Tigerboy1966

Don't be so pessimistic. Mitakeumi or Abi might go 15-0 in November.

Exactly. Takakeisho isn't going to be sent out to fight three times in the next 2 days.

My makuuchi only tally is: 45 Abi, Mitakeumi 44 Asanoyama 43 Goeido 42 Endo 41 Kakuryu, Hokutofuji, Meisei 40 Tamawashi, Takarfuji Abi is the only wrestler with 5/5 kk in the top division.

When Shodai stands up straight and tilts his head back (as is his wont) he might as well have a sign round his neck saying "please insert nodowa here".

There seemed quite a time gap between Endo's nearest point of heel contact and the judge raising his hand. Looks like a bad call to me.

There are only three individual's in the world who thought that Tsurugisho would be tying for the lead going into day 14, and they are Tsurugisho, his mum and his pet cat Reo. The rest of the world (well, me anyway) assumed that a 28-year-old who had been in juryo since the late 18th century was having a cup of coffee in makuuchi- "Put it on your resume, it'll look good when you go for that coaching job".

And at last, some proper sumo. Thanks to Endo & Kotoshogiku.

This is the same Kotoshogiku I confidently predicted would retire after Nagoya 2017. And Aki 2018.

Aki basho in September 2017. Harumafuji beat Goeido.after they both finished on 11-4.

The world's oldest-looking 29 year old will be back in makushita next basho. His chances of taking the sandanme yusho have evaporated as he has been paired with Chiyonnokuni tomorrow. He DID beat Chiyonokuni last time they met... but that was in 2008.

So Azumaryu just put his knee on the clay out of charity? I suppose the winning technique 7-ball corner pocket ruy lopez three-pointer bases loaded homer up-and-under leg before wicket elfmeter 7-10 split (in kanji).

Goeido reminds me of Stephen Leacock's Lord Ronald who "flung himself from the room, flung himself upon his horse and rode madly off in all directions". I haven't got a clue what Goeido is trying to do, but he does a lot of it very quickly, and it seems to work.

Still a bit miffed about the Enho v Azumaryu match. Look Enho has done this thing before: keep your knees bent and your butt off the floor and hang on to the bigger man as he comes down on top. There's a pretty good chance he will put a hand or knee down first. It was exactly what Enho was looking to achieve at that point in the fight and he damn well got it. Shini-tai should not apply when the "dead" man is trying to execute a winning move. But then again, I don't understand shini-tai. No-one does.

Does this help explain why Kakuryu didn't seem to be quite there in this basho? It must also have been tough for Terao to do the color commentary for Abema today.

Meisei's whole career has been "two steps forward, one step back". He fails, he learns, he comes back better.