Kadoban ozeki early torikumi

[Akinomaki]

If the 3 kadoban ozeki have bad records from the start, they may be paired against each other or the yokozuna early in the basho, according to Kagamiyama chief judge. In the end they could then meet maegashira with good records, involved in the yusho race. That would also be good to avoid (yaocho etc.) suspicions.

[Igordemorais]

Excellent

[krindel]

Since noone really trusts the rikishi to play fair, then nothing can work to "avoid suspicion". If they fight other Ozeki, then its the Ozeki circuit that's at fault. If you pair them against a 10-0 Maegashira 10, then you are giving them too easy an opponent. If you get the Ozeki matchups done early, and no Maegashiras are in the yusho race till late, then you have given the kadoban Ozeki a freebie...

I wonder if anyone really thinks that a 10-1 Tochiozan-like rikishi would actually be more likely to give a real challenge to a 6-5 Kotooshu than a 10-1 Kisenosato for example...

The problem is in not being able to trust the results to be honest, not in the order of fight, so I doubt any permutation in the torikumi making would REALLY help.

[Asashosakari]

I wonder if anyone really thinks that a 10-1 Tochiozan-like rikishi would actually be more likely to give a real challenge to a 6-5 Kotooshu than a 10-1 Kisenosato for example...

I certainly don't. :-) And they're not even talking about a Tochiozan type of guy - the ozeki are going to face him anyhow, either early on regardless of record (as usual) or later on if his record isn't complete crap. It's more about the Arans and Gagamarus of the current banzuke. The only one from outside the meatgrinder who's an actual ozeki threat is Toyonoshima, IMO.

The qualifier "if they start with bad results" makes it tricky anyway - against whom are they supposed to 'achieve' those in the first place? Not other ozeki, since that possibility has been taken off the table by that limitation, and apparently not the usual maegashira opponents as that would lock up the slots needed for later. I guess they're going to run the three kadobannies through a sekiwake/komusubi gauntlet? Seems kind of underwhelming, as it's not that much of a change from the standard procedure. In Nagoya, the bottom three ozeki faced the S/K crowd on Day 2/3/6/8 (O2w), Day 2/6/9/12 (O3e) and 3/4/7/14 (O3w).

[botev1921]

I always thought all Ozeki must face each other in the very first days. I am 99% convinced if Kisenosato is 11-3 but out of the yusho race on day 15 and Kotooshu is 7-7 in 99 out of 100 times Kotooshu will win it. I can't count how many times I've seen something similar in the past!

[Kintamayama]

This "plan" has been heard from three bashos ago before every basho. It won't happen. You can file it together with "yusho equivalent", "drug tests", and "changing the kabu rules" and forget about it for now.

[Asashosakari]

In fairness, it's the first time anybody's kadoban since the current torikumi crew took over, and they have demonstrated some out-of-the-box thinking on other issues already.

[Swami]

If they face someone like Aran - who has no shame when it comes to doing henka - they still face banana skins regardless what day the match-ups take place.

Swami

[Kintamayama]

In fairness, it's the first time anybody's kadoban since the current torikumi crew took over, and they have demonstrated some out-of-the-box thinking on other issues already.

Right, but before the last basho I forget who swore that there would be changes in the torikumi making to make it more exciting and the papers really made an issue out of it, forgive the pun. Nothing.

[yorikiried by fate]

The three are looking really bad. Or is it just me?

Edited November 11, 2012 by yorikiried by fate

[Swami]

I'd say Kotooshu is not far off retirement - if he doesn't make kachi-koshi or withdraws again, he could well call it quits. Kotoshogiku is like Kotokaze in that his style is a bit one-dimensional.

Swami