[sumo] [Spoiler] Rikishi Talk Day 3 Aki Basho 2007 (plus Kyokai criticism rearing , , , )

[Joe Kuroda]

Goeido (2-1) over Kakizoe by hatakikomi, 4.6 seconds
---------------------------------------------------------------
"I was able to see my opponent well and I was able to
stay calm."

Tochiozan (3-0) over Hakurozan by yorikiri, 3.4
seconds
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"I have been able to go out really hard. I hope I can
continue with this pace."

Kasuganishiki (3-0) over Ryuo by hatakikomi, 2.8
seocnds
-------------------------------------------------------------------
(While he himself winning three straight)
"Tochiozan, he is doing exceptionally well. I sure
think about him now as he is coming up fast and he is
in the same heya (Kasugano)."

Kokkai (2-1) over Kitazakura by sukuinage, 15.8
seconds
--------------------------------------------------------------------
(Showing off his new sideburn style as well. All
smiles with his win)
"You know it's my image change. I have thick beard so
I can do all kinds of things."

Kyokutenho (3-0) over Iwakiyama by yorikiri, 11.9
seconds
---------------------------------------------------------------------
(On winning his 600th career win, the fifth most among
active rikishi)
"I didn't even know about it. It's really amazing. I
feel good. I am moving well."

Takamisakari (1-2) losing to Futeno by oshitaoshi, 8.3
seconds
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"My opponent was too quick. At the tachiai he already
had his hands down waiting for me and I started
rushing out like crazy."

Takekaze (3-0) over Toyohibiki by hatakikomi, 3.7
seconds
---------------------------------------------------------------------
(Winning three straight)
"No, no, not yet. Whenever I get overheated like this,
I never do well so I try to keep my cool."

Kasugao (3-0) over Tosanoumi by oshidashi, 2.3 seconds
-------------------------------------------------------------------
(Winning the first three days to start)
"It's been quite a while I did this (three years ago).
I had three straight Makekoshi basho so I really had
to think about my own sumo style. I didn't do well in
Jyungyo tour stops but I am doing well so far in the
hon-basho."

Homasho (2-1) over Asasekiryu by kotenage, 11.1
seconds
--------------------------------------------------------------------
(Managing to beat Asasekiryu by kotenage in the end)
"It's good that I didn't give up till the very end but
trying to throw your opponent while backing down is
not something you want to do. That's one sure way to
get an injury."

Aminishiki (3-0) over Kisenosato by yorikiri, 8.7
seconds
--------------------------------------------------------------------
(Overwhelming Kisenosato and winning his third
straight)
"I was trying not to go only half-way. I felt if I
could get the right mawashi, I could get it done."
"If I may say so myself, it was an excellent sumo
today. I was moving well. I feel I was staying
aggressive and taking the full control. Of couse it's
rare for me that all this happens."

Kisenosato (1-2) losing to Aminishiki
------------------------------------------
"He fooled me completely."

Mihogaseki oyakata, dohyo judge
---------------------------------------
(On Aminishiki)
"He was pressing his opponent so hard that there was
no space for his opponent to get back. It was a sumo
you can watch comfortably from his point as he was
never in any danger. He is such a skillful rikishi."

Ajigawa oyakata, Aminishiki's shisho
------------------------------------------
(There are only 20 sekiwake who won their first three
days in their sekiwake debut basho. Out of them nine
became yokozuna and five went on to become ozeki)
"If he can go on to get 10 plus consecutively and stay
in the yusho contention, he should be that much closer
to the promotion."

Tochinonada (1-2) over Kotooshu by sukuinage, 2.2
seconds
----------------------------------------------------------------------
(Saying the key was to go with an empty mind)
"I wasn't thinking of anything (even for the rematch).
The same with the tachiai. I had the same tachiai the
first time and then the second."
"In the second I was able to get my left in and was
able to get a Sukui-nage. It was a good timing. That
was the only way I could have beaten him or else he
would have taken me right out of the dohyo."

Kotooshu (2-1) losing to Tochinonada
------------------------------------------
(As usual in a surly mood after a loss. asked if he
thought he won the first bout)
"What does it matter when you lost it in the end?"

Chiyotaikai (3-0) over Dejima by hatakikomi, 11.3
seconds
--------------------------------------------------------------------
(Winning convincingly but feeling profound)
"I heard today I lost my dear teacher from my middle
school days when I was a real troublemaker. This win
today was especially for him. That's the best I can do
at the moment for him."

Kotomitsuki (2-1) losing to Ama by yorikiri, 4.5
seconds
-----------------------------------------------------------------
(Unable to keep up with Ama's speed sumo and losing
his first this basho)
"I wanted to stop him right at the taichai but he was
always one step ahead of him."
"I really wanted to go all the way without suffering
any loss. But I must be realistic. I am still moving
well so I just have to refresh my mind and do all my
best from tomorrow."

Ama (2-1) over Kotomitsuki
--------------------------------
(Beating the new ozeki with a sumo style reminiscent
of his shisho)
"I have been losing to him so I needed to do
something. I knew he could become formidable once he
gets his Migi-yotsu. I was thinking once I got the
Hidari (left), I'd start moving around."
(On his fourth straight basho as a Sanyaku)
"I am not satisfied yet, I want to aim higher too."

Ajigawa oyakata (former yokozuna Asahifuji), Ama's
shisho
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"I've been telling my guys, if it was myself, I'd
never ever lose to Kotomitsuki. He only has one sumo
style. If he cannot use his right (migi-yotsu) then
his power will be gone. That is the key."
"This morning I was going to talk to Ama about it but
I forgot. But I figured he'd remember it as I've been
telling him all the time."

Hokutoriki (1-2) over Kaio by tsukidashi, 3.5 seconds
--------------------------------------------------------------
(Got his bout exactly the way he wanted and downing
lifeless ozeki)
"If I got into a yotsu, I'd get injured for sure. The
today's way was the only one I could get a win from
him."

Kaio (0-3) losing to Hokutoriki
-----------------------------------
(Appeared to be sliding off to an oblivion. Becoming
the oldest ozeki since the end of World War II as
Kotogahama retired at the age of 35 years 1 month and
18 days old, exactly the same age as Kaio today)
"I feel nothing different. I still can't do anything.
I am not generating any power. No power at all."
(On a possibility of kyujo)
"I know right now I am not looking good at all to fans
and everyone but...unless you compete in a hon-basho
environment, you never regain your sense back...."

Hakuho (2-1) over Kakuryu by yorikiri, 2.7 seconds
------------------------------------------------------------
"Once you decided to go forward, you can't really get
scared. It's the first time I faced him in a hon-basho
but I've had training sessions with him before."


Records:
Kyokutenho - 600th career win

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Sumo Kyokai is playing really tough with those
reporters who openly disagree with the Kyokai's
handling of the whole Asashoryu affair.

To be able to work as a reporter at the Kokugikan and
other venues staging Ozumo, the reporter needs to be a
member of the Ozumo Press Club at each hon-basho and
requires a Kyokai issued press pass through the club.

In addition the Sumo Press Clubs provide an honorary
membership to those reporters who have contributed to
ozumo reporting and writing for many years the same
press privileges and arrange the press pass for them.

An honorary member of the Tokyo Sumo Press Club,
Kunihiro Sugiyama, former and long time NHK sumo
announcer, has been working as a sumo commmenter and
writer was asked by the Kyokai to return his honorary
press card on September 10.

"As a honorary press club member, he should be in a
position to offer a correction or should be asking for
a retraction whenever TV hosts or other guests made
invalid comments on the shows but he simply nodded
along and was even agreeing with them in some cases.
Considering his position, he should display more
responsibility," Kitaoumi oyakata, chairman of the
Kyokai, stated requesting the return of the press
privileges from Sugiyama. "If he wants to work as a
commentator, then fine, he has no need for our press
card. I don't want anyone to use it for one purpose
and then come back conveniently to work as another."

Sugiyama was asked by a female employee of the Kyokai
office to hand back the card and he did not want to
get her in troubles with the chairman and other
executives, Sugiyama agreed to hand back the press
card but the Tokyo Sumo Press Club filed a letter of
protest with the Kyokai yesterday.

Kunihiro Sugiyama
----------------------
"I accepted to appear on TV shows because I wanted the
Kyokai to face the whole Asashoryu issue squarely and
conduct themselves decisively. I have never ever made
any derogatory comment towards the Kyokai. I feel
saddened to see myself losing the press card for
something as innocuous as having nodded to someone
else's comment. I have been reporting on Ozumo all my
life as one who loves sumo earnestly so this measure
is not only disappointing but also regrettable."

Tomozuna Oyakata
----------------------
(One of the oyakata known to be critical of Kyokai's
handling of Asashoryu)
"I feel Mr. Sugiyama has been making reasonable and
valid points. This is simply a really terrible
response by the Kyokai's internal clique."

Masayuki Tamaki, sports writer
------------------------------------
"Sports reporting has a risk and tendency to become
the organizer's mouthpiece or a voice of their PR
department. So actually we have more reason to view
them with more critical eye. Organizations like the
Kyokai who would shut the door from such criticism
will eventually perish for certain. More than ever I
feel apprehensive about the Kyokai's future. We
journalists should never let this Kyokai's measure
stand."

Yasuhiko Oishi, Aoyama Gakuin University Proferssor
(Media Ethics)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"As a publicly run organization, the Kyokai should be
in a position to listen to and accept as many opinion
expressed so from that point they should be criticized
for this measure. But equally I believe the media who
have seized on this Asshoryu incident are viewing the
sports simply as a type of entertainment or leisure
item and got themselve overheated. There is definitely
a need for media to re-examine and review their
reporting methods so we can elevate the culture and
social benefits of sports inlcuding sumo."


.....Jonosuke 
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