Kyushu 2014 - General Talk

[torquato 1,075]

Well, let's start with it...

Quite a few monoii in makuuchi on day one I think.

And did I get that right? Osunaarashi changed his 'first' name frome 金太郎 to 金崇郎? Didn't really understand what they were talking about on NHK, but they seem to have had some clue about what that is good for. I don't.

[Asashosakari 20,290]

First win for Daikiho today after 13 losses in a row.

[Shiro 13]

I'm glad Harumafuji pulled it out against Ichinojo. Great straight ahead tachi-ai. Harumafuji was really quick and Ichinojo just didn't have an answer.

Tochinoshin looks really great. Love how well he's doing coming back. Looks like a brand new wrestler.

[Mongolith 51]

Pretty disappointed with Ichinojo's performance against Harumafuji. Was miles behind the line and barely went forward in his tachi-ai. Then rather than standing his ground he shifts to the side and loses his base.

[Treblemaker 254]

I'm glad Harumafuji pulled it out against Ichinojo. Great straight ahead tachi-ai. Harumafuji was really quick and Ichinojo just didn't have an answer.

Tochinoshin looks really great. Love how well he's doing coming back. Looks like a brand new wrestler.

I think if there was ever an example of "thinking sumo", this bout was it. After returning from a face injury, HF gets stuck opening the basho against possibly the one guy who, size alone, could send him right back to the disabled list. Yes, let's pop that orbital bone again shall we? So what does he do? Quite possibly the quickest, most savage tachi-ai we've seen in a long time - he was over Nojo's line, slapping the egg-whites off the youngster's face, and straightened him up and had him out before he knew what hit him. Absolutely brilliant approach in what might have been one of the fastest bouts of the day.

And again, the dohyo surface is contributing to the stats. How many people, in advantageous positions, lost because their back foot slipped and they simply belly-flopped? That alone led to a few mono-ii's. It's like they're not throwing salt out there, they're throwing ball bearings or marbles. And the more salt gets thrown, the slipperier it gets.

If Aminishiki's leg-wraps get any bigger, he might as well be wearing ice hockey goalie pads.

[luispereira 383]

yeah, harumafuji just tried to resolve it quickly and fiercely with that tachi-ai. Ichi wasn't ready for that.. nice.. 14 days of basho to go!! yea!

[Adil 232]

That is why I love seeing Harumafuji so much. Absolutely blinding speed and a canon ball tachi-ai. It's like he's at another level when it comes to sheer speed.

[Benevolance 2,534]

Whelp, I think Hak's pretty much sewn up this yuusho. Ho-hum.

[Tsubame 378]

Pretty disappointed with Ichinojo's performance against Harumafuji. Was miles behind the line and barely went forward in his tachi-ai. Then rather than standing his ground he shifts to the side and loses his base.

So, you are really disappointed by the performance of a rikishi joint sumo just ONE year ago against a rikishi who reached yokozunahood? Seriously?

And my guess: Either Harumafuji will win zensho or go kyujo.

Edited November 9, 2014 by Tsubame

[Kintamayama 47,359]

Here's a stat. Tochinoshin 43-2 (and 20 straight wins) since returning from the surgery. And don't tell me Makushita, Juryo, etc. This is phenomenal. If only Baruto had gone that way when he still could. I'm guessing Tochinoshin hasn't been healthy for a few years before the surgery.

We'll have to see how far he goes.

[808morgan 814]

Pretty disappointed with Ichinojo's performance against Harumafuji. Was miles behind the line and barely went forward in his tachi-ai. Then rather than standing his ground he shifts to the side and loses his base.

So, you are really disappointed by the performance of a rikishi joint sumo just ONE year ago against a rikishi who reached yokozunahood? Seriously?

And my guess: Either Harumafuji will win zensho or go kyujo.

He was in the hospital, he has shingles, hasn't trained much for three weeks, Kintamayama said so.

[Mongolith 51]

Pretty disappointed with Ichinojo's performance against Harumafuji. Was miles behind the line and barely went forward in his tachi-ai. Then rather than standing his ground he shifts to the side and loses his base.

So, you are really disappointed by the performance of a rikishi joint sumo just ONE year ago against a rikishi who reached yokozunahood? Seriously?

And my guess: Either Harumafuji will win zensho or go kyujo.

He was in the hospital, he has shingles, hasn't trained much for three weeks, Kintamayama said so.

Yeah i am being way too tough on him. While I knew he had shingles I did not know it lasted that long, which must have thrown his preparation into a spin.I guess I just expected a performance similar to the one against Hakuho were he went forward and did pretty well holding his ground.

Edited November 9, 2014 by Mongolith

[shumitto 419]

Here's a stat. Tochinoshin 43-2 (and 20 straight wins)

It was makushita, juryo and Endo. :-P

Speaking of ligament injuries, Azumaryu will suffer this basho if that is the speed he can bring to a bout. Overcautious ? maybe. Tenkaiho and Tokushinho won today and with lower juryo as is, they can even stick out and post double-digits.

A healthy Tochiozan would normally have won that, but...

Anyway, it was good to see many new mawashi, including some in different and nice colors. (Kotoeko, Kagayaki, Takanoiwa...)

[Gurowake 4,154]

Here's a stat. Tochinoshin 43-2 (and 20 straight wins)

It was makushita, juryo and Endo. :-P

And Okinoumi. And 4 of those juryo last basho are now in Makuuchi now.

[Treblemaker 254]

Where's Homasho? Maybe I dozed off in all the excitement of Day 1, but I don't remember seeing him...

Did Kise get a new mawashi?

Ichinojo's new mage makes his head appear even smaller than it is, plopped on top of such a big body.... Like the last scene from Beetljuice...

Speaking of which, would LOVED to have seen a match between Nojo and YMY! Might not be any room on the dohyo for the gyoji!

[Shiro 13]

Here's a stat. Tochinoshin 43-2 (and 20 straight wins) since returning from the surgery. And don't tell me Makushita, Juryo, etc. This is phenomenal. If only Baruto had gone that way when he still could. I'm guessing Tochinoshin hasn't been healthy for a few years before the surgery.

We'll have to see how far he goes.

Tochinoshin is really looking great. I mean, 13-2 and 15-0 in Juryo is no small task. He's just looking really solid. I was a big fan of his back when I first started watching Sumo, second to Harumafuji of course.

[Asojima 2,874]

Here's a stat. Tochinoshin 43-2 (and 20 straight wins) since returning from the surgery. And don't tell me Makushita, Juryo, etc. This is phenomenal. If only Baruto had gone that way when he still could. I'm guessing Tochinoshin hasn't been healthy for a few years before the surgery.

We'll have to see how far he goes.

Tochinoshin is really looking great. I mean, 13-2 and 15-0 in Juryo is no small task. He's just looking really solid. I was a big fan of his back when I first started watching Sumo, second to Harumafuji of course.

Before his injury drop, he was a rock solid M4w rikishi. Below that, he would kick ass. Above that, the joijin would hand him his ass. Hatsu will tell his future.

[Haruibono 11]

Where's Homasho? Maybe I dozed off in all the excitement of Day 1, but I don't remember seeing him...

Did Kise get a new mawashi?

Ichinojo's new mage makes his head appear even smaller than it is, plopped on top of such a big body.... Like the last scene from Beetljuice...

Speaking of which, would LOVED to have seen a match between Nojo and YMY! Might not be any room on the dohyo for the gyoji!

I saw Homasho's Juryo W9 name on the Absent Rikishi List on Nihon Sumo Kyokai, so he can't be fit. I feel so sorry for this guy, he's slipping down. Maybe he could do what Tochinoshin did and get his problems sorted, and climb right back through the ranks again.... doesn't seem to work out well when they have big injuries and try to work through them.

[Gurowake 4,154]

Were there even more changes in mawashi color than last basho? I can't recall who, but some of them seemed out of place again - although maybe that's me not having truly internalized who changed for Aki. In response to the question about Kisenosato: he had a new mawashi for Aki.

Two new colors of mawashi (at least for me) in the new guys from Juryo. Kotoeko's is a very light purple, I guess what some might call lavender, and Kagayaki's (Tatsu) is a light yellow, much lighter than Shohozan's (was it the one based on Wajima's?). Either that, or they're making new sekitori mawashi from much lighter fabrics for those two colors.

Edited November 10, 2014 by Gurowake

[Morty 1,518]

Kakaryu has really lifted his game since getting the rope. I suspected at the time his performance was a fluke and he would return to his previous level, but he now wins a lot of the ones he used to lose and seems to have greater intensity than previously. He is a pleasure to watch. And Harumafuji has been outstanding over the first two days - I figured he'd re-injure the eye on day one and that would be him but he has dealt with both opponents without even a hint of trouble.

Edited November 10, 2014 by Morty

[Asameshimae 220]

Kotooshu was a commentator today. I had never heard him speaking for an extended period of time before. His commentary isn't too bad. He says "ne" waaaay too much but I'll try not to hold that against him.

[Asameshimae 220]

I am not all that surprised Ichinojo stumbled in his sekiwake debut against Harumafuji. He has been thrust into the limelight pretty quickly. Once he settles down and finds his footing, as it were, he will be a dominant force for years to come I have little doubt.

[Mongolith 51]

Goeido should have never made Ozeki, dude looks terrible. Rikishi just shift to their side and he repeatedly falls on his face. That is what happens when you lower the bar (just 32 wins) and a dai-yokozuna is so good that he can afford to throw some charity his way. Should have been make-koshi in the middle of his ozeki run and during his first ozeki tournament.

Edited November 10, 2014 by Mongolith

[Fukurou 534]

Where's Homasho? Maybe I dozed off in all the excitement of Day 1, but I don't remember seeing him...

Late withdraw just prior to the day 1 matches (link). Summarizing follow-on message to the link, he's still recovering from a knee injury, and don't expect him to appear this basho.

eta:

I'm glad Harumafuji pulled it out against Ichinojo. Great straight ahead tachi-ai. Harumafuji was really quick and Ichinojo just didn't have an answer.

Ichinojo's "Welcome to Sanyaku" moment, courtesy of Harumafuji.

Edited November 10, 2014 by Fukurou

[Fukurou 534]

If Aminishiki's leg-wraps get any bigger, he might as well be wearing ice hockey goalie pads.

Was there something odd with Aminishiki right at the beginning of his day 1 match? Right after the initial contact at the taichi-ai, did Aminishiki's right knee start to buckle a little? This is at 8:36 on Kintamayama's video. I can't tell if the "buckle" is actually a weight shift on Aminishiki's part, A trying to get to Kisenosato's mawashi, or maybe it's all something Kisenosato's doing.