nagora

I don't honestly think either of them are quite ready for the rope yet, even if one of them actually has it.

Abi is a tough opponent. One doesn't simply walk into Komusubi, you know.

Surely the best example is Raiden Tameemon who should have been the first Yokozuna :) Anyway, Hōshōryū has been strong for a good while and this last performance was excellent. 14-3, really. It's not a terrible choice IMO, but I hope he can live up to it. I'm expecting Kotozakura to join him before too long despite his meltdown.

If the event (literally world-wide news already) itself isn't bad enough for sumo, the sight of vultures circulating to settle personal scores will be worse for it. With 1000 rikishi in the system no sane person expects no discipline problems but this stuff is foolish. IMO, unless Hakuhou is shown have been involved, his ability to run the heya generally should be kept separate and he should be left some breathing room to take on board what amounts to a very loud warning shot across his bows.

He has had a very easy "draw" until yesterday. http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi_basho.aspx?r=12664&b=202311 Compared to, for example, Tobizaru's first week where his lowest opponent was M2: http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi_basho.aspx?r=12203&b=202311 I know that's the way it works but it does sometimes seem to give promising middle-rankers a bit of a leg up in the first week.

There's plenty of people who have something wrong with them. Giving them permission to express that wrongness to everyone in the world appears to be the entire purpose of the Internet.

I don't think we need to worry too much about that. It was weak, but I thought Atamifuji's focus was gone before the tachiai. He stumbled while doing his little ritual and seemed thrown off by the fact that an Ozeki wasn't interested in playing along to his tempo. So we reached the destination I expected, we just didn't take the scenic route.

I guess that regularly defeating the current ozeki would be one criterion, although if you're not also hitting the 11 wins average (or similar) maybe it's just a criterion for demoting the ozeki!

Clearly, a "great" ozeki is one that gains the rope. It's hard to see any argument that someone that never makes that promotion is "great" unless perhaps it's due to injury and retirement. A good ozeki is one that is generally losing only (and not always) to higher ranked opponents or the eventual Basho winner. It could certainly be argued that a strong Yokozuna can prevent an otherwise "great" ozeki from getting the final promotion, but history suggests otherwise. But, there is a subjective aspect to "great" in any sport. For some it's a numbers/stats question; for others style is an indispensable aspect and a competitor can rake in the championships and not earn respect, while others with poorer records are admired. I think for most people, there is a sweet-spot where ability and style meet to create a "great". And once comparisons are made between generations - between rikishi who never met - the subjectivity goes off the charts. Who was better? Ali or Tyson?

I agree.

There's been a noticeable tendency to push up on his chin, which I guess is easier because everyone else is starting so far below his chin and of course it makes it hard for him to see what he's doing or reach for the mawashi.

Lot of balance issues today. I'm starting to feel sorry for young Hokuseiho; he just looks gormless out there at the moment, all height and no experience. Abi seem to have completely lost his focus while Tobi seems to have found an intensity that I don't normally associate with him. I'm not saying he has lasers coming out his eyes or anything but he seems to have a bit less of the relaxed attitude. Give him a gold star - oh, that's right, they already did!

And if you want your opponent not to do foot sweeps don't do one yourself first. I've felt many times that Terunofuji's style/stance invites kicks that never come because of respect for him and his injuries. But that's not the game and his ceremony yesterday was very stiff and uncomfortable, so I doubt he would have completed the basho anyway. I don't know about Shodai. Is it possible he has a twin brother somewhere that turns up when the real one is busy doing something else?

That was my view too. Tobi still won the bout, though. I thought he was going to have a heart attack in the post-match interview. He almost looked as wobbly walking in as Teru did. Match of the Basho, I think. It'd certainly be grand if we get something better down the line! "And the crowd goes wild" :D

I guess Shodai has decided that he needs to take a run-up at the rope. A long run-up.