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

[Fukurou 534]

you guys are good. Those photos are 19 years old

[rhyen 1,842]

Musoyama, and here is the opening ceremony featuring the rikishi parade (emperor entrance in the middle before Akebono performed the dohyo-irie)

 

[MumboJumbo 37]

12 hours ago, rzombie1988 said:

- Ichinojo actually pushes forward and wins. There's no reason he couldn't be like a Terunofuji if he did more of this.

They have looked pretty similar at times. This made me think of how it was almost looking like a bit of a rivalry was forming between them. Their first few bouts of 2015 were pretty great. Two mizuiri, plus another bout where Terunofuji became extra angry (for Teru standards) and decides to shove Ichinojo's face a bit after the match is over. Now poor Ichi has a bad back and maybe some mental thing going on, so they don't get matched up too often anymore.

Mad Terunofuji.

Edited March 23, 2017 by MumboJumbo

[Asashosakari 19,542]

2 minutes ago, MumboJumbo said:

They have looked pretty similar at times.

Especially over the last twelve months or so...

[orandashoho 720]

Ichinojo has his up amd down days. You never know which day it is, though. At the same time, he still needs to pick up speed and reactive power. All to often he looks as if he is at a loss, which makes it all the more impressive, knowing how young he is, that he can maintain himself at this level. I wish him all the best and eagerly await the great things that we might lie in his future if his back holds up.

Edit: by the way, thanks for posting the Olympic ceremony. It was great to see all my old favourites again.

Edited March 23, 2017 by orandashoho

[SumpaX 23]

I still believe Ichinojo will go far, at least ozeki.. does somebody know how the Injuries of Terunofuji are? His performance is really strong again... but is he even at 90% of what he used to be healthwise? Today showed me he really has a shot at the yusho, the face of Kise after Teru's win says it all.

[Dwale 419]

Ooohhhh, that's tough for Kotoshogiku. His opportunity is slipping through his fingers...

I guess Kisenosato watched Arawashi's match the day before and thought, "Perhaps it would be best to finish him off quickly..." But whatever the case, 12 and 0, woohoo! CRUSH THEM ALL! Ahem... 

Looks like Mitakeumi's going to make sekiwake, unless he drops the ball three days in a row. Good luck to him. 

Kisenosato v. Terunofuji... Gonna be thinking about that all day. XP

[Tsubame 368]

12 hours ago, Bumpkin said:

Interesting. Who will be the Yokozunae in July 2020? I guess only time will tell.

When Gagamaru finally finishes his ozeki-run in the next years, he maybe will looking for higher goals...

 

 

[Benihana 1,929]

Harumafuji likes to destroy future oeziki, it seems. Really looking forward to the Y-O matches, especially tomorrow. Will Haru and Kise follow the pattern of the last 2 years (2 wins Haru, win Kise, 2 wins Haru...) or will Kise be the c-c-c-combo breaker?

[Onibushou 61]

2 hours ago, Benihana said:

Harumafuji likes to destroy future oeziki, it seems.

Guess so, he's been doing it since the Ama days (I'm sure we've all seen this, but one more time can't hurt...)

 

[Dwale 419]

33 minutes ago, Onibushou said:

Guess so, he's been doing it since the Ama days (I'm sure we've all seen this, but one more time can't hurt...)

 

Oh, snap! O.O

Also, I like how Goeido is all young and fresh-faced, whereas Harumafuji looks more or less the same. XP

[ALAKTORN 346]

Damn, Terunofuji is really healthy again huh? Can’t believe he survived that morozashi.

[rzombie1988 159]

Standings after Day 12:
12 wins
○○○○○○○○○○○○ Y2w Kisenosato

11 wins
○○○○○●○○○○○○ O1w Terunofuji

10 wins
○○○○○○○○○○●● S1w Takayasu
○○○○○○●○○○○● M10w Tochiozan

9 wins
●○●○○○○○●○○○ Y2e Harumafuji

Thoughts on today:

- Terunofuji had an amazing come from behind victory today. I'm still not sure how he pulled it off or how Endo blew it, when all he needed to do was push into his stomach, but Endo blew it. Highlight win for Terunofuji and man is it good to see the big man back at full strength.

- Kisenosato also looked solid today going to 12-0 and he has no Hakuho to worry about this time around.

- Takayasu took his second loss today and has a very very small chance of getting the title at this point. Nothing to be ashamed about though. He overperformed and Harumafuji's technique was very good today.

- Kotoshogiku lost and needs to win his next 3 to get back to Ozeki. If he can't do this, he will never be an Ozeki again, there I said it. I wasn't around when he became an Ozeki but I can't see him winning 33 bouts over 3 tournaments to become an Ozeki again. He can be really good at times, but his lack of balance and lack of being able to fight off henka's will always haunt him. He seems like a good dude, but he just looks downright embarassing at times.

Day 13 - It's heating up:
Kisenosato vs Harumafuji - Harumafuji has the 37-24 edge over Kise.
Kakuryu vs Terunofuji - Kakuryu has a 7-3 record against Terunofuji, but I wouldn't count that so much, since Terunofuji has been a pile of bandages for the last year.
Nice looking Ura vs Chiyoshouma match as well

 

[Dwale 419]

1 hour ago, rzombie1988 said:

 

- Kotoshogiku lost and needs to win his next 3 to get back to Ozeki. If he can't do this, he will never be an Ozeki again, there I said it.

 

I believe you are wholly correct. Kotoshogiku has his strengths, but it's now or never for his ozekihood. Not only is he aging, his sumo is inflexible and predictable. I feel like most of us understood that from the outset, even if we didn't articulate it.

[RabidJohn 1,829]

9 minutes ago, Dwale said:

I believe you are wholly correct. Kotoshogiku has his strengths, but it's now or never for his ozekihood. Not only is he aging, his sumo is inflexible and predictable. I feel like most of us understood that from the outset, even if we didn't articulate it.

Having had a look at Geek's record, I thought it was all over when he went MK in January, as double-digit scores have not figured all that prominently. Someone else here made a good point that he really over-performed to get his ozeki promotion and again to get his yusho, and that he's a sekiwake-level rikishi who has over-achieved. He could still get his 10 wins, but it's very unlikely. I think he'll be S1W next time and Tamawashi could still hang in at S2E, both of which will block Mita's promotion to sekiwake, as I don't think Mita can force it now with 6 losses.

What about that Terunofuji? He's going to give Kise a really hard time on Sunday! Yesterday I said Teru could be tsunatori for May. Today I think he probably will be. Much as I'd love to see the Kise fairytale continue, I'm really pleased to see Teru performing like this again. What he did today was awesome.

Takayasu looked a bit dejected today. He needn't be, as he's still well on course for promotion at his current level.

Tamawashi might have blown his chances of a promotion run already, but he proper blasted Kak off the dohyo! He's well capable of getting another KK to keep his rank.

And was that an uncharacteristic loss of balance from Ura today? I said gravity would renege on the deal, with all that extra weight!

[Jakusotsu 6,009]

5 hours ago, Benihana said:

Harumafuji likes to destroy future oeziki, it seems.

I wish it was possible to query not only "wins before bout" but also "losses before bout" at the database to check out how many zensho yusho he destroyed. Another one tomorrow?

[Asojima 2,874]

15 minutes ago, Jakusotsu said:

... to check out how many zensho yusho he destroyed.

I believe that would be anytime that he defeated someone with zero losses, even on day 1.

[Atenzan 1,084]

36 minutes ago, Jakusotsu said:

I wish it was possible to query not only "wins before bout" but also "losses before bout" at the database to check out how many zensho yusho he destroyed. Another one tomorrow?

Interesting question indeed! I have an idea. Just let me check if it works. I'll edit this post if it does. 

Edit: first, I queried for Harumafuji makuuchi wins on days 1 through 15 against opponents who ended up with 14-1 for the basho. It turns out that Harumafuji has spoiled 3 zensho all by himself:

2008.01 Sekiwake Ama (6-4) def. Yokozuna Hakuhou (9-1) on day 10.

2009.01 Ozeki Harumafuji (4-6) def. Yokozuna Hakuhou (9-1) on day 10

2012.07 Ozeki Harumafuji (15-0) def. Yokozuna Hakuhou (14-1) on day 15- to become yokozuna. 

In addition, Harumafuji has beaten these previously undefeated and eventual yusho-winning makuuchi rikishi in the last 5 days:

On day 15, see above. 

On day 14, nobody. 

On day 13, Hakuhou in the non-honbasho of May 2011. Harumafuji was 8-5 after the bout and Hakuhou ended up 13-2Y.

On day 12, nobody. 

On day 11, nobody. 

All in all Hakuhou has missed out on serious mochikyuukin thanks to Harumafuji. 

 

Edited March 23, 2017 by McBugger

[CT3* 331]

4 hours ago, Onibushou said:

Guess so, he's been doing it since the Ama days (I'm sure we've all seen this, but one more time can't hurt...)

 

I never tire of watching that bout! The look on Goeido's face after the match is priceless.

[Dapeng 235]

3 hours ago, rzombie1988 said:

Standings after Day 12:
12 wins
○○○○○○○○○○○○ Y2w Kisenosato

11 wins
○○○○○●○○○○○○ O1w Terunofuji

- Kisenosato also looked solid today going to 12-0 and he has no Hakuho to worry about this time around.

He only needs to worry about Teru......

[Bumpkin 438]

S2w Kotoshogiku (7-5) needs to worry about getting  his kachi kochi. He has Kw Shodai (4-8) on day 13. Ow Terunofuji (11-1) on day 14. Probably M4e Yohikaze (7-5) on day 15. Koto should beat at least one more, but maybe not.

[Rocks 1,809]

It would be pretty ironic if he loses to Shodai then beats Terrorfuji. I wonder if he loses to Shodai if he might immediately announce his retirement and skip the last 2 days.

[kassidilla 8]

1 hour ago, RabidJohn said:

 Yesterday I said Teru could be tsunatori for May. Today I think he probably will be. Much as I'd love to see the Kise fairytale continue, I'm really pleased to see Teru performing like this again. What he did today was awesome.

Let's play hypothetical situations here... Teru gets a 14-1Y and then continues on his streak and pulls out a 13-2Y in May. The NSK would have no choice but to promote him, right? Has there ever been a time with 5 Yokozunas? Would the NSK more or less force Kak or Haru out?

[Bumpkin 438]

5 minutes ago, kassidilla said:

Let's play hypothetical situations here... Teru gets a 14-1Y and then continues on his streak and pulls out a 13-2Y in May. The NSK would have no choice but to promote him, right? Has there ever been a time with 5 Yokozunas? Would the NSK more or less force Kak or Haru out?

There has never been 5 Yokozuna on the banzuke at the same time. If Terunofuji or Goeido win back to back yushos they will be promoted. As for forcing a Yokozuna to retire, that would be an option. However, if Harumafuji and/or Kakuryu get at least 10 wins than it would be very difficult to do. Also, Hakuho needs to come back in May and get at least 10 wins. 

[Bumpkin 438]

Y1w Kakuryu (8-4) could lose out. He has Ow Terunofuji (11-1) on day 13; Y2w Kisenosato (12-0) on day 14; Y1e Harumafuji (9-3) on day 15. He would then finish 8-7 in a basho without Hakuho and Goeido. 

Y2e Harumafuji (9-3) could also lose out. He has Y2w Kisenosato (12-0) today; S1e Tamawashi (6-6) on day 14; Y1w Kakuryu (8-4) on day 15. He would then finish 9-6.

Edited March 23, 2017 by Bumpkin