Kokonoe blasts Chiyotaikai

[Kintamayama]

"I will not approve any marriage until he reaches Yokozuna!!", said Kokonoe Oyakata, regarding Chiyotaikai's ongoing romance with tarento Kawamura Hikaru. That calf injury sustained in the first half of February is healing much slower than expected, and kyujo is becoming a real possibility at this point. His keiko with the young deshi was apparently quite erratic. "He is all over the papers, and the articles are not about his professional abilities. That is no good. This ain't no picnic!! He has things he must do!!", boomed Kokonoe-Oyakata.

Today, he did only some shiko and teppo practices and "lent his chest" to the young rikishi.

"I've got nothing to say. My left calf? You can see for yourself.." said Chiyotaikai. "He is not doing any keiko with other sekitori for fear of aggravating the injury", added Kokonoe Oyakata. "The next days are crucial. It doesn't look good at this time."

Chiyo would really like to enter Haru, (last Haru, he won the Yusho) and establish some sort of momentum, but things are looking bleak..

Edited March 6, 2004 by Kintamayama

[aderechelsea]

:-P

i always hate it when an upper ranked rikishi daclares kyujo because the competition weakens instantly.With Chiyo out of the picture (if it will actually happen), Asa can walk through yusho more easily. (Applauding...)

The only rikishi to make me happy when he didn't play in a basho was Takanohana because that gave to rest of the rikishi a chance on yusho.

[Takanobaka]

That definately seems pretty lame, to put up a choice between career and love (if indeed it is true and she wouldn't dump him if he retired). I realize Kokonoe is just trying to motivate him, but it still seems very harsh, and I would imagine that if he takes a hard-line stance on this, it could very easily end up backfiring...

[QttP]

The more this goes on, the more I start getting angry at Chiyotaikai, and for that matter, at Chiyonofuji too. Chiyotaikai is a lazy bum, and Chiyonofuji is probably a lousy coach if he can't teach that punk the things he needs to be taught to reach true greatness.

All the statements which emerged from Chiyotaikai, Kokonoe, The Japanese Press, The International Sumo Press, SumoForum, Chiyotaikai's Official Fan Club and Me point to one thing: the evaluation of Taikai's career as a success or a failure depends on whether he reaches the rank of Yokozuna or not. And I don't see any things being done in the direction of success these days.

[Naganoyama]

With his blasting power, Taikai should already be at Yokozuna. I concur with QttP. I have a perception that he (Taikai, not QttP (Applauding...)) is underperforming through lack of applying himself.

[QttP]

I have a perception that he (Taikai, not QttP  (I was stupid...)) is underperforming through lack of applying himself.

Actually, I think that QttP is doing the exact same thing, only in different areas of life.

Edit: Yes, I'm a moron and can't even write a one-line post without having to correct it later.

Edited March 6, 2004 by QttP

[Tenkashoryu]

Chiyonofuji is probably a lousy coach if he can't teach that punk the things he needs to be taught to reach true greatness.

I always think about it too. (I was stupid...) I think Chiyonofuji is not a great coach indeed. Chiyonofuji can't teach anything to Chiyotaikai even he was the greatest morozashi rikishi. (Oops! ) Blasting power is not gonna be enough for him to reach yokozuna

[Takanobaka]

One thing I've definately learned in all of my sports interest is that a great player does not a great coach make. Of course, the way things are set up in Ozumo only great players can become coaches, so it really should be a matter of making sure that kabu go to the brightest and most attentive rikishi rather than just to guys who performed well almost solely on instinct and pure physical ability. That's at least a partial explanation as to why many of the best rikishi don't make good oyakata. However, besides just coaching, Taikai just needs to take some of his own initiative.