[sumo] [Spoiler] Asashoryu

[David Luke]

On Sep 22, 2008, at 7:03 PM, Doreen Simmons wrote:

> What we are saying is that we would have liked to see all the  
> judges looking at the sand outside the tawara immediately after  
> Mihogaseki claimed to have seen the tip of the heel go out.  Not  
> have all of us playing guessing games  looking at photographs taken  
> who knows how many seconds/minutes later, when further out there  
> was a mark that could only have been made by a zabuton. In this  
> situation -- and at yokozuna level -- it is close to mandatory to  
> call a monoii, even if just to confirm. I find it very surprising  
> that none of the other judges raised a hand.
>
> Oh, and we are not talking about a footprint; it would have been  
> (or was) a slight depression. And nobody can reasonably argue that  
> the  outside circle of sand hadn't been properly swept before the  
> bout; this is the final task of the yobidashi in charge of the  
> bout, and it is one of the very first things a new yobidashi learns.
>
> I asked the opinion of a retired gyoji on whether a monoii should  
> have been called, and he agreed; "Certainly it should; he isn't a  
> kid, he's a yokozuna, and at that level they have to be  
> careful." (My translation)

Thanks, Doreen (and Wayne).

I was under the impression from seeing the bout the first time that  
it was more obvious, but going back and watching again (courtesy of  
banzuke.com, so exactly high image quality, admittedly), I agree that  
it looked too close to call for me.