Basho Talk - Hatsu Basho 2017 ** (SPOILERS)

[Benihana 1,970]

1 hour ago, Yubinhaad said:

To clarify this, there were six kinboshi in 2003 Nagoya - the famous Kyokushuzan-Asashoryu hansoku doesn't count as a kinboshi.

The last time there were seven kinboshi in a basho was 1998 Kyushu.

Ah, the hair-pull, i see. Thank you :) Ok, then we are already tied #1 for this century. Ikioi ganbatte!

[Kintamayama 47,140]

22 minutes ago, ryafuji said:

Well I wouldn't know about the Other Place... but didn't see anyone here saying it. 

The other place is the last place they would say that. In other threads in the past, quite a few people said it. When he loses, it's because he wants to lose. That's the norm. Here, there and everywhere.

[orandashoho 720]

48 minutes ago, Rocks said:

Just watches Day 9. Thank you Kintamayama! Can't believe Kisenosato. Everybody and their brother is beating Giku with a throw and he gets into a pushing battle with him.  Oh well, a 14-1 Yusho is as good as a Zensho.

Not really. There is nothing as convincing for a promotion as a zensho. Any other result will provoke a YDC reaction of "mweuh... let's see you do that again".

[serge_gva 52]

Wow, Hokutōfuij is really impressive! I'll try a very ambitious bet: he will be be promoted to Ozeki in the end of 2017... and maybe before Shōdai and/or Mitakeumi.
He looks as impressive to me as Ichinojō during Aki 2014 basho. Do you think he's also going to hit the wall in joi-jin?

[Bumpkin 438]

14-1 Yusho is NOT as good as a Zensho!

[dingo 1,473]

When I saw Hokutofuji today I got a serious Kaio vibe from him. His moves, body and even his face looks a little bit like Kaio. Let's see if he can make it to that level though. 

After Kisenosato and Hakuho both lost I thought for a moment that this might be an opening for Kakuryuu. And then he lost, crazy! 

At this moment it really feels like it's anyone's basho to win. Both Kisenosato and Hakuho seem capable of losing more. Who knows who will emerge as the winner... And I love it! 

[Fukurou 534]

30 minutes ago, Kintamayama said:

The other place is the last place they would say that. In other threads in the past, quite a few people said it. When he loses, it's because he wants to lose. That's the norm. Here, there and everywhere.

Or he's bored, or he doesn't care, or he is just trying to make things interesting for himself, or he's practicing new moves during tournaments, etc etc etc

[Rocks 1,810]

37 minutes ago, orandashoho said:

Not really. There is nothing as convincing for a promotion as a zensho. Any other result will provoke a YDC reaction of "mweuh... let's see you do that again".

Oh, I meant a yusho is a yusho. Not for promotion. But they might if his nearest competitor is 12-3 or less. 

[Benihana 1,970]

8 minutes ago, Fukurou said:

Or he's bored, or he doesn't care, or he is just trying to make things interesting for himself, or he's practicing new moves during tournaments, etc etc etc

He waits and lurks in the background for his critics getting louder and louder and then...*BAM* zensho between the eyes...

[Rocks 1,810]

2 minutes ago, Benihana said:

He waits and lurks in the background for his critics getting louder and louder and then...*BAM* zensho between the eyes...

We'll see. I'm definitely in the camp that Hakuko will be very unlikely to ever zensho again. Going by this basho I can see maybe never. He's still very strong but he also seemed to have luck on his side. A lot of that was do to his almost dance like movements. He's hasn't been dancing for a while now.

[Asashosakari 20,203]

Random blast from the past (2012 All-Japan Amateur Sumo tournament):

Semifinals:

Endo    yorikiri  Omichi

Shodai  yorikiri  Nakamura

Final:

Endo    yorikiri  Shodai

Omichi = Mitakeumi, Nakamura = Hokutofuji.

[robnplunder 978]

14 minutes ago, Rocks said:

We'll see. I'm definitely in the camp that Hakuko will be very unlikely to ever zensho again. Going by this basho I can see maybe never. He's still very strong but he also seemed to have luck on his side. A lot of that was do to his almost dance like movements. He's hasn't been dancing for a while now.

In the last two losses, he got pushed around a little.  I saw him "dance" but they were wrong steps.   

[Rocks 1,810]

3 minutes ago, Asashosakari said:

Random blast from the past (2012 All-Japan Amateur Sumo tournament):

Omichi = Mitakeumi, Nakamura = Hokutofuji.

Wow. 

[Frakazu 22]

2 hours ago, Yubinhaad said:

The last time there were seven kinboshi in a basho was 1998 Kyushu.

Right!  Seven kinboshi in a basho, that happened only five times (since 1958): 1958-1, 1958-9, 1964-7, 1991-7 and 1998-11. Perhaps this bashô could be the sixth time.... or even... since the yokozunas have lost confidence and the others have noticed it, we could have eight,

[YoungSumo 93]

45 minutes ago, Asashosakari said:

Random blast from the past (2012 All-Japan Amateur Sumo tournament):

Omichi = Mitakeumi, Nakamura = Hokutofuji.

Funny that Endo won the tournament yet the other 3 guys all seem to have surpassed him now. Might be a bit early to say for Hokutofuji but point still stands.

[Ryoshishokunin 332]

5 minutes ago, YoungSumo said:

Funny that Endo won the tournament yet the other 3 guys all seem to have surpassed him now. Might be a bit early to say for Hokutofuji but point still stands.

Endo hurt his knees and didn't get them repaired.  He will not be the same again.

[ALAKTORN 346]

11 minutes ago, Ryoshishokunin said:

Endo hurt his knees and didn't get them repaired.  He will not be the same again.

It was just his left knee I think, but yeah. Back when he was healthy probably over a year ago by now, I assumed he’d make ōzeki.

[Fukurou 534]

22 minutes ago, Ryoshishokunin said:

Endo hurt his knees and didn't get them repaired.  He will not be the same again.

Yes he did. He's also had 2 11-win and a 13 win Jun-yosho basho, a kinboshi and a sansho within the last calendar year, well after he hurt his knees.

Edited January 16, 2017 by Fukurou

[Fukurou 534]

Who has been acting as the west-side yokozuna since Harumafuji withdrew?  Are they alternating, or is it Hakuho since Kakuryu is higher ranked?   (tried to watch the stream to see for myself, but too unstable to see much of anything)

[Rocks 1,810]

Hakuho moved to west.

[Jakusotsu 6,371]

2 hours ago, dingo said:

When I saw Hokutofuji today I got a serious Kaio vibe from him. His moves, body and even his face looks a little bit like Kaio.

Funny that you noticed that, too. I often blinked and thought "Huh, Kaio? Back on the Dohyo??" But it was just Hokutofuji.

[Rocks 1,810]

3 minutes ago, Jakusotsu said:

Funny that you noticed that, too. I often blinked and thought "Huh, Kaio? Back on the Dohyo??" But it was just Hokutofuji.

He's confident that for sure and he looks great here. But I think he's going to be a sucker for a good henka.

[Jakusotsu 6,371]

3 minutes ago, Rocks said:

He's confident that for sure and he looks great here. But I think he's going to be a sucker for a good henka.

Agreed. He only has the looks of Kaio, but his fighting style is completely different. Quite successful, though.

[Rocks 1,810]

Boy, Takakeisho needs to watch out. That was definitely a hair pull against Chiyootori. It didn't get called because Chiyootori won anyway. But Takakeisho was DQed for that against Ishiura in Juryo. He should be careful. He doesn't want to get a reputation for that.

[Asashosakari 20,203]

1 hour ago, YoungSumo said:

Funny that Endo won the tournament yet the other 3 guys all seem to have surpassed him now. Might be a bit early to say for Hokutofuji but point still stands.

One aspect to note is that they were in three different class years, Endo was the only 4th-year student. (Shodai 3rd, Mitakeumi & Hokutofuji 2nd.)

The really noteworthy thing is though that it was a semifinal completely filled by university students. The event is open to the top amateurs of all ages, so participants from the workforce typically play a much greater role than they did that year. But in hindsight it's no longer that surprising to see those four names up there.

Edited January 16, 2017 by Asashosakari