Top Ten Sumo Power Ranking by Year
2008 2009 2010 2011
140 Hakuho 174 Hakuho 146 Hakuho 124 Hakuho
117 Asashoryu 133 Asashoryu 107 Baruto 105 Kotoshogiku
111 Harumafuji 119 Harumafuji 85 Kotooshu 98 Baruto
92 Kisenosato 100 Kotooshu 85 Kaio 95 Harumafuji
83 Kaio 90 Baruto 83 Harumafuji 94 Kakuryu
83 Kotomitsuki 81 Kaio 77 Kisenosato 92 Kisenosato
83 Kotooshu 80 Kotomitsuki 73 Kotoshogiku 72 Kotooshu
82 Toyonoshima 78 Kakuryu 69 Aminishiki 68 Goeido
77 Kotoshogiku 77 Kisenosato 68 Toyonoshima 65 Okonoumi
76 Chiyotaikai 73 Goeido 63 Kakuryu 64 Toyonoshima
Rikishi of the Year
Hakuho, as he has been every year since 2007. It was actually a bit of an off year for Hakuho, who, although he won four basho, lost more bouts in the five basho this year than in the twelve basho of the previous two years. Still, for most yokozuna a year with an 88 winning percentage would be a career year. Only for someone as dominant as Hakuho could it be seen as an off year. Most Improved Rikishi
This is jointly awarded to Okinoumi and Kotoshogiku. Okinoumi increased in strength by 46 points, although his total last year was out of sorts due to the demotion to juyro caused by his suspension for one basho for betting. (Oh right, that scandal.) Still an impressive year up for Okinoumi, and one mostly overlooked because of the two ozeki promotions.Kotoshogiku is sort of the feel good story of the year in sumo. For most of his makuuchi career he has been the third best rikishi in his own stable. Prior to 2011 most sumo followers would have said that Kotoshogiku was a good rikishi, certainly a credit in the lower sanyuku ranks, but very unlikely to ever advance beyond Sekiwaki. There's no question that Kotoshogiku was in the right place at the right time – the Japanese rikishi on a ozeki run when sumo needed a Japanese ozeki. There’s some question as to whether Kotoshogiku received some “help” along the way, notably from Hakuho, who may well not have minded losing to Kotoshogiku during his ozeki run. Regardless, there is no gainsaying that Kotoshogiku is a much improved wrestler. His technique is powerful, although still limited. Nevertheless, he finishes the year with the second highest power ranking performance, a nice example of an athlete who may not be the most talented but perseveres, works hard, and improves.
Most Disappointing Year
Hands down this is another win for the Japan Sumo Association as a whole. This year has merely seen the largest sumo scandal in the history of the sport (coming one year after the previous largest scandal). Moreover, the results of the yaocho investigation are what most people would have predicted: no truly high rikishi implicated (although it seems likely that Kaio has been involved in more thrown matches that anyone else over the last few years, regardless of whether money has exchanged hands) and of the makuuchi rakish banned, only one was Japanese while six were foreigners (one from South Korea, one from China and four from Mongolia, although one of those had taken Japanese citizenship). Oh yes, of course, everyone would have guessed that over 85 percent of the corruption of sumo at the top ranked was by foreigners! Incompetence compounded by scapegoating, thy name is Japan Sumo Association. (There were other scandals this year as well, but the list is too extensive to cover here.)
Most Disappointing Rikishi
Technically, Aminishiki, whose power ranking decreased 34 points, went down the furthest. Realistically, however, Aminishiki’s decrease is due to age and injury (his right leg seems more heavily bandaged every basho) and therefore he can’t fairly be termed the most disappointing. I’m jointly awarding this to stablemates Tochinoshin and Tochiozan, whose power rankings decreased 21 and 17 points, respectively. They both have been extremely disappointing this year, unable to produce at the top level and highly inconsistent. They are each only 24 years old, so it’s possible they can turn things around in the next few years, but a lot of polish has come off their respective (not respected) reputations this year. (A dishonorable mention goes out to Aran, whose crappy henka-filled push-me-pull-you sumo is a puzzlement from one of the most physically powerful rikishi around.)Rookie of the Year
It was a good year for newcomers. Myogiryu may well turn out to be the best of the lot in the long haul, but he’s only had one tournament at the top. Tochinowaka has been at the top longer and performed well throughout, even when facing the top rikishi, and deserves this award.
No comments:
Post a Comment