Basho Talk - Kyushu Basho 2015 +++ Spoiler Alert! +++

[d_golem 213]

Homarenishiki won today. Any videos of the bout?

[orandashoho 720]

Hakuho is taking much longer than usual to finish his opponents.

[taresu 38]

Whoa. Oosunarashi played Hakuho really nice today. A ballet at the edges.

Really nice to see Hak back.

[Kurikara 28]

I really hope Terunofuji goes home if and as soon as he gets his KK.

[Arashifuji 10]

Ikioi found his inner Roger Federer. Amazing display of swift footwork! Other fella that dances amazingly on the dohyo is Toyonoshima. Is he that does have some background in soccer? If he does, it explains a lot of his trickery.

Also amazed by Kisenosato' s technique. The tachi-ai he withstood was massive.

And, talking about technique, how about Osunaarashi? What a difference from the brawling sumo he was showing. The result didn't come against the great Hakuho, but the way he is fighting the yokozunae seem so polished. With his power, and this newfound classicness of style, he will become one of people's favorite rikishi.

Kotoshogiku's tachi-ai are normally quite agressive. It seemed very obvious, at least to me, that he would go off blitzing against the dangerous Yoshikaze. I would expect some more avoidance from Yoshikaze, but he just stood there and was sent flying all the way to Hawai'i by Giku. Or maybe Giku's tachi-ai was just too good anyway.

[Akinomaki 39,805]

The 2nd basho in a row a sashi-chigae for Inosuke, resulting in the regular oral resignation request (instead of seppuku) to the riji-cho, with the regular refusal by Kitanoumi.

Maybe he will stay Inosuke till regular retirement, without ever getting to Shonosuke.

http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2015/11/10/kiji/K20151110011485520.html

Who was robbed of a tori-naoshi last basho?

Edited November 10, 2015 by Akinomaki

[Senkoho 552]

And, talking about technique, how about Osunaarashi? What a difference from the brawling sumo he was showing. The result didn't come against the great Hakuho, but the way he is fighting the yokozunae seem so polished. With his power, and this newfound classicness of style, he will become one of people's favorite rikishi Aran.

[808morgan 805]

The infinite KABOOOOM!! Thanks for the video Moti!

Edge dancing

Edited November 10, 2015 by 808morgan

[evilwaldo 11]

Some fantastic technique today by Oosunaarashi. You can see that he has turned a corner with respect to technique. What was raw power a year ago has become a more refined power and technique.

[Adil 232]

And some good old-fashioned wacky hijinx:

Hard to tell, but I could have sworn that Chiyonokuni lunged at Kairyu with a closed fist on the 24 second mark. Might have been a failed harite, or maybe my eyes are deceiving me, but that looked like it came from the George Foreman Book of Haymakers.

[Kintamayama 44,354]

Homarenishiki today. Any videos of the bout?

Edited November 10, 2015 by Kintamayama

[d_golem 213]

Very good win by Brodie! Btw in regards to slapping, what is prohibited and what is not? Tsubomi had some to the side of his ear a few times there.

[kosomo 32]

Very good win by Brodie! Btw in regards to slapping, what is prohibited and what is not? Tsubomi had some to the side of his ear a few times there.

yeah, it almost looked like he was slapping the top/back of the head. is there any "out of bounds" when it comes to harite?

he's got potential right now. he's a huge piece of coal, just waiting to be forged into a diamond :-)

[Asojima 2,870]

he's got potential right now. he's a huge piece of coal, just waiting to be forged into a diamond :-)

He has "happy feet" and tends to get up on his toes. He needs to firm up his foundation. Edited November 10, 2015 by Asojima

[Kuroyama 715]

Very good win by Brodie! Btw in regards to slapping, what is prohibited and what is not? Tsubomi had some to the side of his ear a few times there.

Just striking with a closed fist and simultaneous strikes to both ears with the palms of the hands, IIRC.

[Landmine950 44]

Very good win by Brodie! Btw in regards to slapping, what is prohibited and what is not? Tsubomi had some to the side of his ear a few times there.

yeah, it almost looked like he was slapping the top/back of the head. is there any "out of bounds" when it comes to harite?

he's got potential right now. he's a huge piece of coal, just waiting to be forged into a diamond :-)

He got high and sideways but his height and strength seemed to have bailed him out ,hope he didn't hurt the shoulder that just had surgery!

Is Sokubiotoshi allowed with a closed fist if the area contacting the back of the head/neck is the forearm? How about Kachiage? Anyone?

Edited November 10, 2015 by Landmine950

[Treblemaker 254]

in the bout with Chiyonokuni above, the Gyoji wears green and white. I hadn't put my glasses on yet, and to me, it looked like the bout was being officiated by a Christmas Tree.

Lots of comments about late bloomers, but I'm always impressed by Aminishiki. How this guy with the bad knees has lasted so long, and still maintain a level of effectiveness always keeps my interest.

Enjoyed the Day 2 bout with Geeku and Tochinoshin, and showed creativity and ability to change strategy on the fly. There's no way Geeku could out-muscle Noshine, Plan B? A nice throw.

And with the exception of a few really good bouts, this basho thus far is like treatment for Insomniacs. It's nice to have the full compliment of players but there are so many guys who are in different levels of healthiness. Some on their was back from injuries, some are fighting wounded - if anything, it makes the basho a kind of Bizzarro World Parity, where anyone can win on any given day.

But so far, the action is pretty flat and the bouts by and large are over quickly. Times like this I really miss some of the characters who used to do the dancing. I'm not seeing any parallels to Chiyotaikai, Mainoumi, Kaio, Kotomitsuki, even guys like Roho, Iwakiyama, Takamisakari and Homasho, Even Wakanoho! I'm dying for a good throw, a juicy henka, anything but the talented robots up there these days. There's no, um, character? Nothing for the fan to grasp on an emotional level.

Now, these are just my comments in a Western mind-set. I'm certainly not dissing the level of sumo-ship - it's mostly excellent (except for betting on whether or not Gagamaru stays on his feet, or when Kise has the next brain cramp).

I enjoy the 3.48 second bouts. But I've been to city council meetings that are more entertaining.

Anyway, I sit here waiting for the next spark of something, anything.

I'll even settle for a raised eyebrow.

[Kurikara 28]

Ah, Tochinoshin, can't wait for the day to come when you pick up some wins in the first week as well. Good effort though!

[Masumasumasu 902]

A beautiful henka from Hakuho.

[sesom 55]

Wow Hakuhō, that was real Yokozuna sumo. How embarrassing ....

[Kurikara 28]

Hakuho, wow... glad it wasn't Kakuryu...

[Irakusamaru 77]

More like Henkaho.

Seriously though, I'm not sure he meant to win like that - like he didn't want to catch Yoshikaze head on, but seemed surprised when Yoshikaze went flying past.

Afterwards, he had a look on his face like: "Man, they're gonna think I pulled a henka!"

[luispereira 383]

I wish Terunofuji would consider withdrawing. He's not going to do well anyway, and only risks worsening his knee. Better to accept a kadoban which may well be in the offiing regardless and give himself more time to heal.

For me it's just a matter of days....i'm not seeing him go all the way with that level of mumification... by the way...aminishiki taught him well how to mumify..:D

[Tenshinhan 1,599]

130 kg weight difference :-D

[taresu 38]

130 kg weight difference :-D

It seemed more like he was "carried" with Kenho to the floor after a slip (Laughing...)