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Haru Basho 2013 - Discussion Thread

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Good start for Harumafuji and a somewhat Shaky one for Hak although Aminishiki is a difficult opponent for anyone, Tenku's kick made me laugh, also what happened in the Takanoyama/Miyabiyama bout? Looked like Taka got sucked downward by some hitherto unknown force of gravity.

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Good start for Harumafuji and a somewhat Shaky one for Hak although Aminishiki is a difficult opponent for anyone, Tenku's kick made me laugh, also what happened in the Takanoyama/Miyabiyama bout? Looked like Taka got sucked downward by some hitherto unknown force of gravity.

Harumafuji doing small man's sumo again. Only ever time he tried forward moving sumo as a yokozuna he went 9-6.

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Did anyone notice Hakuho's tachiai? He was way behind the line.

No forearm, though.

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Only Day 1 but Takanoyama looked pretty steady except for the part at the very end. More harite than fancy footwork. I've got a good feeling about this basho.

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what happened in the Takanoyama/Miyabiyama bout? Looked like Taka got sucked downward by some hitherto unknown force of gravity.

Looked to me like he slipped. This isn't one of those venues with the notably slippery surfaces, is it?

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Only Day 1 but Takanoyama looked pretty steady except for the part at the very end. More harite than fancy footwork. I've got a good feeling about this basho.

Takanoyama-Miyabiyama was a back and forth bout, but represented a major tactical error by Takanoyama. There's no reason for him to get into a tsuppari battle with Miyabiyama. It looked like he had at least two opportunities to grab Miyabiyama's mawashi, which would almost have certainly lead to a victory becasue Miyabiyama has no ability to fight on the belt. Instead, Taka traded pushes along with his usual diet of arm grabs and nodowa (I saw only one harite). With performances like this I think it's unlikely Takanoyama will ever rise to the top division again.

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My bad, I'm still mixing my terms and techniques up. Truth in most of what you said but I was just impressed that he could get into a shoving battle without getting slapped down or knocked out of the ring quickly as he usually does if he doesn't go straight for a run around or an arm grab. I realize he doesn't have the weight to do this type of sumo often so it was kind of refreshing to see.

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Only Day 1 but Takanoyama looked pretty steady except for the part at the very end. More harite than fancy footwork. I've got a good feeling about this basho.

Takanoyama-Miyabiyama was a back and forth bout, but represented a major tactical error by Takanoyama. There's no reason for him to get into a tsuppari battle with Miyabiyama. It looked like he had at least two opportunities to grab Miyabiyama's mawashi, which would almost have certainly lead to a victory becasue Miyabiyama has no ability to fight on the belt. Instead, Taka traded pushes along with his usual diet of arm grabs and nodowa (I saw only one harite). With performances like this I think it's unlikely Takanoyama will ever rise to the top division again.

Taka is rightly cautious of someone Miyabiama's size, I think. A fight on the belt risks him simply getting bowled over.

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It was funny to watch the timekeeper shinpan frantically trying to signal a mizu-iri near the end of Miyabiyama-Wakakoyu but getting ignored by everybody. (Laughing...)

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Wakakoyu vs Miyabiyama

during this bout I was wondering if a rikishi ever retired during a bout - or whether NHK was airing an intra-bout commercial break

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I think that Miyabiyama vs Wakakoyu match was the sumo equivalent of watching two lower mid-table teams in the 3rd division of English football play a 0:0 draw during a rainstorm on Tuesday evening.

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I'm starting to think Chiyotairyu is the real deal. He had that inexorable rise through the ranks, then a quick blip with the diabetes, then since he got that under control the rise has continued. Now at his first shot in the meat grinder he has faced three Ozeki and beat two. Today against Osh I thought he was gone for a second but he turned it around.

Likewise, Takayasu, also first shot in the meat grinder and a great win against HF set up by a solid forearm shot to the jaw.

Really liking both these guys and hoping they can continue it.

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What called my attention the most about Chiyotairyu was his excitement on the post-bout interview. Unlike his fellows with their "ureshi desu", he was really happy and anxious about beating an Ozeki. I wouldn't know how to "rate" him at this point though.

Takayasu's win looked more like a fluke. He is not ready for this level... maybe not yet.

Anyway, with Goeido, Baruto and co. making pressure on the Ozeki we are good for the basho.

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Anyway, with Goeido, Baruto and co. making pressure on the Ozeki we are good for the basho.

And Baruto defeated Goeido.

What is odd, though, is that NO one except Hakuho managed to compete with Baruto.

There were 10 undefeated makuuchis in the morning. Only 2 of them met each other. The other 8... Masunoyama, Wakanosato, Jokoryu, Okinoumi, Toyonoshima, Kakuryu, Harumafuji - all lost. 7 out of 8.

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Today Hakuho started his tachi-ai again from that point far away from the middle (couldn't watch it yesterday). Are there any reasons behind that new tachi-ai? Or does he just try to make sure to avoid henkas (and a possible loss) in the first week?

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Today Hakuho started his tachi-ai again from that point far away from the middle (couldn't watch it yesterday). Are there any reasons behind that new tachi-ai? Or does he just try to make sure to avoid henkas (and a possible loss) in the first week?

Just a theory, but maybe it's to let the opponent have to come forward a bit more and get their momentum going forward so they can't get a strong base when the two collide.

I have seen Hakuho set up far away before. Only he knows for sure what it's about.

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Watanabe just added to his long losing streak by belly-flopping for no reason while overpowering his opponent. Sigh.

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The Tochinowaka roller coaster is on a dive again... What's wrong with this guy? An long lasting injury of some sort?

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Just two observations from watching for the first time in a few years:

1) Sadonofuji reminds me so much of Futeno. Seemingly the perfect sumo body, and thus potential, but lacking the fire or motivation to really perform.

2) How is it possible for Takarafuji to win without a neck?

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For the second straight day Harumafuji tries big man sumo and loses again - this time to the boy from Arakawa-ku, Chiyotairyu.




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The Tochinowaka roller coaster is on a dive again... What's wrong with this guy? An long lasting injury of some sort?

Speaking of roller coasters, is Harumafuji going to alternate 9-6 basho with zensho yusho wins as a regular thing?

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Speaking of roller coasters, is Harumafuji going to alternate 9-6 basho with zensho yusho wins as a regular thing?

Nah, yokozuna only finish with 9 wins when they start well and crater late...

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