Yukiarashi

While I've loved parity there's been the past six years, a lot of the basho are really starting to feel like this the last couple of years. It doesn't feel like anyone is winning some of these basho it feels like someone just doesn't lose it. Natsu 22, Hatsu 23, Aki 23, and this basho are some that I remember feeling particularly sad. Agree about Kotozakura, it almost seems like somethings wrong with him this time though like he would have gone kyujo if he wasn't in yusho contention. I guess you could say it's an Ozeki quality to be "winning ugly" but his last three wins before today should have been losses. Between that and the henka today it's unbelievable he's in the lead right now. I've really felt this for a while, Azumaryu going 9-6 in Makuuchi last January is when I really started noticing this.

What are some of your most random bouts of all time? Random upsets, random torikumi, strange matchups as Sekitori were in the lower divisions, large rank differences, large record differences, and just general matchups within divisions that seem strange at the time or in later years Examples Shotenro 2-13 over Hakuho 14-1-D 2009 Tochinoshin 11-3 vs. lower ranked Toyohibiki 4-10 2017 Orora over Hakuho 2001 1-13 M14 Hochiyama 1-13 M1 Kyokutenho July 2012 Kisenosato 11-0 vs. Terunofuji 2-9 May 2016-I hope someone can think of a better one than this Tochinoshin vs. Yoshiazuma Makuuchi November 2012, Tochinoshin vs. Tsurugidake November 2011 Makuuchi

Even harder to swallow is the fact Wakakirin was dismissed before the March Basho and the Juryo 1 West slot was left blank. He was Ms1e with 69 of 70 possible sekitori spots filled. Poor guy.

I think we can all agree on something though. This is could end up being a very sad situation for everyone involved. Who knows if Asanoyama will ever win a Yusho again? We don't even know if he'll hang on for this one. But if he doesn't win by two wins clear of everyone else, his championship will always have an asterisk and be considered impure to most. Tochinoshin could very reasonably end up at 9-6 with his remaining schedule. He already seemed to start crumbling being blasted out by Meisei of all people yesterday, and now today's situation has to be heartbreaking. He was already disappointed enough with having less than a year long Ozeki reign, but now he started this basho 9-1, one win from safety, and loses to three straight mid-Hiramaku rikishi. He has career losing records to all his likely remaining opponents. Today he most likely lost to one of the worst calls in sumo history or a likely misjudgment of his feet that caused what could have been construed as the lightest step on sand in human history. He's 32 and has had career injury problems, this might be his last gasp for Ozeki return with his luck. But it's not limited to these two, Tamawashi, Goeido, Meisei win the Yusho? Unless Tochi tragically goes 9-6 these four will all have a potential Yusho in a playoff that should have included Tochinoshin. Asanoyama winning by a 13-2 score and Tochinoshin finishing exactly 10-5 or Tochinoshin winning a 11-4 playoff is the best outcomes we can salvage from this mess. Edit: Kakuryu winning outright with a 12-3 wouldn't feel tainted.

This was the picture. I don't think I've ever seen something as close as this was. I fault the judges for the sloppiness of the decision making, but at the same time it's impossible to know for sure he's not out here.

The videos and pictures in the tachiai post are the best angles I've seen. It can't get closer than that. This just sounds ridiculous though how the decision was made.

It's a very faint darker spot. It might be a shadow as others have noted but it is circular and lighter than other shadows. Still very far from conclusive even if it wasn't a shadow. If you follow the brown dirt strip closest to the bales within the red circle there's a slightly darker shade of sand.. I don't know. Given some of the pictures I am amazed Tochi's foot didn't appear to hit the ground given how close it was, but at the same time there hasn't been any proof of his foot touching the outside. (Not very helpful, I know.) I think even a hansoku hairpull call might have been less controversial.

I thought Tochinoshin may have been screwed too, but after looking at this picture there is a mark on the outside of the ring approximately two inches from the bottom tip of his sagari to the left. It does look farther over from where his heel was in picture one, but judging by the dirt in the corner of the dohyo it is a slightly different angle. Edit: Apologies for making this post sound conclusive, far from it in fact, but I'm still not 100% sure Tochi never touched out.

Myogiryu M15w (6-9) >>>> M16e!!!! Are you kidding me??!! I also had Kotoeko moving up, and as a fan of his it's very frustrating to see all these very demotable records from bottom Makuuchi be kept over someone who beat two of the three rikishi from Juryo with the most promotable records last basho. This is why I believed it was possible they could keep Tamawashi in Sanyaku for Haru, less and less punishment for demotable records lately and good efforts being passed over that could be very reasonable over-promotions.

There's also mid-basho Kyujo-Intai palindromes. Say a rikishi goes 2-7, kyujo for three days and intais during the basho with a 2-8-2 record. It's possible to only be an active rikishi 12 days in a 15 day basho to get there, though it's a lot more rare.

Okay, now I am beyond confused...

Well he's going to have a slight advantage.

This story just shows what I HATE about western media. I haven't seen this story yet personally in US articles, but it sounds like there's some out there. People over here don't give a rat's a** about sumo. This country laughs at rikishi for their bodies, their attire, stereotypes it, and the traditions and general. They make fun of their weight and appearance, the mawashis, the tradition, and the general image is just of two naked sweaty fat men rolling around on each other with "Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting" playing in the background. The ONLY time anyone even cares about sumo is when there's a scandal. There is no acknowledgement of Hakuho or anyone else whatsoever over here. There was a time with some ESPN article I saw on here a while back of the most dominant athletes in the world where bronze metal winners from the Blind Austrian Men's Skiing Championships would get a mention before anyone in sumo. Yet somehow everyone knows about the scandal ridden recent history of sumo. What hypocrites. A DUI or worse over here is as common as a matta in sumo. I'm just so tired of hearing the American or in other cases, any sort of news jump all over anything that happens in sumo. Every story on sumo begins with, "This is another black mark on the scandal filled world of sumo, including match-fixing, gambling, and assault." I myself think it's beyond fundamentally wrong women are treated impure to the dohyo, and I think about everyone in sumo doesn't think they are impure either, but it's the religious ceremonies of a different country, why is anyone getting involved that wouldn't usually give anything close to a care about sumo. Oh yeah, there's news in America, GREAT, another time for the convenient news magazines to "care" about sumo.

Congratulations Kakuryu!!! I always believed he wasn't done yet and has a very respectable 4 yushos now! So great to see him do better than ever and the top Yokozuna the last couple of basho after all those injuries, especially as I always thought of him as the best mannered Yokozuna of the current era. The yusho deciding bout wasn't much to speak of but what a day of bouts! Three or four incredible escapes from defeat today. Takayasu-Mitakeumi was incredible! Mitakeumi threw the kitchen sink, the dishwasher, the refrigerator, and half the neighbor's kitchen aswell at Takayasu yet somehow he falls to his first MK since Kyushu 2016! How did Takayasu escape that!? I guess his round build works well for spinning around on people too. What a bout! Sad to see Chiyomaru fall to MK as much as he deserved to have a good record, but glad for Tochinoshin getting another win toward an Ozeki run. Yoshikaze starts winning against higher ranked competition, shouldn't have expected anything less. Didn't think I'd see a mawashi battle with these two. Another good escape. Well I guess that answers the question if Ichinojo has shut 'er down for the basho. Shohozan-Tamawashi was another fantastic bout of escapes. How do these guys win some of these? Shohozan has had so much effort this time! Endo-Hokutofuji was another exciting one lost in an entire day of great bouts. Arawashi-Ryuden was another escape bout. Arawashi just didn't have a final push and Ryuden survived a tawara-tightrope a few times. Another great bout. Ooh I detected some ruffled feathers with Kotoshogiku losing to Abi there. I guess henkas are a sore subject with Kotoshogiku, especially in Osaka, on day 14. I loved seeing Kaisei and Tamawashi interact with fans a bit after their bouts. You can tell they're some of the friendliest guys. Chiyonokuni-Daieisho was also pretty hectic. Great comeback by Chiyoshoma, 1-5 to 8-6. Yutakayama 10-4! Ahoy! Captain Ikioi the Pirate (Band-Aid looked like an eyepatch) blasts the cannon and improves to 11-3! What a last day in Juryo we'll have! Three guys tied for the lead at 10-4 and I don't think anyone thought Kotoeko or Akiseyama would be two of them. Tomorrow still looks to be entertaining, Takayasu vs. Kakuryu should be a great bout, I think if Takayasu wins he could be on a potential tsuna-run next basho. If he loses then no. Ichinojo-Tochinoshin is always entertaining, Tochinoshin getting 10 wins I think would get him a for sure Ozeki run for Natsu. Kaisei-Ikioi is a great bout I didn't realize hadn't happened yet, both deserve a jun-yusho share (or whole) sad only one can get it though. Could Aminishiki shock everyone and get promoted BACK to Makuuchi? It's definitely flown under the radar, but I think that's an exchange bout tomorrow with Myogiryu.

The only thing that can knock back Takayasu's bowling ball is the bowling ball himself! That was quite humorous as Takayasu knocks people back on the tachiai everyday doing that but was blown back by pure belly today and lost. Who would have ever predicted Chiyomaru sweeping the Ozeki before the basho?! And Tochinoshin injects some excitement back in the basho! I wouldn't have had a problem with Kakuryu zenshoing but this can really open up the field. Kaisei has never beaten a Yokozuna but tomorrow he has the chance to both get his first kinboshi and tie for the lead with two days left. What an exciting basho! Really some surprise and great performances all around.

I know I have joked about it a few times now, but for me the story of the basho with all that's gone on so far has to be the 32-year old soggy Akiseyama arisen from the dead and is temporarily leading Juryo at 9-3. He got a lot of banzuke luck in his promotion, but today's comeback victory against a KK seeking Daishoho really surprised me. This right in the same area as returning Makuuchi mainstay Takanoiwa is deeply struggling at 5-7 too. I would love to see him get the yusho, as he had an ugly 1-14 exit to the division when he was last ranked here nearly two years ago!

I think he can only be removed for being injured, otherwise he'll stay stagnant at the bottom of Jonokuchi.

Kakuryu continues to be impressive. I think a zensho is really possible, but he still has Takayasu and Tochinoshin yet. Takayasu's bowling ball worked against Tochinoshin as his midsection is really the only area Tochinoshin lacks size in. I guess I have to give him some credit now with nine straight wins, but he still hasn't been overly impressive nearly losing today again. How impressive has Chiyomaru been? We don't give him much credit as he looks like a giant globe needing continents printed on his belly, but he was incredibly impressive on the mawashi beating Mitakeumi. Definitely a strange career surge, even more so with his alternative physique, but I'm enjoying it and have become a big fan. What has happened to Mitakeumi though? 5-6 and 6-13 since day 8 Hatsu. Chiyotairyu with his pink mawashi looked like a 190kg salmon flopping down today. Fitting that Kaisei's career basho comes with a fusen victory Yoshikaze 3-8. I think he may come back strong in the next bashos, but his performance has been very sad this basho. Incredible KK by an injured Ikioi on day 11 too, Yutakayama also very impressive day 11 KK How many henkas for Ishiura now? Kotoyuki rolls vertically as well as he does horizontally. DAISHOMARU DAY 11 KK! 8-3! THE DAI-NASTY is starting!!! <<How is he not mentioned as most adorable rikishi? Cool win by Kyokutaisei, almost there! What on earth is wrong with Takanoiwa? 5-6 at J12? Didn't the injury report say he'd be ready for Kyushu?

Akiseyama has achieved a day 11 KK in Juryo..

Takaseiryu? I suppose he'll look far less damaged than Yoshikaze most the time.

Yeah I see now, the original reports seemed way worse.

This is what I was going from, I guess it sounds worse than it might actually be I suppose.

Because his face has been deformed, wouldn't be an investigative kyujo more than an injury. Not too familiar with ichimon connections but Sakaigawa was who admonished him so thought maybe there was connection. Plus I heard it was a Jonidan rikishi somewhere too, I guess we'll be on the hunt for purple-faced beaten rikishi the next couple of days.

Jd27 Amamisho was kyujo yesterday from Sakaigawa any chance it was him? He won on day 8, though I didn't see his match.

Funny from Kakuryu after that bout. He knew he was lucky but he again won another close bout. I feel a loss coming though any day now. I'm glad as I think he's gained a lot of respect fighting the last two tournaments with the other two/three Yokozunas out. The 10-0 start after a near three-basho absence with Intai lingering in Hatsu and now a 9-0 start with injuries this time has been so great to watch and adds to why he's such an underrated Yokozuna. Takayasu is 7-2. He's winning, not much else to say... Is Chiyotairyu's average bout length like under three seconds this basho? Every match he either gets up and falls over or is pushed right out... I love his new mawashi though. Just as Goeido looks like he's getting back into it he loses to the Spherical One in his first bout against anyone in Sanyaku. Credit to Chiyomaru though, he looked good in his first Sanyaku bout. Mitakeumi down to 5-4 now losing to Kotoshogiku. Kotoshogiku still haves great fighting spirit even at 3-6 no wonder he's still sticking around, Mitakeumi is the most inconsistent consistent rikishi. He's so incredibly inconsistent that he always ends up at 8-9 wins. Something forgotten is Tochinoshin is 7-2 and is still in the yusho race and on track towards Ozeki. He's lost twice, but all his wins are right with where they were last basho. Ichinojo-Takakeisho looked like a drunken brawl where someone wants you to fight them even though they have a several bottle disadvantage. I hope Kaisei wins the yusho. He's probably the guy behind Tochinoshin everyone would love to see win. He looked almost unmovable today against Ryuden who I thought could surprise him. Yutakayama has been impressive this time. 6-3 and looks like he's become a Makuuchi mainstay. I think Ishiura actually faked a matta. Ikioi being 7-2 is incredible in his condition, even if it's the bottom of Makuuchi. The margin between mid and bottom Makuuchi is not as big as everyone thinks. Kotoyuki is now the only winless rikishi in Makuuchi. Even after injury; usually he gets injured and gets 3-5 wins it seems, not this time. He hasn't looked hopeless either though, something that shows how good the bottom of the division is. Good to see Aminishiki win! I think he's still going to hang around a bit longer, he's not done yet. Who knew Takekaze handling Terunofuji would become a bi-monthly occurrence? Terunofuji has looked a fair bit better this time but he still looks very sad in a lot of his bouts, good to see him try so hard though. Takanosho continues to be impressive at 7-2 at a new high rank! Some of these guys take so long in Makushita and then fly through Juryo, he looks to be one of them. Kotoeko looks very good too at 7-2 hope he can reach Makuuchi! Good to see Hakuyozan finally reach Juryo! Can't believe how much Asahisho's declined, finally won today Chiyootori 2-3 at Ms49!!!