Sumo Game: News

Makuuchi Yusho:	M18 Hokuro (13-2; 105 points)
Juryo Yusho:	J6 Fuseigou (12-3; 108 points)
Makushita Yusho:	m63 Kimpatsuyama (14-1; 104 points)
Gino-sho:	S Randomitsuki (9-6; 106 points)
Kanto-sho:	M18 Hokuro (13-2; 105 points)
Shukun-sho:	not awarded

by Takanotaki, 2010/8/16

Nagoya Basho 2010 - Day 15

The Nagoya Basho is now completed and although the blackout by NHK made getting information a bit tricky at least the Sumo Digest was on at reasonable time, instead of the usual 2 AM, so video highlights were at least possible to obtain. Of course, the truly hard core fans could watch the live feed from the Nihon Sumo Kyokai if one didn't mind a grainy picture without commentary. Anyway, now that the tournament is over, expect more repercussions from the gambling fiasco that has crippled the sport.

In Sumo Game, none of the divisions had to resort to a playoff, so determining the winner was easy. In Makunouchi, EM18 Hokuro picked up the yusho with a 13-2 record and was also the Kantosho winner as well. Sekiwake Randomitsuki was awarded the Ginosho with 106 points and extended his kachikochi streak to 10 tournaments (15 if one excludes a kyujo at the Kyushu 2008 tournament). In Juryo, WJ6 Fuseigou won the yusho with a 12-3 mark while in Makushita, Wm63 Kimpatsuyama improved to 14-1 to easily take the title having dominated the division very early in the basho.

Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to all the participants this time around! Cross your fingers during the off season and we hope next time around is more normal than the Nagoya Basho.

by Nushuzan, 2010/7/31

Nagoya Basho 2010 - Day 14

Going into the final day of the Nagoya Basho, all of the divisions are still up for grabs. In Makunouchi, the yusho comes down to two competitors with any mathematical chance: EM18 Hokuro and Ozeki Doitsuyama. After 14 days Hokuro has the best record in the division at 12-2 while Doitsuyama is one match down at 11-3. A win by Hokuro will clinch the yusho regardless of Doitsuyama's performance. However a loss by Hokuro and a win by Doitsuyama will force a playoff and put Hokuro on the defensive since Doitsuyama has a sizable point lead 104-99.

In Juryo, as many as four participants are still in the yusho hunt. At the top of the leader board are WJ6 Fuseigou and WJ12 Anjoboshi both at 11-3. A win by one and a loss by the other will give the victorious member the title outright. However, a win by both would force a playoff and put Fuseigou in control with his dominance in points over Anjoboshi 102-95. A loss by both would allow EJ2 Mariohana and EJ8 Yokotanoharry to join in the playoff should either one pick up their 11th win. However, Fuseigou would still be the man to beat since Mariohana has only 92 points thus far and Yokotanoharry is slightly better off at 94.

In Makushita it is a two way battle for the yusho between Wm63 Kimpatsuyama and Wm58 Gwynho. Kimpatsuyama at 13-1 is in the best position for the title and only needs a win. A loss by Kimpatsuyama and a win by Gwynho who is presently one loss down would force a playoff, however, Kimpatsuyama with a five point lead over Gwynho, 98-93, would most likely win the playoff.

by Nushuzan, 2010/7/25

Nagoya Basho 2010 - Day 13

On day 13 of the Nagoya Basho 2010, the trio of co-leaders in the Makunouchi division was reduced to a duo as WM18 Yuko was handed a third kuroboshi of the tournament by EM2 Sokkenaiyama in a lopsided defeat. As a result Ozeki Doitsuyama and EM18 Hokuro share the lead at 11-2 with Yuko falling to one match off the pace at 10-3. Doitsuyama kept his chances alive for a return to Yokozuna with his victory but, sadly, kadoban Ozeki Sumio, who was flirting with Yokozuna promotion for several tournaments, fell to 5-8 and will be demoted to Sekiwake. Sumio will get a chance next tournament to return to Ozeki should he pick up at least 10 wins. In Juryo, leader WJ6 Fuseigou saw an eight match winning streak come to an end as well as sole leadership. Presently, Fuseigou and WJ12 Anjoboshi are co-leaders at 10-3 with a group of five a loss down. In Makushita, Wm63 Kimpatsuyama saw his chances for Sumo Game's first ever zen-shou yusho slip away as he picked up his first defeat on day 13. Kimpatsuyama retains the lead, however, his loss allowed Wm11 Derakuho, Wm58 Gwynho and Wm62 Kitanokaze to get within striking distance of the yusho with two days remaining in the tournament.

by Nushuzan, 2010/7/24

Nagoya Basho 2010 - Day 12

After day 12 of the Nagoya Basho 2010 the trio of yusho contenders for the Makunouchi division remain firmly planted at the top of the leader board with nobody yielding the right of way. Ozeki Doitsuyama, EM18 Hokuro and WM18 Yuko all improved to 10-2 on the day and setting up a wild ride to the finish. Doitsuyama continues to impress and now has a magic number of three to return to the rank of Yokozuna. In Juryo, a crashing out of three of the four co-leaders now puts WJ6 Fuseigou in command of the division while in Makushita, Wm63 Kimpatsuyama increased his winning streak to 12 to remain the man to beat down the stretch.

by Nushuzan, 2010/7/23

Nagoya Basho 2010 - Day 11

Day eleven of the Nagoya Basho saw no change in the leader board in any of the divisions. In Makunouchi, Ozeki Doitsuyama, EM18 Hokuro and WM18 Yuko maintain a two match lead over the field despite all three falling to 9-2. In Juryo, WJ4 Otokomae, WJ6 Fuseigou, WJ12 Anjoboshi and EJ14 Natsunoyama all improved to 9-2 to continue the stalemate at the top of the heap. In Makushita, Wm63 Kimpatsuyama kept his winning streak alive to remain unbeaten and two matches ahead of all other competitors.

by Nushuzan, 2010/7/22

Nagoya Basho 2010 - Day 10

For the third day in a row there was very little movement in the leader boards. In Makunouchi division, Ozeki Doitsuyama, EM18 Hokuro and WM18 Yuko all picked up their ninth win of the tournament. At this point it should be noted that should Doitsuyama finish the tournament with 13 wins, it would be enough for a return to the rank of Yokozuna having fulfilled the requirement of 22 wins in two consecutive tournaments. In Juryo, the number of co-leaders was trimmed to four after WJ5 Gibuten handed his third loss of the tournament by former Sekiwake Gaijingai. As a result, WJ4 Otokomae, WJ6 Fuseigou, WJ12 Anjoboshi and EJ14 Natsunoyama continue to fight it out for control of the yusho going into the final third of the tournament. In Makushita, Wm63 Kimpatsuyama now has a two match lead over the field, a rarity for that division considering the high number of competitors entered in each tournament.

by Nushuzan, 2010/7/21

Nagoya Basho 2010 - Day 9

There was very little change in the leader board on day 9 of the Nagoya Basho. In Makunouchi, Ozeki Doitsuyama, EM18 Hokuro and W18 Yuko remain deadlocked in a three way tie for the lead while picking up their kachikoshi and increasing the distance by two matches over the rest of the field. In Juryo, the number of co-leaders were reduced to five after WJ12 Anjoboshi defeated EJ8 Yokotanoharry and improved to 7-2. Also in the fray for the title are WJ4 Otokomae, WJ5 Gibuten, WJ6 Fuseigou and EJ14 Natasunoyama with the same record. In Makushita, Wm63 Kimpatsuyama continued his dominance over the division to remain perfect at 9-0. One loss down is Wm7 Kyokuhagyo at 8-1.

by Nushuzan, 2010/7/20

Nagoya Basho 2010 - Days 7 and 8

At the mid-way point of the Nagoya basho 2010 both the Makunouchi and Makushita divisions have definable features while the Juryo division is still up for grabs. In Makunouchi, Ozeki Doitsuyama, EM18 Hokuro and WM18 Yuko are co-leaders at 7-1 with WM6 Heruwejima keeping watchful eye on the leaders at 6-2. Kadoban Ozeki Sumio is quickly running out of wiggle room and must go 5-2 the second week to avoid demotion to Sekiwake. Ozeki candidate Meyeryu has a similar hill to climb and must also put up the same numbers get a bump up the banzuke in September. In Juryo, the six way tie for the top spot will be trimmed by at least on day nine as EJ8 Yokotanoharry and WJ12 Anjoboshi who are both co-leaders at 6-2 will face off in a head to head match. In Makushita, newcomer Wm63 Kimpatsuyama became the first participant in the Nagoya Basho to pick up a kachikoshi. His eight match winning streak is good enough to find himself at the top of the heap with Wm7 Kyokuhagyo, Wm45 Titonohana, W58 Gwynho and Wm62 Kitanokaze being one match off the pace for the lead at 7-1.

by Nushuzan, 2010/7/19

Nagoya Basho 2010 - Days 5 and 6

On day six of the Nagoya Basho leader EM7 Tsuyoikaze was defeated for the first time to fall to 5-1 to create a messy seven way jam at the top of the leader board. Ozeki hopeful Meyeru improved to 3-3 to keep his promotion chances alive. In Juryo, EJ12 Bunijiman and EJ14 Natsunoyama both improved to 5-1 to share the lead while in Makushita, Em6 Hashira, Wm45 Titonohana, Em48 Kuroimori and Wm63 Kimpatsuyama all remain perfect at 6-0 to become co-leaders.

by Nushuzan, 2010/7/17

Nagoya Basho 2010 - Days 3 and 4

After day four of the Nagoya Basho 2010 scoring has been competitive despite the live blackout by NHK of the event. Overall, the average for the tournament is not bad at 6.28 with day 4 being the best thus far at 7.03. In Makunouchi, EM7 Tsuyoikaze and WM15 Hironoumi have gotten off to a fast start to remain perfect at 4-0 for a share of the lead. One match off the pace is fairly large group including East Ozeki Doitsuyama who became the first member to notch a perfect day. Kadoban Ozeki Sumio is off to a slow start this tournament at 1-3 and needs to rally to avoid demotion while Sekiwake Meyeryu who hopes for a promotion to Ozeki must likewise turn things around on day five.

In Juryo, WJ4 Otokomae who found himself sole leader after the third day was handed his first kuroboshi by WJ12 Anjoboshi to fall to 3-1. Anjoboshi improves to 3-1 for a share of the lead along with five other participants. In Makushita, the usual early bottleneck for top spot has nine competitors fighting it out at this point.

by Nushuzan, 2010/7/15

Nagoya Basho 2010 - Days 1 and 2

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.

All the king's horses and all the king's men

Couldn't put Humpty together again.

-Mother Goose

Welcome to the Nagoya Basho 2010, (or what is left of it anyway). I'm sure by now everyone knows the state the Sumo Association is in after yet another scandal rocks sport; the firing of Kotomitsuki and Oyakata Takatoriki, the suspensions of nearly a dozen high rank rikishi, etc, etc, etc. You could say that this time around it is about gambling on Japanese baseball and other sports but to me it is a much deeper and more sinister problem, the realization, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the Japanese underworld is deeply connected to sumo. In fact, if you look at all the problems that sumo has had the last few years, the allegations of match fixing, the drugs and now this, it all seems connected.

The question is, where does sumo go beyond all of this? To me, sumo has one four possible directions it could go: scrap it as a sport and let it go the way of Kubuki with all the pageantry. Maybe once a year, say on obon, when the Japanese honor the dead we could have a show, hire some actors to play the part of the Yokozuna and the Gyoji and put on a few exhibition matches for the audience. Or, sumo could go the way of WWE where the emphasis is on sports 'entertainment'. All the matches are rigged and everybody knows it. We could change the banzuke from 'east' and 'west' to 'face' (good guy) and 'heal' (bad guy) put a few rikishi in masks and even have the Yokozuna rapel down the ceiling of the Kokugikan. Or we could call it a sport, which is what it should be, but the only way it will survive as a sport is if they hire an indepenant sumo commissioner much like what happened in American baseball after the famed Black Sox scandal of 1919 where several players colluded with gangsters to throw the World Series and profit from the betting that was going on. The independent commissioner's job would be to crack heads together, root out the negative elements are reestablish trust in the sport. Let's face it, sumo's biggest problem right now is the recruitment of young talent, especially Japanese talent, to ensure the sport survives. However, what parent in their right mind would allow their son to join an organization where they could become connected to such evil, perhaps end up on drugs or even get killed in a hazing ritual? Yes, these are indeed dark times for the sport. The fourth path sumo could go down would be that of the Sento, the Japanese public bath. Traditionally, every neighborhood had them, but tradition could not prevent them from (mostly) disappearing as Japan became more modern and lifestyles changed.

Anyway...

Despite all the negativity in the air, Sumo Game continues as advertised, good luck to all and we hope you have a succesful tournament!

by Nushuzan, 2010/7/13