vpl

Me too; though I don't associate this forum with generally having a good sense of humour... Well for me it is quite the opposite. I associate this forum with a good or at least above average sense of humour. I think here are lots of funny posts and this is one of the reasons i keep reading this forum.

It was Natsu 2007 so only a little more than a year ago.

It would be better if they were more consistent with calling matta. At the moment it seems that the first matta is called quite easily but they are reluctant to call it twice even when the tachi-ai the second time is the same as the first try.

So what would happen in the case when the gyoji raises his gumbai because he thinks one of the rikishi has stepped out and the bout stops but there is a mono-ii and the shimpan determine that the rikishi didn't step out?

In the majority of cases 11 wins have been enough for a sansho in the last few years. So Toyohibiki's chances with a win tomorrow should be pretty high.

How about Toyohibiki with a couple more wins.

Well, obviously not.. Strange dive by Mickey (judging by the feed only). Obviously Kotomitsuki owed Futeno a win too with an even stranger dive on day 9.

O2w Chiyotaikai (3-1) yorikiri S1w Kotoshogiku (1-3) (I am not worthy...) And it was yotsu-zumo from the start, not like some bouts that Chiyotaikai has won with yorikiri where he gets his opponent to the edge with tsuppari and only in the end when opponent is half finished gets into yotsu. I am totally amazed.

I think the yusho equivalent was brought up when talking about Hakuho's promotion probably because there had been a sole yokozuna for a long time. Now we have two yokozuna so the promotion criteria are stricter and i doubt that anything less than 2 consecutive yusho are enough (maybe except losing via kettei-sen next basho and winning the yusho the basho after that).

I think that the henka had definitely an impact on the outcome. So far Hakuho's wins have mostly come by hitting his opponents hard at tachi-ai and bringing them out of balance with that. After that it is not difficult for Hakuho to win. So the advantage that the henka brought for Ama was not giving a good grip, but hindering Hakuho's ability to do his sumo. So it was an exceptional henka, it did not shorten the bout but instead made it last longer. Without it probably hakuho would have won via hatakikomi in 2 seconds.

What are the origins of this [nickname]? My guess would be his big fangs, black cloak and the ability to turn into a bat.

By that standard we have two very weak yokozuna at the moment, the percentage of Hakuho's wins by Yorikiri is even lower than Asashoryu's. And talking about Hakuho, almost 10% of his wins by hatakikomi. (Neener, neener...) Both Asashoryu and Hakuho should be forced to retire. Kisenosato and Kotoshogiku win by right kimarite, they should replace the current Yokozuna.

You mean a great Yokozuna Kyokushuho? B-)

He thinks he can fly.

I kind of disagree with this. In 3 of his first 9 wins the kimarite was hatakikomi and the rest of his wins were also not all very impressive. That is more Hokutoriki like sumo than Yokozuna sumo. My impression is that Hakuho was not at his best the whole basho and he got a good start only because he faced weaker opponents first.