oshima beya guy from Hokkaido Kyokushozan (did I remeber the shikona correctly?) 5-0 is way beyond what I have come to expect form Sasaki so I am very pleased.

I write this without haveing investigated the stats but it seems like every other rikishi in recent years who spent so much time in sanyaku eventually made ozeki. Kaio, Musoyama, and Dejima as well as Tochiazuma all loitered around for long enough that ozeki-hood seemed inevitable and so they all eventually made it. Some of these marginal ozekis grew into their role and performed at a a hgiher than sekiwake level for a while while others couldn't keep it up for long. I'm certain that Wakanosato will get there one day barring serious injury but the big question is, what caliber of ozeki will he be? I'd hate to see him promoted only to flounder around pathetically before plunging into Dejima-like irrelevance. Let him advance upon raising his sumo to a higher level as Kaio did when he was promoted. Ozumo needs more ozekis anyway so lets get on with it and have some new blood up there. I'm sure that Hakuho will make it before long even if no one born in Japan can do it but that would not be good for the popularity of the sport. Itachi the infreqently active poster

Well, I don't mention my adopted rikishi very often even when they do well so I am trying to remedy that here. I have a very indirect connection to Makushita bound Nishikikaze who somehow managed to be ranked at Makushita 20 for this tournament and has won both his matches so far including tonight vs. Dewanofuji (Surely this isn't going to be a spoiler for anyone?). I have no connection to Sandanme bound Sasaki (I mean bound as in restrained to not as in headed for) except that we both lived in Aomori and he belongs to Wakanosato's heya which has been one of my favorites for a long time. Sasaki is ranked at sd 75 this time (I thought he was headed back to Jonidan before last tournament) and he has also won both his matches. I began this post mainly to crow about the solid starts by the two rikishi I have been following for so long (relative to their career length). I still don't expect either to ever manage promotion to the next division but Nishikikaze might just do it one day by accident and Sasaki is still young. I'm sure many of you have sentimental favorites from the lower ranks who you have been following without sharing. Rikishi who perhaps haven't been all that impressive over the last few years but who nevertheless you have become attached to for whatever reason. I would like to hear about them on this thread. Please tell us WHO you have been rooting for; WHY you 'adopted' them; WHEN (if you recall) it all began; and HOW they have been doing. I look forward to hearing about the unsung heroes of the sub-sekitori ranks. Sincerely, Itachi

This game sounds like fun. I select Yamatofuji (jk 37e). I also like the low maintenance aspect of this one. I suppose we'll just keep track of it on this forum? Itachi p.s. I would love to see some background numbers for these rikishi. How did they do in college or in high school if that's where they are coming form? How big are they? Is there any convenient way to grab that kind of information?