San’yaku (三役)

Hatsu Recap 4 – Kotoshogiku Kadoban

Bruce H Hatsubasho 2017, Kotoshogiku (琴奨菊), San'yaku (三役), Sekiwake (関脇), Ōzeki (大関)

kotoshogiku

Injured, Defeated, Demoted

Former Ozeki Kotoshogiku has been a concern of ours for several tournaments. His injuries are chronic and their impact icreasing. In fact he can seldom muster the strength to really contend at a sanyaku level at times, let alone perform his duties as an Ozeki.

During Hatsu, Kotoshogiku was the sad spot to every day. Here is a great rikishi, although he is kind of a one tactic guy, he does it better than anyone, and he won and won and won with it for a long time.

In fact, it was last year at the 2016 Hatsu basho that Kotoshogiku broke the unending string of Mongolian Yusho winners when he took the Emperor’s cup going 14-1. In the year that followed, his injuries plagued him, and his performance suffered. He turned in a weak showing for Haru/Osaka 2016 (Andy might say had a foul ordor), a strong showing for May and then sat out most of Nagano after going 1-6 to start. His record in Kyushu was 5-10, which made him Kadoban once again, and he repeated at Hatsu going 5-10, securing his removal from the Ozeki rank.

Now he heads back to Osaka as one of a crowded Sekiwake field. His goal will be to secure 10 wins and return to Ozeki, but frankly there are only 2 paths to that achievement. 1. Medical treatment. He could undergo treatment for the problems in his hips and knees, of there is anything left to save. Though it is doubtful that he could be healed by early March. 2. A lot of people do very big favors for him by making sure he wins matches that he might otherwise lose.

There has been some speculation among sumo fans that Kotoshogiku will retire before then. He has a Kabu, and secured a place in the senior ranks of the sumo business once he leaves the dohyo. But thus far he has made no announcement. Other fans (myself included) believe he will give it a try, and go down fighting.

Kisenosato’s Thanks For Takayasu

Bruce H Hakuho (白鵬), Harumafuji (日馬富士), Hatsubasho 2017, Kisenosato (稀勢の里), San'yaku (三役), Takayasu (高安), Yokozuna (横綱), Ōzeki (大関)

victory-parade

Faithful Lieutenant Was Key To Training

Kisenosato has perpetually been second best, always just behind tournament winners. But in his stoic and stubborn nature, he continued to train, working to improve with the mindless drive to one day succeed. All valid concerns aside, this past Sunday he finally reached that goal that he has devoted his entire life to achieving.

But it would likely never have been possible without the dedicated, relentless devotion of Takayasu, Kisenosato’s right hand man and boon companion.

Some rikishi are naturally gifted athletes. This includes people like Hakuho and Harumafuji. Anyone can learn the basics of sumo, the rules are quite simple. And like any physical sport, a handful seem to have natural talent and skill. Others are driven to train themselves to the point where they can compete with these natural talents. This is where I believe Kisenosato falls. He has an overflowing love of sumo, but he is not the gifted natural that some others are.

So he trains. But that training is really only effective if Kisenosato has a sparring partner who drives him to excel, who is good enough and tough enough to make him better. Reports are that Takayasu and Kisenosato have been training endlessly, dozens of bouts per day. This allowed the Hatsu champion to hone his skills, and arrive at the first day of the tournament ready to win.

I find it touching that in one of his victory speeches, Kisenosato thanked Takayasu directly.

Should the YDC promote Kisenosato to Yokozuna this week, I will be looking for Takayasu to carry his katana.

Hatsu Basho Re-Analysis

Bruce H Gōeidō (豪栄道), Harumafuji (日馬富士), Hatsubasho 2017, Injuries, injury, Kakuryu (鶴竜), Kisenosato (稀勢の里), Kotoshogiku (琴奨菊), Kyujo (休場), Osunaarashi (大砂嵐), San'yaku (三役), Yokozuna (横綱), Ōzeki (大関)

damage

Why So Many Maegashira Wins?

A hallmark of the Hatsu 2017 basho were the fantastic scores racked up by mid and lower level Maegashira / rank and file rikishi. To followers of sumo, this immediately looks strange, as typically there are 2-3 (at most) stand outs, and the rest is a brutal blood-bath of demotion and make-koshi.

We had 6 rikishi (outside of Yokozuna and Ozeki) who had double digit wins, which is frankly unusual. What happened?

Devastation at the top end of the banzuke. During the second half of the tournament, there was only one functioning Yokozuna and one functioning Ozeki. While two other Ozeki remained in rotation, both were fighting well below Ozeki level, and were not presenting much challenge to anyone.

Not to detract from Kisenosato’s yusho and imminent promotion to Yokozuna, but this basho was perhaps the easiest possible configuration for his victory. The Yokozuna and Ozeki are there to cull the Maegashira and test the San’yaku, and in Hatsu they failed. The result was run-away score inflation by some young, healthy and talented men.

This underscores some important facts about sumo:

  • Sumo is a combat sport. Unlike what most Americans are used to in terms of wrestling on television, these men are really battling to win, each and every time. When you weigh in excess of 300 pounds and someone throws you off of a 4 foot high clay platform, you may get hurt. Over time these injuries, if not healed or treated, will degrade your performance.
  • The upper ranks are past their prime on average. Due to the nature of sumo as a combat sport, it is rare that a rikishi can remain truly competitive past age 30. Takekaze is a wonderful and noted exception. The upper 2 ranks (Ozeki and Yokozuna) have been largely static for several years, as the men in the ranks have been exceptional performers, and have dominated the sport in ways unseen in the modern age. For those of us (such as myself) who dearly love to see them perform, the time is coming to say goodbye as the retire and move to coaching and fostering the sport they love
  • The current sumo year leaves not time for recovery, rest, recuperation or proper medical treatment. With the exception of the Yokozuna, there are no breaks in sumo. You show up and compete every tournament or you face some fairly brutal demotions (for example, Osunaarashi). This means that talented rikishi such as Okinoumi, Terunofuji, Kotoshogiku and possibly many others much continue to compete with injuries that may have been simple to treat at first. But lack of prompt and thorough therapy translated them into performance limiting and eventually career ending problems.

As of the end of Hatsu, we have Yokozuna Kakuryu and Harumafuji, and Ozeki Goeido, Terunofuji and Kotoshogiku injured. The start of the Osaka basho is about 6 weeks away, and the chances that any of the men above will be back to full potential is close to zero.

Sadly, we are looking at what may become a changing of the guard, as high-skill rikishi are forced out by their failing bodies, and a younger, healthier crop of wrestlers step forward to fill the gap.

Osaka’s Crowded San’Yaku Picture

Bruce H Hatsubasho 2017, Kotoshogiku (琴奨菊), Mitakeumi(御嶽海), San'yaku (三役), Takayasu (高安) , ,

crowded-banzuke

Ranking Puzzle For March Tournament

The January basho is not yet done, but already the next sumo tournament, held in Osaka in March, is likely to cause a parade of headaches for the Sumo Association’s banzuke team. Based on wins and losses, sumo wrestlers are demoted or promoted for the subsequent tournament.

In prior bashos, the ranks of Sekiwake and Komusubi have been killing fields, with the rikishi promoted to these ranks consistently being abused and leaving with loss heavy maki-koshi records. This would clear them out, and over-performing Maegashira 2/3/4 sekitori would move up for their turn being destroyed.

Hatsu 2017 is turning out quite differently, and quite possibly the number of qualified rikishi for the San’Yaku ranks (Sekiwake and Komusubi) could be overflowing. Lets take a look

  • Kotoshogiku – if he loses one more bout, he is demoted to Sekiwake. He can re-claim Ozeki with 10 wins in the next basho
  • Tamawashi – Currently Sekiwake, and 6-5, he stands a fair chance at a winning record. He would retain Sekiwake
  • Takayasu – Currently Komusubi, and already with a 8-3 winning record, he would typically be Sekiwake in March
  • Shodai – Currently Sekiwake, he will likely have a record good enough to retain Sekiwake or at minimum demotion to Komusubi.
  • Mitakeumi – Currently Maegashira 1, and blowing the doors off of everyone (8-3). Normally he would be elevated to Sekiwake.
  • Ikioi – Currently Maegashira 3, he will likely have a strong winning record. In past tournaments, this would be enough to promote him to Komusubi or even Sekiwake.

So, that gives us 4 to 5 eligible for Sekiwake, and maybe 2 eligible 3 for Komusubi. Traditionally there are 2 of each, but the Sumo association can mint as many as they want. The March banzuke may be a fun collector’s item.