[sumo] SUMO SCRIBBLINGS and Musashimaru News

[Patrick Bal]

By MARK BUCKTON
Special to The Japan Times Online 


A little over a week ago, the Nihon Sumo Kyokai announced its rankings for
the upcoming Haru Basho in Osaka.

As expected, Hakuho retained his slot on the slightly more prestigious
eastern side of the banzuke, while fellow Mongolian Asashoryu headed the
western rankings.

Rightly or wrongly, yokozuna shenanigans linked to Asashoryu continue to
dominate the sport - aided by reports that he told a Japanese reporter to
"go die." He was photographed traveling back to Japan in a Hawaiian aloha
shirt and shorts, a cultural no-no for a man supposed to appear in kimono
when traveling or on official business.

Hakuho, meanwhile, can do no wrong, speaks little, behaves discreetly as a
good sumotori should, and it appears the only thing he is missing in recent
media pics is a white steed rearing on its hind legs.

As far as Osaka goes then, the stage is set for a battle between the Prince
of Darkness and the Prince of Light, the ill-mannered Asashoryu versus the
well-mannered Hakuho.

Both are looking sharp in pre-tourney practice sessions down in Osaka,
Asashoryu particularly so, but with Hakuho going after his third consecutive
title and second in a row in Osaka, he remains the man to beat. Should
Asashoryu fail to take home the silverware, he will have gone winless in
four successive yusho races - something we haven't seen since 2002, when he
was a sekiwake.

Fans the world over will be hoping for another senshuraku (final day)
showdown.

Out to spoil the fun will be a group of lower sanyaku and upper maegashira
men more than capable of beating either of the Grand Champions. Of
particular note are the "K" men, Kotoshogiku and Kisenosato: solid rikishi
with another decade in the gas tanks if they can avoid serious injury.

Twenty-four-year-old Kotoshogiku, who is returning to sekiwake after being
boosted a rank on the back of an excellent 9-4-2 finish (including time
missed in the second week due to injury) as a komusubi in January, was last
at the rank for the same tournament 12 months ago when he went 7-8. This is
a different year, however, and Kotoshogiku appears to be a different man of
late, with enough experience under his belt that an 8-7 or perhaps even a
9-6 would be something of a disappointment.

Young Kisenosato, the 21-year-old from Naruto Beya, finished with a dismal
6-9 record last March. However, having knocked off Asashoryu in January of
this year on his way to a solid 10-5 record, he will be aiming for a new
career high of sekiwake come May.

Both wrestlers, in addition to fellow promising twentysomethings in the
upper maegashira and lower sanyaku slots, Ama (sekiwake) and Kakuryu
(maegashira 1), are honing up their skills in anticipation of an ozeki slot
becoming available. These are all still occupied by either tired old men
past their use-by dates (Chiyotaikai, Kaio and Kotomitsuki) or Kotooshu, the
one-time media darling from Bulgaria for whom the required ozeki double
figures have materialized in just two of the past 12 tournaments - once with
the help of an automatic win in which his opponent failed to appear.

Appearing lower down the division will be a trio that could soon be snapping
at the heels of the "K" men: Goeido (m8), Tochiozan (m12) and Sakaizawa
(m15). Goeido will be going into his "home" Osaka basho out to make up for
his 5-10 in January. He was clearly ranked too high then, with it being only
his third outing in makunouchi, at m3. This time should be different.
Tochiozan had a brilliant 11-4 at Osaka Basho 2007 - his first makunouchi
basho - but he's had a tough year since. Hopefully his gritty, hard-fought
8-7 in January will mark the proverbial turning of the corner. Meanwhile,
Sakaizawa has jonokuchi, makushita and juryo titles to his name and has won
a shade under 80 percent of his bouts. He has hit the big time, and it'fs
time to be tested.

Also keep an eye on Tosayutaka, who will be making his first-ever appearance
in the sekitori ranks as a juryo rikishi. The Tokitsukaze Beya man is
sitting in exactly the same "juryo 12 west" spot on the banzuke as a January
Hatsu Basho juryo debutant - Tochinoshin - the man who would win the
division in his first try. Will history repeat itself? Given Tosayutaka's
32-3 win/loss record to date, which includes 30 consecutive white circles
indicating a victory, and the speed with which he has made the salaried
ranks (just five basho), it very well could.* * * * *


In other sumo news: Former yokozuna Musashimaru, last seen on the dohyo in
November 2003, indicated recently that he will not be opening his own
stable. The winner of 12 titles, Maru is apparently uninterested in all the
responsibility such a move would entail and would rather remain a coach - a
slot he currently fills at Musashigawa Beya.