May 20, 2023 News and Notes

•  Two follow-ups to the Dodgers post:
• The ACLU is out of the event if the franchise does not reverse course.
• And the Los Angeles LGBT Center has demanded that, should this stand, the entire event be cancelled.  And the door just got opened...   
• The 6th hole at the PGA Championship is the most difficult hole in 30 years of the PGA Championship (as far as hole-by-hole stats go back).  Three-quarters of a shot over par.
• The veterinarian has scratched 5-2 second choice First Mission from Saturday's Preakness Stakes.  Sounds like only seven will run horse racing's second Triple Crown jewel.
• And another horse euthanised on a Triple Crown day -- jockey also hospitalized.
• There is now apparently a second 2022 positive drug test against former world #1 Simona Halep, tennis anti-drug watchdogs are reporting.
• Halfway weekend at the May Sumo Tournament:
• Asanoyama is perfect at 7-0.  The former suspended Ozeki, finally back in the top tournament at Maegashira Rank 14, has run the first seven off the board.  A zensho-yusho (perfect record) could jump him all the way to Komusubi.
• Meisei, at Maegashira 6, is also 7-0.  He zenshos, and that could be all the way through to Sekiwake.
• Ozeki Watch:
• Sekiwake Daiesho is 6-1 in his first Sekiwake tournament since September.
• Sekiwake Hoshoryu is 5-2, two of his wins through forfeit of injured opponents.  Probably cannot naturally gain the Ozeki rank (as he only had 18 wins in the last two tournaments)
• Who largely believed he COULD, with a small tweak, if above results make it necessary, is Sekiwake Kiribayama.  The March tournament champion is 5-2, another five wins and a necessary situation could promote him for July.  But as many wins as he can will make a natural promotion easier if he matches it for September.
• And Sekiwake Wakamotoharu is 6-1.  They'll all face each other in critical matches later in the tournament.
• All eyes are on Ozeki Takakeisho, who, after a major knee injury, sat out the March tournament and went kadoban.  Needing eight wins to retain the full Ozeki rank (and not force an interesting promotion scenario -- as, apparently, there must be two at all times Ozeki and above), he is 5-2.
• And, as with the expectation of the rank, Yokozuna grand champion Terunofuji, several tournaments off with a knee injury of his own, is 7-0.