[sumo] If there was no Asashoryu

[Keri Sibley]

Just for fun...If there were no Asashoryu. This is how
I see it and please take it with a grain of salt.

21 new yusho winners - here is a synopsis of what I
was able to come up with.

1) Only 1 new yokozuna - Kaio
2) Hakuho becomes yokozuna much sooner
3) Hakuho wins 5 more yusho - 10 total
4) Kaio wins 3 more yusho - 8 total
5) Kotomitsuki wins 3 more yusho - 4 total
6) Kotooshu wins 3 yusho total
7) Chiyotaikai wins 2 more yusho - 5 total
8) Single yusho winners are: Takanowaka, Wakanosato,
Hokutoriki, Miyabiyama & Aminishiki

Starting with Asashoryu's 1st Yusho

Basho - Winner
Comments

2002 Kyushu - Takanowaka
Ranked at Komusubi he legitimately faced all the top
rankers

2003 Hatsu - Wakanosato
Actually 3 tied at 11-4 - Tochinonada, Dejima were
also 11-4. Both Deijima and Waka lost to Asashoryu so
it is very possible that they could have gone 12-3 and
IMHO Waka was probably the strongest this Basho ranked
at K1w.

2003 Haru - Chiyotaikai
He won this one anyway

2003 Natsu - Kaio
Actually tied with Aminishiki record-wise, certainly
the Koykai would have made it tougher on Aminishiki.
Chiyotaikai and Kyokutenho both lost to Asa which
could possibly have brought their records up 11-4 like
Kaio, however Kaio did it legit, so Kaio gets the
yusho.

2003 Nagoya - Kaio
Kaio wins the yusho with with or without Asashoryu and
promotion to Yokozuna.

2003 Aki - Chiyotaikai
Chiyotaikai lost to Asashoryu,so it's possible that he
could have gone 12-3. My gut tells me that Iwakiyama &
Kotomitsuki would not have had as good of a record had
they been ranked in the joi-jin. So Chiyo gets the
Yusho.

2003 Kyushu - Tochiazuma
Tochiazuma won the yusho anyway.

2004 Hatsu - Kotomitsuki
Not much to argue here. Koto lost to Asashoryu and was
already 1 win better than anyone else.

2004 Haru - Kaio
Kaio, Chiyotaikai & Asasekiryu had the same record.
Kaio & Chiyo both lost to Asa and Sekiryu had an
easier torikumi so it came down to Kaio or Chiyo. Kaio
won their match during the basho and had a better
head-to-head record at the time, yusho to Kaio.

2004 Natsu - Hokutoriki
Again not much to debate. Hoku had the 2nd best record
and lost to Asashoryu during the Basho and in the
play-off.

2004 Nagoya - Miyabiyama
Miya lost to Asashoryu and was one better than anyone
else. The only contention here could be that if Miya
lost his replacement match for Asa, he would be tied
with Kaio for best record. Not going to go there, Miya
wins the yusho.

2004 Aki - Kaio
Kaio won this yusho on his own anyway.

2004 Kyushu - Hakuho
Kaio & Hakuho both lost to Asa so it comes down to
head-to-head between the two. Hakuho won their match
during the Basho and evened up their record at 1-1.
Tough to call but Hakuho gets the nod due to the win
against Kaio.

2005 Hatsu - Hakuho
Hakuho becomes Yokozuna in a play-off with Tochiazuma.
Equal records and losses to Asa took this one to the
play-off. Hakuho won their match and dominated their
overall record 3-0 up to this point. Wow!

2005 Haru - Kaio
This one could be debated. Tamanoshima clearly with
the 2nd best record would have been matched up against
2-4 Sanyaku rikishi if Asa was not around. I don't
think his record would be as good. It would only take
1 or 2 losses to end up in a play-off with Kaio. He
was two ahead, but Kaio's loss to Asashoryu could have
made him one better. Play-off or even an outright
yusho to Kaio.

2005 Natsu - Kotomitsuki
One better than Tochiazuma, Asashoryu's victories over
both Koto & Tochi do nothing to change the outcome.

2005 Nagoya - Kotooshu
This goes to the play-off as well. Koto beat Asa and
Wakanosato lost to Asa. Waka possible extra win ties
him with Koto but he's possible loss also gives the
yusho to Koto.

2005 Aki - Kotooshu
Pretty simple here. Koto went to a play-off with Asa &
no other rikishi even lose. I don't think Koto would
have been promoted to Ozeki at this point so his 2
consecutive yusho would not qualify him to become
Yokozuna. 

2005 Kyushu - Chiyotaikai
Chiyo lost to Asa so his record is more than likely 1
better than Kotooshu who did beat Asa with no
possibility of having a better record. Here's where
the debate could start. Having won the previous 2
basho, would a jun-yusho be enough for promotion to
yokozuna? Ooh-la-la!!!!

2006 Hatsu - Tochiazuma
He won the yusho anyway.

2006 Haru - Hakuho
Asa beat both so the records have no bearing on the
yusho. Hakuho was 1 better than Tochi.

2006 Natsu - Hakuho
Hakuho won this one on his own.

2006 Nagoya - Hakuho
Not even close, Hakuho by a mile.

2006 Aki - Aminishiki
Aminishiki had the harder way to go in this kettei-sen
between heya-mates. Ama had a tough schedule towards
the end, but in the end I give the yusho to Aminishiki
for the quality of wins and tougher schedule.

2006 Kyushu - Kotooshu
Homasho has the 2nd best record. If Asashoryu hadn't
have been there, Homasho would ultimately have faced
more Sanyaku rikishi as he would have been the sole
leader on day 10. He lost to the only Sanyaku he faced
and I believe he wouldn't have been 12-3. Soooo, that
leaves Kotooshu, Tochiazuma, Kaio, Kotoshogiku,
Dejima, Kyokutenho, Baruto, Takamisakari & Asasekiryu
all at 10-5. Strength of schedule rules out everybody
from Kyokutenho and below on the Banzuke. Asashoryu
beat everybody except Dejima (which he did not face
which eliminates him).  Keeping as simple as possible,
and based on Head-to-Head records Kotooshu would be
the one left holding the Emperor's Cup.

2007 Hatsu - Hakuho
This was another tough one. Again as with last basho,
we have a lower raker that I don't think would have
had the same record if they would have faced more
Sanyaku rikishi than they would have if Asashoryu wqs
not there. In the end it came down to Chiyotaikai, Ama
& Hakuho. The yokozuna comes out on top of the
kettei-sen.

2007 Haru - Hakuho
Hakuho won this one outright anyway.

2007 Natsu - Hakuho
Zensho yusho all on his own.

2007 Nagoya - Kotomitsiki
Clearly 2nd best in this basho

2007 Aki - Hakuho
Asashoryu's absence does nothing to change the outcome
here.

2007 Kyushu -  Hakuho
Asashoryu's absence does nothing to change the outcome
here.

Hinerikeri



      ____________________________________________________________________________________
Never miss a thing.  Make Yahoo your home page. 
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs