[sumo] A plea to the ML

[Barbara]

I would like to talk about sumo instead.

For instance.  Kyokutenhou ended the basho 12-3.  That's amazing!  He 
was ranked M12W too.  Now, the only rikishi with a higher tally is 
Hakuhou himself, who won the yuusho.  Am I correct in assuming that 
Kyokutenhou won the "Junyuushou" or runner up? Despite his low rank? 
Often the Junyuushou is considered a yuusho-equivalent. Quite a feather 
in his cap.

So, he won 9 more than he lost.  My rule of thumb says that such a score 
moves him up to about M3w or M4e.  Sound about right?

Now, look at Goeido.  Amazing performance too, but he was ranked lower 
than Kyokutenhou at M14w.  He scored 11-4.  But he got to meet the 
yokozuna.  Kyokutenhou did not.  It doesn't seem fair.  One might almost 
suspect that the matching went the way of the popularity of the meeting. 
They do have a lot of leeway in making the matchups, but still, wouldn't 
a meeting between Hakuhou and Kyokutenhou have been much more exciting 
than one with Goeido?  I feel slightly deprived.

Barbara Murasakihana
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