Asashoryu vs Hakuho day 14 not senshuraku?

[Asa Naku Inu 0]

The yokozuna will face Hakuho on day 14, not on senshuraku.

Does anyone else find this to be a rather anticlimactic surprise?

I was really looking forward to seeing that match on Sunday.

Not to mention the possibility of a three way playoff with TochiO3, but this could still happen (fingers crossed).

[Ganzohnesushi 546]

The yokozuna will face Hakuho on day 14, not on senshuraku.

Does anyone else find this to be a rather anticlimactic surprise?

No surprise at all, that's business as usual. As always the highest two ranked Rikishi will have the last bout on Senshuraku and this time it is Asashoruy vs. Chiyotaikai.

Ganzohnesushi

[paolo 0]

It is really unbelievable... You are the managers of a sport with problems of spectators, media attention and attendance; for the first time since months you have an opportunity too keep the suspence high till the very last bout of the last day, without affecting anybody since all other guys have no more chances to win. And what do you do ? You schedule the deciding match on the last but one day, running the risk that the last day is completely useless !!! Somebody calls this "business as usual" !!! Then what do sumo managers complain about ?? This is suicide !! I can' t believe my eyes !!!

[Jesinofuji 11]

They want to sell tickets, and get viewers tuned in. By facing Hakuho on day 14, if Asashoryu wins, then there could be a ketteisen on Sunday. Brings fans in on both days, not just one.

Edited March 23, 2007 by Jesinofuji

[Kintamayama 47,194]

I don't get it. There was a holiday on Wednesday. Why couldn't they start the day at 10 am, reaching the important bouts around 7:30 in the evening? I'm sure many, many more people would have tuned in to watch. I don't get this.

[Afrozuna 8]

They want to sell tickets, and get viewers tuned in. By facing Hakuho on day 14, if Asashoryu wins, then there could be a ketteisen on Sunday. Brings fans in on both days, not just one.

Yes this was very smart of the promoters. If Asa wins then we'll have a hell of a Day 15. If Tochiozan is till in the mix it could be the most exciting final day since the Ake-Taka-Waka days. I was really hoping Chiyotaikai would step it up this basho but I guess it is hard to win a basho depending largely on Oshi, not against the likes of Hakuho and Asa anyway. I guess Chiyo will never make Yokozuna

[Jakusotsu 6,390]

Yes this was very smart of the promoters.

Stop killing me already!

[aderechelsea 125]

Yes this was very smart of the promoters.

Stop killing me already!

is this worse that the "i guessChiyo will never make it to Yokozuna"?

[Peterao 3]

Well, there are worse bets you can make than betting the farm on Asashoryu beating Hakuho on Day 14. But I still think that it is Marketing 101 to save your most lucrative matchup for the final day.

I wonder if premature ejaculation is a problem in the torikumi makers personal lives as well...

[Asashosakari 20,225]

This bout day was practically decided before the basho. what's all the fuss?

Some people can't help but look for the double-secret hidden meaning in everything.

[Frinkanohana 13]

This bout day was practically decided before the basho. what's all the fuss?

Well, in the Kyushu Basho 2003 Asashoryu had to face the highest ranking opponent (Chiyotaikai) on day 14 (not 15) and the second highest opponent (Tochiazuma) on day 15 (not 14). They probably did this because Tochiazuma was a serious yusho-contender, while Chiyotakai was not. So they could have done the same this basho, and schedule the Asashoryu-Hakuho bout for senshuraku.

The fuss is that they didn't do it, although they could have done otherwise.

[aderechelsea 125]

They probably did this because Tochiazuma was a serious yusho-contender

Probably? I dunno. Doesn't sound like the kyokai I know and love. Could there have been some other reason?

might help

but then again maybe not .... (Nodding yes...)

[Jakusotsu 6,390]

Just like Doitsuyama pointed out somewhere else: even if they did swap the schedule, the yusho could still be decided tomorrow, so what's the fuss indeed?

[Doitsuyama 1,259]

They probably did this because Tochiazuma was a serious yusho-contender

Probably? I dunno. Doesn't sound like the kyokai I know and love. Could there have been some other reason?

Well, there is a difference to this basho. In Kyushu 2003 Asashoryu and Tochiazuma were 11-2 after day 13, so there was no chance to have an anticlimactic top bout on senshuraku with the yusho already decided on day 14 (like there is this basho, in theory at least). No real reason, but at least the situation isn't all the same.

Edited March 23, 2007 by Doitsuyama

[21Grams 0]

I don't get it. There was a holiday on Wednesday. Why couldn't they start the day at 10 am, reaching the important bouts around 7:30 in the evening? I'm sure many, many more people would have tuned in to watch. I don't get this.

Old man is so funny. (Neener, neener...)

[Kintamayama 47,194]

I don't get it. There was a holiday on Wednesday. Why couldn't they start the day at 10 am, reaching the important bouts around 7:30 in the evening? I'm sure many, many more people would have tuned in to watch. I don't get this.

Old man is so funny. (Neener, neener...)

Why? Is it not possible? It has been done before. Why not this time?

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

Could you tell us about when it was done before Kinta-san? I have a vague & fuzzy recollection of something like that...

[Asa Naku Inu 0]

Oh, I guess that I had not ever realized that the 2 highest ranked were almost always the last match.

It must be my western ideals making me always want to keep the suspense until the last possible moment.

Jesinofuji makes a great point. If Asa wins on day 14, it could spread the excitement out for the second day.

That's a good thing.

However, I'm still disappointed, because I just watched the matches and saw TochiO3 lose to Roho.

There goes my dream of a three way playoff.

Thanks for explaining things for me.

[Peterao 3]

However, I'm still disappointed, because I just watched the matches and saw TochiO3 lose to Roho.

There goes my dream of a three way playoff.

The dream is still alive, provided Tochiozan and Asashoryu both win today.

[Peterao 3]

I don't get it. There was a holiday on Wednesday. Why couldn't they start the day at 10 am, reaching the important bouts around 7:30 in the evening? I'm sure many, many more people would have tuned in to watch. I don't get this.

Old man is so funny. (Showing respect...)

Why? Is it not possible? It has been done before. Why not this time?

Because they only rented the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium until 6:30pm. Gotta clear out to make way for a high school women's volleyball game starting at 7.

[Kintamayama 47,194]

I don't get it. There was a holiday on Wednesday. Why couldn't they start the day at 10 am, reaching the important bouts around 7:30 in the evening? I'm sure many, many more people would have tuned in to watch. I don't get this.

Old man is so funny. (Laughing...)

Why? Is it not possible? It has been done before. Why not this time?

Because they only rented the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium until 6:30pm. Gotta clear out to make way for a high school women's volleyball game starting at 7.

Thank you for the clarification. (Showing respect...)

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

Wait a minute...this isn't the Kokugikan. There's no way to move the dohyo with a magic moving floor like in Tokyo! I assume the scaffolding used for the masu seki may be a bearcat to move too.

Edited March 24, 2007 by Otokonoyama

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

(Kimura Zatoichi...) No shit? (In jonokuchi...)

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

Hakuho has become "Ryu-like", in that he doesn't often botch up two bouts in a row. Osh has shown very inconsistent sumo this tournament. He is equally likey to fall to Hakuho as Taikai is to Shoryu. We will have a kettei-sen to end this basho!

[Shibouyama 1]

Speaking of keeping the suspense til the last match, the Juryo yusho will be decided in match #10 of 16 in Juryo tomorrow.

The last 6 are like the cuddling after sex. Everything important has already happened.

I don't know what the norm is, but I think there is a point to be made for keeping the most consequential (in terms of the yusho) bouts for the end.