Basho Talk - Hatsu Basho 2016 +++ Spoiler Alert! +++

[rhyen 1,546]

Is Nishinoshima going to investigate the chikaramizu from the west end and bottle it for Homarenishiki?

[kuroimori 1,633]

Is Nishinoshima going to investigate the chikaramizu from the west end and bottle it for Homarenishiki?

Well, the shelf life seems to be rather short, lasting only from the start of the Juryo matches until the Makuuchi bout after the halftime break.

[hamcornheinz 839]

Kakuryu looked pretty good.

[hamcornheinz 839]

The emperor/empress entrance.

Edited January 10, 2016 by hamcornheinz

[Tenshinhan 1,559]

Who was this man beating Kaisei today? Was this really Kotoyuki? If yes, it was his first ever makuuchi win by a nage technique. And his pirouette was as cool as the throw...

[hamcornheinz 839]

Nah he wasn't dead body. You are considered out once your foot clear the edge of the dohyo.

Ah, so we're getting the annual appearance of that urban legend out of the way early this year...

is that not true? thats what happened in the Harumafuji- Aoiyama match last basho.

[Bugman 361]

The excitement with which the crowd greeted the Emperor and Empress is fascinating for me, It reminds me of when I used to wait to see the three kings at Christmas time.

[Gurowake 3,435]

My immediately opinion of the Kisenosato match's first take was that it should be a torinaoshi. Just the feeling of it made it seem as though there was no clear winner of the match, and that while they might give it to whoever happened to touch down slightly after the other, it seemed like a clear tie match to me.

I'm very surprised at Shohozan, not only for having switched styles of late and doing fairly well with it, but not being able to put away that match. Terunofuji is pretty good with that kime grip though, not caring about opponent's morozashi.

[Tsubame 319]

And we start off in style.

The Emperor and Empress are in the house!

Were they already present at the makuuchi dohyo-iri? If yes, is there a footage of the special dohyo-iri today?

well here's to 10 years without a Japanese-born champion.

just for the correctness ;-)

[Akinomaki 34,287]

And we start off in style.

The Emperor and Empress are in the house!

Were they already present at the makuuchi dohyo-iri? If yes, is there a footage of the special dohyo-iri today?

Alas, they arrived for the 2nd half of makuuchi, as usual. We have to wait for a visit of the youngest generation, I guess.

[Katooshu 2,337]

--Is there some type of requirement that when Aoiyama loses he must do a cartwheel in the process?

--Terunofuji is very tough to get over the tawara, but I don't like to see opponents getting the double underarm grip so much.

--Shodai has consistently impressed me with his skill and Mitakeumi's charges are powerful and fierce--I look forward to seeing how they progress. Kagayaki, on the other hand, was blown away by an unspectacular opponent and I believe lost every time he's had a bout up in makuuchi. I think he'll be down in juryo again next basho.

-Glad to see Amuru beat Endo again after starting 0-3 against him. I'd like to see Amuru do well this basho and he's at a rank that better suits his ability than M5.

Edited January 10, 2016 by Kotooshu's Revenge

[Gurowake 3,435]

Kagayaki, on the other hand, was blown away by an unspectacular opponent and I believe lost every time he's had a bout up in makuuchi.

That is correct. Kagayaki has not won a Makuuchi match in 7 tries so far.

[Katooshu 2,337]

And yet overall he's 50-50 or roughly that against 5 of those guys....I wonder if it's a mental issue.

Edited January 10, 2016 by Kotooshu's Revenge

[Atenzan 1,074]

--Terunofuji is very tough to get over the tarawa, but I don't like to see opponents getting the double underarm grip .

**tawara

That's it for pedantry, I promise.

[Katooshu 2,337]

Fixed!

[Jyuunomori 225]

Shodai was impressive as usual. Never having a makekoshi and starting his makuuchi with easy victory it is like he saw the throw opporunity coming.

Mitakeumi was fierce. He barely got his kachikoshi last month with was still impressive as it was his first makuuchi basho and will hopefully repeat. Mitakeumi along with Shodai and maybe the Yoshikaze are our next Ozeki candidates?

Yoshikaze lost today but it still didn't look like easy victory for Kakuryuu. Kakuryuu must've had major jitters when facing Yoshikaze.

And lastly about Amuuru and Gagamaru. Both of them got a win over opponents they normally have difficulty with. I wish Rasputin and Lady GaGa luck in the future.

[kuroimori 1,633]

--Is there some type of requirement that when Aoiyama loses he must do a cartwheel in the process?

--Terunofuji is very tough to get over the tawara, but I don't like to see opponents getting the double underarm grip so much.

--Shodai has consistently impressed me with his skill and Mitakeumi's charges are powerful and fierce--I look forward to seeing how they progress. Kagayaki, on the other hand, was blown away by an unspectacular opponent and I believe lost every time he's had a bout up in makuuchi. I think he'll be down in juryo again next basho.

Unspectacular? Maybe, but Seiro simply doesn't get the "Japanese Hope"-hype, but he does have a bit more experience as sekitori.

Kagayaki took his time moving up the ranks and it might also take a bit longer until he can establish himself in Makuuchi.

[Katooshu 2,337]

Seiro had 2 basho in makuuchi and MK'd at M15 and M16...he also has a losing record in his 14 juryo basho, though to be fair he's performed just better than 50-50 over the last year. I don't mean to impugn his ability and perhaps I didn't use the right word, but he's well on the low-end of makuuchi competitors (of course he's in juryo now) and I think at least a level below the former komusubi beaten by Shodai and Mitakeumi, whom I mentioned along with Kagayaki due to them being Japanese newcomers to the top division.

I suspect that it will take some time for Kagayaki to get settled in makuuchi. As I mentioned above, that 0-7 makes me wonder if he's mentally prepared for the top division aside from any physical limitations; perhaps being on the big stage is too much pressure for him right now and part of why he's turned in nothing but losing performances there despite being roughly 50-50 with 5 of the 7 who beat him.

Edited January 10, 2016 by Kotooshu's Revenge

[yorikiried by fate 1,765]

The excitement with which the crowd greeted the Emperor and Empress is fascinating for me, It reminds me of when I used to wait to see the three kings at Christmas time.

Elvis, Stephen and...?

[Irakusamaru 77]

The emperor/empress entrance.

According to this Bing translation from Twitter, not only is Hakkaku-oyakata the acting chairman of the NSK but also the elected leader of a specific spice - don't know how he finds the time:

[Fukurou 534]

According to this Bing translation from Twitter, not only is Hakkaku-oyakata the acting chairman of the NSK but also the elected leader of a specific spice - don't know how he finds the time:

They make a cute couple. Loved how Emperor Akihito kept going back and waving to the crowd, and they roared in response. If the zabuton aren't nailed down, I bet they'd been flying. Woe to me for referring to the Emperor as a politician, but that's what he reminded me of a little, especially when they were leaving and Empress Michiko had her hand on the back of his arm in such a way to appear that she was pushing him out the door. (although I freely admit I don't know their health status, other than they are in their 80s, and this may just have been getting/receiving assistance in walking)

Edited January 11, 2016 by Fukurou

[Dapeng 231]

well here's to 10 years without a Japanese champion.

There is still Kotoshogiku, Goiedo, Tochiozan, Aminishiki (chasing Oshima's challenge), Kotoyuki, Okinoumi, Toyonoshima, Takayasu, Mitakeumi, Shodai, Toyohibiki, Kitataiki.

Besides, Kisenosato can win all his remaining 14 matches.

right. Thats gonna happen.

If that happened, a pig would be able to climb up a tree.

[Morty 1,393]

I'm very surprised at Shohozan, not only for having switched styles of late and doing fairly well with it, but not being able to put away that match. Terunofuji is pretty good with that kime grip though, not caring about opponent's morozashi.

Watching that match I was struck by how big Teronofuji is. He towered over Shohozan, who is an average sized rikishi, and just used his size to absorb the attack until Shohozan ran out of gas a bit, and then just used that kime grip to usher him out. Teronofuji is very skilled, but it also seems to me he has learned how to use his size to his best advantage, and that's often what gets him through when other rikishi would get pushed out or thrown in the same situation. I know he is injured but I'm betting he makes Yokozuna this year rather than next.

[rhyen 1,546]

Is Nishinoshima going to investigate the chikaramizu from the west end and bottle it for Homarenishiki?

Were you listening in? Big shout outs to Jokoryu and Aminishiki for making me look like some kind of sumo soothsayer on national tv. (Sign of approval...)

Using Quantum foam / heel-embedded GPS to justify Kisenosato's second crack at it was the only way to explain that (Mono-ii...) decision.

I am so going to post the Tochiozan-Ichinojo commentary as soon as I learn how to hack my DR.

[Umigame 82]

Nah he wasn't dead body. You are considered out once your foot clear the edge of the dohyo.

Ah, so we're getting the annual appearance of that urban legend out of the way early this year...

is that not true? thats what happened in the Harumafuji- Aoiyama match last basho.

Aoiyama lost because his heel touched the sand outside the tawara first.

You can see it here:

This is why the judges check for traces in the sand in a decision like this.