Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new Yokozuna

[aderechelsea]

the yusho is in the bag too .... (unless someone thinks Asasekiryu or Dejima could create an upset ... (Sigh...))

Edited May 25, 2007 by aderechelsea

[paolo]

and Zensho Yusho too .... !!!

[yamaneko]

where does he rank as far as youngest promotion go? Top 10 for sure right?

[Tikozan]

And now the question:

How many years we must wait now for the next yokozuna? And who could it be?

[the italian halibut]

Tokitenku

[Andreas]

and another question: how long will we have to wait for the next JAPANESE yokozuna? And how many foreign Yokozunas will be there before them?

Well, Kaio and Chiyotaikai cant become Yokozuna anymore, and Kotooshuu doesnt look like a promotion candidate in the near future.

We have no real candidates for an Ozeki promotion (the closest might be Kotomitski, but even if he finally gets promoted to ozeki he wont become Yokozuna)

The new and upcoming talents like Kisenosato, Homasho and Tochiozan havent had any impressive results in the yoi-jin yet, this will take time.

Baruto has suffered what looks like a chronic injury and isnt as hot as he was when he came up anymore. Still it will be interesting to see him in the upper ranks again.

[Bealzbob]

where does he rank as far as youngest promotion go? Top 10 for sure right?

Without going into the months & days of it, yes he will be top 6.

He is 22.

Only Taiho (in 1961) & Kitanoumi (in 1974) were 21 years old when promoted.

Kashiwado (in 1961), Takanohana (in 1994) & Asashoryu (in 2003) were 22 years old aswell.

Next up are Akebono (in 1993) and the disastrous Futahaguro (in 1986) who were both 23.

[Vikanohara]

Finally we'll have two Yokozuna again. Hoping now that Asa can find his best sumo again, so the real battle between them can begin.

[Doitsuyama]

where does he rank as far as youngest promotion go? Top 10 for sure right?

Without going into the months & days of it, yes he will be top 6.

He is 22.

Only Taiho (in 1961) & Kitanoumi (in 1974) were 21 years old when promoted.

Kashiwado (in 1961), Takanohana (in 1994) & Asashoryu (in 2003) were 22 years old aswell.

Next up are Akebono (in 1993) and the disastrous Futahaguro (in 1986) who were both 23.

Why not going into months at least? Kashiwado was 22y 10m, Asashoryu 22y 4m and Takanohana 22y 3m old at the end of the last ozeki basho - yokozuna promotion is usually following a few days after. Hakuho is 22 years and 2 months now which makes him the third youngest yokozuna.

[Bealzbob]

Because I didn't have the months easily to hand (Sigh...)

[Fukurou]

the yusho is in the bag too .... (unless someone thinks Asasekiryu or Dejima could create an upset ... (Sigh...) )

It doesn't really depend on A or D, but on what Chiyotaikai does on Day 14. If C were to win, and A or D (or A and D) also win, then things get interesting.

In those circumstances, what do the schedule makers do on Day 15? Would they put a 1-loss Hakuho against a 2-loss Asaskiryuu? A 2-loss Dejima? Which of the two would they pick if both won on day 14? Stick to the pre-planned program and give him a 3-loss Asashoryu? Or maybe just grease the skids for him - I hear Otsukasa is looking for a few more losses.

Edited May 25, 2007 by Fukurou

[Bealzbob]

I don't think they would contemplate robbing us of a Hak-Asa senshuraku bout regardless of the scenario. Surely the crowd would go nuts in that case. Also, I would argue that Asashoryu has far more chance of beating Hakuho than either of the other 2 have - injury notwithstanding.

[Doitsuyama]

the yusho is in the bag too .... (unless someone thinks Asasekiryu or Dejima could create an upset ... (Sigh...) )

It doesn't really depend on A or D, but on what Chiyotaikai does on Day 14. If C were to win, and A or D (or A and D) also win, then things get interesting.

In those circumstances, what do the schedule makers do on Day 15? Would they put a 1-loss Hakuho against a 2-loss Asaskiryuu? A 2-loss Dejima? Which of the two would they pick if both won on day 14? Stick to the pre-planned program and give him a 3-loss Asashoryu? Or maybe just grease the skids for him - I hear Otsukasa is looking for a few more losses.

You are over-thinking this. No way they stray from the Asashoryu-Hakuho matchup unless Asashoryu is going kyujo. Even then I wouldn't be surprised if Hakuho just gets a fusen win.

The point (of aderechelsea too I bet) isn't that a playoff is near to impossible. It's the combination with the chance of "A or D" actually winning such a playoff which is making that such a long shot.

[Shimpu]

How about 100 yushos for Asa? (Nodding yes...) He looks pretty mortal right now. I believe he is broken mentally. He lost two consecutive tournaments - it's something nobody would believe year ago. Two grand champions. Great.

[Bealzbob]

Only the 2nd Miyagino yokozuna and the first in 87 years after the relatively unremarkable Ohtori.

[Fukurou]

the yusho is in the bag too .... (unless someone thinks Asasekiryu or Dejima could create an upset ... (Nodding yes...) )

It doesn't really depend on A or D, but on what Chiyotaikai does on Day 14. If C were to win, and A or D (or A and D) also win, then things get interesting.

In those circumstances, what do the schedule makers do on Day 15? Would they put a 1-loss Hakuho against a 2-loss Asaskiryuu? A 2-loss Dejima? Which of the two would they pick if both won on day 14? Stick to the pre-planned program and give him a 3-loss Asashoryu? Or maybe just grease the skids for him - I hear Otsukasa is looking for a few more losses.

You are over-thinking this. No way they stray from the Asashoryu-Hakuho matchup unless Asashoryu is going kyujo. Even then I wouldn't be surprised if Hakuho just gets a fusen win.

So instead of providing a match that could actually have direct yusho implications, they'd give Hakuho a match vs an out-of-the-running and injured opponent. Bring on Toyonoshima (again)!

I really do not understand those old men. Given that scenario you think they'd rather stick with tradition and schedule 'Shoryu, even if they'd have the opportunity to provide relevant (relevant = someone who is not mathematically eliminated from yusho) competition instead. Talk about greasing the skids to secure a promotion, especially in the current climate.

Oh well. An awful lot of stuff would have to fall into place to get to a tiebreaker, which would probably make people doing double-takes on this too. (he was so far ahead, then his shisho gets in trouble with the NSK, and now he starts losing?)

[Bealzbob]

Fukurou, do you not think Asashoryu would provide a better chance of beating Hakuho than Dejima or Asasekiryu would ? Thereby making it more likely that you would get your playoff (provided the other 2 could 'take care' of their opponents)? If I wanted Hakuho to lose, I'd sure pick Asa over any other rikishi.

[Doitsuyama]

I really don't feel Asasekiryu and Dejima are all that "relevant" for the yusho. If they were indeed relevant than you should have cried foul a lot earlier than now. Dejima's highest ranked opponent so far is Takamisakari at M7e and only 4 of his 13 opponents this basho are ranked higher. Even Otsukasa's opponents were harder (both by ranks and my strength ratings), and Otsukasa even is ranked below Dejima. A Dejima yusho would make Takatoriki look like a giant with his schedule when he won the yusho, and people really cried foul back then. Asasekiryu's schedule wasn't much tougher either with M4e Aminishiki as the highest ranked opponent and only 5 of 13 opponents ranked higher than him.

Bottom line, it's such a long shot, it's just not worth even thinking about deviating from Hakuho-Asashoryu matchup.

[Asashosakari]

The point (of aderechelsea too I bet) isn't that a playoff is near to impossible. It's the combination with the chance of "A or D" actually winning such a playoff which is making that such a long shot.

That reminds me to point out again that no Maegashira has ever won a playoff bout.

I really do not understand those old men. Given that scenario you think they'd rather stick with tradition and schedule 'Shoryu, even if they'd have the opportunity to provide relevant (relevant = someone who is not mathematically eliminated from yusho) competition instead. Talk about greasing the skids to secure a promotion, especially in the current climate.

Uh, hello? He's pretty much assured of promotion at this point with 13 wins and no chance to miss a playoff. Why do you always go into conspiracy mode when the torikumi makers do something you don't like?

It feels like I've written this at least twice before, but anyway...Ozeki vs. Ozeki bouts (or worse, Ozeki vs. Yokozuna bouts) simply aren't broken up unless under the most dire of circumstances. The top guys are supposed to face all the other top guys. The job of taking out runaway Maegashira falls to the Sekiwake and Komusubi and they've traditionally done a very good job of it. If Dejima or Asasekiryu were 13-0 and had already beaten lower sanyaku I could see the point of scheduling them against an Ozeki, but your "mathematically possible" is the longest of long shots with 2 wins back and 2 days to go.

Edited May 25, 2007 by Asashosakari

[Bealzbob]

Here's a general question. I am just curious now. Is it absolutely 100% definite that Hakuho will be yokozuna in July if he yusho's in Natsu. 100% even before the NSK announce it ? (and I don't mean 99.999%, I mean 100%).

[Doitsuyama]

Here's a general question. I am just curious now. Is it absolutely 100% definite that Hakuho will be yokozuna in July if he yusho's in Natsu. 100% even before the NSK announce it ? (and I don't mean 99.999%, I mean 100%).

No, it definitely isn't. Even if Hakuho wins zensho yusho, I guess, we still wait with bated breath for the NSK and YDC to speak their psalms.

[Kintamayama]

Here's a general question. I am just curious now. Is it absolutely 100% definite that Hakuho will be yokozuna in July if he yusho's in Natsu. 100% even before the NSK announce it ? (and I don't mean 99.999%, I mean 100%).

No, it definitely isn't. Even if Hakuho wins zensho yusho, I guess, we still wait with bated breath for the NSK and YDC to speak their psalms.

I disagree. Yusho-10000% promotion, even a 13-2 yusho.

[Doitsuyama]

..., but your "mathematically possible" is the longest of long shots with 2 wins back and 2 days to go.

Just for fun, going by my strength ratings, I calulated the odds for Hakuho losing the yusho at roughly 0.3 percent. Much less then 0.1 percent actually if he doesn't face Asashoryu, but Asasekiryu or Dejima. Actually, if I were A or D I really wouldn't hope to get Hakuho as senshuraku opponent as the chance is much better for Asashoryu to beat him, hurt or not.

[Doitsuyama]

I disagree. Yusho-10000% promotion, even a 13-2 yusho.

You never can be totally sure. Especially about the future.

[aderechelsea]

let's be realistic ....

Hakuho is the new Yokozuna while Dejima and Asasekiryu have 0% chances for a yusho.

let's just breath deeply, relax and enjoy the historical moment we witnessed these days ... the birth of the 69th yokozuna. It will be years untill we get to see a new one.