Haru 2014 discussion thread **probable spoilers**

[Kintamayama 47,194]

I respectfully disagree with the oyakata, and I do think it was A-okay. It is a move I've only seen from HMF, though I have no idea if it's an original. He very clearly hits his opponents with his head while charging forward, and then changes direction so quickly and seamlessly it appears as a single move. Greased lightning.

Head hit straight into aite's shoulder; feet, knees, and hips all forward. Then stretch his left arm around aite's and go for the grip on the mawashi while at the same time turning to the side to allow aite's momentum to assist in the throwing technique. Brilliant.

Thunderous booing from the crowd. "Well, he's after a kyujo and I guess he prefers to win any way he can," mumbled Isegahama Oyakata. His Oyakata. The head chief judge guy- admits it was a henka. Sorry, Otoko, I take Isegahama's word for it over yours, theories notwithstanding.. Harumafuji tried to explain how he saw it by saying Tochiouzan didn't bend his knees before the tachiai, throwing off the pace.and he just "reacted to the flow" etc. etc... The mere fact that he had to explain his win to the reporters speaks volumes.

Henka. Again, I couldn't care less- I am the Henka Lover, but what I really hate is when someone does a henka and denies it. Sometimes a rikishi just has a knee-jerk reaction of the last minute and stuff happens. Why invent this "this is his style" nonsense? Sure, he's done it before, and it was a henka then too. HENKA!!

ALL online papers are simply calling it a henka. No "henka-like movement", no "shift" no "lateral movement"- all simply say "HENKA", using the H word.

Duck.

Edited March 15, 2014 by Kintamayama

[ScreechingOwl 343]

Tochiozan v. Harumafuji is about as blatant a henka as you will find. When analyzing whether something is a henka the best place to look is at the rikishi's feet. If they are moving forward it's a straight up fight. If they are moving to the side it's almost assuredly a henka. The head position is irrelevent. Satoyama, for instance, often ducks his head down, but those aren't henka, because he is going straight forward. Harumafuji jumped -- literally jumped -- to his left from the tachi-ai. There was slight contact, but it was incidental and Tochiozan would likely have fallen down regardless. You are either in front of your opponent or not, and Harumafuji was not.

[Kotogouryuu 143]

Tochiozan v. Harumafuji is about as blatant a henka as you will find. When analyzing whether something is a henka the best place to look is at the rikishi's feet. If they are moving forward it's a straight up fight. If they are moving to the side it's almost assuredly a henka. The head position is irrelevent. Satoyama, for instance, often ducks his head down, but those aren't henka, because he is going straight forward. Harumafuji jumped -- literally jumped -- to his left from the tachi-ai. There was slight contact, but it was incidental and Tochiozan would likely have fallen down regardless. You are either in front of your opponent or not, and Harumafuji was not.

You know, I can't make heads or tails out of that. I used the feet criteria and watched the match again and again but I think we'd need a high speed camera for this. You say he literally jumped to his side... well, I see that he literally jumped forward.

...as I was writing this, I stared to doubt it myself. So I took screen caps of the video:

You know what... nobody's that fast. So yeah, that'll be a henka then. Damn.

[Kuroyama 715]

By all conventional standards, Endo should take this one. Better tachi-ai, more skills, etc., but this one should be a real fight.

I tend to agree. Osunaarashi's near-vertical tachi-ai is bound to get him into trouble against better opponents.

[Masumasumasu 902]

Oosunaarashi has power. Endo has grace and cunning.

I don't know who will win but I know who I'm rooting for.

[Masumasumasu 902]

We'll have to agree to disagree. Yep, the experts disagree too. I'm ok with that. Fans here disagree. No problem. Hit and turn, I say. Nothing has changed in any of vids and screen caps. Feet, knees, hips forward. Head forward into shoulder. On purpose, nothing incidental about it. Nobody believes in the speed. That is the hallmark of brilliant technique. :-)

Henka is the antithesis of brilliant technique. Still, some rikishi occasionally feel desperate enough to use it.

It is a cheap win. Sumo fans want their money's worth.

[Taigiin khuu 42]

I think Harumafuji just gave a middle finger with a sign saying "was that enough contact" to all the critics.....

[Vikanohara 171]

O no O no O no... it's going to be ...nofuji.

[Tsubame 378]

I was a little bit amused by the look of Takayasu face in his bout today. After nice moments of tactical movents from both, he finally managed to get both hands on Hakuhos mawashi, but the look in his eyes was more "What should I do now?". He look a little bit hopelessly, not sure what he might do next. But Hakuho recognized this and quickly released him from his desperation with his nage.

[Kintamayama 47,194]

I think Harumafuji just gave a middle finger with a sign saying "was that enough contact" to all the critics.....

Absolutely. And it was not the same tachiai as yesterday by a long shot. As for the critics, purists and hardliners, the kinds that are members of the YDC- they will not remain silent for long concerning these "unyokozuna-like" wins.

[Pandaazuma 1,310]

I didn't see either of Harumafuji's wins as a henka. Brilliant speed, timing and technique. I would like to see him go on and win this tournament.

[Raishu 219]

1.) I'm amongst the ranks of those surprised by seeing Kotooshu in this basho at all. He's got the his future planned, so why is he basically just risking injury without much of a chance of a reward is beyond me.

2.) As for Myogiryu, it has to be an injury. Looking at his results from previous bashos he was on a roll, stumbled, spent time off on injury and is now a shadow of his former self. A knee that won't hold, a herniated disc in the back or a torn muscle... any of these will stop someone at the level he's on now.

1. ) Well, let's not forget that being ranked in Makuuchi means a solid paycheck. I see him walking the classic ex-Ozeki path: Fighting a few more basho in Makuuchi until he is in danger of dropping to Juryo (he might even pull a Miyabiyama, who knows).

2.) He suffered a retroperitoneum haematoma in January which is a very severe injury. Looking at his bouts, he does not seem to have recovered fully and probably is hesitant to give a 100%.

[kuroimori 1,634]

I didn't see either of Harumafuji's wins as a henka. Brilliant speed, timing and technique. I would like to see him go on and win this tournament.

I agree that it is rather brilliant technique than blatant henka ( if you want to see a real henka, check out Shohozan's evasive sidestep against tape collector Kotoshogiku today).

But I don't think he will take thr yusho, Hakuho is aiming for a 5th consecutive yusho at the Osaka hon-basho (not including the 2011 Haru "non"-hon-basho).

He would tie current rijicho and former dai-yokozuna Kitanoumi with a 5th straight yusho at the Haru basho.

Right now he shares the 2nd place with another great former dai-yokozuna Taiho with 4 consecutive Haru basho yusho.

(NHK trivia from today's broadcast)

But in order to raise the cup, Hakuho needs to step up his game, it appeared to me that he didn't really take Takayasu seriously today, lackluster, just doing the very necessary and reacting. Looked like a demonstration bout to show various grip and grip changes. Strange bout.

[Jakusotsu 6,390]

But in order to raise the cup, Hakuho needs to step up his game, it appeared to me that he didn't really take Takayasu seriously today, lackluster, just doing the very necessary and reacting. Looked like a demonstration bout to show various grip and grip changes. Strange bout.

To be fair, Haukuho didn't have to take Takayasu seriously, did he? Edited March 16, 2014 by Jakusotsu

[Pandaazuma 1,310]

Kuroimori: yeah Hakuho is obviously the fave to win it but it is always nice to have a surprise winner. Harumafuji was written off pre-basho because of reported injuries.

Go on lad!

Edited March 16, 2014 by Pandaazuma

[Masumasumasu 902]

I think Harumafuji just gave a middle finger with a sign saying "was that enough contact" to all the critics.....

Yep. Once again, Harumafuji said 'f--- you' to all the sumo fans who want their money's worth.

[Masumasumasu 902]

How many Sea Shepherd members/sympathizers are on this forum?

I reckon many.

[ronnie 221]

But in order to raise the cup, Hakuho needs to step up his game, it appeared to me that he didn't really take Takayasu seriously today, lackluster, just doing the very necessary and reacting. Looked like a demonstration bout to show various grip and grip changes. Strange bout.

To be fair, Haukuho didn't have to take Takayasu seriously, did he?

I don't think Hakuho has taken anyone seriously this basho. He might just slip into second gear for week two and still win at a canter.

On another not; I thought yesterdays bout between Kisenosato and Toyonoshima was a bit iffy as that was the weakest kotenage I've ever seen, but watching Toyo's reaction today after Kotooshu did get a grip on his arm had me realising that the after effects of the infamous Kaionage must still be affecting him.

Finally; Tochinoshin is looking good for the Makushita yusho!

[ronnie 221]

How many Sea Shepherd members/sympathizers are on this forum?

I reckon many.

Whose shikona translates as "Sea Shepherd"?

[Masumasumasu 902]

I didn't see either of Harumafuji's wins as a henka. Brilliant speed, timing and technique. I would like to see him go on and win this tournament.

If you want to see a real henka, check out Shohozan's evasive sidestep against tape collector Kotoshogiku today.

No. It was stellar technique. A clear hit-and-shift. Greased lightning and all that jazz.

[kuroimori 1,634]

I was irritated that Okinoumi got away with the veeery early start today.

[kuroimori 1,634]

... and still no mono-ii.

I wonder if there are any records kept such as most/few mono-ii per basho...?

[kuroimori 1,634]

But in order to raise the cup, Hakuho needs to step up his game, it appeared to me that he didn't really take Takayasu seriously today, lackluster, just doing the very necessary and reacting. Looked like a demonstration bout to show various grip and grip changes. Strange bout.

To be fair, Haukuho didn't have to take Takayasu seriously, did he?

Agreed, but even for the almighty Hakster this can backfire one fine day.

I recollect that in Kyushu 2013 Hakuho took it easy early on only to run into his last pair of opponents Kise & Harumafuji who had been fighting at full throttle much earlier.

[Oshirokita 198]

I expected Satoyama to beat Gagamaru today, but by attacking from the side. Did not expect the heads-up 'big man' sumo tachiai. Really great match!

[shumitto 418]

... and still no mono-ii.

I wonder if there are any records kept such as most/few mono-ii per basho...?

All this effort of standing up and gathering on the dohyo to discuss the result of a sumo bout? In the long run mistakes even out, so why bother? (Laughing...)

That one between Osunaarashi and Endo I thought was at least mono-ii worthy.

Edited March 16, 2014 by shumitto