Kokonoe beya mystery

[Kintamayama]

I'm telling you something is wrong at Kokonoe- a lot of their rikishi are falling like flies (Chiyosakae and Chiyomaru now, Chiyonokuni, Chiyotairyuu, Chiyoarashi and the recently retired Chiyozakura (who BTW is still listed as active on the database..)and some of their rikishi are flying up the banzuke like there's no tomorrow. 1+1=3. It is not natural.

<cough>

[Asashosakari]

Well, Kokonoe-beya always seemed to be high up in the kyujo stats even back in the mid-2000s when I first started paying attention to it, so it's not exactly a new thing, just higher-profile because it's now happening to actual talents as opposed to, I dunno, Chiyonishiki.

Edited July 9, 2012 by Asashosakari

[Asojima]

Maybe the Kokonoe attitude is that a rikishi has a longer and more successful career if he doesn't fight hurt.

[Flohru]

Like Chiyozakura? Sorry, couldn't resist... But somehow I doubt that is is really care for the long-time health of the rikishi behind the huge number of injuries. Just look at Chiyozakura suffering a career-ending injury on day 3 of Kyushu 2011, but kept going on until day 8...

[Naganoyama]

Perhaps Kokonoe doesn't make sure that they warm up well enough before they exercise full-out.

[Asabiru]

No drug testing in Sumo I take it?

[shumitto]

No drug testing in Sumo I take it?

Kokonoe's name was brought up in his active days when it came to performance-enhancing substances. If you take the rumors as truth then there might be something going on; I am more of the opinion he is not very attentive to the physical "solidness" when picking out new recruits.

[Kintamayama]

My point was not only the injuries but the sudden influx of a statistically very large number of successful rikishi, who all (!!!) got injured to some degree as well, bad enough to go kyujo. Coincidence? Bad luck?? Something in the water?

[Kotoviki]

Actually the injury Chiyozakura got in the Basho was not his career ender, he suffered a broken neck in keiko later....

Now here is a mystery, why has everyone in that heya just about had a broken neck at least once?

Chiyoshuho and Mori recently as well.....

I am really wondering what goes on there when I am not watching practice!

[Orion]

Actually the injury Chiyozakura got in the Basho was not his career ender, he suffered a broken neck in keiko later....

Now here is a mystery, why has everyone in that heya just about had a broken neck at least once?

Chiyoshuho and Mori recently as well.....

I am really wondering what goes on there when I am not watching practice!

Well, I seem to recall that when Hakkaku hived off, everybody who could move with him, did. In other words, Kokonoe only kept the ones who weren't free to leave. Even in his active days, Chiyo had a reputation for bullying.

[Afrozuna]

I'm telling you something is wrong at Kokonoe- a lot of their rikishi are falling like flies (Chiyosakae and Chiyomaru now, Chiyonokuni, Chiyotairyuu, Chiyoarashi and the recently retired Chiyozakura (who BTW is still listed as active on the database..)and some of their rikishi are flying up the banzuke like there's no tomorrow. 1+1=3. It is not natural.

<cough>

Not to mention Kokonoe himself experienced similar setbacks in the early stages of his career. Cant say much about his rumoured use of steroids though as that could have been a result of his well defined body when he was younger or vice versa (the well-defined body was a result of steroids). I do however remember a time I was asking myself when is Chiyonofuji going to produce Juryo and Makuuchi calibre rikishi. This was when Chiyotakai was the sole flag bearer for Kokonoe. Suddenly the heavens let loose and there was Chiyo this and Chiyo that all over the banzuke and I was thrilled because I'm a huge fan of him. But suddenly there seems to be a reversal of fortune that seems to have been planted by Chiyotenzen (sp?) 10 years ago

[Afrozuna]

And Exil please change my name to Afrozuna I think maegashira yusho served its purpose last basho already. Thanks in advance

[Tony]

I would like to add something about Kokonoe oyakata. In the sumo world, it's not a mystery that he was an untypical person. IMHO, lot of rumours are just... rumours, results of some guy's jealousy (Lynn Matsuoka and some ex-rikishi confirmed me)

For example, I'm not certain he didn't use steroids, but who claims he actually did? One, he was always very muscled and well defined body. Second, his weight improvment could be explained by his hard musculation training after his right shoulder's dislocation in march 1979, plus the fact he quit tobacco following Takanohana I's advice.

[kuroimori]

And Exil please change my name to Afrozuna I think maegashira yusho served its purpose last basho already. Thanks in advance

Let's see when you have to request the next shikona change... :-)