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

[Ack! 501]

It seems that Musashimaru's nephew Musashikuni, has cemented a place in Makushita for the next tourney with his 4th win, joining the Heisei Hopefuls.

Corrected that he is Mushashimaru's nephew.

Edited May 18, 2016 by Ack!

[Morty 1,518]

If you had to choose between a yusho or an injury free career at ozeki. Which would you pick?

It's off topic but I will answer gladly. I'd pick Yusho.

Me too. Yusho every time

[WAKATAKE 2,759]

It seems that Musashimaru's son, Musashikuni, has cemented a place in Makushita for the next tourney with his 4th win, joining the Heisei Hopefuls.

I thought he was his nephew?

[hamcornheinz 839]

If you had to choose between a yusho or an injury free career at ozeki. Which would you pick?

It's off topic but I will answer gladly. I'd pick Yusho.

Me too. Yusho every time

if we laid it out in terms of dollars.... you would choose very differently, I would think...

Edited May 18, 2016 by hamcornheinz

[WAKATAKE 2,759]

If you had to choose between a yusho or an injury free career at ozeki. Which would you pick?

It's off topic but I will answer gladly. I'd pick Yusho.

Me too. Yusho every time

if we laid it out in terms of dollars.... you would chose very differently, I would think...

Kyokutenho may disagree with you.

[Gurowake 4,154]

They didn't even rejigger the schedule back in Kyushu to get Harumafuji vs. Hakuho on the last day, and in that case it was clear the other two of the top 4 were out of the running. That match also took place on Day 13 and probably "should have" been on Day 15. The problem is that they are somewhat forced by the rank situation, wanting the last bout of the tournament to be between 2 Yokozuna, with one of them being the guy at the top of the banzuke. So while they could switch Day 14 and Day 15, they can't move Day 13 onto Day 15, whether a direct switch or by rotating through Day 14.

My memory's been jogged and when Harumafuji won the first of his two yusho for his Yokozuna run, he did face Hakuho on the last day as the W2 Ozeki. You had two rikishi at 14-0, so they did switch everything around then. It's still only day 11, perhaps, just perhaps, they may switch things around. However I get the feeling that the exception to that situation back then was Hakuho was the only Yokozuna on the banzuke. So the dream matchup of Hak/Kise on day 15 is more than likely nil.

http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi_basho.aspx?r=1111&b=201207

Yes, in the situation of deciding which Ozeki that the single Yokozuna is going to face as the last match of the tournament, they can change things up from straight 1v2 on Day 15, and with 6 Ozeki then, they very often didn't go with the now "normal" final 3 days for the top 4, often really twisting things around based on the situation. Since Hakuho always had the last match each day, the order he faced the 6 Ozeki wasn't relevant. But with 3 Yokozuna, they only have two choices for the last match: 1 v 2 or 1 v 3 with the former being the default option they'll presumably go with unless it's obvious that switching them would be an improvement drama-wise.

[hamcornheinz 839]

If you had to choose between a yusho or an injury free career at ozeki. Which would you pick?

It's off topic but I will answer gladly. I'd pick Yusho.

Me too. Yusho every time

if we laid it out in terms of dollars.... you would chose very differently, I would think...

Kyokutenho may disagree with you.

Why is that?

[Dapeng 236]

Kisanosato goes 10-0 two bashos in a row. He honestly has that Yokozuna look and demeanor this basho.

He has been extremely calm and collected the whole time and didn't panic today either. Could he actually pull it off?

We all know he usually crumbles in the second week but we are way into the second week now and he doesn't show the signs he typically shows. If Kisenosato wins the Yusho then he will most likely be promoted. But Ikioi will obviously crush him tomorrow, crush him and the dreams of Japanese Yokozuna. Say what you will though, each of Kisenosato's bouts are the most exciting thing right now.

As to Kise's yokozuna run, my feeling is that a yusho 13-2, or a non-yusho 14-1 including a win over Hakuho will be marginally OK for promotion. But a non-yusho 14-1 without beating Hakuho (allowing Hakuho going 15-0) will probably not OK.

No, a non-yusho 14-1 will not result in a promotion. After Futahaguro they will probably never ever promote a rikishi to yokozuna without a single career yusho. Expecially because he is Japanese - imagine the pressure on him to "finally win a yusho" after even getting a yokozuna promotion. Nope, not happening. A 13-2 yusho after a 13-2 jun-yusho might just happen - after Goeido's ozeki promotion anything is possible, just not a yokozuna promotion without a yusho.

If he beats Hakuho, loses to Harumafuji or Kakuryu and playoffs with Hakuho at 14-1, the NSK will consider promote him even he loses the playoff. A yusho equivalent can be considered as a yusho. However, if Hakuho loses on Friday, he will lose again and Kise will yusho at 14-1.

On the other hand, if Kise loses to Harumafuji and Hakuho and yet still yushoes at 13-2 (unlikely), it's a weaker score than a non-yusho 14-1.

Edited May 18, 2016 by Dapeng

[Morty 1,518]

Kisanosato goes 10-0 two bashos in a row. He honestly has that Yokozuna look and demeanor this basho.

He has been extremely calm and collected the whole time and didn't panic today either. Could he actually pull it off?

We all know he usually crumbles in the second week but we are way into the second week now and he doesn't show the signs he typically shows. If Kisenosato wins the Yusho then he will most likely be promoted. But Ikioi will obviously crush him tomorrow, crush him and the dreams of Japanese Yokozuna. Say what you will though, each of Kisenosato's bouts are the most exciting thing right now.

As to Kise's yokozuna run, my feeling is that a yusho 13-2, or a non-yusho 14-1 including a win over Hakuho will be marginally OK for promotion. But a non-yusho 14-1 without beating Hakuho (allowing Hakuho going 15-0) will probably not OK.

No, a non-yusho 14-1 will not result in a promotion. After Futahaguro they will probably never ever promote a rikishi to yokozuna without a single career yusho. Expecially because he is Japanese - imagine the pressure on him to "finally win a yusho" after even getting a yokozuna promotion. Nope, not happening. A 13-2 yusho after a 13-2 jun-yusho might just happen - after Goeido's ozeki promotion anything is possible, just not a yokozuna promotion without a yusho.

If he beats Hakuho, loses to Harumafuji or Kakuryu and playoffs with Hakuho at 14-1, the NSK will consider promote him even he loses the playoff. A yusho equivalent can be considered as a yusho. However, if Hakuho loses on Friday, he will lose again and Kise will yusho at 14-1.

On the other hand, if Kise loses to Harumafuji and Hakuho and yet still yushoes at 13-2 (unlikely), it's a weaker score than a non-yusho 14-1.

I don't agree. No matter what happens he isn't getting the rope without a yusho. A Yusho of even 12-3 will get him there, a Jun-yusho keeps him at Ozeki. And without a yusho he doesn't deserve the rope. I really hope he gets it, I think if anyone deserves it, it is Kise, but only if he gets a Yusho. Yok status is for Champions, not second best...

[shumitto 419]

Do they have anything against Kitataiki ? I am still catching up on previous days, but he fell victim of henka or some other elusive tachiai 4 or 5 times in 7 days. I know Juryo can be specially slippery at times, but that is too much.

[Katooshu 3,485]

Osu gave up too much room against Nishigiki.......he has a habit of dancing around too much when he'd be better served moving forward.

[Asojima 2,874]

Do they have anything against Kitataiki ? I am still catching up on previous days, but he fell victim of henka or some other elusive tachiai 4 or 5 times in 7 days. I know Juryo can be specially slippery at times, but that is too much.

Kitataiki is 32 yoa and has had only 5 KK in the last 3 years. His career is slipping away.

[orandashoho 720]

If you had to choose between a yusho or an injury free career at ozeki. Which would you pick?

It's off topic but I will answer gladly. I'd pick Yusho.

Me too. Yusho every time

if we laid it out in terms of dollars.... you would chose very differently, I would think...

Kyokutenho may disagree with you.

Kyokutenho had both... he had the yusho, AND the long career.

[Dwale 419]

You know how in baseball, it's an unwritten rule you don't talk about it while your pitcher seems to be throwing a no-hitter? I'm adopting that same practice with Kisenosato's yusho chases.

EDIT: Also, I take back all the mean things I said about Endou. I was wrong about him.

Edited May 18, 2016 by Dwale

[ronnie 221]

I see that Hakuho attempted to take out another head shimpan by throwing Geek at him.

He need to work on his aim!

[Ack! 501]

It seems that Musashimaru's son, Musashikuni, has cemented a place in Makushita for the next tourney with his 4th win, joining the Heisei Hopefuls.

I thought he was his nephew?

I guess that's so.

[shumitto 419]

It is kind of painful to see Akiseyama marching toward a 0-15 record. A quick search yielded the following regarding this result in Juryo.

http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Query.aspx?show_form=0&form1_losses=15&form1_j=on

I still believe he still can pull a win or two, but in the meantime he has gone 4-22 over the past two basho.

[dingo 1,483]

Oosunaarashi really lost his bout all by himself. He had no gameplan at all.

[Benevolance 2,534]

It's painful simply watching Akiseyama trying to get both hands on the dohyo...

[kuroimori 1,634]

It's painful simply watching Akiseyama trying to get both hands on the dohyo...

I would even go further and say it is painful to watch Akiseyama at all.

Even more painful for me is the fact that among all the sekitori, he is the one I share the same birthday with...

Edited May 18, 2016 by kuroimori

[Benevolance 2,534]

My favorite

fight, though.

[Senkoho 552]

Looks like he should've lost that one, though. Didn't he collapse first?

[shumitto 419]

Another one who has become painful to see is Jokoryu. He went from being a potential san'yaku mainstay to struggling to even stay in Juryo in a mere 2(!) years. Kaisei was likely to be hard to watch at Komusubi, but he is doing fine.

To be honest I wasn't paying much attention to Ura, but after seeing him a bit closer last basho and now I find him quite interesting. I tend to dislike too unorthodox a style, but in his case it is working quite well (so far). I am curious to see what will happen when the novelty effect wears off as it is not that easy to adjust that brand of sumo.

Curiously his University name is transliterated as "Kwansei", some unusual sound. That must be some reminiscence from the old Chinese, like Hongwanji, I suppose. My shallow knowledge of the Japanese language doesn't get past its modern version.

Mitakeumi will probably get schooled at a higher rank as it is happening to Shodai now. Yet, I would like to see him in San'yaku next time. If anything he will bring a aggressive sumo.

I wish you all a nice end of basho.

[Benevolance 2,534]

Looks like he should've lost that one, though. Didn't he collapse first?

Yeah, but...uh...he stood toe to toe with a guy 100 kilos lighter and the gyoji felt bad it was so close. It was sort of the equivalent of a participation medal.

[Gurowake 4,154]

Curiously his University name is transliterated as "Kwansei", some unusual sound. That must be some reminiscence from the old Chinese, like Hongwanji, I suppose. My shallow knowledge of the Japanese language doesn't get past its modern version.

Wikipedia says that it's just a different choice of Romanization that was in vogue at the time the school was founded. It may be affected by Chinese since the founder was an American born in Shanghai. Why the founder decided to use a Romanization of the name as the English name instead of "Kansai Academy University" or something like that one can just chalk up to preferences of the time.