John Gunning 3,037 Posted September 10 This basho preview was filed before the Tamanoi news broke. 1 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jakusotsu 3,435 Posted September 10 36 minutes ago, John Gunning said: This basho preview was filed before the Tamanoi news broke. " Terunofuji’s unexpected championship in the July tournament, saw him promoted all the way up into sumo’s top ten at maegashira 1 east. That has led to a lot of handwringing online, with many fans expressing the view that it’s too big of a jump too soon, and that the resulting tough slate of opponents Terunofuji will face in the upcoming tournament should quickly end any hopes the ex-ozeki has of winning back to back titles and starting a run at his former rank." Strange assessment, since a M1 faces exactly the same high-rankers as a M3 (or even M5 recently), which is where most GTB players have put Terunofuji. Besides, you can't win back to back titles outside of the meat grinder. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John Gunning 3,037 Posted September 11 13 hours ago, Jakusotsu said: Strange assessment, since a M1 faces exactly the same high-rankers as a M3 or even M5 recently Literally my point. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shinobi Steve 65 Posted September 16 Is it all in Asanoyama's head? https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2020/09/16/sumo/ozeki-asanoyama/ 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jakusotsu 3,435 Posted September 16 8 minutes ago, Shinobi Steve said: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2020/09/16/sumo/ozeki-asanoyama/ Excellent! 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amamaniac 1,340 Posted September 23 John weighs in on the impending power vacuum in oozumo's Top Division: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2020/09/23/sumo/sumo-experiencing-extreme-period-parity-final-stages-hakuhos-legendary-reign/ 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yamanashi 1,201 Posted September 23 "even if they take the final step and earn the white rope, we’ll have yokozuna akin to Asahifuji or Kakuryu at best." "Geez, John, Kakuryu's standing right over there ... " 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amamaniac 1,340 Posted September 23 2 hours ago, Yamanashi said: "Geez, John, Kakuryu's standing right over there ... " "Geez, Yamanashi, Asahifuji (Isegahama Oyakata) is sitting right over there..." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yamanashi 1,201 Posted September 24 1 hour ago, Amamaniac said: "Geez, Yamanashi, Asahifuji (Isegahama Oyakata) is sitting right over there..." Yeah, well, he's been out of the rikishi ranks for 30 years (and had the class to retire when he fell ill). Kakuryu, who has finished 8 of his last 20 basho, is allegedly still active; John puts him in a sentence with another ex-Yokozuna, as if it's a "where are they now?" column. Please understand, I have absolutely nothing against John, it just tells you how quickly Kakuryu made it to the past tense. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Seiyashi 408 Posted September 24 3 hours ago, Yamanashi said: Yeah, well, he's been out of the rikishi ranks for 30 years (and had the class to retire when he fell ill). Kakuryu, who has finished 8 of his last 20 basho, is allegedly still active I don't know if having Hakuho around is setting a "bad" example for other yokozuna in terms of absences, because it feels like there's a lot more tolerance for yokozuna absences than there used to be. When Takanohana and Kisenosato are spoken about in terms of record-breaking withdrawals, you've got to wonder what the old thresholds for "compete or retire" were. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jakusotsu 3,435 Posted September 24 16 hours ago, Amamaniac said: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2020/09/23/sumo/sumo-experiencing-extreme-period-parity-final-stages-hakuhos-legendary-reign/ Kotoshoho and Hoshoryu, a pair of 21-year-olds with good sumo genetics . . . Pardon my ignorance: does Kotoshoho have any genetic ties as well, or did you just mistake him for Kotonowaka? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amamaniac 1,340 Posted September 24 10 minutes ago, Jakusotsu said: Pardon my ignorance: does Kotoshoho have any genetic ties as well, or did you just mistake him for Kotonowaka? Are you asking me, or John? That comes straight from John's article. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jakusotsu 3,435 Posted September 24 11 minutes ago, Amamaniac said: Are you asking me, or John? That comes straight from John's article. Of course I'm asking John. I thought that was clear, sorry. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amamaniac 1,340 Posted September 24 Don Orlowitz provides a "photo essay" glimpse at many of the sights and scenes at the KGK amidst the pandemic. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/photo-essay-sumo-basho-coronavirus/ 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
since_94 309 Posted September 25 8 hours ago, Amamaniac said: Don Orlowitz provides a "photo essay" glimpse at many of the sights and scenes at the KGK amidst the pandemic. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/photo-essay-sumo-basho-coronavirus/ Kind of eerie. These are strange times, indeed. The absent Yokozuna and all the other rikishi withdrawals must be compounding what must already be a somewhat diminished experience for those in attendance at the Kokugikan. Three days the fans have even missed seeing Ozeki fight because of fusen. That said, I’d still be there in a heartbeat if I was in Tokyo. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Seiyashi 408 Posted September 25 2 hours ago, since_94 said: Three days the fans have even missed seeing Ozeki fight because of fusen. That said, I’d still be there in a heartbeat if I was in Tokyo. Can empathise. The one day I managed to catch live sumo, Enho won, but all four ozeki were kyujo, and Ichinojo beat Hakuho. Megabummer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gaijingai 492 Posted September 28 https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20200928/p2g/00m/0sp/079000c Shodai Interview 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
code_number3 356 Posted September 30 It’s Wednesday, it’s time for John’s article https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2020/09/30/sumo/jsa-successful-tournament-coronavirus/ 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amamaniac 1,340 Posted October 1 On 25/09/2020 at 10:30, Seiyashi said: The one day I managed to catch live sumo, Enho won, but all four ozeki were kyujo, and Ichinojo beat Hakuho. Megabummer. Day 9 of the 2019 Nagoya Tournament was the day (one of two in his career) that Ichinojo defeated Hakuho and Enho won his bout against Takagenji. The other time Ichonojo upset Hakuho was Day 1 of the 2015 Summer Tournament, ... but Enho had not even started Maezumo yet. My money's on Day 9 of the 2019 Nagoya Tourney... Hope you had decent seats. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Seiyashi 408 Posted October 1 1 hour ago, Amamaniac said: Day 9 of the 2019 Nagoya Tournament was the day (one of two in his career) that Ichinojo defeated Hakuho and Enho won his bout against Takagenji. The other time Ichonojo upset Hakuho was Day 1 of the 2015 Summer Tournament, ... but Enho had not even started Maezumo yet. My money's on Day 9 of the 2019 Nagoya Tourney... Hope you had decent seats. It took three days of waking up at obscene hours to queue for the same day tickets, but yeah. Definitely not an experience I would miss. And Dewanoumi's chanko was good. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gaijingai 492 Posted October 1 https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20201001/p2a/00m/0sp/002000c Kotoshogiku to continue to wrestle, even in Juryo. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gaijingai 492 Posted October 2 https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/backstories/1319/ excellent basho review by Hiro Morita. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shinobi Steve 65 Posted October 8 Sumo fans have plenty to look forward to in coming weeks In the article, John mentioned a throw Ura pulled off at the 2013 World Combat Games. If you'd like to save yourself a few minutes searching, here is the link to the video on Youtube. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John Gunning 3,037 Posted October 14 MBGA - Make Barrier Great Again 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gaijingai 492 Posted October 15 Tobizaru https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/10/346a31a43ca1-sumo-sumos-flying-monkey-ready-to-show-he-is-no-1-hit-wonder.html 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
