Takakeishou and Mitakeumi

[Moti Dichne]

Oitekaze beya saw some wild stuff yesterday as Takakeishou arrived for degeiko (Kiribayama was there as well, 9 sekitori in all), doing no less than thirty bouts (20-10). He has been doing 20 bouts a day at home since the 16th, I hear. "We can finally do some rare degeiko so I said to myself to go all out. I guess it's the novelty, but I'm really happy.." he said. He has been suffering from a neck injury these last few months and ended the last two bashos with an 8-7 record. As he likes to go with his head forward at the tachiai, that kind of injury is not a good thing for him. "The day I get scared of hitting with my head at the tachiai is the day I retire!" he proclaimed. "I have two knees and two elbows but only one neck. As much as you are careful, injuries happen. but I'll be gambarizing while being extra careful.." summed a strangely talkative Takakeishou.

Ozeki Mitakeumi is kadoban after his second basho as an Ozeki, yet is the only Ozeki not facing any sekitori in training so far. "What the &^%% is he thinking?? " asked one Oyakata. His heya has no sekitori, but the neighboring Kasugano beya has plenty and saw some guys coming to train. "He was saying publicly that it's too bad there is no degeiko and that he was looking forward to that, yet .. he is a far cry from Takakeishou who is returning from that neck injury and is going all out. It could be that he is used to going all out in training (???) close to the start of a basho and may be thinking it's too early for this kind of effort.. It's a local basho for him and his Oyakata is in charge of it. Many of his fans are expected to show up and root for him. I just hope he doesn't embarrass himself in front of them," added the anonymous Oyakata.