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

[Gusoyama 95]

Count me as being on the Geek bandwagon.

Has anyone thought about the (extremely low odds) possibility of there being zero Ozeki in Natsu?

[ALAKTORN 346]

I’m hoping for a massive 13–2 playoff at the end, now.

[Gurowake 3,915]

Count me as being on the Geek bandwagon.

Has anyone thought about the (extremely low odds) possibility of there being zero Ozeki in Natsu?

And there might also be 6 (or more!) Sekiwake: 2 that stay there, 3 demoted, 1 (or more!) with an impressive enough record below that. There might also be 0 Yokozuna on the banzuke due to them all getting tired of sumo, a natural disaster, deadly flu, or something else. But OK, I wasn't thinking about that possibility until you brought it up, just like I wasn't thinking about the possibility that Goeido might win the yusho in Osaka.

[Kasutera 258]

I am very very angry at Giku right now. I KNOW Toyonoshima is a very good solid wrestler with a winning history against Kotoshogiku, but honestly this makes it Hakuho's basho to lose again. I don't find it hard to believe Hakuho could stay winning until senshuraku and force a playoff, and if Hakuho faces Giku in a playoff, it's a Hakuho out for blood. Hakuho will lose when he slips up and isn't ready, but this time by god will he be ready.

[wuli 67]

It has nothing to with sensibilities. I am just tired of hearing the same bullshit all the time. Sorry.

so, at an open forum, what doesn't suit me, i proclaim as bullshit, and cry to mods to remove it from my view?

or just panda is the official designator of bullshit?

maybe we can have actual considerations and conversations here

i think an open forum means something like that

of course every posting won't please every member

in that case, one can just move along

if we damn, deny, shout down and chase out each view that doesn't suit someone, it won't result in a forum where we can actually learn

sad to say, there is a crowd amongst us doing just that; i'm glad to observe that the majority of members show great tolerance here

[Benevolance 2,478]

I'm really proud of Toyonoshima.

[Katooshu 3,132]

Interesting to see where the conspiracy theories will go from here.

I'm guessing that if Hakuho loses one of his remaining bouts and Kotoshogiku wins both of his to take the yusho we'll hear that the Toyonoshima loss was just to add drama to the Geek's orchestrated yusho victory. Having a sole leader for the last 4 days wouldn't be dramatic enough for the anniversary yusho, and of course a zensho would make the fix too obvious, right? Now if one of the Mongolians ends up winning I'm not really sure where the theories go, and of course admitting that there probably wasn't an attempt to fix a Japanese win isn't an option.

Edited January 22, 2016 by Kotooshu's Revenge

[Asashosakari 18,783]

Interesting to see where the conspiracy theories will go from here.

I'm guessing that if Hakuho loses one of his remaining bouts and Kotoshogiku wins both of his to take the yusho we'll hear that the Toyonoshima loss was just to add drama to the Geek's orchestrated yusho victory. Having a sole leader for the last 4 days wouldn't be dramatic enough for the anniversary yusho, and of course a zensho would make the fix too obvious, right? Now if one of the Mongolians ends up winning I'm not really sure where the theories go, and of course admitting that one was likely incorrect isn't an option.

Based on last basho, I suspect a Mongolian yusho will be explained as "Toyonoshima is a stupid poopyhead who ruined everything."

[CT3* 331]

More likely the theory will be, "the Mongolians stepped aside and left it to the Japanese, but the Japanese failed to capitalize."

Personally, I'd like to see Kotoshogiku take it. It'd be great for those that clamor for a Japanese yusho winner. But I also won't be the least bit bothered if Hakuho ends up winning it.

[kuroimori 1,634]

Quite amusing to see self proclaimed non-conspiracy theorists exploring all kinds of conspiracy theories.

Hidden obsession?

Or just disappointment that it is too quiet around the forum with no one really posting anything that would be labeled as conspiracy?

Edited January 22, 2016 by kuroimori

[Benevolance 2,478]

I'd keep a sharp eye on Goeidou; he hands out losses too easily to not be some kind of Kingmaker.

[wuli 67]

Based on last basho, I suspect a Mongolian yusho will be explained as "Toyonoshima is a stupid poopyhead who ruined everything."

an interesting view, even if exceptionally peculiar and unpleasant

as far as i've observed, toyonishima is a highly regarded and admired rikishi

Edited January 25, 2016 by wuli

[Asashosakari 18,783]

Quite amusing to see self proclaimed non-conspiracy theorists exploring all kinds of conspiracy theories.

Hidden obsession?

Don't know about anybody else, I just like making fun of self-deluded people.

[wuli 67]

Quite amusing to see self proclaimed non-conspiracy theorists exploring all kinds of conspiracy theories.

Hidden obsession?

Don't know about anybody else, I just like making fun of self-deluded people.

beautiful

it's a healthy thing to understand ourselves

(i tried to give a like for this, but have just run out)

[yorikiried by fate 1,988]

I, for one, think it is ALL true.

You are free to add the proposition to which this statement applies, if it makes you feel better or helps starting a flame war.

[ronnie 221]

I would say that Giku lost that bout as soon as he stepped on the dohyo. He took so long just getting up that it was obvious to Toyonoshima that he was going to use the same slo-mo tactic that worked against Hakuho. When Toyo didn't even wait for his bow, Giku should have been aware that he needed to change his approach. All through the pre bout routine it was the same thing; Toyo doing what had to be done and Giku looking like a robot. No plan B. No confidence that he was going to win the bout!

I liked Harumafuji's response to the torinaoshi where he tried to crush the head shimpan by throwing Kise on top of him. Shame he missed.

[Katooshu 3,132]

Quite amusing to see self proclaimed non-conspiracy theorists exploring all kinds of conspiracy theories.

Hidden obsession?

Or just disappointment that it is too quiet around the forum with no one really posting anything that would be labeled as conspiracy?

You should see YouTube for some dandies...they're all over.

Edited January 22, 2016 by Kotooshu's Revenge

[Asashosakari 18,783]

Anyway, I have no problem with comments that make an effort to be reasonable like those by Senkoho earlier. Who I'm happy to ridicule though are people who clearly think that everything is a fix (or alternatively a failed fix), no matter which outcome actually occurs. With true believers like that, conspiracy theories become just an ersatz religion. And like all true believers they're of a missionary bent, so they can't help but go and be annoying where an actual audience exists, i.e. here, rather than simply putting their ramblings on, say, a blog that nobody reads. (Or on the mostly deserted Sumotalk forum. So much for "too quiet"...)

[Katooshu 3,132]

Just noticed that today Ura and Daiki will meet for the third time (currently 1-1).

Looking forward to that!

And Ura gets the win.

He's impressed me and doesn't seem to be slowing in makushita. Sekitorihood for Natsu? Nagoya?

Edited January 22, 2016 by Kotooshu's Revenge

[Pandaazuma 1,310]

It has nothing to with sensibilities. I am just tired of hearing the same bullshit all the time. Sorry.

so, at an open forum, what doesn't suit me, i proclaim as bullshit, and cry to mods to remove it from my view?

or just panda is the official designator of bullshit?

maybe we can have actual considerations and conversations here

i think an open forum means something like that

of course every posting won't please every member

in that case, one can just move along

if we damn, deny, shout down and chase out each view that doesn't suit someone, it won't result in a forum where we can actually learn

sad to say, there is a crowd amongst us doing just that; i'm glad to observe that the majority of members show great tolerance here

I have said nothing about shutting discussions down. I suggested a dedicated thread for your delusions. Thanks for the lecture anyway. It was impressively dull. The problem here is that you don't appear to realise that I have heard the same things from people like you a million times and I have gone through all the arguments a million times too. We all have. There is nothing wrong with that as such, but it gets very tiresome to hear snidey declarations of fixing every time the script is rewritten by people who don't have a clue what they're talking about. That is not 'open discussion'. It is bullshit.

Now as the mods haven't responded to my suggestion and as I have no interest in wasting time and energy on a flame war, I will just have to settle for blocking you personally...and henceforth anyone else who pretends to know when a bout or yusho race is fixed. And THAT really is a shame because that means I will miss out on any useful comments made by those same people.

[ScreechingOwl 343]

Toyonoshima's win is probably the most surprising victory in a big match that I can remember. I give him great credit for not slipping or just letting himself be driven straight backwards, despite knowing that almost everyone in the building (and in Honshu) was hoping for that result. (Toyonoshima seemed a bit sheepish during his post victory interview.)

Kotoshogiku looked very stressed before the bout. The pressure of a yusho race must be tremendous, especially for a Japanese rikishi at this juncture. (I remember the look on Ikioi's face when he was 10-1 at Aki in 2015, before his bout with Yoshikaze - he looked like he was in agony.) And of course Kotoshogiku had trouble with the pressure of his ozeki campaign, which caused him to see a sport's psychologist.

It is amazing that we could have three kadoban ozeki. Since Terunofuji seems to be getting knee surgery he'll surely be unable to compete in Osaka and be demoted (although if the surgery is successful he should be able to regain rank relatively easily). I hope that Goeido and the rest of us are put out of our misery and he falls back in rank too. He is the least successful ozeki since Miyabiyama. As for Kisenosato, he's looked very shaky all basho: I wonder if he's injured.

[littlebutts 14]

I still really hope that Kotoshogiku wins the basho... I'd like to think of it as a late wedding gift for him. That being said, I'm a huge Toyonoshima fan so I was really conflicted about his win today. I hope this isn't just another notch on the belt for Hakuho and that Kotoshogiku can keep it together and win. Though, Toyonoshima winning a yusho would be pretty novel. This is a strange basho... but I like it!

Side note: Pretty sure Ichinojo is nursing an injured back. I have a tough time believing that he just forgot to show up mentally and no one that big should be forced back so easily unless there is something wrong. The man is built like an oak tree...

[orandashoho 720]

In the Ichinojo-Ikioi bout, the gyoji pulled Ikioi's fallen sagari out of the way, but Ikioi was still standing on it. What if the gyoji's action had contributed to a rikishi losing his balance and losing the bout?

[taresu 38]

really happy to see ichinojo back on action again. May the guesses about his injured back are true...

Did Hakuho was trying to squeeze Kakuryuu's face or he made nekoKAOdamashi (Laughing...) (Laughing...) ??

[Fujisan 530]

Looks like the inisible man slapped him on his right cheek(Our left)it explains the look on his face aswell......