BASHO TALK -- Natsu 2017 -- SPOILERS

[Bumpkin 438]

28 minutes ago, Ender Wiggin said:

Hello. First time posting, long time lurking.

Just wanted to comment on the Takayasu-Harumafuji bout and the whole gyoji thing. I just finished watching Jason's YT post of the bout and I was laughing at the blind bias, which was understandable in Jason's case (but still annoying nonetheless). But what irked me even more was the commentators were saying the same thing: the gyoji got in the way and cost him the win. 

Like yeah, Harumafuji cares about the well-being of the gyoji and would lose a bout to guarantee his safety. He couldn't care less if the gyoji got bowled over. And it was clear that Takayasu stuffed Harumafuji's nodowa and then succumbed to his own aggression. The gyoji had nothing to do with it whatsoever. Takayasu earned that win.

With that said, congrats to the new Ozeki Takayasu! You earned it.

Congrats to you on an excellent first post!

[Tsubame 354]

3 hours ago, Amamaniac said:

Takayasu sealed his Ozeki promotion in his win over Harumafuji, imho.  Upsetting a Yokozuna is pretty much a deal maker.  

Takayasu is like a wall of flesh/muscle.

And hair. Don't forget the hair!

 

[orandashoho 720]

8 hours ago, Philioyamfugi said:

Aminishiki has 8 kimboshi. No wonder he sticks around..but I always rout for the older guys anyway.

Oh? Do the kinboshi payments stop on retirement then?

[Gurowake 3,872]

11 minutes ago, orandashoho said:

Oh? Do the kinboshi payments stop on retirement then?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mochikyūkin is only paid to those currently ranked sekitori each basho.  That's the career-spanning bonus system that gets a large boost from earning kinboshi.  All rikishi have accounts, but only sekitori get paid on them.

Note that winning a Makuuchi yusho is worth the same as 3 kinboshi, while a kinboshi is worth the same as 4 bashos of going 10-5 or 20 of 8-7.  

Edited May 26, 2017 by Gurowake

[Amamaniac 2,078]

32 minutes ago, Tsubame said:

And hair. Don't forget the hair!

 

You're referring to his back, I assume?

[robnplunder 974]

11 minutes ago, Amamaniac said:

You're referring to his back, I assume?

He could be referring to all other places where the hair can grow.   Some may be eeking out of his mawashi for all we know.

[Amamaniac 2,078]

2 hours ago, Rocks said:

I think if you check you won't find one instance of those 2 beating the other when one of them has wrapped up the Yusho already on Day 15 or even before.

I did some checking.  In the 2013 Nagoya basho, Hakuho won the championship with a 13-2 record.  He had 13 straight wins from Day 1 only to lose his last two bouts against Kisenosato and Harumafuji.  Not sure if that counts.  Something tells me, although there is a degree of respect and admiration (even friendship) outside the ring, inside the ring it is each man for himself.  After all, there is plenty of kensho to be had in those final bouts...

[Amamaniac 2,078]

16 minutes ago, robnplunder said:

He could be referring to all other places where the hair can grow.   Some may be eeking out of his mawashi for all we know.

Now there's a visual I didn't need! LOL

[robnplunder 974]

With the yusho, and Ozeki watch (Takayasu, Goeido) all but decided, I look forward to other matches.  

• Ura vs Takakeisho - can't wait how this goes.   Takakeisho can push Ura around but better have good footing.   Ura can get him to slip.  
• Mitakeumi's KK watch ... moreover, a possible start of an Ozeki run.  
• Satoyama's remaining matches - sure to be entertaining.  
• Speaking of Juryo, who is going to emerge out of the herd?   Conversely, who are making a run to drop down to Juryo - so many candidates.

[orandashoho 720]

10 minutes ago, robnplunder said:

Speaking of Juryo, who is going to emerge out of the herd?

Wouldn't it be fun if it were Aminishiki... !!

[PawnSums 59]

I'm aware of how much hate I will get for this, but I WANT Kotoshogiku to retire, not because I don't like him (He's My favorite) but it's because I think this is getting to hard for him.

I'm pretty sure by those knee tape that something bad has happened, but in my opinon, he's 5-8, and a former ozeki, and just won a yusho last year, he's had a fast decline from a sudden late bloom, and it's time for him to end retire.

[Bumpkin 438]

4 minutes ago, PawnSums said:

I'm aware of how much hate I will get for this, but I WANT Kotoshogiku to retire, not because I don't like him (He's My favorite) but it's because I think this is getting to hard for him.

I'm pretty sure by those knee tape that something bad has happened, but in my opinon, he's 5-8, and a former ozeki, and just won a yusho last year, he's had a fast decline from a sudden late bloom, and it's time for him to end retire.

I'm agnostic as to whether or not Kotoshogiku ,or anyone else for that matter, retires. After all, if Aminishiki wants to continue in Juryo and Toyonoshima in Makushita, who am I to judge.

[Katooshu 3,079]

18 minutes ago, orandashoho said:

Wouldn't it be fun if it were Aminishiki... !!

That's my hope

20 years, 122 basho, and many accomplishments in the sport, yet no yusho in any division. Now is the time!

Edited May 26, 2017 by Katooshu

[Morty 1,469]

6 hours ago, Bumpkin said:

I think Harumafuji would walk over his grandmother to spoil Hakuho's zensho.

Agreed. Everything we know about two Mongolian "camps" in sumo supports this

[808morgan 805]

4 hours ago, orandashoho said:

Wouldn't it be fun if it were Aminishiki... !!

He had a major henka pulled on him a few days ago, it was great considering!

[808morgan 805]

4 hours ago, Bumpkin said:

I'm agnostic as to whether or not Kotoshogiku ,or anyone else for that matter, retires. After all, if Aminishiki wants to continue in Juryo and Toyonoshima in Makushita, who am I to judge.

I really hope Toyonoshima gets healthier and makes it up to Juryo again at least, he is my favorite.

[sekitori 492]

17 hours ago, Dwale said:

That staredown between Tamawashi and Hakuho gave me chills it was so tense. Wow. As for the match, it felt to me like Tamawashi was unsure of what to do once he was on the belt. Hakuho, of course, knew exactly what to do. 

 

The staredown was entirely Hakuho's doing and it worked perfectly. Some have said that he seemed nervous and that was the reason he twice delayed the tachiai. I doubt that very much. He seemed perfectly relaxed. It instead appeared to be a calculated strategy on his part to take the intiative away from Tamawashi. "Matta" is a false start but Hakuho's action was a "no start" (I have no idea what it's called in Japanese) and he did it twice.

Tamawashi's only chance of winning was to go straight ahead at the tachiai and push him out of the ring before he could counter. But when you are unable to do that because your opponent isn't ready not just once but twice, that can be frustrating. As a result, your tachai probably won't be quite as strong as it would have been if there was no delay. On the third try, it wasn't. Hakuho handled it well and as stated. he did exactly what he was supposed to do.

Tamawashi is an oshi-zumo specialist and if he has to rely on using the belt because that skill has been taken away, he will be totally out of his element. That's exactly what happened and when your opponent is Hakuho, the result is a certain loss.  

Hakuho is possibly the most technically proficient yokozuna of all time. This match shows that he also may be the most intelligent one as well. 

Edited May 27, 2017 by sekitori

[Ack! 424]

2 hours ago, Morty said:

Agreed. Everything we know about two Mongolian "camps" in sumo supports this

Interesting!  Where does Kakuryu fit in this picture?

[Dwale 419]

1 hour ago, sekitori said:

The staredown was entirely Hakuho's doing and it worked perfectly. Some have said that he seemed nervous and that was the reason he twice delayed the tachiai. I doubt that very much. He seemed perfectly relaxed. It instead appeared to be a calculated strategy on his part to take the intiative away from Tamawashi. "Matta" is a false start but Hakuho's action was a "no start" (I have no idea what it's called in Japanese) and he did it twice.

Tamawashi's only chance of winning was to go straight ahead at the tachiai and push him out of the ring before he could counter. But when you are unable to do that because your opponent isn't ready not just once but twice, that can be frustrating. As a result, your tachai probably won't be quite as strong as it would have been if there was no delay. On the third try, it wasn't. Hakuho handled it well and as stated. he did exactly what he was supposed to do.

Tamawashi is an oshi-zumo specialist and if he has to rely on using the belt because that skill has been taken away, he will be totally out of his element. That's exactly what happened and when your opponent is Hakuho, the result is a certain loss.  

Hakuho is possibly the most technically proficient yokozuna of all time. This match shows that he also may be the most intelligent one as well. 

Yes, the stalled tachiai was to serve a strategic purpose. Hakuho was not nervous; he was, however, cautious and stacking the odds in his favor. I think it would be almost impossible to intimidate a focused Hakuho. He recognizes the strengths and weaknesses of his opponents and then plays based on those observations. In Tamawashi he sees a capable foe, but a predictable one. By making Tamawashi dance to his tune, the match was decided before it began. But then, that is often the case in sumo.

An incredibly tense staredown in any case. The crowd enjoyed it, too.

[kuroimori 1,634]

Vily veteran Aminishiki is back - finally! 

[dada78641 884]

Here we go. Sumo on TV while eating a supercharged hiyashi ramen.

Who else saw Terutsuyoshi lifting Osunaarashi out of the ring?

[robnplunder 974]

10 minutes ago, dada78641 said:

Here we go. Sumo on TV while eating a supercharged hiyashi ramen.

Who else saw Terutsuyoshi lifting Osunaarashi out of the ring?

 

I did.  I could not believe my eyes.  I saw the sheepish grin on 50 year old Osunaarish when he lost.  

Amishiski!   Amen! 

 

[Ack! 424]

10 minutes ago, kuroimori said:

Vily veteran Aminishiki is back - finally! 

Aminishiki vs. Nishikigi for a 10-5 yusho tomorrow!

[pmac 34]

8 minutes ago, Ack! said:

Aminishiki vs. Nishikigi for a 10-5 yusho tomorrow!

when gaga is losing now

[Yamasanzan 93]

The inhouse radio channel have a janken tournament every day where you can win some dirt from the dohyo. As far as I know it can't be bought at sovenir shop.

I won some today, but I already have from before so I give it away. seek me up before 1800. Row 14, day ticket west side, close to mukoujoumen side. nod twice or something as a sign