BASHO TALK -- Natsu 2017 -- SPOILERS

[Jakusotsu 5,897]

33 minutes ago, RabidJohn said:

Bit of a shock seeing Takayasu go down to Tamawashi today... I do hope that was just a temporary aberration.

Of course it's just me, but I'm glad the real Takayasu finally showed up.

[Dwale 419]

Daieisho looks totally unprepared for such a high rank. Not to take anything away from Kisenosato, who is still The Man in my book, but Daieisho had nothing.

A number of slobber-knockers today. The tournament is hot!

Chiyonokuni not getting the win, but fighting hard. Respect.

I'm not worried about Takayasu. He and Tamawashi are pretty evenly matched. Not sure if Takayasu didn't have his head on straight today or what, but I'm not going to worry yet.

Uh-oh, I hope Ishiura is ok... 

I like Ura and I expect him to do well in makuuchi, but I never expected to see him handle Ichinojo like that. Injured or not, he's still a big ol' slab of man. Very cool win.

 

 

 

[Rocks 1,807]

37 minutes ago, RabidJohn said:

Bit of a shock seeing Takayasu go down to Tamawashi today... I do hope that was just a temporary aberration.

I wasn't shocked to see him lose. I was shocked to see such a poor effort. Pressure may be getting to him. Gambarize!

[Amamaniac 2,079]

2 hours ago, SumpaX said:

Yea, that was brutal, scary how powerful Hakuho is...

It was also evident that Hakuho has a reach advantage, which may just be one of the secrets of his success.

[Dapeng 233]

8 minutes ago, Amamaniac said:

It was also evident that Hakuho has a reach advantage, which may just be one of the secrets of his success.

A healthy Hakuho is invincible.

 

[Shatsume 118]

Did not enjoy today. Intellligent sumo so far from Hakuho though, I think it's his Emperors Cup to lose at this point.

[Adil 232]

When they showed the replay from the top camera angle for the Hakuho/Endo bout, it seemed that Hakuho's fingers got stuck in Endo's mage when he made that last pull on Endo's head that sent him across the dohyo and out. I thought they were going to call a monoii. Granted, I only got that impression from that one angle (which I saw only once during the live broadcast), so I could be wrong.

[Tsuchinoninjin 1,262]

1 hour ago, Shatsume said:

Did not enjoy today. Intellligent sumo so far from Hakuho though, I think it's his Emperors Cup to lose at this point.

I think Hakuho, Harumafuji, Takayasu, and Goeido all have good looks so far.

[Ack! 461]

On 5/18/2017 at 20:57, 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.

On the other hand, Kise is doing much better than I expected!

[Ack! 461]

13 hours ago, Rocks said:

Dear Kotoshogiku, it's time. Thanks for the memories.

Yep -- if Geeku hasn't started working on his retirement plan, he'd better get busy.

[Ack! 461]

4 hours ago, RabidJohn said:

Hakuho seems like a man with a different plan for each rikishi he faces. His arms-length tsuki/oshi/tsuppari/harite stuff is nowhere near as attractive as his yotsu-zumo, but it's pretty damned effective.

Yes -- I wonder how much time he spends planning for each bout.  That would make for an interesting story.

[Tiger Tanaka 222]

Kisenosato is getting by with pure determination and his strength, while diminished due to the injury, is still impressive. He's had a few easy matches though and now he will start facing the san'yaku, starting with Mitakeumi tomorrow, who's looked good in his couple of tough losses.

Takayasu with an off-performance, all because of the tachiai. It looked like the extra pause from Tamawashi threw him off. Tak is in great form, but seems to throw a dud in every once in a while.

 

[Rocks 1,807]

I expect Hakho to win this thing  but it's clear he is not the rikishi he was and hasn't been for over a year. To me the most amazing thing about Hakoho, and you see this in past bouts, was this sort of hip flick thing he did while locked up on the belt. It was like he flicked his hip and somehow it traveled up his arms and the riksihi on the other end suddenly went airborne. It was amazing. Chiyonofuji did that. That doesn't happen anymore. I don't think Hakuho is even capable of it. He doesn't even try it.  He certainly can still win but it will never be as effortless as it used to look again.

[Amamaniac 2,079]

7 hours ago, Adil said:

When they showed the replay from the top camera angle for the Hakuho/Endo bout, it seemed that Hakuho's fingers got stuck in Endo's mage when he made that last pull on Endo's head that sent him across the dohyo and out. I thought they were going to call a monoii. Granted, I only got that impression from that one angle (which I saw only once during the live broadcast), so I could be wrong.

Good catch!  I've replayed that overhead view, and agree with you that Hakuho's fingers seem to get caught in Endo's mage.  In frame-by-frame motion, it is clear (to me anyway) that Hakuho's left hand pulls Endo's mage.  That would have taken place in direct view of the gyoji, yet, as you say, there was no monoii!  There was so much going on in that bout.  Clearly, the one-referee-and-five-judge system is not perfect.  Hakuho was lucky to avoid the hansoku loss...

Edited May 20, 2017 by Amamaniac
grammar

[Masumasumasu 902]

Hakuho's is the way of the fist. Make no mistake.

[WAKATAKE 2,650]

Today must be National Matta Day.

[WAKATAKE 2,650]

Gotta wonder man, is this the end of the Geek?

[WAKATAKE 2,650]

Harumafuji certainly was a Gentlemen's gentleman at the end there.

[Frakazu 22]

Great victory of Kisenosato!!!

[Adil 232]

I meant to post this yesterday, but forgot.

Myogiryu tried a very cheap tachiai trick yesterday against Ishiura. Myogiryu's right hand was down, with his left hand hovering a few inches above the dohyo. Ishiura had done the same. We see this position in every other match. Normally, both rikishi touch down with the other hand at the same time and charge at each other. It is normal for the timing of the two rikishi to be off by a split-second and there's a matta. Except the timing was not off in this one. Myogiryu deliberately caused the matta. He made a sudden movement with his hovering hand towards the dohyo but instead of touching down, he pretended to make a spinning movement with with his hand and pulled it up again. That's what caused the matta.

I normally don't have a lot of time during bashos and I don't get the opportunity to watch the whole broadcasts with all the pre-match stuff. That's why I don't know how prevalent the practice of putting your opponent off with tachiai shenanigans is [Of course, I remember Kisenosato's excruciating antics back in 2012/2013]. I was happy to see him lose to Ishiura, although I generally root for him.   

[rhyen 1,828]

I guess no one noticed that Shikimori Inosuke didn't officiate the last 2 bouts today?

[WAKATAKE 2,650]

48 minutes ago, rhyen said:

I guess no one noticed that Shikimori Inosuke didn't officiate the last 2 bouts today?

Was kyujo today due to throat issues.

[Morty 1,486]

3 hours ago, WAKATAKE said:

Gotta wonder man, is this the end of the Geek?

He just has no power anymore. The Bumpety is ineffective. In the past if he did that to Goeido it would be game over but today Goeido didn't even move an inch backwards. The Geek has been my favourite for a long time, but I think it is time for him to hang it up.

[WAKATAKE 2,650]

Yoshikaze missed out on being the first rikishi since 1984 to defeat three yokozuna in one basho.

http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/1826803.html

[word20 21]

6 minutes ago, Morty said:

He just has no power anymore. The Bumpety is ineffective. In the past if he did that to Goeido it would be game over but today Goeido didn't even move an inch backwards. The Geek has been my favourite for a long time, but I think it is time for him to hang it up.

I agree, it is time for Kotoshogiku to retire, he has lost most of the matches the first week.