[SUMO] <Spoiler day 2>

[Gunnar Jeschke <jeschke@mpip-mainz.mpg.de>]

The air may be bad at the heights were the yokozuna reside...

Today Taka lost to a worthy opponent (Kaio), while Ake's loss to
Takatoriki may be more of a surprise. With the two yokozuna virtually
out of the yusho race after two days, Musashimaru's chances for a yusho
may be not so bad. The main opponents are probably Kaio and Takanonami.
I guess if he loses to both of them (and still gets the yusho as might
be possible) he will not be promoted, even at 12:3. If both yokozuna
withdraw (which also might be possible if not likely), a 12:3 with
beating either Kaio or Takanonami but not both may also be insufficient.
But I think Musashimaru can afford another loss to Takanonami and a 13:2
if he can win at least against Kaio. Musashimaru's chance for promotion
may be slightly less than 50:50 now.

Now two questions:

1) Ake was not really convincing last basho or in fact for some time
now. If he is forced to withdraw without an obvious injury, do you
expect talk of retirement?

2) When was the last time that *all* yokozuna (meaning when there were
at least two) withdrew *during* a basho?

3) In the case that Taka is forced to withdraw again, what would you say
is the minimum of wins in May for him to avoid retirement? Would
retirement pressure rely on the outcome of Musashimaru's yokozuna hunt?

Gunnar