Kintamayama

Hakuhou injured-Kyushu crisis looms

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I think this deserves to have its own thread now. Hakuhou has left the jungyo due to a right knee injury and will undergo endoscopic surgery on the 18th and will obviously not be returning to the Jungyo . It is unclear if he will be ready for Kyushu and I will venture to say he won't. His knee situation deteriorated these last few days until he could hardly put any pressure on it. After some checkups, it was revealed he had bone fragments in his tendon   tendon    and ligament, causing him great pain and some inflammation.  "I had pains all through last basho. The yusho feels like a miracle. The dohyo iri at the jungyo was heartbreakingly difficult .." he explained. There is a limit to what the pills can do, so he has decided on surgery and thinks he may be able to begin stepping on the foot at the end of October. "I can only do what I can do," he summed.

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Wow. 

So it's likely he misses Kyushu. My guess is he'll skip the next one because that would seem reasonable and why rush things since Kise missed seven, and maaaybe come back for March, leaving him just 8 basho to the Olympics. 

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If anyone can afford to miss a basho or two, it would be Hakuho. If it takes even longer to return until he's fully healthy again, that should be of no concern. His goal is to be active for the Olympics in 2020 and if he has to sit out a few bashos before then, that's no problem. The fact that he could have a zensho yusho  with a debilitating knee injury is amazing. He has 41 yushos, more makunouchi and yokozuna victories than anyone, and the most zensho-yushos. He has absolutely nothing more to prove. Like Kisenosato, Hakuho can go kyujo in future bashos without crtisicism, although Kisentosato had to begin competing again after such a long time away from sumo or face retirement. Hakuho on the other hand,  has the luxury of planning his own future prior to his retirement. I believe there are eleven bashos remaining until the Olympics in 2020.  If he cares to compete in some of them, tha's fine. If he chooses to go kyujo in others, that's okay, too.

I enjoy watching him compete but if he goes kyujo in some upcoming bashos prior to the Olympics,  I can understand his reasoning.for doing so.

 

Edited by sekitori
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Actually, that begs a question: the start of the 2020 olympics overlap with what would be the final three days of Nagoya 2020 basho; does anyone know if the plans are to truncate or relocate or skip that tournament? 

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That's not a good news for him indeed, he'll miss Kyushu for sure and probably a few more after too. He is in no rush to come back and knee injuries are nothing to mess around with, especially at his age. Hakuhou is not young anymore so he has to be careful and let it heal completely and properly if he doesn't want it to end his career in a way he didn't chose to. In his Yusho speach he talked about injuries being a factor for the rest of his career so I think he knows.

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46 minutes ago, Benevolance said:

Actually, that begs a question: the start of the 2020 olympics overlap with what would be the final three days of Nagoya 2020 basho; does anyone know if the plans are to truncate or relocate or skip that tournament? 

In 2019, the Nagoya basho will begin on the first Sunday in July--July 7th. I've seen the 2020 schedule and ll also will  begin on the first Sunday just as it did in 2019--July 5th. The basho will be over on July 19th and the Olympics will begin on Friday. July 24th. That way, there will be no conflict with the Olympics at all.

Edited by sekitori
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4 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

Hakuhou has left the jungyo due to a right knee injury

Does anyone recall if this is the same knee that was injured 2-3 basho back? (IIRC the reports were both knee and tibia injuries)

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11 hours ago, Benevolance said:

Actually, that begs a question: the start of the 2020 olympics overlap with what would be the final three days of Nagoya 2020 basho; does anyone know if the plans are to truncate or relocate or skip that tournament? 

Previous thread on that topic:

 

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Bad news for Hakuho, but – and forgive me for this – I do prefer when he’s out. Tournaments are so much less predictable without him. :\

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11 hours ago, Fukurou said:

Does anyone recall if this is the same knee that was injured 2-3 basho back? (IIRC the reports were both knee and tibia injuries)

I'm pretty sure it is.

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28 minutes ago, Eikokurai said:

Bad news for Hakuho, but – and forgive me for this – I do prefer when he’s out. Tournaments are so much less predictable without him. :\

Ha, ha.  Hak is not my favorite rikishi at all so I am excited for others to step up in his absence.  Perhaps, someone like Go, Kak, Mita, or Takayasu?

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2 minutes ago, robnplunder said:

Ha, ha.  Hak is not my favorite rikishi at all so I am excited for others to step up in his absence.  Perhaps, someone like Go, Kak, Mita, or Takayasu?

Takayasu needs his yusho. He must have thought he’d stolen a march on everyone when he made ozeki first, but Tochinoshin and Mitakeumi have both won a championship before him. It’s his turn.

Edited by Eikokurai

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1 hour ago, Benihana said:

Still don't know why this is a crisis.

Because I said so.

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11 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

Because I said so.

Just because you look like old Stonecold Steve Austin, doesn't mean...well, forget it ;)

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18 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

Because I said so.

Good enough for moi!   Now, say you fixed the world hunger, population explosion, and environmental issues.    :-D

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3 minutes ago, robnplunder said:

Good enough for moi!   Now, say you fixed the world hunger, population explosion, and environmental issues.    :-D

He tried, but I beat him to it.  :-P

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7 hours ago, Benihana said:

Just because you look like old Stonecold Steve Austin, doesn't mean...well, forget it ;)

Moti 3:16, cause Kintamayama said so!!!

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47 minutes ago, robnplunder said:

Good enough for moi!   Now, say you fixed the world hunger, population explosion, and environmental issues.    :-D

What issues? 

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7 hours ago, Benihana said:

Just because you look like old Stonecold Steve Austin, doesn't mean...well, forget it ;)

Old? Are you calling me old?

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1 hour ago, Kintamayama said:

Old? Are you calling me old?

Sorry, you're right, old is the wrong word. Do you prefer ancient or antique?

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3 hours ago, Benihana said:

Sorry, you're right, old is the wrong word. Do you prefer ancient or antique?

I prefer a triple burger with a side dish of coleslaw. Is this going anywhere fast?

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1 hour ago, Kintamayama said:

I prefer a triple burger with a side dish of coleslaw. Is this going anywhere fast?

Fast? I thought you prefer to eat a triple burger instead of fast

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4 hours ago, maorencze said:

Fast? I thought you prefer to eat a triple burger instead of fast

That's where you're wrong. I prefer to fast while eating.

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