Aki 2014 Basho Comments

[Vikanohara 171]

This could also the first time someone won 12 bouts in a basho with a yorikiri?

I think this must already have happened before. Maybe even 13x.

[Asashosakari 18,786]

(Personally though, I still think M16w should have Tochinoshin's name on it now. I hope he goes 15-0 just to demonstrate how retarded it was to keep him in juryo at all, regardless of the further insult they added by putting him so low.)

Indeed.

[torquato 1,075]

Crossing fingers for a Kakuryu win... just to keep things exciting to the end... :-D

[Hakuyobaku 33]

This could also the first time someone won 12 bouts in a basho with a yorikiri?

I think this must already have happened before. Maybe even 13x.

Might've could've happened but I could not find any examples. I searched if Hakuho did it but I don't think he did..

[Kuroyama 715]

Endou has GOT to concentrate on training before Kyushu. If he's not ill or injured, he's in horrible condition.

[torquato 1,075]

Nice to see Ichinojo in the shitakubeya waiting for his ketteisen befor the Hakuho bout. Well done NHK. :-D

[Tsubame 356]

Nice to see Goeido avoid kadoban status after his first honbasho at ozeki.

Are you really surprised by that?! ;-)

[Chiyozakura 130]

Ichinojo is the perfect example of why we should not just concentrate on Yusho when evaluating a performance, for example when evaluating Yokozuna qualities. As a Sekitori he had two exceptionally good records with 13-2 and one "just" good with 11-4. Still the just good gave him a Yusho while the others have not. It is simply a question of how others do in matches you cannot influence.

[Morty 1,480]

Fabulous basho, lots of great matches, lots of high drama, the question of who (other than Hak) can slay the new monster, while Hak confirms himself as one of, if not the, best ever. Thoroughly enjoyed it, can't wait for November.

[krindel 671]

Fabulous basho, lots of great matches, lots of high drama, the question of who (other than Hak) can slay the new monster, while Hak confirms himself as one of, if not the, best ever. Thoroughly enjoyed it, can't wait for November.

For me the question is not who can slay the new monster, but whether the new monster is ready to face the tougher opponents straight up. While I don't mind at all that he henka'd his way to wins agains the Ozeki and Yokozuna, the point does remain that he still has to prove that he can beat them basho in and basho out to get to the next level, and that of course is not doable by henkas alone. Especially since I have a feeling that there are already more than a few waiting to try and give him a good lesson next time they face him.

Still, he proved that he does already belong firmly in the jo'i, which is a huge achievement for a newcomer. Can't wait to see what he brings to the dohyo for Kyushu :)

[ALAKTORN 346]

After the great start, I’m a bit disappointed Kyokutenhō only finished 8–7. Aminishiki did the opposite…

[Kintamayama 44,354]

When the new guy comes, especially the new guy who hasn't been around long enough to be truly evaluated, most opponents don't know how to handle him. It took a while but eventually many rikishi got to know how to handle Baruto on a regular basis, even before he was injured so bad he could hardly stand. That being said and barring injuries, Ichinojou is the next Yokozuna because I fear he really is that good. Serious training and a year from now who knows how strong he can become.

[krindel 671]

After the great start, I’m a bit disappointed Kyokutenhō only finished 8–7. Aminishiki did the opposite…

Kyokutenho is not only an admirable fighter, but also one of the smartest when it comes to preserving his strength. I get a feeling that he has no intention of allowing himself to go near the jo'i again... Seems to me he's pretty determined to push his makuuchi career as much as it can possibly go.

[Asashosakari 18,786]

Kyokutenho is not only an admirable fighter, but also one of the smartest when it comes to preserving his strength. I get a feeling that he has no intention of allowing himself to go near the jo'i again... Seems to me he's pretty determined to push his makuuchi career as much as it can possibly go.

If he lasts three more years he can succeed Tomozuna directly instead of having to recreate Oshima-beya by branchout. ;-)

[Asashosakari 18,786]

Tochinoshin wins Juryo yusho 15-0. All four others who did that became ozeki or yokozuna. Big things coming to Tochinoshin? naaa :)

This could also the first time someone won 12 bouts in a basho with a yorikiri?

Nope, Kitanoumi 1978.05.

[shumitto 418]

Fabulous basho, lots of great matches, lots of high drama, the question of who (other than Hak) can slay the new monster, while Hak confirms himself as one of, if not the, best ever. Thoroughly enjoyed it, can't wait for November.

I was kind of looking forward to the bout between Ichinojo and Aminishiki. If anyone (other than Ikioi) in the maegashira ranks could beat Ichinojo this time it had to be Aminishiki. And he was smart to avoid a forward tachiai but that pull attempt was the last thing Aminishiki should have tried against someone like him. It will take some time to figure him out but hatakikomi is clearly not the way to go.

Despite all this, Aminishiki deserved the gino-sho.

Edited September 28, 2014 by shumitto

[kuroimori 1,634]

After the great start, I’m a bit disappointed Kyokutenhō only finished 8–7. Aminishiki did the opposite…

Well, his main (and only) target was to get that record setting "oyaji" kachikoshi. That and achieving it without getting injured (avoiding risky throws and falling of the dohyo and stuff like that.

With the lowest possible kachikoshi score, he increases the chances of getting another KK in the next basho as he only moves up a bit in the banzuke. A higher score would have catapulted him into higher areas where he would get pummeled, risking both injuries and getting thrashed to that extent that he suffers a very bad result which in the worst case would bring him all the way down to Juryo.

Don't forget he is 40 years old, he spent more than half of his lifetime in professional Ozumo (21 years and a half).

Heck, he even fought against a guy this basho (Chiyoootori) who wasn't even born when Kyokutenho entered Ozumo!

If you put this into perspective, his performance was just right.

[Highway 46]

Hakuho is legendary.

Aoyama going up up up.

[yorikiried by fate 1,989]

I find it very interesting that Ichinojo's losses where both by throws, while before this basho he had been victim to six yorikiris (two of which handed out by Tochinishin) and three oshi techniques. In theory it could have been expected that the guys in Makuuchi can hand out a yorikiri or two even better. On contrary, it has been noted that Ichinojo has the ability to stop being moved backwards virtually at will. I don't know how adaptable your average rikishi can be, but this could be read as slight shift in his personal style.

The greater Yokozuna and Ozeki share the trait that an opponent needs to find ways to get a chance at all, meaning the he needs to shift away from doing the infamous Own-Brand-of-Sumo^TM in order to get anywhere in the first place. If Ichinojo can establish himself as an unmovable rock able to hand out his fair share of technical ability as well, he will soon get into the head of many of his opponents. Thus, if he can learn to handle the situations where his opponents try to force him circular, he might be up there with big boys quicker than you can say "WTF is Goeido doing there at the slot marked with O".

[Monnodo 60]

What a Basho. I feel so lucky being able to see Hakuho. He amazes me everytime he steps on the Dohyo. Of course I would have liked to see a Play Off, but seeing Hakuho on the level that he is, is more than a compansation.

Maybe Ichinojo will be the rival for Hakuho Sumo has been waiting for. But at the moment, he otally has his number.

The only thing that makes me sad is Takayasu loss. He id really well this Basho, but in the end, not well enough.

[dingo 1,160]

I find it very interesting that Ichinojo's losses where both by throws, while before this basho he had been victim to six yorikiris (two of which handed out by Tochinishin) and three oshi techniques. In theory it could have been expected that the guys in Makuuchi can hand out a yorikiri or two even better. On contrary, it has been noted that Ichinojo has the ability to stop being moved backwards virtually at will. I don't know how adaptable your average rikishi can be, but this could be read as slight shift in his personal style.

The greater Yokozuna and Ozeki share the trait that an opponent needs to find ways to get a chance at all, meaning the he needs to shift away from doing the infamous Own-Brand-of-Sumo^TM in order to get anywhere in the first place. If Ichinojo can establish himself as an unmovable rock able to hand out his fair share of technical ability as well, he will soon get into the head of many of his opponents. Thus, if he can learn to handle the situations where his opponents try to force him circular, he might be up there with big boys quicker than you can say "WTF is Goeido doing there at the slot marked with O".

Now that you mention it, I think there were a few times this basho when Ichinojo was on the verge of being pushed out, so it's not like he's totally unmovable or immune to oshi/yori. A few more good pushes on the tawara edge and he would've had a few more losses.

[bettega 427]

I just watched the Hakuho's interview, posted by Kintamayama... Hakuho is always that way? Ok, was a Big Victory, his 31th basho, but he seemed so humble and nice. When he talked abou Kokonoe he seemed sincere and almost grateful to him, to his videos.

If so, he's a truly great guy, a one-of-a-kind person, and deserves it all.

That guy will get 36 yusho, write my words.

[krindel 671]

I find it very interesting that Ichinojo's losses where both by throws, while before this basho he had been victim to six yorikiris (two of which handed out by Tochinishin) and three oshi techniques. In theory it could have been expected that the guys in Makuuchi can hand out a yorikiri or two even better. On contrary, it has been noted that Ichinojo has the ability to stop being moved backwards virtually at will. I don't know how adaptable your average rikishi can be, but this could be read as slight shift in his personal style.

The greater Yokozuna and Ozeki share the trait that an opponent needs to find ways to get a chance at all, meaning the he needs to shift away from doing the infamous Own-Brand-of-Sumo^TM in order to get anywhere in the first place. If Ichinojo can establish himself as an unmovable rock able to hand out his fair share of technical ability as well, he will soon get into the head of many of his opponents. Thus, if he can learn to handle the situations where his opponents try to force him circular, he might be up there with big boys quicker than you can say "WTF is Goeido doing there at the slot marked with O".

Now that you mention it, I think there were a few times this basho when Ichinojo was on the verge of being pushed out, so it's not like he's totally unmovable or immune to oshi/yori. A few more good pushes on the tawara edge and he would've had a few more losses.

Sure, but that's one of the things its easy to underestimate when watching sumo, the sheer power that is in play when a 150 Kg guy is pushing another 150 Kg guy who is pushing back... They might seem immobile, but they really are expending tremendous amounts of energy right there. I am under the impression that guys like Kisenosato, or the Ichinojo we saw this basho, with great potential to absorb, can actually tire their opponent out by simply standing there and let them expend their effort trying to move them out that last few centimeters. So in many cases, those few more good pushes might be a lot more than the average rikish can actually deliver...

[Gurowake 3,919]

It's also somewhat deceiving seeing rikishi being pushed back across the dohyo and then stopping when their foot hits the tawara. From Aoiyama's many face-plants, it is clear that sometimes the dohyo surface really doesn't generate all that much friction on rikishi's feet. It might not matter how hard you push back because somehow your opponent's feet have a better hold on the surface, at least not until your foot hits the tawara and you can push off of it to oppose the motion. It rarely matters if a rikishi gets pushed back if his feet are sliding the entire time; it might even be a good way to set up some kimarite involving the opponent over-extending.

[Gurowake 3,919]

Another disappointing basho from Shohozan. He really shouldn't be losing to people like Kyokushuho and Takanoiwa, although other than that he performed about as expected. I really took a liking to him over the watching of Kintamayama's videos for the basho from before I started following the sport; he certainly has a lot of spirit and I get really annoyed when he does poorly. I hope he ends up doing what Takayasu did in July: rebound from a poor performance outside the joi with a big return.