[sumo] Day 1 Quotes

[Jeanne Hedge]

 From multiple sources, translated by Madorosumaru:

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Asashoryu: (Avenging his loss from last basho to Kisenosato) My 
tachiai was good and my attack was quick.

More Ryu: (Conscious of the Great Nipponese Hope [GNH], Kisenosato) 
He has a lot of spunk and he is young. And, there is always what 
happened last basho.

Even more Ryu: (Summarizing the day) I think it was a good Shonichi. 
There were lots of cheers and I liked that. Did I feel any tension? Nah.

Kisenosato: (Pushed all the way off the dohyo) I couldn't do 
anything. I had intended to thrust him away at tachiai, but . . .. 
Well, after all, he is a yokozuna. I'll start all over tomorrow.

Hakuho: (Lifting Takekaze and tossing him away) Well, my opponent was 
small . . .

More Hakuho: (Hesitating after allowing Takekaze moro-zashi) My plan 
was to lift him and get him off balance. There was no point in 
forcing an attack. It was just that today's flow led to a nage.

Even more Hakuho: (Commenting on how the two top guns won after three 
ozeki bit the dust) Hey, nobody wants to lose on opening day. (Smile)

Takekaze: (Losing to Hakuho despite a valiant effort) He's got long 
arms. [After getting moro-zashi] I thought I had it going but . . .. 
I knew that if I attempted an attack, he would get hold of the uwate, 
but I didn't figure he would [do what he did] from that position.

More Takekaze: (Making his sanyaku debut) I wasn't conscious of it. I 
always go out and do my utmost.

Even more Takekaze: (More reflections of Day 1) Musubi-no-ichiban on 
Shonichi sure feels different. I'd like to do it again.

Kaio: (No match for Aminishiki) There hasn't been much change [in my 
physical condition] recently. I just wish I could move a little better.

Aminishiki: (A convincingly quick win over an ozeki or what remains 
of one) I got moro-zashi
so I had to charge forward. I just decided to go full steam ahead.

Kotomitsuki: (Forced straight out by an energized Kakuryu) I was just 
awful. There wasn't anything good [about my performance]. My body 
just got straightened up.

Kakuryu: (Sounding a lot like Aminishiki) I had my head against his 
chest so I felt I had to charge forward. [As for the bout against Ryu 
on Day 2] I just want to go all out and do good sumo without thinking too much.

Kotooshu: (Dejected after losing clumsily to a clever Asasekiryu) [. . .]

Miyabiyama: (Reflecting on his long about with Chiyotaikai) 
Ultimately, I succumbed to his sense of desperation. [What a shame.] 
That was something we couldn't do unless we were both in good form.]

Ama: (Victimized by his own dummkopf sumo) I was flat-footed and 
slipped. I think I got a little too heated [and over-eager].

Kotoshogiku: (Six straight wins over his rival since schooldays, 
Toyonoshima) Having finished my bout on Day 1, I have a sense for the 
[whole] 15 days. I have a feeling I can do well this basho.

Goeido: (Making a fine start at his hometown of Osaka) A lot of my 
family and friends were here, so I wanted them to see me do well. I 
have no problems at all, physically.

Sakaizawa: (Winning in his makuuchi debut) I was really nervous. 
There is a strange aura about a makuuchi bout. I couldn't get the 
right [sashi] hold, but I was fortunately able to overcome that disadvantage.

Takanohana Oyakata: (Acting as chief shimpan for the shift after 
juryo dohyo-ri) I was nervous. Since it was my first time, I got a 
lot of advice from my sempai [shimpan].

More Takanohana: (About the uneventful day with no mono-ii) Well, 
there are 14 more days. I think I'll [have to] cut down on my 
[nightly] sake intake at the heya.


Due to the suspension of five rikishi due to the Tokitsukaze 
Incident, the heya is woefully short of tsukebito to attend to the 
needs of the four sekitori. Rikishi had to be borrowed from other 
heya in the ichimon to perform some of the attendant chores.

Toyonoshima: (With stiff upper lip) It's the same as usual. (He did 
say he felt strange about the whole thing the other day.)

Tokitenku: (Spoken like a good sumo-tori) I am just going to gambarize.

Tosautaka: (A sad way to start his sekitori career) I am not the only 
one who is trying to up uplift the heya. Everyone wants to do that.

Tokitsukaze Oyakata: (The four sekitori went 3-1) They all did 
[plenty of] keiko. I hope they continue to gambarize.

More Tosautaka: (Winning against fellow juryo debutante Hokutokuni) 
Am I relieved! I wasn't that nervous, but I didn't hit hard at 
tachiai. I won only as a result of my ability to hang on.

Even more Tosa: (Reaching juryo after only six basho) Now that I am a 
sekitori, life is a lot easier since I don't have to do any chores at 
the heya. I just want to go through 15 days without letting up.



Quote of the Day

Asashoryu: (About his physical condition) This is different from last 
basho. I feel kinda nice and "macho."


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