BASHO TALK -- Natsu 2017 -- SPOILERS

[haboki 4]

Takarafuji should quit sumo and take up ballet.  The way he prances backwards over the towara is really sweet.

[dada78641 884]

My man Hokutofuji getting the win over a strong Yoshikaze by oshidashi. He only had one makekoshi ever, last basho, and that's when he wasn't 100% healthy. Hoping his 10-5 will land him a nice maegashira spot next basho.

[dada78641 884]

I know everyone has said this about a thousand times, but I hope this wasn't Geek's last match. Just in case it is, this one's for posterity.

[Tiger Tanaka 222]

Geek wins so we're likely to have the same san'yaku for the next tournament if he decides to continue on. Mitakeumi will slide into the west sekiwake, with Yoshikaze and Kotoshogiku occupying the komusubi slots.

Next basho could get really interesting with Hokutofuji, Shodai, Ikioi, Takakeisho, and possibly Ura moving to the upper Maegashira spots, making for some fantastic competition and likely more than a couple kinboshi! 

Edited May 28, 2017 by Tiger Tanaka

[Tiger Tanaka 222]

What a legend. Zensho Yusho for #38! That match was epic. Looked like Harumafuji had him dead to rights a couple times but Hal's strength and determination just wouldn't allow him to be forced out.

 

Congrats Hak! And now no more sumo for a while :(. Had a great time talking about the basho with you fine folks these past two weeks and got to enjoy my first live sumo action. What an experience!

Edited May 28, 2017 by Tiger Tanaka

[dada78641 884]

13th zensho yusho. Fantastic match. Loved every second of it. Harumafuji kept driving, and nearly got Hakuho in his great initial attack, but Hakuho was in control. Once he got his grip, it was over. Jun-yusho for Terror. Fantastic basho, too bad it's gonna be a while before the next!

Lil picture of Harumafuji from the TV to close things off.

Edited May 28, 2017 by dada78641

[WAKATAKE 2,650]

Great match from both yokozuna. Haru put up a fight but Hak was just better on countering, and once he got the grip he needed it was all over. The King is back!

I don't think Geek is going to hang it up, he'll be komusubi next basho, and I think he'll grind it out as long as he's not going to fall to the lower maegashira.

Teru showed who was the ozeki between him and Takayasu. The riji vote not be unanimous, but I think he will have the votes he needs to get that promotion.

Tamawashi has been consistent while he has been in sanyaku, posting consecutive KK tournaments while at sekiwake, I think he's been the most surprising of rikishi that have been coming up. 

Looks like Mitakeumi's going to get that sekiwake promotion, and has very much to accomplish, and hopefully will make a serious run for ozeki soon.

Yoshikaze also finished decently, and will remain in sanyaku as the komusubi east next basho.

The younger generation is making their way up. I'm sure that the yokozuna and ozeki are making note of it. They need to take care of business while they can, because the younger generation is only going to get stronger and better.

Mitakeumi, Shodai, Takakeisho, Ura, Hokutofuji, Onosho, and I would even count Kagayaki in there too. It's going to be exciting to see what the future holds for these guys.

[Tsubame 359]

12 hours ago, Dapeng said:

What you said contradicts the fact: he is the greatest yokokozuna in history.

I am always fascinated by the modern misconception of being successful in something, is generally connected with the assumption that this person have positive character traits.

[Kishinoyama 583]

Any word from the YDC or NSK about Terunofuji having a chance to become a Yokozuna if he wins in Nagoya? He is now 13-2 and 12-3 in his last two tournaments with a playoff loss and a runner-up finish respectively. 

[WAKATAKE 2,650]

2 minutes ago, Kishinoyama said:

Any word from the YDC or NSK about Terunofuji having a chance to become a Yokozuna if he wins in Nagoya? He is now 13-2 and 12-3 in his last two tournaments with a playoff loss and a runner-up finish respectively. 

If they're going to say anything, it won't be until Monday. Tonight is mainly festivities.

[ryafuji 811]

51 minutes ago, Kishinoyama said:

Any word from the YDC or NSK about Terunofuji having a chance to become a Yokozuna if he wins in Nagoya? He is now 13-2 and 12-3 in his last two tournaments with a playoff loss and a runner-up finish respectively. 

There are already four yokozuna. There is zero chance of that happening.

[Gurowake 4,032]

22 minutes ago, ryafuji said:

There are already four yokozuna. There is zero chance of that happening.

I don't think the number of Yokozuna has much to do with it.  It might be unprecedented to have 5 Yokozuna, but there's no rule against it.  What makes it less likely is that he barely held on to his Ozeki rank for a year and only recently has started looking like a top Ozeki again.  As much as Harumafuji and Kakuyru had mediocre records before their two-basho Yokozuna run, they at least weren't kadoban half the time.  He'll probably need to win two in a row to be convincing, but I won't put it past them promoting him with a zensho in Nagoya.  He's come up just short of my 49/4 criteria in the past, suggesting he's not quite Yokozuna material, but if he keeps putting up 12-13 wins for another few basho it'll be hard to resist promoting him when he does land 14 or 15.

[Morty 1,486]

That final match was one for the ages. Two great champs closer to the end of their careers than the beginning showing why they are champions. Brilliant match, and kind of puts paid to the idea that Harumafuji was just going to lay down for Hak - he made him earn it.

And I hope in ten years we are talking about the great rivalry between the two Yokozunae Shodai and Mitakeumi...

[PawnSums 59]

On ‎5‎/‎27‎/‎2017 at 04:54, dada78641 said:

How long will it be before someone exceeds Hakuho's extraordinary achievements?

i'm gonna go off on a limb an say around 2034

he'll be a first

 

Also @Morty Said:

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And I hope in ten years we are talking about the great rivalry between the two Yokozunae Shodai and Mitakeumi...          |

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It'll be the guy above... 

Edited May 28, 2017 by PawnSums

[ryafuji 811]

1 hour ago, Gurowake said:

I don't think the number of Yokozuna has much to do with it.  It might be unprecedented to have 5 Yokozuna, but there's no rule against it.  What makes it less likely is that he barely held on to his Ozeki rank for a year and only recently has started looking like a top Ozeki again.  As much as Harumafuji and Kakuyru had mediocre records before their two-basho Yokozuna run, they at least weren't kadoban half the time.  He'll probably need to win two in a row to be convincing, but I won't put it past them promoting him with a zensho in Nagoya.  He's come up just short of my 49/4 criteria in the past, suggesting he's not quite Yokozuna material, but if he keeps putting up 12-13 wins for another few basho it'll be hard to resist promoting him when he does land 14 or 15.

Yes I know there's no rule, my point was simply that with 4 yokozuna already they are even less likely to loosen the promotion criteria. After his simply awful 2016 I think he will need two consecutive yusho before they would even look at him. 

[RabidJohn 1,742]

Wow, that yokozuna battle was awesome! Congratulations to Hakuho on coming back with a zensho yusho. No doubt that in terms of results he's the GOAT. Such a shame he's well down the list in terms of hinkaku.

He reminds of Schumacher in F1. He was the GOAT, too, and somewhat disliked because of his attitude. After Schumey retired, though, he became much more popular. Maybe Hakuho will also benefit from such a rose-tinted outlook after his intai, which doesn't seem imminent.

The sansho were somewhat unexpected, to me at least. Onosho was the only unsurprising winner. I kind of expected Takayasu to get one, but I'd have made it a shukun-sho conditional on beating Terunofuji. Did anyone foresee a gino-sho for Yoshikaze? Bloody well done if you did! Same with the shukun-sho for Mitakeumi, though I'm happy enough with all of them. I guess Ura didn't show sufficient variety for the gino-sho, and he's not aggressive enough for the kanto-sho.

What was most surprising, though, was none of them were conditional and all the recipients lost!

[Morty 1,486]

41 minutes ago, RabidJohn said:

I guess Ura didn't show sufficient variety for the gino-sho, and he's not aggressive enough for the kanto-sho.

 

I suspect that his propensity to henka doesn't help...

[Gurowake 4,032]

Gino-sho is not about variety of kimarite, it's about quality of technique.  In theory.  What it is in reality has recently been something completely different.

[WAKATAKE 2,650]

Ura wanted it though.

http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/1831194.html

[Churaumi 738]

I guess Ura was too low-ranked for his record to be impressive enough for an outstanding performance prize? Too bad about the henkas though, if they costed him a prize.

[Adil 232]

The way Hakuho broke Harumafuji's left handed grip is the stuff of textbooks. 

1) This is the moment before the magic move.

2) Hakuho lets go of his right-handed inside grip. Required for next move.

3) He anchors the freed hand on Harumafuji's belly. Required for next move.

4) He moves his right leg forward. Required for next move.

5) He rests his right elbow on his thigh. Hakuho's right hand is so firmly anchored to Harumafuji's belly because of the elbow being pushed by the thigh that it actually moves Harumafuji back a few inches. Required for next move.

6) He moves his hips lower and to the right until his right elbow starts pushing on Harumafuji's left arm. Required for next move.

7) He makes a lightning quick forward movement with his hips. Harumafuji's grip is broken because Hakuho's anchored elbow is blocking Harumafuji's left arm from following Hakuho's hips.

8) Instantaneously with the forward hip movement and the breaking of Harumafuji's left handed grip, Hakuho 'disassembles' his anchor mechanism and moves his right hand for a high inside hold to make it difficult for Harumafuji's left hand to get to Hakuho's mawashi again.  

9) Hakuho starts the yori charge. Harumafuji knows he can't do anything about it and lets himself be pushed out.  

[d_golem 213]

@Adil thanks for breaking it down so simply. I had to watch that bout again to have it really sink in and I tip my hat, bow my head, and kneel in amazement to the absolute GOAT.

Edited May 28, 2017 by d_golem

[Bumpkin 438]

7 hours ago, WAKATAKE said:

 

Teru showed who was the ozeki between him and Takayasu. The riji vote not be unanimous, but I think he will have the votes he needs to get that promotion.

The vote is always unanimous.

[Dapeng 233]

4 hours ago, ryafuji said:

There are already four yokozuna. There is zero chance of that happening.

...... if he gets two consecutive yusho from July, NSK can't deny the promotion. 

Edited May 28, 2017 by Dapeng

[Marcus 1]

sometimes I wonder how Hakuho would do in an MMA fight...