Rikishi Talk - Day 1 2010 Hatsu Basho

[Jonosuke]

Wakanosato (1-0) over Tamawashi by sukuinage, 44.1 sec

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(Downing Tamawashi in their first encounter)

"If I could have stopped his pushing, I really liked my chances. I am happy to get a good start to the basho."

Chiyotaikai (0-1) losing to Kisenosato by oshidashi, 2.2 sec

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(Easily pushed out by Kisenosato in mere two seconds, appear to be heading into a rock and hard place in his quest to win at least 10 bouts this year.)

"It was the tachiai. I completely messed it up. I just couldn't do what I wanted to do."

(No longer an ozeki, there is no more privilege of arriving in the underground garage but walking to the dressing room from a side entrance.)

"Well to be honest, it was a bit of downer after receiving so many cheers from the fans waiting for me at the side door. I wanted to respond to them with more positive sumo. It's been a while I walked the route though. But you never know this is only the first day so something could happen. There is no point in complaining about this hurts or that hurts now. But I am not feeling so badly physically at the moment. Once up on the dohyo I need to go with every motivation I can generate and display my best sumo. I just need to mentally refresh myself and come back tomorrow. Who knows I can come up somethinillg good still."

Kisenosato (1-0) over Chiyotaikai

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(No problem with fallen former ozeki Chiyotaikai)

"Personally it has nothing to do with me. I am pleased to start the new year with my best sumo and get the win."

Miyabiyama (1-0) over Kaio by oshidashi, 9.5 sec

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(Avoiding to become Kaio's record breaking opponent.)

"I noticed someone had a banner with 807th Win and I felt more than ever not wanting to give him the record easily against me. It really psyched me up. For a while I couldn't beat him at all so I am really happy for the win today."

"I want to keep going with good sumo to make the life of yokozuna and ozeki little more miserable."

Kaio (0-1) losing to Miyabiyama

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(One more win to establish the most Makuuchi win record but unable to get it today.)

"You won't have decent sumo if all you do is to take and take all of your opponent's moves without stepping hard out of tachiai."

"I was trying to go normally as usual but it must have been the first day jitter or something. I know I am not good at handling pressure but I will just have to make the record as a goal and go one day at a time."

Mihogaseki oyakata, chief dohyo judge

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(On Kaio)

"When he gets his upper body pushed up, he has nothing left to stay in. It's the position he will least likely to prefer and hates to be put in."

Goeido (1-0) over Kotomitsuki by shitatenage, 15.7 sec

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"You never know what may lead to your win. Today it was the fact that I could not get the right shitate first."

(Kotomitsuki had an uwate and tried to force a yori but he appeared to worry about Goeido's right shitate that he did not act as aggressive.)

"Obviously I wanted to move forward but this is the first bout of the new year so I am perfectly satisfied with the win today. This year I want to leave with winning records as a Sanyaku, hopefully with double digit win records."

Kotomitsuki (0-1) losing to Goeido

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(Beaten by Goeido's favorite move in the end.)

"If I lose, I figured it was by a shitate-nage. So that makes it extra hard to take this loss. I don't know maybe I was worried too much about it. It's always so hard to take the first day loss."

Harumafuji (1-0) over Tochinoshin by uchimuso, 8.6 sec

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(Sounding confident after winning his first bout of the year.)

"As a new ozeki the lasy year was a year of gaining valuable experience. This year I will like to do all my best to take it to the next level."

Kotooshu (1-0) over Toyonoshima by yorikiri, 2.1 sec

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(All smiles after downing his natural enemy 33 cm shorter Toyonoshima whom he had 6 win 7 loss record up to today. Going with so much force that falling out of the dohyo with Toyonoshima.)

"Was the photographer OK? He looked like he hurt his leg."

"All I can do is to go with the best sumo I can display. That's all I will be thinking about and focusing on this year."

Asashoryu (1-0) over Kotoshogiku by yorikiri, 14.3 sec

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(No problem with his sumo sense, seizing the moment to push Kotoshogiku out powerfully.)

"This year my goal is to win the yusho four times. Today I was able to attack well against him. I am moving forward well, so things are looking good. I am happy I could display a good sumo in front of the emperor. We really appreciate when he could make the time to see us compete here."

Makiko Uchidate, YDC member

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(Her last term as a YDC member, watch the day bouts from her own Masu seat but still could not leave without making acidic comments on Asashoryu's conduct especially the way he grabbed the kensho envelopes.)

"That's the worst manner one could show in front of the emperor. It's a serious matter, no question about it. Even if I leave the YDC, I intend to keep raising the issues of dohyo conduct and manner. You can count on that for sure."

Kakuryu (0-1) losing to Hakuho by yoritaoshi, 1 min 19.9 sec

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(Showing good sumo against Hakuho but still losing)

"I can't beat him because something is lacking. I will have to go more aggressively."

Hakuho (1-0) over Kakuryu.

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(Appearing to lack concentration today as he forgot to do his seri-age from crouching position in the yokozuna dohyo-iri and stepped out before Kakuryu was ready at the tachiai in his bout.)

"I feel I have shown all what I was capable today so in that sense I am satisfied with my efforts."

(On his yokozuna dohyo-iri error.)

"Oh you guys noticed too? Well I realized it myself. Actually I changed the way I do the shiko so I only kept thinking about that and I missed it. By the time I realized it, it was too late to do anything. I even was practicing the shiko prior to going up there too."

(Told it was a good thing it was done prior to the emperor arriving in the Kokugikan.)

"Well true but you don't have to mention it. But the day one is over with a win so hopefuly I can go into the basho with a good flow"

Musashigawa oyakata (former Yokozuna Mienoumi), Kyokai chairman

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(On Hakuho forgetting to do his seri-age, often the highlight of the dohyo-iri ceremony.)

"I guess something like that could happen. But I never heard of such incident happening before."

Hanaregoma oyakata, Director Dohyo Judging

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(On Hakuho missing Seri-age in the dohyo-iri.)

"Well you realize Hakuho too is human so occasionally he may make mistakes."

For the first time since January 2007, the Emperor and Empress have taken in Ozumo at the Ryogoku Kokugikan on January 10. They have generally visited a Basho annually however since the Kyokai has gone through turbulent indicents, they have opted out not to appear until now.

They have observed 10 bouts til the Musubi for an hour today. According to Musashigawa oyakata, chairman of the Kyokai, the emperor especially commented on Hakuho-Kakuryu bout and told him, "It was a great bout, displaying energy and power". The empress expressed her concerns of the rikishi contacting H1N1 flu.

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The Kyokai released the names of 10 new recruits who passed their physical. The nine of them will start Mae-zumo from Day 3 on January 12. A Mongolian recruit will be expected to start his on the Haru Basho after he acquires a work permit visa.

1. Yuya Koike (18 year old from Niigata Prefecture, Tatsunami Beya, 182 cm, 119 kg)

2. Taiki Yamamoto (18 year old from Wakayama Prefecture, Kokonoe Beya, 182 cm, 114 kg)

3. Seiki Saito (16 year old, Gunma Prefecture, Takanohana Beya, 178 cm, 112 kg)

4. Bugaujargal Battugs (22 year old, Mongolia, Tatsunami, 187 cm, 118 kg)

5. Daisuke Sasaki (18 year old, Akita Prefecture, Kise Beya, 180 cm, 138 kg)

6. Kohey Hasegawa (17 year old, Kanagawa Prefecture, Kasugayama Beya, 179 cm, 82 kg)

7. Daimei Saishin (18 year old, Ishikawa Prefecture, Chiganoura Beya, 179 cm, 143 kg)

8. Yoshihiro Yoshito (18 year old, Aichi Prefecture, Tatsunami Beya, 173 cm, 82 kg)

9. Kazunori Shibahara (20 year old, Mie Prefecture, Kise Beya, 178 cm, 134 kg)

10. Seiya Minami (18 year old, Hyogo Preefecture, Isegahama Beya, 173 cm, 124 kg)

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The Kyokai initiated their policy of removing any spectator belonging to organized crime group from the Ryogoku Kokugikan by stationing the organized crime unit members of Japan's National Police Agency at several key areas of the building today.

The Kyokai is especially sensitive to organized crime group members from occupying Tamari seat section as one prominent head of such group was observed sitting close to the dohyo at the last Nagoya Basho.

These special Tamari seats are reserved for the donors who contribute 3.9 million yen or more to the Kyokai's operation fund and in exchange the Kyokai distribute around 300 Tamari seats for free for six years to them. Often these tickets may be sold or given to others and some may have been given to organized crime groups.

The Kyokai has posters advising the members of organized crime group not to enter the venue as well as strengthened their policy to restrict the distribution of the tickets by the donors as well as adding a clause to the terms and conditions of the sale of tickets.

"All we are trying to do is to ensure all spectators can enjoy watching Ozumo without being threatened or harassed," a police spokesperson said.

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On January 10 Takanohana oyakata appeared in public for the first time since his decision to leave Nishonoseki Ichimon after the Ichimon refused his candidacy for the upcoming board of directors election.

"Right now I would like not to comment on the election as this is more than concerning myself alone," Takanohana oyakata said. "We have just started a new basho so I believe this is not the right time nor place to make any such comment. We will need to focus on the basho and bouts going on right now."

Heading into the election, leading oyakata in Nishonoseki Ichimon firmed up the candidacy of three oyakata from their Ichimon as previously so that all three will be represented from the group and consequently Takanohana oyakata was refused his candidacy not to split the votes within the group as it is unlikely all four oyakata will be elected from the Ichimon.

"I have deep doubts about his candidacy. He should seriously consider how our predecessors have conducted themselves and act accordingly," said Naruto oyakata (former Yokozuna Takanosato), considered to be the weakest candidate running from Nishonoseki Ichimon.

Ichimon's central figure, Hanaregoma oyakata was trying not to be pulled into the controversy by saying, "I have not discussed the matter since his initial announcement. We have a basho underway so Ireally cannot comment further."

Takanohana oyakata has been reportedly received the support from Kyokai's younger oyakata as well as Nishonoseki Ichimon's Otake and Magaki oyakata.

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The Kyokai announced that Mongolian born Shironoryu (26) of Sakaigawa Beya has acquired Japanese citizenship on November 9 last year. His Japanese name will be Kosei Kobayashi.

Edited January 10, 2010 by Jonosuke

[HenryK]

Makiko Uchidate, YDC member

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(Her last term as a YDC member, watch the day bouts from her own Masu seat but still could not leave without making acidic comments on Asashoryu's conduct especially the way he grabbed the kensho envelopes.)

"That's the worst manner one could show in front of the emperor. It's a serious matter, no question about it. Even if I leave the YDC, I intend to keep raising the issues of dohyo conduct and manner. You can count on that for sure."

What exactly is she referig to? (Shaking head...) :-) (Sigh...)

[kaiguma]

I didn't notice anything odd, but that may be due to the fact that he does it just about EVERY time he gets kensho. Namely, snatches the envelopes with a strong sweeping mption that almost appears greedy. Then he glares all around almost menacingly as if to say: "Yeah I took it! And who's gonna stop me?!"

Back when I used to notice this little antic I used to think, how funny, he's acting as if he did something he's not supposed to be doing when he took the money...

And ironically that is precisely what he's not supposed to do. (Holiday feeling...)

IIRC Uchidate and others have commented on the glare (looks a lot like the glare at his final approach to the corner before tachiai) but I think she only made note of it today because of the Imperial presence.

Unless there was something else i missed...

[Asashosakari]

Looks like it's a trend - after Surugatsukasa was excused from tsukebito duty to concentrate on his promotion race last basho (and perhaps this basho, too?), Sakaigawa-beya's erstwhile Iwakiyama assistant Sadanofuji is receiving the same courtesy this time. (Good for me to hear, I've tabbed him for the makushita yusho...)

[Orion]

The Kyokai announced that Mongolian born Shironoryu (26) of Sakaigawa Beya has acquired Japanese citizenship on November 9 last year. His Japanese name will be Kosei Kobayashi.

Sakaigawa's real surname is Kobayashi, so he's given Shironoryu his own name, just as Oshima oyakata did with Kyokutenho.

Thanks as always, Jonosuke, for all the information -- on my screen before I start to read the sports papers!

Orion