Basho Talk ** Haru Basho 2017 ** (SPOILERS)

[Benihana 1,937]

1 hour ago, McBugger said:

Fingers crossed five times over, but if this showing of Terunofuji's is a sign of things to come, we might have five yokozuna n the near future.

Who do you think will be the fifth? Takayasu, Mitakeumi or Shodai?

[Benihana 1,937]

5 hours ago, Asashosakari said:

Do you mean as the only people to be at 8-0? There are more recent tournaments in which the two stablemates were part of a larger group.

Not only are they stablemates, they make up 100% of that stables' sanyaku and sekitori. Could that be something "special" about this situation?

[ScreechingOwl 343]

3 hours ago, Asashosakari said:

Not to mention that Kotoshogiku also had multiple untimely wins 3-4 years ago when Kisenosato was first going for his hatsu-yusho and yokozuna promotion, and also beat Kise six times in a row (!) back in 2011 right while Kise was trying to put together the needed wins to ascend to ozeki. Outside of Hakuho (and Kise himself, I guess) nobody has been as detrimental to Kisenosato's advancement over the years. Hard to believe the newly-minted yokozuna will be in the mood for favours. But of course, as the aforementioned stuff shows, Giku has always been a dangerous opponent for him, and even two ranks apart it wouldn't surprise me too much if he beats him again.

As Asashosakari so ably points out, Kisenosato and Kotoshogiku have never done each other favours. While I'm not a psychologist, they don't seem to like each other very much, and since Kotomitsuki was forced to retire in 2010 they have been locked in a battle for who is the top Japanese rikishi. Although I've always viewed Kisenosato as the more talented, Kotoshogiku pipped Kisenosato twice - the first to become ozeki and the first to win a yusho.  Now of course, the tide has turned.

Supposedly Kisenosato is one of the least likely rikishi to do ANYONE favours (and I mean that in a positive way), but regardless this one was going to be fought straight up even if both contestants didn't need the win. And they each do.

[Rocks 1,809]

I thought Kise and Giku were close friends?

[pmac 34]

1 hour ago, McBugger said:

Fingers crossed five times over, but if this showing of Terunofuji's is a sign of things to come, we might have five yokozuna n the near future.

agreed, hes a wrecking machine when not injured!

had to make that GIF :D

[Tiger Tanaka 226]

Geek taking care of business again. Kise, Terunofuji, and Shodai are the biggest obstacles remaining in his way. Must go 4-3 the rest of the way, but he's done a lot of the heavy lifting so far.

Awesome move from Kise. Having just gotten into Sumo this year, I've heard a lot of Kise's mental weaknesses, but he showed a lot of swagger after that slap down. Has he ever seemed so confident during his Ozeki run?

Mitakeumi and Shodai facing off tomorrow should be a good battle between the two young Komusubi. Both 3-5 after the difficult week 1 matchups and the winner will go along way to getting back on track for the KK

[Kuroyama 715]

1 hour ago, Tiger Tanaka said:

Awesome move from Kise. Having just gotten into Sumo this year, I've heard a lot of Kise's mental weaknesses, but he showed a lot of swagger after that slap down. Has he ever seemed so confident during his Ozeki run?

He'd been an ozeki for about 5 years before he got the tsuna, and he did seem to show a lot of mental weakness in earlier years. He'd typically "choke" with these sudden breakdowns during basho where everything else seemed to be going well for him.

I think the past year of solid performance, combined with finally winning a yusho and a sense of importance in his role as a yokozuna, may have cured him of it. (That, and happy thoughts of kittens.) :3

[PawnSums 59]

Look, it's nice o'clock in japan, if anyone's out there watching the jonidan matched about now, I would like if you posted some results here.

just saying.

[d_golem 213]

1 hour ago, PawnSums said:

Look, it's nice o'clock in japan, if anyone's out there watching the jonidan matched about now, I would like if you posted some results here.

just saying.

Yep, a nice time indeed in Tokyo right about now. Must be about what, 14-15 degrees Celcius, sunny Monday morning with just a smidge of cloud cover?

Edited March 20, 2017 by d_golem

[Tsuchinoninjin 1,276]

http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Results.aspx

The days results get posted here as they show up on the NSK site or where-ever it is scraped from.

[WAKATAKE 2,671]

I think Hokutofuji may have a concussion

[WAKATAKE 2,671]

And that's kinboshi number 33 given up by Harumafuji, number 3 won by Arawashi. Ama is currently number 8 for most kinboshi given away if I remember correctly.

[Philioyamfugi 378]

Kisenosato just took 2 steps back and Kotoshugiku just fell forward... Koto didn't look happy

Edited March 20, 2017 by Philioyamfugi

[Morty 1,505]

Kise is like the immovable object in this basho. 

[Dwale 419]

Ah, Chiyoshoma again. Love this guy. I am no longer surprised by Aoiyama's agility, though: he's won a number of matches by dancing on the edge like a much smaller man with a much lower center of gravity. I don't know how he does it, but he does, and opponents who don't note that fact do so at their own peril.

Kisenosato. In my opinion, you can never count out any yokozuna, as they have attained that lofty rank with good reason, so there's always a chance H or K can pull something out. But Kisenosato has the momentum coming in, and is firing on all cylinders. I honestly cannot even remember the last time Harumafuji looked to be at 100%. 

I do have to worry about a resurgent Terunofuji, though. Dude's flippin' scary with how strong he is.

Takayasu just all zen in there today. From the camera angle, it looked to me like he narrowly avoided a loss, so I was a little confused about what happened. Nice to see him still doing well! LATE EDIT: Look at Takayasu's face before the match starts. No tension, nothing... It's like he's waiting in line at a restaurant. 

Edited March 20, 2017 by Dwale
Further thoughts

[Benevolance 2,511]

Kotoshogiku is now just three clerical errors away from a zensho yusho. And, more surprisingly, he might actually pull off a return to yo-yo-kadobanning. 

[robnplunder 976]

Terunofuji is very impressive but like many rikishi, he seems to be injury prone.   He follows a good basho with a bad one based on how fit/healthy he is.  He's not alone in this.  I've been watching ozumo now for 2 years and I figured that one's performance is tied to how healthy he is at entering the basho.

The battle of the two Japanese hopefuls was won by Mitakeumi whom I think is separating himself from Shodai. 

I am picking Takayasu over Kisenosato for the yusho race.  

Ishiura & Ura are always interesting.  But they will go no higher than mid Makuuchi level, given their size.   Bigger rikishi with experience seem to dispatch them with ease. 

I like Chiyoshoma.   He's my next Mongolian Ozeki prospect.

[Rocks 1,809]

9 minutes ago, Benevolance said:

Kotoshogiku is now just three clerical errors away from a zensho yusho. And, more surprisingly, he might actually pull off a return to yo-yo-kadobanning. 

Yes, he's got Takekaze today and he still has to face Ikioi, both of whom are doing lousy. Of the sanyaku he still has Shodai and Terrorfuji. Then Takarafuji and either Yoshikaze or Arawashi. Barring errors he could lose to Shodai and Terrorfuji and still get 10 so I think he has a very good chance of returning to Ozeki.

[Rocks 1,809]

6 hours ago, Philioyamfugi said:

Kisenosato just took 2 steps back and Kotoshugiku just fell forward... Koto didn't look happy

Kise looked kinda surprised himself. That was all on Giku there.

[Rocks 1,809]

8 hours ago, WAKATAKE said:

And that's kinboshi number 33 given up by Harumafuji, number 3 won by Arawashi. Ama is currently number 8 for most kinboshi given away if I remember correctly.

He's got Endo today who has never beat him but Endo is looking like he's hell bent on getting his 1st joi-jin KK. 

 

Oops, he was 8-7 at M5w 3 years ago. Still this is the 1st time he's had 6 wins by day 9 ranked above M10.

Edited March 20, 2017 by Rocks

[Fukurou 534]

15 minutes ago, Rocks said:

He's got Endo today who has never beat him but Endo is looking like he's hell bent on getting his 1st joi-jin KK. 

 

Oops, he was 8-7 at M5w 3 years ago. Still this is the 1st time he's had 6 wins by day 9 ranked above M10.

Yeah, the deal with Endo is he's not gotten KK when ranked at M4 or higher in 7 attempts

[robnplunder 976]

15 minutes ago, Rocks said:

He's got Endo today who has never beat him but Endo is looking like he's hell bent on getting his 1st joi-jin KK. 

I like Endo's chance to beat Harumafuji who has been looking shaky all basho.  Endo just needs to be careful of Haruma's non-henka-henka.  

[Rocks 1,809]

6 minutes ago, robnplunder said:

I like Endo's chance to beat Harumafuji who has been looking shaky all basho.  Endo just needs to be careful of Haruma's non-henka-henka.  

Yes, if Haraumafuji goes straight up at the tachai-ai Endo has a chance the condition Harumafuji is in. But I think there is little chance Harumafuji will go straight up. If Endo blindly charges it'll be over quick.

[Arn 24]

Ichinojo looked like he was very determined not to be walked-out backwards, like he has the last couple of days.

Kotoyuki seems completely under the ice compared to how he looked some tournaments ago. And I have not heard anything about any injuries.

I liked Sokokurais little matador-move, suddenly going the other way.

What knocked out Hokutofji? Slaps or collision?

And finally, I must ask because I have wondered for several tournaments, what is up with Yoshikazes eyes??? Its like they never went back to normal after he had those double black eyes a while ago. He looks like he has an permanent allergic rection.

[RabidJohn 1,855]

36 minutes ago, Arn said:

And finally, I must ask because I have wondered for several tournaments, what is up with Yoshikazes eyes??? Its like they never went back to normal after he had those double black eyes a while ago. He looks like he has an permanent allergic rection.

Yoshikaze leads with his face and catches a forehead or crown in an eye socket in a good proportion of his bouts. Remember his win over Harumafuji a couple of basho back? He already had stitches in an eye cut, but he still lead with his face so Haru could stick nut right on the bandage! He's a nutter - literally.

Am I right in thinking that if no one else drops out Kise and Teru will meet on senshuraku? That could be the decisive bout of the basho - if Takayasu hasn't already clinched it.