BASHO TALK -- Natsu 2017 -- SPOILERS

[dada78641 884]

Kakuryuu kyujo. Kisenosato not looking too good. Hakuho and Harumafuji are 4-0. Not gonna lie, I'm secretly hoping for a pre-2014 clash between just those two at the top rank.

[Kintamayama 44,350]

3 hours ago, Asashosakari said:

I came in too late - was the Okinoumi fusensho pickup before or after Hakuho-Mitakeumi?

I'm pretty sure they usually do that- if there are 2, the fusen is first. If there are three, it's in-between.. Four, the second one. It was how I expected.

Maybe it's the pills.

[Asashosakari 18,786]

8 minutes ago, Kintamayama said:

I'm pretty sure they usually do that- if there are 2, the fusen is first. If there are three, it's in-between.. Four, the second one. It was how I expected.

Maybe it's the pills.

We've been there before.  And we were waiting for some four-yokozuna scenarios at the time:

I actually asked because I couldn't remember how they handled it last basho when Hakuho withdrew. Your video for Day 5 had the fusen announcement with three real matches afterwards (the other three yokozuna bouts), NHK's digest had it followed by only two matches.

I think it's safe to conclude now that, unless the sanyaku soroibumi is happening, the fusen bout is always moved so that two real matches follow, regardless of the ranks of the rikishi involved.

Edited May 18, 2017 by Asashosakari

[Dwale 419]

I'm glad Kakuryu went kyujo. Not a fan or anything, but you just don't like to see a yokozuna put in a showing like that. May he recover well.

Chiyoshoma has nothing to be ashamed of, he came in with a plan and went fought hard. It was a solid effort. Kisenosato in rough shape, I'm worried about what the days ahead hold for him. If he were close to 100% I'm sure that would have been a much shorter bout.

Heh, Hakuho making short work of Mitakeumi. That's just how it goes with him: give Hakuho something to work with and your odds of winning drop significantly. But, Mitakeumi will come back again and again until he gets it right, because that's the kind of rikishi he is.

Ishiura doing better than I expected. Good on him, I hope he can hang on in makuuchi.

 

[YoungSumo 93]

With 1/3 of the Basho done it looks like its going to be a three way race between Harumafuji, Hakuho and Takayasu. Definitely not the only interesting storyline to watch though. KIsenosato's bouts are the true highlights every day, the effort he shows and the ability to go 3-2 with such a significant injury is amazing. Kakuryu on the other hand, not so much. If he doesn't perform next basho it should be over for him.

I'd also like to give a shoutout to Takakeisho. 20 years old and currently standing 4-1 at M7. He has a bright future ahead and might even sneak into San'yaku next basho if the cards fall right. Can anyone tell me when the last time someone that young reached San'yaku?

[Kintamayama 44,350]

36 minutes ago, Asashosakari said:

 

I actually asked because I couldn't remember how they handled it last basho when Hakuho withdrew. Your video for Day 5 had the fusen announcement with three real matches afterwards (the other three yokozuna bouts), NHK's digest had it followed by only two matches.

I think it's safe to conclude now that, unless the sanyaku soroibumi is happening, the fusen bout is always moved so that two real matches follow, regardless of the ranks of the rikishi involved.

If you mean today's digest, I have it as it was, right after Hakuhou's bout, as it is actually the same clip-no editing except I added Hakuhou's replay right after his match, as opposed to NHK that showed the replay after the fusen.. Followed by only two matches, as you wrote. If you mean last basho's day 5, who can remember..

[Jakusotsu 5,813]

8 minutes ago, YoungSumo said:

I'd also like to give a shoutout to Takakeisho. 20 years old and currently standing 4-1 at M7. He has a bright future ahead and might even sneak into San'yaku next basho if the cards fall right. Can anyone tell me when the last time someone that young reached San'yaku?

Takanohana (Takahanada) was 18 when he became Komusubi. Kitanoumi and Hakuho were 19, and Kisenosato just turned 20.

[Akaoni 1]

Maybe it's just me, but Takayasu's recent sumo reminds me a bit of Musashimaru...

[Asashosakari 18,786]

15 minutes ago, Jakusotsu said:

26 minutes ago, YoungSumo said:

I'd also like to give a shoutout to Takakeisho. 20 years old and currently standing 4-1 at M7. He has a bright future ahead and might even sneak into San'yaku next basho if the cards fall right. Can anyone tell me when the last time someone that young reached San'yaku?

Takanohana (Takahanada) was 18 when he became Komusubi. Kitanoumi and Hakuho were 19, and Kisenosato just turned 20.

Top 10 from the banzuke topics back when Kise made it (no changes since then):

Youngest Sanyaku Debut (modern era)   Rikishi Sanyaku Debut Promotion Age • Top Rank 1 Takahanada 7/91 18 yrs., 10 m. Y. 2 Kitanoumi 1/73 19 yrs., 7 m. Y. 3 Hakuho 1/05 19 yrs., 9 m. (O.) 4 Wakachichibu 3/59 19 yrs., 11 m. 12 days S. 5 Kisenosato 7/06 19 yrs., 11 m. 23 days (K.) 6 Taiho 7/60 20 yrs., 0 m. Y. 7 Onishiki 11/73 20 yrs., 1 m. K. 8 Musashiyama 5/30 20 yrs., 5 m. Y. 9 Hoshi 1/84 20 yrs., 6 m. 4 days Y. 10 Takanohana I 9/70 20 yrs., 6 m. 12 days O.

[Morty 1,480]

Surprised no-one has mentioned Hak's treatment of Mitakeumi today. A slap, followed by the big arm, followed by the hand in the face after he had won, all the way to the outside. Obviously pissed after last-time and showing him who is boss.

Regardless, not worried about Mitakeumi. Even though he is losing as much as he is winning you can see him learning with each loss, and he has ice water in his veins. The guy is going far.

[ryafuji 807]

1 hour ago, YoungSumo said:

 KIsenosato's bouts are the true highlights every day, the effort he shows and the ability to go 3-2 with such a significant injury is amazing.

And it would have been 4-1 if he'd kept his concentration against Endo. His defeat there had nothing to do with his injury (except perhaps indirectly - lack of training leading to a lack of sharpness.).

[WAKATAKE 2,631]

9 minutes ago, Morty said:

Surprised no-one has mentioned Hak's treatment of Mitakeumi today. A slap, followed by the big arm, followed by the hand in the face after he had won, all the way to the outside. Obviously pissed after last-time and showing him who is boss.

Regardless, not worried about Mitakeumi. Even though he is losing as much as he is winning you can see him learning with each loss, and he has ice water in his veins. The guy is going far.

Honestly I look at that the post-bout dohyo rolling as momentum. If Hakuho had meant to do that, I don't think he would have helped Mitakeumi back onto the dohyo.

Takayasu is looking good, the ozeki are not going to be a challenge to him, and if he doesn't do any careless mistakes against any low rankers then the only real challenge to him is Hak and Haru. Will be a real interesting three way race.

I felt after watching the Teru-Geek match is that if that had happened last basho, people wouldn't have been as adversarial towards Teru. Be that as it may, glad he got it right this time. Unfortunately for Geek though, perhaps this is the sign. Same thing for Toyonoshima too. The times they are a changin'.

 

[WAKATAKE 2,631]

Also Harumafuji picked up Makuuchi win #684, officially placing himself in at #10 on the all time Makuuchi wins list. The former #10 holder at 683 wins was Jesse Kuhaulua aka Takamiyama.

[RabidJohn 1,663]

I'm very much enjoying the efforts of the two joi-debutants from Kokonoe. They're both likely to MK, but they're doing it in style!

I've never seen Kisenosato fighting injured before and I'm really impressed by his tenacity and fighting spirit.

I was also really impressed by Mitakeumi going for Hakuho's belt! It didn't work, but as others have mentioned it was more valuable experience garnered.

[ALAKTORN 346]

Kisenosato is showing amazing spirit. I hope he won’t worsen his injury.

[SumpaX 23]

8 hours ago, dada78641 said:

Kakuryuu kyujo. Kisenosato not looking too good. Hakuho and Harumafuji are 4-0. Not gonna lie, I'm secretly hoping for a pre-2014 clash between just those two at the top rank.

Man that would be great, but my guess is.. its probably a showdown between takayasu and harumafuji. I cant figure it out why but something about Hakuho seems off, I just dont know what, and no i dont think "he is getting old" is it, he shows glimpses of the old hakuho in some situations. I cant really make sense of it, as if he doesnt care as much anymore.

[Highway 46]

Kise looks so calm and composed even when he's in a bad spot, and yes his bouts are the most interesting so far this basho.

But looks like Hakuho wants the throne back.

[Amamaniac 2,078]

13 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

If you mean today's digest, I have it as it was, right after Hakuhou's bout, as it is actually the same clip-no editing except I added Hakuhou's replay right after his match, as opposed to NHK that showed the replay after the fusen.. Followed by only two matches, as you wrote. If you mean last basho's day 5, who can remember..

My notes from Day 5 of the 2017 Spring Tournament indicate that Mitakeumi's fuzen bout against a kyujo Hakuho (regularly scheduled for the musubi-no-ichiban final bout) was moved just after Kise's bout v. Ikioi, and just before Haru's bout v. Shohozan.  As stated by others, this move allowed for two regular bouts to end the day's action.

[Amamaniac 2,078]

12 hours ago, Morty said:

Surprised no-one has mentioned Hak's treatment of Mitakeumi today. A slap, followed by the big arm, followed by the hand in the face after he had won, all the way to the outside. Obviously pissed after last-time and showing him who is boss.

My first impression was that Hakuho did what he had to do to win the bout against a dangerous yet inexperienced young contender.  As for what happened going down off the ring, I saw a tired, old veteran using his defeated opponent as a crutch so that he wouldn't lose his balance.  Not sure he was necessarily seeking revenge, but he was exhibiting his privilege and pseudo "duty" as a Yokozuna to man-handle lower-ranked sekitori (just as in butsukari geiko). 

[Tiger Tanaka 222]

Good experience for Mitakeumi and we see he's developed mawashi techniques, but still has improvement to make. It doesn't help that his left hand is hurting. Truly fun to see Hak in top performance again. I feel Mitakeumi is similar to Takayasu, just a bit behind him as Takayasu enters his prime at age 27.

I would put the top 3 power rankings for this basho right now as Hakuho, Takayasu, Harumafuji. The second tier has a lot of contenders in it with Mitakeumi leading the pack. Goeido has looked sneakily good the past couple days and would be my pick to round out the top 5 current contenders.

Kise needs another win against the struggling Daieisho. Kise faces off against Mitakeumi on day 7, so he needs to keep going before the road gets tougher.

[RaeucherLax 287]

I think it was a bit of both: first using him as a crutch on the way out and down and at the same time trying to show who still is the boss as he kept his hold to Mita's neck a bit too long "for comfort".

[Kuroyama 715]

17 hours ago, rhyen said:

Wish you had recorded it, I doubt that it would make the TV highlights.

I didn't expect it to happen any more than the gyoji himself did.

[Rocks 1,807]

And Amakaze gets the first sekitori win for the West by turning Terutsuyoshi into a pancake.

[Rocks 1,807]

Wow Aminishiki looks bad. 

[Sakura 1,472]

So some people waved their hands roughly in the direction of Tsurugisho as he was on the ground in an effort to offer help. An improvement there, perhaps?