Basho Talk - Hatsu Basho 2017 ** (SPOILERS)

[Benihana 1,971]

1 hour ago, serge_gva said:

And it continues... Neither Hakuhō nor Kisenosato are showing yusho-esque sumo. We need another man to win this one!

Kisenosato not showing yusho-esque sumo? You sure you're watching Hatsu 2017 on Kintamayama's channel, not Hatsu 2016? That was un-yusho-esque sumo.

[MumboJumbo 37]

Hakuho has some great hip movements, often times finding a way to shimmy out of an unfavorable spot. He has always been great at that. Maybe he will become a salsa dancer after his retirement.

I still think Kisenosato will win the basho, or at the very least get into a playoff. Nevertheless, I wouldn't bet money on him winning...

[YoungSumo 93]

It's probably never a smart move to bet on choke master Kise but who knows. Feels like the only real competition for him now is Hakuho who isn't as solid as he used to be either. It could finally happen. 

[Akinomaki 41,730]

It looks like MMA man Kinjo has made too much of the confidence by now he got by blowing away Hattorizakura with his sheer presence. I wonder what Chiyo- he will become - and when. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5gvabrXiOs

Or will he leave soon for real fighting?

Edited January 18, 2017 by Akinomaki

[Rocks 1,810]

8 minutes ago, Akinomaki said:

It looks like MMA man Kinjo has made too much of the confidence by now he got by blowing away Hattorizakura with his sheer presence. I wonder what Chiyo- he will become. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5gvabrXiOs

The Gyoji is like "Does anyone have a tow motor?"

[Jakusotsu 6,384]

18 minutes ago, Akinomaki said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5gvabrXiOs

Oh my gosh, is that what Maeta has become? His moves are even more sluggish than Orora's...

[Yubinhaad 11,954]

It makes my blood boil when that kind of thing happens, because everyone just stands around looking at each other while the helpless rikishi is laying there, potentially out cold or with a serious injury. One yobidashi is even stood there with a handful of salt, just waiting to throw it onto the dohyo - standard procedure of course, but at that time he is utterly useless, no help to Maeta. I realise of course that just picking up such a huge guy and carrying him off the dohyo is not feasible, but I really do hate seeing the complete inaction of everyone nearby.
 

7 hours ago, Morty said:

The "changing of the guard" also seems to have some previous Joi regulars in decline as well - both Tochiozan and Myogiryu look shadows of their former selves and both were talked about as possible Ozekis once. 

Myogiryu had surgery on his right ankle following the 2016 Natsu basho to remove pieces of bone and cartilage (about a dozen, I heard!) that were floating around and causing pain. Perhaps the ankle hasn't recovered very well and could explain his relatively poor performances since then.

[Kotogouryuu 143]

5 hours ago, Jyuunomori said:

Oh how has Sadanofuji fallen.

 

Third time this basho when I read this thread and think "I was just thinking the exact same thing today". I sighed a bit for Sadanofuji today, as I checked how he was doing.

[Rocks 1,810]

1 hour ago, Akinomaki said:

I rather believe that Ichinojo gets it than Kise

I predicted that in the Yusho poll thread. But I never thought it would be this soon. I think Ichi does no worse than Jun-yusho for sure.

[RabidJohn 2,051]

Will they bring Ichinojo up to face Kise and/or Hak if he stays 1 off the pace? They must have a fair bit of leeway in the torikumi with 2 yokozuna kyujo.

Watching Mitakeumi today it struck me that he's had a plan, often quite different, for everyone he's met this basho. I'm trying to figure out if there'll be a sanyaku slot open for him in March. Will he force a haridashi slot if he gets 11 wins?

[Bumpkin 438]

5 minutes ago, RabidJohn said:

Will they bring Ichinojo up to face Kise and/or Hak if he stays 1 off the pace? They must have a fair bit of leeway in the torikumi with 2 yokozuna kyujo.

Watching Mitakeumi today it struck me that he's had a plan, often quite different, for everyone he's met this basho. I'm trying to figure out if there'll be a sanyaku slot open for him in March. Will he force a haridashi slot if he gets 11 wins?

Are you asking about Sekiwake haridashi or Komusubi haridashi? If Mitakeumi gets kachi-koshi he will be promoted. It may take 9 or 10 wins to make Komusubi. Sekiwake, even with 11 or 12 wins, might be too much. It depends on what everybody else does.

[Asashosakari 20,218]

12 minutes ago, RabidJohn said:

Will they bring Ichinojo up to face Kise and/or Hak if he stays 1 off the pace? They must have a fair bit of leeway in the torikumi with 2 yokozuna kyujo.

Hakuho has no open slots, now that they've delayed his match against Giku and put him against Tochiozan for tomorrow instead.

[Benihana 1,971]

2 hours ago, Yubinhaad said:

It makes my blood boil when that kind of thing happens, because everyone just stands around looking at each other while the helpless rikishi is laying there, potentially out cold or with a serious injury. One yobidashi is even stood there with a handful of salt, just waiting to throw it onto the dohyo - standard procedure of course, but at that time he is utterly useless, no help to Maeta. I realise of course that just picking up such a huge guy and carrying him off the dohyo is not feasible, but I really do hate seeing the complete inaction of everyone nearby.

I immediately had to think about Rodney Anoa'i aka "Yokozuna". I still remember Wrestlemania XII, when Vader jumped on his leg and "broke" it. It was a ruse to give Rodney some time to heal other injuries, but to make it look real, they had to remove him from the ringside with a forklift. I hope poor guy Maeta survived this without major injury.

Links with pics inside the spoilers.

Spoiler

https://ringthedamnbell.wordpress.com/2016/04/15/the-way-we-was-1996-week-15/yokozuna-forklift/

https://art0donnell.blogspot.de/2014/06/raw-154-april-8th-1996.html

 

Edited January 18, 2017 by Benihana

[dingo 1,474]

Say what you want about Hakuho's current physical ability, but the grip change he did today against Terunofuji shows that he's still a master technician. 

[bettega 433]

This will be the Kise's basho. 

 

(I don't cheer for him)

[RabidJohn 2,051]

1 hour ago, Bumpkin said:

Are you asking about Sekiwake haridashi or Komusubi haridashi? If Mitakeumi gets kachi-koshi he will be promoted. It may take 9 or 10 wins to make Komusubi. Sekiwake, even with 11 or 12 wins, might be too much. It depends on what everybody else does.

Komusubi HD. Apart from Geek somehow winning out and keeping his rank, there's no scenario whereby Mita can go straight to sekiwake, is there? I'm sure I've read somewhere hereabouts that a simple KK (and even as good as 10-5) is no guarantee of promotion from M1E where no sanyaku slots are available, but 11-4 can open a HD slot. I was seeking confirmation, but I think I've already got it after reading the Promotion/Demotion thread.

[Asashosakari 20,218]

Incidentally, today's Ura-Yamaguchi bout should be required viewing for anyone who believes that shinitai-based rulings should have no place in sumo.

[Rocks 1,810]

1 hour ago, Asashosakari said:

Incidentally, today's Ura-Yamaguchi bout should be required viewing for anyone who believes that shinitai-based rulings should have no place in sumo.

Yes, that was complete BS. Ura lost.

It wasn't like the  Daishomaru match where Ishiura merely leaped as high as he could to avoid touching first. Yamaguchi was actively driving Ura to the ground. 

Edited January 19, 2017 by Rocks

[Rocks 1,810]

I keep checking the Absent Rikishi page. I can't help but think Osunaarashi will go kyujo. 

[Bumpkin 438]

2 hours ago, RabidJohn said:

Komusubi HD. Apart from Geek somehow winning out and keeping his rank, there's no scenario whereby Mita can go straight to sekiwake, is there? I'm sure I've read somewhere hereabouts that a simple KK (and even as good as 10-5) is no guarantee of promotion from M1E where no sanyaku slots are available, but 11-4 can open a HD slot. I was seeking confirmation, but I think I've already got it after reading the Promotion/Demotion thread.

There are in fact several scenarios whereby Mitakeumi (8-3) is promoted to Sekiwake. They require both Tamawashi (6-5) and Shodai (4-7) to have losing records AND Kotoshogiku (4-7) to have a winning record or retire. Mitakeumi could also "force" promotion with a 12-3 Yusho.

[Rocks 1,810]

1 hour ago, Asashosakari said:

Incidentally, today's Ura-Yamaguchi bout should be required viewing for anyone who believes that shinitai-based rulings should have no place in sumo.

A question. If Yamaguchi had leapt and landed on Ura's back, does he win?

[Asashosakari 20,218]

1 hour ago, Rocks said:

Yes, that was complete BS. Ura lost.

It wasn't like the  Daishomaru match where Ishiura merely leaped as high as he could to avoid touching first. Yamaguchi was actively driving Ura to the ground. 

I don't see anything like that. While they're still inside the tawara, Yamaguchi is merely pulling Ura forward, and after they've both gone airborne (due to Ura's attack), Yamaguchi's hands barely touch Ura's back; it's all gravity that sends Ura downward. I'm hardly the biggest fan of Ura's style around here, but that was 100% his victory, and I for one am happy there's no strict "touch down first = loss" ruling in these cases.

Edited January 19, 2017 by Asashosakari

[Rocks 1,810]

19 minutes ago, Asashosakari said:

I don't see anything like that. While they're still inside the tawara, Yamaguchi is merely pulling Ura forward, and after they've both gone airborne (due to Ura's attack), Yamaguchi's hands barely touch Ura's back; it's all gravity that sends Ura downward. I'm hardly the biggest fan of Ura's style around here, but that was 100% his victory, and I for one am happy there's no strict "touch down first = loss" ruling in these cases.

Yama's hands are fully on his back and pushing down before they even leave the ring. Yama's foot is still on the ground. He goes airborne as he pushes down and starts to leave the ring to avoid touching down before he drives Ura to the ground. Ura way over committed here, and he lost because of it. Or should have.

Edited January 19, 2017 by Rocks

[Akaoni 1]

Just now, Rocks said:

Yama's hands are fully on his back and pushing down before they even leave the ring. Yama's foot his still on the ground. He goes airborne as he pushes down and starts to leave the ring to avoid touching down before he drives Ura to the ground. Ura way over committed here, and he lost because of it. Or should have.

Long time lurker, first time poster.  I found this quite confusing that Ura won this bout.  Is the thinking that because he was the aggressor that he gets the win even though he touched first?  Clarification of the finer points of this ruling would be appreciated.  TIA!

[Rocks 1,810]

I would not call this barely touching.