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

[WAKATAKE 2,338]

Brody won his match today and starts the basho 1-0.

[WAKATAKE 2,338]

Kotokamatani debut match:

[Benevolance 2,253]

Chiyotairyu was lucky to pull off the win there. Get it? Get it? He pulled off the win! Because he always...oh, you don't know for jokes.

[hamcornheinz 839]

I remember when I was maybe 7, watching sumo on tv I thought the power-water was chanko and they were eating right before fighting.

[Pandaazuma 1,259]

I remember when I was maybe 7, watching sumo on tv I thought the power-water was chanko and they were eating right before fighting.

When I was a kid I thought Adam Ant was singing 'Stand in the river' instead of 'Stand and deliver'. But there you go!

"Staaaaand in the river (woah woah), your money or your life."

Edited January 11, 2016 by Pandaazuma

[rhyen 1,546]

What is with the pin-drop silence here?

[WAKATAKE 2,338]

What is with the pin-drop silence here?

Perhaps because of the time difference? Sumo finishes at 1AM Pacific Coast time and 4AM Eastern Coast time in the US.

[Irakusamaru 77]

Is Kotoyuki's proficiency in inverse proportion to the strength of his tan?

[rhyen 1,546]

What is with the pin-drop silence here?

Perhaps because of the time difference? Sumo finishes at 1AM Pacific Coast time and 4AM Eastern Coast time in the US.

Either that or many international sumo fans are also David Bowie fans as well.

[WAKATAKE 2,338]

What is with the pin-drop silence here?

Perhaps because of the time difference? Sumo finishes at 1AM Pacific Coast time and 4AM Eastern Coast time in the US.

Either that or many international sumo fans are also David Bowie fans as well.

Please don't remind me. It's just so painful to think about it.

[ALAKTORN 346]

That was a cool sukuinage by Shōhōzan.

[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.

Elvis, Stephen and...?

Rudolph :-D As far as i remember the real names were Melchor, Gaspar and Baltasar. (In Spain at least)

[Dwale 419]

Shohozan...that was effing sweet! A well-deserved kinboshi for him, yay.

I see what Aminishiki was going for, but no. He did try, but he must've been prepared to eat that loss.

Resident kaiju Terunofuji manhandles Tochinoshin... I know I'm not exactly breaking new ground by pointing out how strong Terunofuji is, but... He's so strong, you guys. :-P

Kisenosato was on the ball today, very focused, just cut off the ring and maneuvered Tochiozan out. Not flashy, but it's what he does.

Kootoyuki appears to have been replaced by a more-effective clone. In all seriousness, I've seen him lackluster enough times to really be doing a double-take now. I hope he can keep it going.

Mitakeumi looking sharp with a vicious win. Probably my favorite finish of the day.

Osunnarashi, I imagine, watching somewhere, quietly frustrated...

[lackmaker 392]

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...?

Rudolph :-D As far as i remember the real names were Melchor, Gaspar and Baltasar. (In Spain at least)

Kong

[Treblemaker 254]

Boy, lots of bodies flying around today. Not many throws, just bodies flying...

Things you notice: (ok, things "I" noticed:)

- Nojo is beginning to look like YMY in his (lack of) movement, (lack of) attack strategy, (lack of) drive, (lack of) _________ . (Fill in the blank. This is the interactive part of the post.)

- Yoshi got a new Mawashi. Cool. But... How will I ever tell him apart from the other guys, like Aminishiki, Gagamaru, Sokokurai and Kaisei???

- Hibiki, while not necessarily one of my favourites, is looking more like his younger self. Too early? Too much coffee?

- Using Moti's videos as a guide, all of today's action took place in under 9 minutes. And for this people spend a lot of money on tickets? For 9 minutes? To watch grunting, pot-bellied men push each other around, for 9 minutes. That's 540 seconds. Collectively. In total. Wow. For 9 minutes, maybe you get more bang for your buck in Amsterdam or New Orleans? (Bang being the operative word here.)

- More and more people are sporting the latest in dohyo fashion: Aminishiki-like leg warmers. I wonder if it will catch on in the Shibuya area.

- If they're going to sink a few items into the dohyo when they build it, they should also install a microphone. That way, you'll have better production values when someone like Gaga hits the dust.

- While they're at it, maybe sink a seismometer in there, too.

[hamcornheinz 839]

Wow. For 9 minutes, maybe you get more bang for your buck in Amsterdam or New Orleans? (Bang being the operative word here.)

Not neccessarily. ;-) :'-( (Laughing...)

[Katooshu 2,337]

-Mitakeumi thrusted Endo's head off....I'm really liking this guy and his fierce go forward style.

-Shohozan with an excellent throw and not looking out of his depth against two very good rikishi.

- I chuckled at Gagamaru's tumble....though he saved himself from an Aoiyama-level spill

-The Kagayaki blues continue, losing this time to a guy he bested last basho at juryo.

-Glad to see Homarenishiki with another win. He also won his last bout by hatakikomi and seems to be expanding his arsenal, though I think his tsuppari need some work if he's going to rely on it at a higher level. Based on what I've seen of his limited amateur experience he was exclusively a belt guy, so no surprise that it would take him some time to settle into a new style.

And like Kintamayama I am immensely enjoying this basho so far!

Edited January 11, 2016 by Kotooshu's Revenge

[Dwale 419]

-Mitakeumi thrusted Endo's head off....I'm really liking this guy and his fierce go forward style.

-Shohozan with an excellent throw and not looking out of his depth against two very good rikishi.

- I chuckled at Gagamaru's tumble....though he saved himself from an Aoiyama-level spill

-The Kagayaki blues continue, losing this time to a guy he bested last basho at juryo.

-Glad to see Homarenishiki with another win. He also won his last bout by hatakikomi and seems to be expanding his arsenal, though I think his tsuppari need some work if he's going to rely on them at a higher level. Based on what I've seen of his limited amateur experience he was exclusively a belt guy, so no surprise that it would take him some time to settle into a new style.

And like Kintamayama I am immensely enjoying this basho so far!

Well said, Shohozan and Mitakeumi look very game for the trials to come.

[Katooshu 2,337]

On another note, I watched Akiseyama-Nishikigi yesterday and switched to another match when Nishikigi fell, assuming that it was a clear win for Akiseyama, but I now notice that in fact Nishikigi was given the win without a mono-ii. Does anyone else find that questionable?

The bout:

Edited January 11, 2016 by Kotooshu's Revenge

[Asojima 2,835]

Kotooshu's Revenge, on 11 Jan 2016 - 09:51, said:

On another note, I watched Akiseyama-Nishiki yesterday and switched to another match when Nishiki fell, assuming that it was a clear win for Akiseyama, but I now notice that in fact Nishiki was given the win without a mono-ii. Does anyone else find that questionable?

The bout: https://www.youtube.com/embed/0t7BnJE7z64?autoplay=1

Akiseyama's heel out before the fall.

Edited January 11, 2016 by Asojima

[inhashi 2,363]

After winning his match up, Ura bowed to the shimpan bucho. I wonder what was exchanged between them?

[Akinomaki 34,287]

-Mitakeumi thrusted Endo's head off....I'm really liking this guy and his fierce go forward style.

He sent one to kyujo already and Endo is not far from kyujo anyway

Edited January 11, 2016 by Akinomaki

[inhashi 2,363]

Yes, would not be surprised if he is kyujo in the first week. Endo is injured and has too many endorsement projects in which that time could be focused on keiko. Kind of let down after all the hype.

[Kotogouryuu 116]

Yes, would not be surprised if he is kyujo in the first week. Endo is injured and has too many endorsement projects in which that time could be focused on keiko. Kind of let down after all the hype.

I have to wonder what will happen to Endo. I understand it took some persuading to get him to join sumo, he was apparently more interested in following his university degree. With his injury and stalled momentum, we'll have to see if he has the motivation to build himself back up.

[d_golem 213]

- Yoshi got a new Mawashi. Cool. But... How will I ever tell him apart from the other guys, like Aminishiki, Gagamaru, Sokokurai and Kaisei???

By his tenacity. Otherwise, impossible to differentiate.