Natsu Basho 2012 - Discussion

[Doitsuyama 1,192]

Kyokutenho is the second oldest yusho winner ever, trailing only the 22nd yokozuna Tachiyama who won the yusho at 37 years 9 months (two months older than Kyokutenho now) and again at 38 years and 9 months. Tachiyama was a remarkably strong yokozuna regardless of age, but even more so when you take age into consideration. He got promoted to ozeki at 31 years and to yokozuna at 33 years and retired with 40 years. His record since ozeki promotion was 115 wins and 5 losses with 8 draws (as yokozuna 84-3 with 2 draws). He needed six years to get those 89 bouts as yokozuna done which is equivalent to one year now.

[Akinomaki 40,703]

I thought the kettei-sen would be refereed by a tate-gyoji. Not this one.

Hakuho wants indeed ride in the car.

[Kintamayama 45,484]

Feels like an Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement. The crowd would clearly have preferred to see it given to Jean-Luc Godard.

Seriously YBF?? Holding on for dear life on the tail of any possible conspiracy??

(OK, I know you're kidding..)

Oh, now you misread me. I just wanted to say how it feels, in the strict sense.

Yes, I did..

[Maguroyama 27]

So, is this the most surprising yusho ever? How do you think it compares to Kotofuji's in July 1991?

[Kintamayama 45,484]

So instead of Oshima oyakata he is Natsu Basho winner. Oyakata duties could have waited. ;-)

Anyway, it looks like Kyokutenho's right hand has never touched the dohyo at the start of kettei-sen...

Almost nobody's hand touched the dohyo at the tachiai this basho.. Quite a few running tachiai reminiscent of the sixties..

[yorikiried by fate 2,029]

Hey, I still have the stream on, and this is the first time that I realize how much metal- and earthenware the yusho winner actually gets. Kyokutenho surely doesn't need to buy a flower pot for quite some time.

(Conspiracy angle: Hakuho's wife made it clear "No more ugly vases in my house.")

[Igordemorais 75]

The thread needs more CHAMPION! :D

[Maguroyama 27]

Kyokutenho is the second oldest yusho winner ever, trailing only the 22nd yokozuna Tachiyama who won the yusho at 37 years 9 months (two months older than Kyokutenho now) and again at 38 years and 9 months. Tachiyama was a remarkably strong yokozuna regardless of age, but even more so when you take age into consideration. He got promoted to ozeki at 31 years and to yokozuna at 33 years and retired with 40 years. His record since ozeki promotion was 115 wins and 5 losses with 8 draws (as yokozuna 84-3 with 2 draws). He needed six years to get those 89 bouts as yokozuna done which is equivalent to one year now.

And, of course, Kyokutenho is the oldest rikishi ever to win his first yusho. I believe Takatoriki had the previous record and Tenho beats him by more than 5 years...

[Doitsuyama 1,192]

Hey, I still have the stream on, and this is the first time that I realize how much metal- and earthenware the yusho winner actually gets. Kyokutenho surely doesn't need to buy a flower pot for quite some time.

(Conspiracy angle: Hakuho's wife made it clear "No more ugly vases in my house.")

Most of them are challenge trophies ("Wanderpreise" somehow sounds much better than this English translation) anyway. They just tend to stay for a long time with Hakuho, so his house will feel empty without them.

[Akinomaki 40,703]

The Mainichi people are quick. The yusho portrait was ready.

[Hakuyobaku 33]

Possibly it's the first time the oldest Makuuchi/sekitori wins it. ... And eighth oldest in all divisions!

Edited May 20, 2012 by Hakuyobaku

[ronnie 221]

I'm astonished that there has been no mention of Bart having a good tug of Blinky's hair. No monoii to disqualify Bart from the win.

Maybe the shimpans had a bet on for a maegashira yusho (Laughing...)

It's a surprise that Kise didn't make an issue of having his hair pulled. Makes you wonder, that! :-D

[Naganoyama 5,945]

What a thrilling day! I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry.

[Bugman 384]

Well what a strange basho that was, i enjoyed it, the Kise-baruto match was edge of the seat stuff and reminded me a little of the excitement i felt in the last bout of the previous basho between Hakuho and kakuryu.

Also this tournament has been special for me in another way, i have learnt more than is usual for me, taking in a lot of the information about the technical side of Sumo for which again i have to thank the contributors to this forum, it's been a real pleasure to be a part of this community.

Edited May 20, 2012 by Bugman

[Kintamayama 45,484]

I'm astonished that there has been no mention of Bart having a good tug of Blinky's hair. No monoii to disqualify Bart from the win.

Maybe the shimpans had a bet on for a maegashira yusho (Laughing...)

It's a surprise that Kise didn't make an issue of having his hair pulled. Makes you wonder, that! :-D

Especially since he was supposed to have the yusho handed to him on a platter,according to the alternative universe..As for the yank, there was none, just a friendly slither over some oily hair which happens about every other bout.. The only yank I saw was the American fan sitting in the second row..

[Afrozuna 8]

Well I can finally change my name after so many years of waiting. Mods please change my name to Afrosumo. Heading for the nearest bar to celebrate my freedom :)

[Treblemaker 254]

...That said, Hakuhou-Harumafuji.. Hmm..

Actually, going back to the usual Final Day Three-Man Dance, HF finished with a flourish, and twirled off the dohyo like he had something up his sleeve. Then, in the usual pre-bout knuckle press, he went unusually low and bounced up - the came out at the tachi-ai like the Ama of old and completely overwhelmed Hak. I would love to think this was a gimme for his KK, but I'll bet this one was legit. HF was too fast and too mobile. And if he had done this in every bout, HE would have gone home with the pretty vases.

[kuroimori 1,634]

I'm astonished that there has been no mention of Bart having a good tug of Blinky's hair. No monoii to disqualify Bart from the win.

Maybe the shimpans had a bet on for a maegashira yusho (Laughing...)

It's a surprise that Kise didn't make an issue of having his hair pulled. Makes you wonder, that! :-D

That would be some display of superb hinkaku I guess

[Akinomaki 40,703]

Tomozuna-oyakata seems to have told Kyokutenho: Go on for 5 years more!

How long have other hiramaku-yusho rikishi continued after it?

[Igordemorais 75]

Whoa did a gif just get censored because it featured someone getting hilariously drop-kicked and that could be dangerous to their health?

[Doitsuyama 1,192]

Whoa did a gif just get censored because it featured someone getting hilariously drop-kicked and that could be dangerous to their health?

Well, it looked like an invitation to unneccessary violence which isn't good, health or not. But I must say, it looked like the kicked was an accomplice, like two well-trained stuntmen, which makes it less bad. Still, it was borderline (and no, I am no moderator).

Edit: health can't really be the concern here - sumo is more dangerous than that.

Edited May 20, 2012 by Doitsuyama

[Peterao 3]

[Zuikakuyama 1]

I feel that tenho got really lucky with the schedule and really did not deserve the yusho. He met only 2 sanyak or above, and no joi-jin megashira. The other lower megashira yushos at least had more top ranked bouts. For example the last lower megashira yusho by Takatoriki, he met 5 sanyaku.

[Doitsuyama 1,192]

I feel that tenho got really lucky with the schedule and really did not deserve the yusho. He met only 2 sanyak or above, and no joi-jin megashira. The other lower megashira yushos at least had more top ranked bouts. For example the last lower megashira yusho by Takatoriki, he met 5 sanyaku.

That's not a fair comparison - it is even far-fetched. Takatoriki was running away, being the sole leader since day 6 and having a two win cushion since day 10. No wonder that he is getting strong opponents because he is a totally obvious yusho candidate. In fact, he probably should have seen even more high ranked opponents given his lead.

It wasn't so obvious with Kyokutenho to say the least. After day 9 for example he was two wins behind the lead, in fact a shared 7th to 14th. Why would you give him a sanyaku opponent for day 11 (pairings for the next day are made before the current day)? More importantly, you just CAN'T give every maegashira contender a sanyaku opponent at this stage as one more was co-leading, two more one win behind and four more tied with Kyokutenho. After day 10 there still were three maegashira ahead of Kyokutenho and three tied, it's still totally clear that the three ahead are more important for the scheduling. After day 11 he still is one of six maegashira two wins behind the lead. Only after day 12 he was even a factor in the yusho race as one of only two rikishi behind the leader, so with a clear conscience he really couldn't be given more than two sanyaku opponents.

Edited May 20, 2012 by Doitsuyama

[Zuikakuyama 1]

Doitsu, Exactly my point. I did not say that the schedle was wrongly done in the last few days. I said he got lucky with the schedule because of the then situation from days 10 onwards.

From another perspective, there is no denying that he got the easiest schedule out of the lower megashira yushos we have seen.