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Top 10 Rikishi to Challenge Hakuho?

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If it is to be the Kyushu basho when he next loses, then the kabuki factor says..... Kaio (Singing drunk...)

Edited by Jejima

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If it is to be the Kyushu basho when he next loses, then the kabuki factor says..... Kaio (Singing drunk...)

That same thought had occurred to me too ........ but it wouldn't really happen, would it?

Getayukata

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In a featured bout at Chiyotaikai's dampatsushiki, Hakuho lost to Harumafuji by yorikiri. Afterward, the yokozuna said with a wink, "I guess I couldn't make it 63 in a row."

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I see myself compelled to agree with the German speakers here. Harumafuji to end the streak, and only after the record has been shattered. As for long term... Hak's rival is prolly somewhere in makushita or lower (Kyokushuho?).

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Hak's rival is prolly somewhere in makushita or lower (Kyokushuho?).

I wouldn't exclude that Kyokushuho might become a solid Sekitori one day, but due to his longer stint in Makushita he surely does not look like a future Yokozuna rival. I guess the data gurus can elaborate on this a bit more specifically.

Baruto is the one to stop Hak's winning streak BTW (I'm still hesitant to jump on the non-existing 03-Superstar-bandwagon).

Edited by Raishu

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I saw Kyokushuho in asa-geiko. He's definitely sekitori material. His long stint in makushita was mostly due to injury, I think. I wouldn't be surprised if he made makuuchi within a year.

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Stop Hakuho's streak by use of a henka. The zabutons will be flying but they'll probably be aimed at the "winning" rikishi's head. Actually, I doubt if anyone will want to try it in this situation because of two reasons. First, it would be considered as nothing more than an attempt to achieve instant fame using an extremely cowardly tactic. Second, it probably would never work because I'm sure a henka is the very first thing Hakuho is looking for.

If Hakuho were a hard charging oshi-zumo yokozuna like Akebono, I could see it. But he's a top-grade yotsu-zumo rikishi with a yokozuna's powerful yet "receiving" tachiai. Doing a henka just seems like a good way to give him an easy win.

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I saw Kyokushuho in asa-geiko. He's definitely sekitori material. His long stint in makushita was mostly due to injury, I think. I wouldn't be surprised if he made makuuchi within a year.

He must have improved a lot this year. He looked like a guy who belonged in mid-makushita at asageiko in January.

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Well, I'm not sure it's a good yardstick, but he definitely mopped the floor with everyone on THAT particular day, including Kyokunankai (not saying much, I know). He looks like he gained some weight, too, and he's nice and muscular.

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Just an aside for all of those "if only Asa were still here" fans out there, and don't get me wrong I was a devout Asa supporter also but I'm also a realist and a dvout Hakuho supporter. The last time Asa beat Hakuho in a regulation match, and they're the only ones that count in this streak, was May of 2008. Let me repeat May of 2008. If he hadn't beat him in regulation from May of 2008 through January of 2009 when he retired, then why should we think he would have done it in the last 4 basho? I agree with Asashosakari what would have been sad, if Asa was still around, would be the frustration that not even another Yokozuna would have put a stop to this streak. I further agree that the streak will probably not go very far beyond the 70 mark. Once the pressure of that is off there is bound to be room for a little slippage.

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Just an aside for all of those "if only Asa were still here" fans out there, and don't get me wrong I was a devout Asa supporter also but I'm also a realist and a dvout Hakuho supporter. The last time Asa beat Hakuho in a regulation match, and they're the only ones that count in this streak, was May of 2008. Let me repeat May of 2008.

I agree this is true, but if Asa beat him in even one playoff during the streak, (which he did twice in the period you mention) the record would have be stained...

I tend to agree this streak would not have happened if Asa were around. (And I'm a Hakuho fan as well..)

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Just an aside for all of those "if only Asa were still here" fans out there, and don't get me wrong I was a devout Asa supporter also but I'm also a realist and a dvout Hakuho supporter. The last time Asa beat Hakuho in a regulation match, and they're the only ones that count in this streak, was May of 2008. Let me repeat May of 2008.

I agree this is true, but if Asa beat him in even one playoff during the streak, (which he did twice in the period you mention) the record would have be stained...

I tend to agree this streak would not have happened if Asa were around. (And I'm a Hakuho fan as well..)

Now how could there have been a playoff then with Hakuho's streaking at 15-0 and Asa losing the regular bout between them?

But yes: there would be no record-breaking basho now with Asa still around IMO...

Edited by Flohru

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Just an aside for all of those "if only Asa were still here" fans out there, and don't get me wrong I was a devout Asa supporter also but I'm also a realist and a dvout Hakuho supporter. The last time Asa beat Hakuho in a regulation match, and they're the only ones that count in this streak, was May of 2008. Let me repeat May of 2008.

I agree this is true, but if Asa beat him in even one playoff during the streak, (which he did twice in the period you mention) the record would have be stained...

I tend to agree this streak would not have happened if Asa were around. (And I'm a Hakuho fan as well..)

Now how could there have been a playoff then with Hakuho's streaking at 15-0 and Asa losing the regular bout between them?

But yes: there would be no record-breaking basho now with Asa still around IMO...

The streak doesn't have to begin with a 15-0. This one began with a 12-3.

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Just an aside for all of those "if only Asa were still here" fans out there, and don't get me wrong I was a devout Asa supporter also but I'm also a realist and a dvout Hakuho supporter. The last time Asa beat Hakuho in a regulation match, and they're the only ones that count in this streak, was May of 2008. Let me repeat May of 2008.

I agree this is true, but if Asa beat him in even one playoff during the streak, (which he did twice in the period you mention) the record would have be stained...

I tend to agree this streak would not have happened if Asa were around. (And I'm a Hakuho fan as well..)

Now how could there have been a playoff then with Hakuho's streaking at 15-0 and Asa losing the regular bout between them?

But yes: there would be no record-breaking basho now with Asa still around IMO...

The streak doesn't have to begin with a 15-0. This one began with a 12-3.

Well of course the streak doesn't have to begin with a 15-0, but there need to be a lot of 15-0s in order to have a streak like that. And during a streak like that there can't be any playoff bouts between two yokozuna, right? So there is no way that Asa could have stopped Hakuho's streak because of another playoff win against him.

Still, as mentioned, I'm fairly sure that there would be no record with Asa still around. The fact that Asa beat Hakuho in two playoff bouts at a time when his strength was already declining for various reason, just shows that he was still able to win against Hak from time to time when it really counted - and be sure, it would have counted for Asa not to be the other yokozuna that couldn't stop a record winning streak...

Edited by Flohru

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Ashikawazu said that if Asa had beaten Hakuho in even one playoff during the streak, the record would have been stained. You asked how that could happen. I just pointed out that it could happen, during the first tournament in which the streak began. This is exactly what happened on one of Hakuho's previous streaks, when he went on a 33 bout winning run between March and May 2009, which included a playoff defeat at the end of the March tournament. I agree with Ashikawazu that in those circumstances, the run is somewhat devalued.

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Ashikawazu said that if Asa had beaten Hakuho in even one playoff during the streak, the record would have been stained. You asked how that could happen. I just pointed out that it could happen, during the first tournament in which the streak began. This is exactly what happened on one of Hakuho's previous streaks, when he went on a 33 bout winning run between March and May 2009, which included a playoff defeat at the end of the March tournament. I agree with Ashikawazu that in those circumstances, the run is somewhat devalued.

Right, but do you really think that would have made a big difference in the case of a win streak like that? I mean even if Hakuho had lost a playoff bout against Asa or somebody else during the first basho after, say, 5 regular wins at the end, then going on to win 60+-bouts after that playoff loss, there is a fair chance that he simply would win some more to get a "clean" winning record, especially with apparently nobody around being able to beat him in a regular bout.

Well, I'm talking as if there is no doubt that Hakuho will get that 70th win (which he will, of course), so it's time the basho finally starts. :)

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Ashikawazu said that if Asa had beaten Hakuho in even one playoff during the streak, the record would have been stained. You asked how that could happen. I just pointed out that it could happen, during the first tournament in which the streak began. This is exactly what happened on one of Hakuho's previous streaks, when he went on a 33 bout winning run between March and May 2009, which included a playoff defeat at the end of the March tournament. I agree with Ashikawazu that in those circumstances, the run is somewhat devalued.

Right, but do you really think that would have made a big difference in the case of a win streak like that? I mean even if Hakuho had lost a playoff bout against Asa or somebody else during the first basho after, say, 5 regular wins at the end, then going on to win 60+-bouts after that playoff loss, there is a fair chance that he simply would win some more to get a "clean" winning record, especially with apparently nobody around being able to beat him in a regular bout.

Well, I'm talking as if there is no doubt that Hakuho will get that 70th win (which he will, of course), so it's time the basho finally starts. :)

It would make a difference to me (for one) if he had lost a play-off bout as part of 'the streak' (i.e. 'tainted'), in the same way that if he had won an 'extra' bout through a play-off, I would be mentally counting the 'streak' to be one more than what is official....

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well - here are my five cents of wisdom....

Hakuho deserves his glory and his winning streak, he's a country mile better than anyone else.

but he's human (well, I hope he is)

so, he's not infallible..

someone, someday will beat him !

....and for me, the sooner the better.

Coz if a sport becomes too predictable, then it's less interesting than before.

So, who will beat him ?? No idea, I guess it will be rather an unconcentrated moment on Hakuho's side, than a strong effort from an opponent. Therefore only a surprising move can do it.

Maybe a henka.... but a drastic one and not from a typical henkaboy like Hakuba or Aran.

Maybe Tochinoshin could do it. Or Kokkai. Or Tokusegawa.

I doubt that it will be a Japanese, because such a move would be considered coward in the press.

Should it be, though ??

First of all, the media & the fans shouldn't treat Japanese rikishi different from foreigners.

We love the same sports, we learn the same techniques, we eat the same food & breath the same air.

We live on the same planet. (My daughter is half-Japanese and NO-ONE should ever call her "Gaijin")

A henka is a technique, that should not be used often. Maybe once in a basho at maximum.

But if your opponent is sooo much stronger and you don't have the slightest chance in a normal tachiai.

Why not.... ? and that's my own, purely subjective opinion.

To make it work, it should be a total surprise, probably the first time to try it against one opponent and

it should be followed by a few quick, powerful tsupparis, while the henka'd guy is still off balance.

So if, and that's a big IF, it works and a stunned Hakuho has finally touched the dirt,

should we, should the Nihon Sumo Kyokai and should the crowd crucify the winner ???

I don't think so.

But if Harumafuji or Baruto give away a win to Kaio, just to get him another undeserved 8:7 ???

I wish every opponent of Hakuho, that he wakes up in the morning with the MOOOOJOOOO,

the spirit and the courage to end the streak.

Hakuho is one of the greatest, maybe THE greatest sumotori this century - but it's time to beat him

The lovely city of Fukuoka, KYUSHU should be the place.

I pray it will be the day, when I'll be watching live

My first live experience was Nov 1998 and many many have followed.

A wonderful basho with lots of kinboshi to all sumogamers !!

(if you find spelling & grammar mistakes in the text above, feel free to keep them

(Clapping wildly...)

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I don't remember having such pre-basho anticipation for a long time. I wonder how Hakuho is feeling about the basho right now. Everybody is declaring that they want to stop him. This is good.

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And Hakuho did say he was affected by nerves as he approached Chiyonofuji's record, so just maybe his opponents will have a chance as he gets closer to the magic 70.

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My theory on how to become one of the most hated rikishis of all time:

.... Actually, I doubt if anyone will want to try it in this situation because of two reasons. First, it would be considered as nothing more than an attempt to achieve instant fame using an extremely cowardly tactic. Second, it probably would never work because I'm sure a henka is the very first thing Hakuho is looking for.

....

Well Tochinoshin tried a henka on day one (In a state of confusion...) that did not fool Hak.

On, on to 70!

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And the winner is... ryafuji !

:-)

I did think Kisenosato had a chance - he's always a dangerous opponent. And Hakuho did look cautious at the tachi-ai, and rose quite slowly. Maybe there were nerves there.

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