Basho Talk Haru 2018 (SPOILERS)

[WAKATAKE 2,759]

2 hours ago, Gurowake said:

Kaisei gets Kakuryu Day 13.  Mitakeumi catches a bit of a break.

Mitakeumi will have Goeido for day 15.

[Jakusotsu 6,389]

Gotta love Chiyomaru.

[MrGrumpyGills 171]

Oh wow, Chiyomaru beat Takayasu

Aww yes, congratz Tochinoshin

Edited March 22, 2018 by MrGrumpyGills

[Taikoubana 144]

Enho had a great win against Takagenji today. I'm loving every single one of his bouts in juryo, they've all been very exciting.

And check out Chiyomaru! He's defeated both Ozeki this basho! Glad to see him improving and making progress.

Ichinojo seemed to give up right after the tachiai. Is this the "other" Ichinojo? Has the powerful Ichinojo been replaced by his weaker twin once again?

And the yusho race heats up again! There goes Kakuryu's zensho. Wonderful bout, though; it reminded me of the classic Hakuho vs Harumafuji bouts.

[Yukiarashi 195]

The only thing that can knock back Takayasu's bowling ball is the bowling ball himself! That was quite humorous as Takayasu knocks people back on the tachiai everyday doing that but was blown back by pure belly today and lost. Who would have ever predicted Chiyomaru sweeping the Ozeki before the basho?! 

And Tochinoshin injects some excitement back in the basho! I wouldn't have had a problem with Kakuryu zenshoing but this can really open up the field. Kaisei has never beaten a Yokozuna but tomorrow he has the chance to both get his first kinboshi and tie for the lead with two days left. What an exciting basho! Really some surprise and great performances all around. 

[Yatagarasu 352]

15 minutes ago, Taikoubana said:

Ichinojo seemed to give up right after the tachiai. Is this the "other" Ichinojo? Has the powerful Ichinojo been replaced by his weaker twin once again?

B-chinojo maybe? Like Kais-A and Kais-B?

I really enjoyed Chiyomaru’s bout. At one point I thought he was a goner, but he didn’t give up. Got to love that fighting spirit.   

[Huschnu 5]

14 minutes ago, Yatagarasu said:

B-chinojo maybe? Like Kais-A and Kais-B?

Or KK-chinojo, he likes to dramatically reduce effort after his eight win...

[yorikiried by fate 2,038]

11 hours ago, Jakusotsu said:

The longer I read about the Kakuryu-Ichinojo bout, the more I like to know Mike Wesemann's take on it.

Ah, my cue. As a (former) ambassador of the Dark Site, I declare "I don't have a clue!" (But a pretty good estimate, as Mike's breakfast cereal habitually yaochos to the benefit of the milk).

To me the bout and particularly Ichinojo's effort after the tachi-ai looked not particularly spirited. Ichinojo pushed back Kakuryu quite easily and then for no apparent reason stopped. The key word is apparent. Who knows, maybe some micro-movements or balance-shifts by Kakuryu hinted at a defensive nage-threat or whatnot. Yokozuna sumo can be subtle. Kakuryu might have killed with the power of a zillion microscopic adjustments. Nevertheless, Ichinojo looked uninterested in the actual winning part. My two yen and small change.

 

I haven't watched today's bouts, yet. When I checked the torikumi, the last two bouts where not yet deceided. When I looked at the standings at this time alone, I thought "Goeido to win, Kakuryu to lose." Was it very obvious?

Edited March 22, 2018 by yorikiried by fate

[Rocks 1,810]

Interesting day. After seeing some of those bouts you can see what gets some people at SumoTalk talking.

Ichinojo did just what I figured. He lets down after losing a match poorly. 

It was good to see Tochinoshin fight hard and win. After losing to both Ozeki I thought maybe he wouldn't be up for it.

 

[ALAKTORN 346]

Who the hell possessed Chiyomaru?

Kakuryū messed up there. He let Tochinoshin improve his uwate grip while doing nothing with his own. With the ichimai vs. Tochinoshin’s deep uwate he couldn’t do anything.

Shōdai had a nice throw. I hope Mitakeumi wakes up…

Reading the Ichinojō–Kakuryū discussion about yesterday, I don’t really remember the bout but I thought it was clear Kakuryū neutralized Ichinojō’s charge, simple physics. Sumō is all about your center of gravity and bending your knees, and a foot on the tawara is a huge help in stopping yorikiri. Like I said I don’t remember the bout so not sure if any of that happened but just saying.

[Morty 1,518]

The Mitakeumi / Shodai bout was the match of the basho. I know a lot of the "young guns" have plateaued a bit lately, but for mine these two (and Hokotofuji) are the ones with the most upside and I hope that in a few years time we will regularly get to see this kind of bout from these two as the last match of the day, and we get a long term rivalry worth taking about for generations.

And Chiyomaru is my new favourite rikishi.

 

[Rocks 1,810]

7 minutes ago, ALAKTORN said:

Kakuryū messed up there. He let Tochinoshin improve his uwate grip while doing nothing with his own. With the ichimai vs. Tochinoshin’s deep uwate he couldn’t do anything.

Kakuryu tried to go low and get a grip on the very front of Tochinoshin's mawashi basically letting Tochi do what he wanted to get his grip. Weird trategy. Tochi broke it easily the same way Ichinojo did the day before so it seems Kakuryu is still having trouble with his right hand. Kakuryu against Kaisei will be interesting. I don't think Kakuryu can beat Kaisei if it goes to the belts, IF Kaisei stays patient the way Tohci did and Ichinojo did not,  but I have a feeling Kaisei will not be able to stay patient and lose.

[rhyen 1,858]

best excuse for losing a match

 

Spoiler

 

[RabidJohn 2,054]

Wow, suddenly Tochinoshin looks more like the next ozeki than Mitakeumi!

Mitakeumi is going to have to do some serious upsetting in the last three days if he wants to keep his KK run going. I know he's capable but I can't see it happening myself. The promise he showed in January 2017 just hasn't materialised in over a year now, even though it's been a mighty fine showing. He seems to have plateaued for the time being.

I have been most amused by the commentators on the 'Grand Sumo Highlights' show. They've gone from statements like "Oh, it's gone to the belt, which isn't Chiyomaru's specialty" to "Chiyomaru's got his favourite migi-yotsu grip"! Chiyonokuni can be handy on the belt at times too, so props to Kokonoe-oyakata for instilling such versatility in his oshi boys.

[Akinomaki 41,746]

14 hours ago, Yukiarashi said:

14 hours ago, Munjeezy said:

Random thought today, down in jonokuchi Hatorrizakura has posted numerous 0-7 records.  Will he ever be put banzuke-gai or just stay at jk24ish?

I think he can only be removed for being injured, otherwise he'll stay stagnant at the bottom of Jonokuchi. 

As long as he leaves some result (=appears in one bout), he's listed in the ranks. But maybe they should stop putting him in front of guys coming from maezumo without a win and reserve the really bottom spot for him permanently until he gets another win.

[maorencze 144]

15 hours ago, Yukiarashi said:

What on earth is wrong with Takanoiwa? 5-6 at J12? Didn't the injury report say he'd be ready for Kyushu?

Entering Haru was a gamble to begin with, training for so short after being away for so long

[Eikokurai 3,437]

Tochinoshin is just two wins now from the double-digit KK he needs to hit 33 wins over three basho. Ordinarily that probably wouldn’t be enough given that two of those tournaments were as Maegashira, but since one was a 14-1 yusho, what chance is there he’d get the nod? Personally I think they’d want to see him repeat the feat in at least one more tournament at Sekiwake as there is no pressing need to promote him. The 9-6 at M6 in November also wasn’t that impressive and he didn’t fight any sanyaku either.

[maorencze 144]

5 hours ago, Taikoubana said:

Ichinojo seemed to give up right after the tachiai. Is this the "other" Ichinojo? Has the powerful Ichinojo been replaced by his weaker twin once again?

I'm starting to worry about his back worsening, seems a bit shaky last 3 days.

[maorencze 144]

2 hours ago, Rocks said:

Kakuryu tried to go low and get a grip on the very front of Tochinoshin's mawashi basically letting Tochi do what he wanted to get his grip. Weird trategy. Tochi broke it easily the same way Ichinojo did the day before so it seems Kakuryu is still having trouble with his right hand. Kakuryu against Kaisei will be interesting. I don't think Kakuryu can beat Kaisei if it goes to the belts, IF Kaisei stays patient the way Tohci did and Ichinojo did not,  but I have a feeling Kaisei will not be able to stay patient and lose.

Well, Kakuryu's hand was admittedly healed at like 80% - I think it was mentioned before basho. So grip issues are there, while continued pressure of using that hand to fight for 12 days doesn't help it a bit and also broken hand hurts like hell when used in full capacity and full strength

[Bumpkin 438]

Tochinoshin's Ozeki run began with his M3w 14-1 Y in Hatsu. He is currently S1w 8-4. That is 22 wins. If he gets 10 wins this basho, that is 24 wins. He will still need at least 10 wins in Natsu. Minimum.

[Eikokurai 3,437]

3 minutes ago, Bumpkin said:

Tochinoshin's Ozeki run began with his M3w 14-1 Y in Hatsu. He is currently S1w 8-4. That is 22 wins. If he gets 10 wins this basho, that is 24 wins. He will still need at least 10 wins in Natsu. Minimum.

I agree. The 9-6 would count if it were at a higher rank but at M6 and with no sanyaku opposition it can probably be disregarded. Perhaps if he got the yusho or jun-yusho this time around the kyokai would ask themselves the question, but anything less gives them justifiable room to doubt.

[Bumpkin 438]

8 hours ago, WAKATAKE said:

Mitakeumi will have Goeido for day 15.

I'm not so sure about that. They may substitute Kaisei for Mitakeumi on Days 14 and 15. If Kaisei beats Kakuryu, he's tied for the lead!

[Rocks 1,810]

Just now, Bumpkin said:

I'm not so sure about that. They may substitute Kaisei for Mitakeumi on Days 14 and 15. If Kaisei beats Kakuryu, he's tied for the lead!

I agree. I think they are switching Mitakeumi and Kaisei for the rest of the basho. Kaisei will get Takayasu on 14 and Goeido on 15.

[Rocks 1,810]

12 minutes ago, maorencze said:

Well, Kakuryu's hand was admittedly healed at like 80% - I think it was mentioned before basho. So grip issues are there, while continued pressure of using that hand to fight for 12 days doesn't help it a bit and also broken hand hurts like hell when used in full capacity and full strength

I know, which is why I found the strategy so weird. I guess he figured that was all he could do to hope to beat Tochinoshin.

[Rocks 1,810]

19 minutes ago, maorencze said:

I'm starting to worry about his back worsening, seems a bit shaky last 3 days.

Ichinojo is fine. I think he thought he lost his chance for the Yusho against Kakuryu. He's probably right.  He won't be expending himself against anybody who is going to be tough here on out. Someone requiring less than an all out effort he may win against. He probably will get Shodai and Chiyomaru after Shohozan. He should win 2 of those and get 10 wins.