ALAKTORN 346 Posted July 21, 2016 (edited) No idea what Hakuho was doing today. It's almost like he was trying to lose. Very unlike Hak. Big win for Terunofuji. Takarafuji probably lost his only chance at a title today. That golden path was ready for him and he flunked out. I’m guessing you mean Takayasu. It was so weird to see Hakuhō completely overwhelmed. Wish the first one didn’t end up being called a matta, I didn’t know the gyōji could say “hakkeyoi” and then take it back. Edited July 21, 2016 by ALAKTORN Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dwale 419 Posted July 21, 2016 (edited) Wow. Hakuho...it looked to me like he just wasn't focused, which is very unlike him. What on earth...? Terunofuji, I don't know. Like I said, it looked to me like Hakuho's mind was elsewhere, and Terunofuji is strong as a horse, if you don't engage, he will have no trouble hauling your flaccid carcass around the dohyo. But he's not himself. As for Mitakeumi, it's how he recovers from this basho that tells us the calibre of fighter he is. Does he come back and try again or does he drop off the map? His sumo suggests to me that we'll see him up here again. Shodai is fast, a lesser opponent would have been escorted right past the bales. And as Kinta pointed out, he's effectively joijin this basho because of kyujo. He's focused and proving himself to be a fast learner. So much promise. But props to Kisenosato for getting the upper hand. Kakkoii. XP Well, Takayasu's streak came to a close with a determined Yoshikaze literally smacking him around the dohyo. Both of these guys have strong fighting spirit, but Yoshikaze just the more fierce today. Ichinojo looked on point, as you would hope anyone at seven wins would be. I think if he got fired up, he would be scary, but he seems to use his fire sparingly. I often get the feeling that he's depressed, but that's just a gut feeling. And probably transference. XP Ura's opponent did not seem like his heel touched outside to me. Ura wrestling on one leg, performance is always going to drop in that situation. Bravely battling through it, I'm cheering for him but never cease to be amazed at what these guys will fight through. EDIT: Should mention Takarafuji's having a great basho and looking game. Does this bode well for his future? I don't know. I don't dislike Takarafuji and he has had some excellent matches, but I just don't feel strongly about him one way or the other. He is competitive, though. Edited July 21, 2016 by Dwale 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kuroimori 1,634 Posted July 21, 2016 Ura was totally robbed in broad daylight today. With the benefit of the NHK replays, you could clearly see Amakaze's heel was out. Nobody spotted it. The announcers were very, very carefully embarrassed. We'll see later. Edit: Watching it again, maybe I'm wrong. I don't know anymore. Didn't notice the close encounter when I watched the match. when the commentators went unusually outspoken I looked at the replays and was wondering if Isegahama Oyakata was on shimpan duties on that side of the dohyo... But after all the replays from different ankles angles, I think the ankle heel did not touch the sand outside the bales. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Maguroyama 27 Posted July 21, 2016 A propos of this discussion, doesn't anyone think that "nokotta" the gyoji yell sounds more like "taragu" or something like that? A looong time ago, my young children referred to the gyojis as "The Yadata Man". In my family we always quoted it as "taraga-taraga-taragatta!". 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rhyen 1,811 Posted July 21, 2016 https://twitter.com/godspeed_9/status/756076457412087808 perhaps this post might clear things up a bit? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
umbriel2 13 Posted July 21, 2016 Will a 12-3 yusho secure the tsuna to Kise? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gurowake 3,942 Posted July 21, 2016 Will a 12-3 yusho secure the tsuna to Kise? That's what someone from the judging department said before the tournament. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScottyJoyJrBebe 97 Posted July 21, 2016 I believe earlier someone, somewhere on the forums quoted an NSK official, who said a 12-3 Yusho will get Kisenosato his tsuna. FWIW, I predicted Terunofuji would prevail, but I had no idea he would do it twice in one day. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
egparis18 622 Posted July 21, 2016 Ichinojo looked on point, as you would hope anyone at seven wins would be. I think if he got fired up, he would be scary, but he seems to use his fire sparingly. I often get the feeling that he's depressed, but that's just a gut feeling. And probably transference. XP. I think he gets despondent too, and that's not projection since I'm mostly obstinately cheerful. He gets angry too. I'd swear he wanted to chuck the gyoji who called matta on him twice during his bout with Yoshikaze right off the dohyo, for example. He doesn't let it rip, or not much. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dapeng 232 Posted July 21, 2016 Will a 12-3 yusho secure the tsuna to Kise? If Kise loses to Harumafuji today, Harumafuji will take the yusho at 13 wins. On the other hand, if Kise wins today, he will yusho at 13 wins and will be promoted. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dapeng 232 Posted July 21, 2016 No idea what Hakuho was doing today. It's almost like he was trying to lose. Very unlike Hak. Big win for Terunofuji. Hakuho, like what he did in January, decides to stay away from the game this basho ...... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dwale 419 Posted July 21, 2016 Ok, going to take my medicine here, Kisenosato let Shodai come in like that, but it was a trap. If Kisenosato's timing had been off by just a hair, he would have stepped out. But, it wasn't and he didn't. I don't think Shodai will fall for that a second time, but he didn't have nearly as much control of that match as I thought he did the first time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
robnplunder 974 Posted July 21, 2016 Let's not declare Yusho to Kisenosato just yet. He needs to beat two Yokozuna which isn't likely. When did he do that last time? He needed to run the table against everyone but didn't. Will see what happens next. A few of you have mentioned it - Hakuho didn't look like himself today against Terunofusi. I thought he was doing a fellow country man (Teru who is at danger of losing Ozeki title) a favor. If he beats Kisenosato, he'd be insuring a sure Yusho for Harumafusi, another fellow countryman. Conspiracy lovers have something to chew on this one. Ura almost won but he looked good against a Juryo leader, even with an ankle injury. However, his promotion to Makuuchi division seems to be all but gone with today's loss. Life of M1 or M2 isn't too good, is it? They are matched against 10 - 11 rikishi who are higher in rank, including all Sanyaku rikishi. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Katooshu 3,138 Posted July 21, 2016 Things are so much more interesting when Hak is losing. Can't wait for tonight's bouts! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LeoD 17 Posted July 21, 2016 With 12-3 Y securing the promotion for Kisenosato, and 13-2 D no longer possible, would 12-3 D prolong the tsuna run or would he have to start over? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sadanoumi_is_my_favorite 8 Posted July 21, 2016 The slap by Takayasu on Yoshikaze was the loudest I've heard in sumo: the crowd reacted to it and seemed to expect Takayasu to win right afterward. Many props to Yoshikaze for being able to take his own medicine. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shumitto 418 Posted July 21, 2016 The slap by Takayasu on Yoshikaze was the loudest I've heard in sumo: the crowd reacted to it and seemed to expect Takayasu to win right afterward. Many props to Yoshikaze for being able to take his own medicine. I must admit it that for many years I didn't notice Yoshikaze. But he is that kind of rikishi who can 'take it' without giving in, acting as though he were the strongest guy out there. Kachikoshi is still within reach but I think Aoiyama is having his worst basho in a long while. He is being pushed too easily in a tournament that might see his first make-koshi outside the joi-jin in more than 3 years. Last time, though, he was known to be injured. Is it good bye Kitataiki ? Didn't Okinoumi fight in the first-half yesterday ? I don't remember a M2 fighting that early in a long time, specially one with kachi-koshi chances. Or maybe I just don't pay attention to these things. What would explain it is the presence of 4 'visitors' (<M3) fighting in upper half, I guess. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kintamayama 44,480 Posted July 21, 2016 Is Shikimori Inosuke drunk? These matta calls just seems like it's all gone to hell. The matta was called by head shimpan Tomozuna or whoever it was, maybe Elvis.. NHK clearly showed him angry, Gyoji just stopped the match at the shinpan's request. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScottyJoyJrBebe 97 Posted July 21, 2016 With 12-3 Y securing the promotion for Kisenosato, and 13-2 D no longer possible, would 12-3 D prolong the tsuna run or would he have to start over? One would think that a play-off would in practice keep his run going, what do the experts say? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Katooshu 3,138 Posted July 21, 2016 A 12-3 D would be even closer to the cup than last basho's 13-2 J, so I'd think the run would continue. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gurowake 3,942 Posted July 21, 2016 (edited) With 12-3 Y securing the promotion for Kisenosato, and 13-2 D no longer possible, would 12-3 D prolong the tsuna run or would he have to start over? One would think that a play-off would in practice keep his run going, what do the experts say? I think if he ends up 12 wins without the Yusho he'll have the exact same requirements for next basho - possibly including lowering the bar to just winning the Yusho, even if it means only 11 wins. At least, that would be my criteria if I were in charge, and after 13-13-12 without a Yusho if he manages to win one with only 11 they might not care too much. Of course, 11 win Yusho are extraordinarily rare (although we still could see it happen this tournament if whoever wins Harumafuji-Kisenosato loses their last two matches and Goeido also beats Hakuho and no one else with 9 wins wins their last 3), so they can probably make that sort of guarantee without worrying that it will actually matter. Edited July 21, 2016 by Gurowake Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bettega 429 Posted July 22, 2016 Oh gosh, let Kise be. He's not Yokozuna material. Well, I said it aloud. I feel better now. Hakuho really likes the young one, humm? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
inhashi 2,363 Posted July 22, 2016 Is Shikimori Inosuke drunk? These matta calls just seems like it's all gone to hell. The matta was called by head shimpan Tomozuna or whoever it was, maybe Elvis.. NHK clearly showed him angry, Gyoji just stopped the match at the shinpan's request. For a moment I was sincerely starting to worry about the gyoji. And with that third loss by Hakuho, just makes it evident that injury (right toe?) is the cause for his rare stumbling performance this tournament. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Katooshu 3,138 Posted July 22, 2016 Does it look to anyone else like Amakaze bopped Ura on the head right after their match (about 1:31)? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Asashosakari 18,871 Posted July 22, 2016 Could I trouble someone to summarize the mono-ii announcement in this one? Kinda curious on what grounds they decided on the torinaoshi. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites