Kaikitsune Makoto 210 Posted November 14, 2002 Post-Kaio basho hangover/mourning period is over and sumo commenting feels good again especially since I happen to have a mini-exam tomorrow where rat's intestens, human being's trachea and other lovely images are displayed on the wall and interpretation must be accurate, humble not to mention determined. Radical view of mine which a very small minority will agree with: Akinoshima will go make-koshi despite his 4-1 start. He has many yotsu-men left who outpower him quite easily. Iwakiyama did everything wrong today and got into position without any grip and high centre of gravity. Akinoshima still had problems walking him out. Kotomitsuki and Tosanoumi look rather gingerly now but the biggest questionmark is definitely Wakanosato whose power is a faint shadow of the usual Wakanosato power. There must be something wrong in form of fever, depression, overcondition, some other illness etc. Whatever it might be, it affects his strength in particular. Musoyama's tachi-ai today was perfect. Such tachi-ai every day from now on would take him all the way to yusho. He showed remarkable strength yesterday against Tosano Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hoshifransu 0 Posted November 14, 2002 Tochiazuma had such strong keiko during jungyo and even one week before the basho that it is mysterious why he struggles so badly Is it possible, he got injured a little bit again and he's forced to carry on and not to reveal that because his opponents could use their power against his bad "body zones" ? In fact he has to choice to carry on and to keep hope, otherwise, this is direct-demotion ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Manekineko 200 Posted November 15, 2002 I hope your exam went well, Kai-zeki. I really hope you're wrong about Akinoshima. I find myself liking that ugly faceless bag of jelly more and more with each basho. Ganbare! I wonder what exactly is wrong with Wakanosato, because something obviously is. (May I mention that I chose him as my sekiwake and Kaio as my ozeki in the bench? and yet, do I whine? Yes, of course I do). Man, my back-bench will look really impressive now, with Musa and Kaio, and Sato visiting occasionaly... I wonder, will Sato pull out of this basho? Too bad about Musa's withdrawal, and this also puts a mar on Nami's first (and last?) kinboshi. But Nami is no mean condition this basho. Ganbare! Nami and Akinoshima are the only ones left defending the honor of once great and mighty Futagoyama-beya... So, it's 3 ozeki fighting for the cup. I really can't decide which one is most likely to win, and which I would like to see win. But this is a golden opportunity for all three of them to set up tsuna-hunt in the Hatsu. And if it's Asashoryu who wins it, and then manages another excellent basho in Hatsu, he will probably break some record of fastest-ever, or youngest-ever... I think that's really an exciting probability. I also think he's the most likely candidate among current ozeki to spark new interest and raise sumo popularity, in Mongolia if not in Japan. And that might not be such a bad thing for Ozumo, not at all... Kotooshu is practicaly too big for his weight and wrestling style. He needs to strengthen those long legs of his, and learn some techniques suitable for his height... He might become a new Akebono, Takanonami or Kotonowaka, but he also might injure himself early on and quit - extreme height is not a good thing for a rikishi, why else would Akinoshima's build be considered perfect? Excuse my ramblings, but it's extremely sunny and warm today (25 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hoshifransu 0 Posted November 15, 2002 Well, it's all over. After six days, we're into a very boring basho with no passion. Notice that Chiyotaikai already won that basho. Who can stop him ? Asashoryu, perhaps, but I don't think he's ready to win his first yusho at last before 2003. Musoyama ? No, unfortunately (because I'm a fan). Not a serious pretender. Kotomitsuki with 3 defeats, Tochiazuma with 4 defeats, Wakanosato with 5 ? No. Chiyotaikai already won that basho, like he did two basho ago. He could become a specialist of the weak cheapy basho ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Manekineko 200 Posted November 15, 2002 Isn't it a bit early to write off Asashoryu and Musoyama? Musoyama is in my mind the most reliable of current ozeki, the most stable one (in fact, I bitterly regret not choosing him for my Bench team as I usually do). It's true that his stability meant he gets 'avreage' results of 11-4 say, which is never quite enough to win him the yusho. But who knows? This may be his basho. On the other hand, Asashoryu is growing into a teriffic ozeki! Physicaly small, he's amazingly strong, and he's hungry, hungrier than any other makuuchi rikishi I can think of. Last basho he exhausted himself and still got 10-5 at the end. With the bigger guns absent, he has the golden opportunity of winning his first yusho and maybe challenge for the tsuna in Hatsu. I'm looking forward to seeing his bout with Chiyotaikai! Now that I mentioned that, which two ozeki will be fighting on musubi-no-ichiban at senshuraku (the very last bout of the basho)? If it's two highest ranking ozeki, that means Chiyo and Shoryu will be the ones! A premonition of great rivalry and dawning of Chiyo-Asa era? Â :-) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chiyozakura 163 Posted November 15, 2002 I just had to look this up... :-) Musoyama went 11-4 the last time in July of 1999. Since then he had just three basho better than 10-5, and lucky enough two of them were back to back which made him Ozeki. Still you are right that he has been the most reliable Ozeki since he regained that rank taking 8 to 10 wins every basho. But he was not reliable in that way, that you never knew who he would lose to. I really hope he can be in the yusho hunt this basho, as three Ozeki battling the Yusho out would at least have some relation to a quality basho. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tony 16 Posted November 15, 2002 Musoyama is very regular ( lot of 10-5 and 9-6 ) but he isn't often a yusho's candidate! However, I think that he's in good shape, quick and above all very mighty. So, Musoyama could be join to final title's run! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yubiquitoyama 4 Posted November 15, 2002 Well, I have to go with Manekineko on this one. Mainly, it seems a three-man affair now with Musoyama, Asashoryu and Chiyotaikai battling it out. Although I also favour Chiyotaikai for the yusho, Asashoryu has really looked in top shape, more aggressive and quick than ever, while Musoyama the last few days also has shown a stability in his sumo I haven't seen for a long time. I really doubt it will be dull for a second and I really look forward to see what happens Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Itachi 396 Posted November 15, 2002 I thought I would add my opinions to this discussion. Most of us seem to be in agreement about the 3 ozeki race for the yusho. Some have favoured or disfavoured one or the other as a favorite for various reasons. I think that, while anything is possible (See Takatoriki's yusho), the likely scenarios are few. While I consider Chiyotaikai the favorite due to his consistently strong performances since his last injury, I see a strong possibility that either of the other two could win. Asashoryu is still a bit of an unknown quantity. He has risen very quickly with few and minor setbacks. Who could predict whether or not he will improve his sumo yet another notch and have a stronger tournament than would have been anticipated of him before? So far, he is the leader and he has only the other two strong ozekis to face as serious challenges (I forget, has he faced Kotomitsuki yet?). He could even do a zensho. Then again he could tire and falter as he did last basho - who knows? Musoyama has been an adequate ozeki at best. Since becoming ozeki, he has had more than 10 wins exactly once. He had 12 last year (was it May 2001?). It is a stretch to suggest that he will turn into a yusho candidate suddenly after years of 9,10 win tournaments. On the other hand, if Chiyotaikai is the one he has to get past on the last day, I think he will win because he is strong and mean and he generally dominates Chiyotaikai (ever since their bloody smack fest 3 or 4 years ago). Those are my opinions on the three most likely yusho winners for this tournament. Itachi Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chiyozakura 163 Posted November 16, 2002 Asashoryu still has to face Kotomitsuki who is one of the few rikishi Asashoryu has a losing record against. Should the Ozeki stay in the basho zenshuraku will probably see Chiyotaikai vs Asashoryu and Musoyama vs Tochiazuma. I really like the idea of Chiyotaikai and Asashoryu battling out the yusho in the last match of the basho. Still we have only seen 6 days, and the current leading rikishi have all been seen having weak second weeks so even a rikishi with currently three losses like Kotomitsuki still has a chance at the Yusho. I think Chiyotaikai should get 12 or 13 wins and Musoyama will have less. Then the important factor is Asashoryu. If he can show that sumo for a whole basho the yusho should be his, but so far in his young career he always had some losses in the second week. Of course the top this basho is weaker than last basho, especially if Tochiazuma does not find his form soon. It would really be sad to see him lose his Ozeki rank now. He had to work so hard for it and seems to have the potential to be at least a good Ozeki for several years. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
