Couginishiki

Accidental learning is the best. Especially when the accidents are someone else's...

Scary......When I was a little kid I finshed up in a pit with the Racoons at the zoo(I made out I fell but actually I jumped in as part of a childish prank) Should say I was nowhere near the racoons and not in very long either Raccoons are the spawn of Satan. They have a weekly brawl on my roof. They seem to use modified Sumo rules for wins and losses. If one gets thrown one the roof, he loses. They sound worse than cats fighting.

That's one way of looking at it...

You sound bitter and somewhat judgemental towards non-Japanese rikishi, specially a certain muslim one. Maybe you should check your bias at the door. The comment about baldness and age is hilarious, i've met people of all races who go bald at a very early age, japanese included. Who cares anyway, both Endo and Oosunaarashi are fun to watch and clearly "rookies" learning the ropes. I have a bias against brute-force. It is a shame when sumo turns into an athletic spectacle...Like it or not, hair is an important part of sumo culture and the totality of sumo culture is what I am interested in. I couldn't care less about some silly combat spectacle. Should I check my opinion at the door? Are you actually looking for a non-athletic spectacle where hair is vitally important to the culture? You are not looking for sumo. It sounds like a drag show cabaret... I believe sumo is different than the ideals identified. Sumo IS an intensely athletic venture steeped in a mostly functional tradition. The skills are definitely based in form and technique. But form and technique can get a guy only so far. Speed, strength, and most intensely balance. A guy can't rise to the top with out a large measure of physicality and athleticism. You can't tell me that Hakuho, Ama, or even Kotoshogiku got where they are by not being a exquisitely trained and gifted athletes. You can't, attempting to do so would be a disgusting insult to the beauty and culture of this ancient sport. Otherwise Orora would be Y1E. Sumo is not a cake decorating competition. There is room for a wide of variation of style. I see bits of Mongolian wrestling and greek wrestling every day during the basho. I love nearly all of it. Having said that. The kachiage is getting ugly. Occasionally, fine. Daily and consistently used, it seems desperate (and I dig Osunarashi). I'd like to see him back off and work on his repertoire. He got to joi WAY too fast and his skill needs to catch up. He is a decent oshi guy, is getting better on the belt, and is starting to get comfortable on the dohyo. He will never be Kotoshogiku. He would be wise to watch film of Akebono and other physically powerful oshi guys. Use the kachiage 2-4x a basho to keep aite off-guard. His move is either feared or respected and makes his opponents have to plan on dealing with it. I was hoping that it was setting up the Yokozuna bouts for non-kachiage tachiai and would slow down after.

Separated at birth. Raised far apart. The Nakashima boys have a lot in common, a love of sumo and the remarkable ability to type. But for two weeks during every odd month they become clairvoyant and *know* things that others can only speculate on: Hakuho will be in the yusho race this tournament. These revelations are really a curse. A curse only possible by the power of the Nakashima Effect.

中島 Nakashima (center of the island) 籍真 Kazuma (take part in reality). Wishful thinking with Kazuma...

I'd never noticed how beat up Kotoshogiku's ears were. Pretty dysmorphic.

The US state of Wisconsin has an agricultural tradition of dairy farming. The state is known for cheesemaking among other things. Sports teams (specifically those of the Green Bay Packers NFL football team) supporters from Wisconsin show their pride at times by wearing "cheesehats". Packer fans are some of the most loyal to be found often attending games in extremely cold weather.

I'm glad one of then can smile...Shoho looks like he was passing a kidney stone.

It was filmed in 07 and 08. His hatsu dohyo was Hatsu 08.

Nice to see the Oyakata building his heya. And I'll make you an omelette if you come by the house. I made a kalbi beef one last week... Tomorrow it's taco beef and salsa with sour cream.

I LOVE THIS DIAGRAM!

He does OK on the belt. He's definitely not an oshi guy but is an artist with the kubinage... ;)

Meanwhile Kyokutaisei is back in Makushita, on a career high rank. Not bad at all.Amazing feat of this lad, climbing to a new personal high.Even getting close to Juryo after this basho. (Applauding...) Kyokutaisei had been a favorite of mine since the documentary that araibira posted before his account got blasted. I'd like to find ìt again somewhere. "A simple life" iirc.

Meanwhile Kyokutaisei is back in Makushita, on a career high rank. Not bad at all.Amazing feat of this lad, climbing to a new personal high.Even getting close to Juryo after this basho. (Applauding...) Kyokutaisei had been a favorite of mine since the documentary that araibira posted before his account got blasted. I'd like to find ìt again somewhere. "A simple life" iirc.

Too bad they aren't both oshi guys who love the tsuppari. Then it would be a two hou slapfest.

Hey, that isn't a henka... I thought HF could only win via henka... *ducks and runs for cover* HF is one of my favorites...

Osunaarashi just tweeted that he went to the hospital to have the injury checked. He said the muscle is nearly torn through ("cut") and the doctor told him he needs to rest it. He said he is going to gambarize as long as he keeps breathing. He also mentored that the doctor told him he was routing for Endo...

I love Portugal. I spent a month there when I was a kid. People were great, the food was great, and I enjoyed the time I spent there. I have learned a bit of Portuguese cooking just to reminisce. Welcome.

Technically Osunaarashi has already shown more.Oosunaarashi's main technique appears to be a kind of frantic, brute force. Oh come now 3masu- have you actually been watching him in action or have you just been reading the results? His bouts so far were a nice mixture of oshi and mawashi and wiliness and a bit of luck. Nothing frantic, no brutishness- not even an ounce. Power, sure, but if anything, he seems very calm and composed so far.Osunaarashi's sumo could be a bit more internal for my taste. His manner is external in that he uses his formidable strength overtly and discernibly. I'd like to see more lower body sumo from him. His career will last longer, in my opinion. Everything you mention takes time to develop. He has come a looong way in the past 4 basho. The first 5 matches of this one show significant refinement over his makuuchi debut. He still has learning to do, it will come quickly in the upper division. He is showing that the experience he has had is not wasted.

He does have mental disabilities so the rikishi are aware and tolerate his attentions. Since when paraolympics (physically disabled) and mentally disabled became more important than the only samurai left?What a shame... Open mouth, insert foot. Disgusting.

In Germany it is unavailable too. It would be interesting if somebody in Japan at the moment could acquire the app and then try if it works outside of Japan, too.I don't use a smart phone, so I can't try it when I go there in May. And I also don't know if it is possible to fool the Google Play app store like NHK or YouTube and successfully pretend you are a smart phone user (registered?) in Japan. Edit: I forgot that it will be hard to find a mobile that works in both areas If someone can snag the apk or run a Titanium Backup then grab the backup file I will be glad to try it out in the good ol US of A. PM me if you want. I'm running Android with a custom JB rom on my Note 2.

And it was a pretty cool bout as well. Couginishiki

Not to get off topic to far but did anyone else notice the odd lump on Aminishiki's left thumb joint? Kinda looks like bursitis of his radial bursa.

I sure hope Harumafuji is genki come next Sunday. I really enjoy his work (when his head is in the game) despite the occasional hijinx he supplies from time to time.