[sumo] Tochiazuma - The End Is Near?

[Jeff Anderson]

>From the Daily Yomiuri
 
Best regards,
Jeffrey Anderson
Gaijingai
 
For of all sad words of tongue or pen,
The saddest are these:
It might have been. - John Greenleaf Whittier

Oft-injured Tochiazuma ready for life out of the ring


By Nobuaki Omi / Special to Ozumo

Tochiazuma and injuries have been unhappy bedfellows for much of the ozeki's
career. But while the 30-year-old repeatedly has made a habit of fighting
his way back into the ring, it seems the grind of constantly competing in
less-than-top condition finally caught up with him ahead of March's Spring
basho. 

Speaking candidly ahead of last month's tournament in Osaka, Tochiazuma said
he would retire if he failed to put up the numbers in the first week of
action. 

After struggling through the New Year Tournament on a weakened knee that was
still recovering from keyhole surgery and ending with a 5-10 mark--including
a miserable 1-7 run over the final week--Tochiazuma was ready to pull the
plug. Some stablemasters also felt his attempts to stay in the ring were
doing more harm than good. 

"He can't win in this condition," one oyakata said. "He needs to rest
properly and focus on getting back into good shape. Carrying on like this is
an insult to the fans." 

Even Tamanoi oyakata, his father and mentor, told him to take a break. 

But Tochiazuma, who has survived kadoban status--a losing record away from
ozeki demotion--eight times, bristled at the suggestion of missing another
basho. 

"How many basho do you think I have missed already?" he said. "I'm fed up
with it, I don't want to miss any more. There are ways to treat my injuries
while I am competing." 

As if in response to the naysayers, Tochiazuma attended all competitions
held in between the major tournaments and trained hard at his stable. 

But as the March tournament approached, it seemed the appeal of holding
sumo's second-highest rank was losing its luster. The day before the basho
began, Tochiazuma admitted that 13 years after he first stepped in the ring,
the end might be near. 

"If I am 1-4 after the first five days, I will retire," he said. "If I am
2-3, I will fight it out to the end of the basho, even if I get a losing
record." 

Tochiazuma's father accepted his decision, but suggested that if he could
get through the basho intact, there might be some life left yet in his
career. 

=== 

Preparing for management 

Regardless of his recent injuries, Tochiazuma has had an eye on his life
outside the ring for some time. 

When Tamanoi retires as an oyakata in three years' time, Tochiazuma will
assume management of the stable. 

The ozeki took a step on this path when he brought his first apprentice into
the stable. One of the 16 new recruits who passed the physical entrance
examination in this spring's intake was an 18-year-old from Ishikawa
Prefecture personally scouted by the three-time Emperor's Cup winner. 

"In the past, I told Tochiazuma it would be too late to find recruits to
train when his days as a rikishi were over," the oyakata said. "Now he knows
he has to do what he can while he still has a reputation as an active
wrestler. Words aren't enough--he has to physically show them what to do.
Doing this while still a top-level sekitori is like killing two birds with
one stone." 

Tochiazuma's sparkling performance in the first half of the Spring
Tournament was the best example he could have set to any budding wrestlers.
Blocking out all distractions, the ozeki was his own man in spectacular
style on the way to chalking up a seven-bout winning streak. As he stood at
the head of the leaderboard, talk of retirement faded. Some even whispered
Tochiazuma could lift the Emperor's Cup as a kadoban ozeki. 

That did not happen, but after claiming his eighth win with a toss down of
No. 3 maegashira Kasugao, the relief was palpable. 

"To be honest, I'm delighted to have a winning record," Tochiazuma said. "I
had been prepared to throw in the towel if it hadn't gone to plan. I'll keep
doing what I have done all along, and hopefully I can pick up at least 10
wins." 

The buoyant mood did not last long. Two days later, Tochiazuma complained of
a splitting headache and his blood pressure rose to uncomfortably high
levels. Concerned it could be a brain hemorrhage, Tamanoi sent his son to an
Osaka hospital. 

An MRI scan and other checks showed this was not the case, but there were
signs of a stroke and the ozeki was hospitalized. 

The situation is more serious than Tochiazuma probably thought. Although the
withdrawal notice submitted to the Japan Sumo Association simply read, "High
blood pressure requiring five days of rest and treatment," the true extent
of the problem required further examination and treatment at a Tokyo
hospital. 

"The doctor told Tochiazuma that if he stepped in the ring, there was no
guarantee he would be OK," Tamanoi said. 

"He previously suffered from an enlarged heart, which seems to have raised
his blood pressure over time and adversely affected his brain. 

"If the medical results are serious, it might be impossible for him to
continue. We will have to discuss that with the doctors--I'm sure he is as
surprised as anyone this has happened," he added. 

(From the April 2007 issue) 

(Apr. 17, 2007)