Takatoriki & Aki-basho banzuke prediction

[abe@kaleida.com (Masumi Abe)]

Watch out for the fourth ozeki from Futagoyama-beya in a few basho.

For Takatoriki, it is rather easy to accomplish 12-3 record, even if he
loses to all yokozuna, ozeki and sekiwake rikishi he possibly faces. And
10-5, 12-3, 12-3 records for the span of three basho is good enough to be
promoted to ozeki.
Comparing to him, for Musoyama to do the same, he needs to beat at least
two rikishi of yokozuna, ozeki and sekiwake rank. For the newly promoted
komusubi rikishi, they need to beat at least four rikishi from yokozuna,
ozeki and sekiwake ranks to accomplish 12-3 record.

I don't want to think about the possibility of the forth ozeki from the
same heya, but Sumo Kyokai should think about this possibility very deeply.


Remember? For Sumo Kyokai to adopt video image for helping judges to decide
the winner, (in)famous Taiho/Toda misjudgement was needed. Takatoriki's
promotion could be a good motivation for Sumo Kyokai to abandon the
heya-to-heya match and adopt rikishi-to-rikishi match for the first time.

Anyways, the following is my personal prediction of banzuke ranking for the
upcoming Aki-basho. How does it look like compared to your prediction?

A = yaku-rikishi, matches mostly against A & B, some C
B = next 8 rikishi, matches against A, B, C, D
C = next 8 rikishi, no match against Yokozuna,
        matches against wide range of rikishi from A, B, C, D, E
D = next 8 rikishi, matches against B, C, D, E, no Juryo
E = rest of makuuchi, matches mostly against C, D, E, 
        and possibly against Juryo rikishi

A ey Akebono (A ye 15yasumi)
A eo Musashimaru (A ow 15-0)
A wo Wakanohana (A how 14-1)
A eho Takanonami (A hoe 12-3)
A who Takanohana (A oe 11-4)
A se Takatoriki (A hkw 10-5)
A sw Musoyama (A sw 8-7)
A ke Hamanoshima (B 2e 8-7)
A kw Mainoumi (C 4e 9-6)

B 1e Misugisato (C 6w 8-7)
B 1w Kotonowaka (C 7e 8-7)
B 2e Kenko (D 10w 9-6)
B 2w Higonoumi (D 9w 8-7)
B 3e Kotoinazuma (D 10e 8-7)
B 3w Takamisugi (E 12w 9-6)
B 4e Kaio (A ke 5-10)
B 4w Tomonohana (B 2w 6-9)

C 5e Kotobeppu (D 11e 8-7)
C 5w Tochinowaka (B 1e 5-10)
C 6e Terao (A kw 4-11)
C 6w Kotonishiki (A se 3-12)
C 7e Kirishima (C 6e 7-8)
C 7w Konishiki (E 12e 8-7)
C 8e Daizen (C 5e 6-9)
C 8w Kasugafuji (B 3e 5-10)

D 9e Asanowaka (C 5w 6-9)
D 9w Kyokudozan (B 3w 5-10)
D 10e Oginishiki (B 1w 4-11)
D 10w Kitakachidoki (D 8e 7-8)
D 11e Kiraiho (D 8w 7-8)
D 11w Mitoizumi (E 13e 8-7)
D 12e Tokitsunada (E 13w 8-7)
D 12w Kotogaume (D 11w 7-8)

E 13e Akinoshima (E 14e 8-7)
E 13w Daishoho (C 7w 6-9)
E 14e Daishi (E 15e 8-7)
E 14w Kotofuji (C 4w 4-11)
E 15e Kushimaumi (E 15w 8-7)
E 15w Minatofuji (D 9e 6-9)
E 16e Wakanoyama (J1w 9-6)

-Masumi
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Masumi Abe                               阿部　加史（あべ　ますみ）
Kaleida Labs, Inc.                              Tel: (415) 966-0824
1945 Charleston Road                            Fax: (415) 966-0774
Mountain View, CA 94043                  Internet:  abe@kaleida.com
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