neonbelly

Maybe Nolan Ryan, based on how he dealt with batters charging the mound.

Terunofuji clamping down on the humerus bones never gets old for me.

I think thrusters are strongest when they get to take free shots against an opponent who's struggling for the belt instead of firing back. Terunofuji was being wise rather than a showboat by not going face-first into the E Honda slaps.

It looks terrible!

Ichinojo rediscovers the slapdown and rides it to a 14-1 yusho. His sole loss will be by yorikiri to whomever is the smallest guy in the division right now.

It's surreal seeing him in civvies. It sort of looks like he's already been losing weight. Won't sink in for me until he gets a haircut.

I want to see Ichinojo as one of the oyakatas who slims down to a normal civilian weight.

I'm ok with counting absence win/losses. Sumo is about fighting prowess and physical power, but also about bodily iron. Guys who somehow endure all of the falls and smash-ups to mount the dohyo when their opponents cannot are legitimate winners, in my view. Of course there's luck involved qith who gets the "win" on an absence, but the "loss" is a true loss.

Contrary to some others I prefer a strong yokozuna taking no-drama yushos to an open race nine times out of ten. A wide open race is exciting if someone unexpected is challenging the champ, but that depends on the champ having a track record of domination. Too much parity detracts from the grandeur of the rank and the significance of an upset.

Terunofuji looking large and in charge.

To be an oshi-sumo expert is to be an expert at keeping opponents off the belt. It's a reasonable strategy on Hoshoryu's part to avoid trying to grab while giving Takakeisho free shots, and cut to the chase.

At least we're past that awkward and overlong phase where he said he wouldn't marry his girlfriend until winning a yusho. Nothing but respect for our Mr and Mrs Takayasu.

I should have been more specific in saying he won't get back to what he was. Incidentally 2.5 years with the Ozeki rank is nothing to sneeze at.

I hope Hoshoryu can get some wins to go along with his admirable efforts. I'd hate to see him get a Hokotofuji-esque makekoshi. I think we need to get real about the fact that Takayasu has simply found his level, which is ups and downs at komusubi and sekiwake. No more injury-this, if-only-he-still-had-Kisenosato-that. Even if he somehow made Ozeki he'd never hold it. Ichinojo yusho, he's just conserving himself right now.

I really did not appreciate him, frankly. When people comment on him he comes across like a hapless rikishi who sucks at sumo despite trying. From what I've seen, however, he throws his matches and is basically a parasite on sumo.