Nagoya 2019 Discussion (here be spoilers)

[robnplunder 974]

7 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

Ichinojou will beat Hakuhou tomorrow. Anyone with me on this?

Count me in!   Here is my reverse psychological prediction - Hak to beat Ichinojo on one sided bout.  

[Jakusotsu 5,721]

No way. Hakuho would beat Ichinojo with both arms tied on his back.

[Kintamayama 44,191]

24 minutes ago, Jakusotsu said:

No way. Hakuho would beat Ichinojo with both arms tied on his back.

We shall see..

[robnplunder 974]

Did I see this right?  Enho just lifted Takagenji out of the ring.   I thought the fast improving Takagenji would have dispatched Enho with ease.   Enho just amazes me.   Enho for jun-yusho!   Or, at east one of the sansho.

[lackmaker 428]

10 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

Ichinojou will beat Hakuhou tomorrow. Anyone with me on this?

Kakuryu would love it.

[robnplunder 974]

Chuckle.  That's the 1st Takwondo move I've seen.  Takarafuji's frontal kick was met with nothing but air and Daieishow got the win.  

[robnplunder 974]

... and Mitakeumi's Jekyill and Hyde way of sumo continues.   He was manhandled by Abi, one I would thought Mitakeumi would have no problem. 

[Rainoyama 1,157]

Mitakeumi. Of course. I translated an article about him protecting his two losses yesterday only for him to add a third today...

[Rainoyama 1,157]

I feel so bad for Takayasu but kudos to Shodai, three ozeki scalps this basho and doing his best sumo in ages.

[Jakusotsu 5,721]

2 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

2 hours ago, Jakusotsu said:

No way. Hakuho would beat Ichinojo with both arms tied on his back.

We shall see..

I bow to you, Master! Konosuke is God!

[robnplunder 974]

I am proud to say that I was with Kintanayama sama on Ichinojo surprising Hakuho!   

[Rainoyama 1,157]

Sasuga Kintamayama.

[Eikokurai 3,433]

2 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

We shall see..

All hail the chief.

[Gospodin 185]

What did Hakuho do there ?

[Eikokurai 3,433]

When was the last time Kakuryu led Hakuho this early in a yusho race (excluding tournaments in which Hakuho went kyujo in week one)?

Edit: November 2016 would seem to be the last time Kakuryu was in front of Hakuho after nine days. They’ve been level at this point a couple of times since and of course there were basho where Kakuryu led by virtue of Hakuho’a absence, but I’m not counting those.

Edited July 15, 2019 by Eikokurai

[Kintamayama 44,191]

19 minutes ago, Eikokurai said:

All hail the chief.

I had no doubt. Hakuhou is way under par this basho. He is either in decline or not well or both. All his bouts so far were rather shaky, as has been the case lately, zensho or not. A mammoth immovable object that just has to move slowly forward like Godzilla? At the present, he has no answer for that. And the slap comes full circle..

[Kintamayama 44,191]

16 minutes ago, Gospodin said:

What did Hakuho do there ?

Lose.

[robnplunder 974]

It is still Hak & Kak show unless Kintamayama knows something we don't know.

Enho for jun-yusho!

[Kintamayama 44,191]

2 minutes ago, robnplunder said:

It is still Hak & Kak show unless Kintamayama knows something we don't know.

Enho for jun-yusho!

I would not be totally surprised if Hakuhou goes kyujo at some point. He has a 1-8 Tamawashi tomorrow. If he loses that one, well..

Edited July 15, 2019 by Kintamayama

[Eikokurai 3,433]

2 minutes ago, Kintamayama said:

I would not be totally surprised if Hakuhou goes kyujo at some point. He has a 1-8 Tamawashi tomorrow. If he lose that one, well..

Yeah, I can see that. In the last couple of years he’s seemed to pull out when he’s not been able to dominate or once a challenger has surpassed him in the race, whether because of legitimate injury or not. He doesn’t seem interested these days in playing catch up.

[orandashoho 720]

Only if he feels there is too big a risk to his health will he pull out, I think.  He normally manages his injuries well. If he had been too badly incapacitated he wouldn't have entered.
Trailing by one point after Day 9 is annoying but he hasn't lost the yusho yet. Even if Kakuryu stays undefeated till Day 15, he can still catch up.

[Kintamayama 44,191]

15 minutes ago, orandashoho said:

If he had been too badly incapacitated he wouldn't have entered.

I don’t think he’s too badly incapacitated. I think he is suffering from a string of annoying small injuries old and new that are driving him crazy, hence the somewhat strange behavior lately. He looks irritated and angry. But, we shall see.

[luispereira 383]

Yeah! Nice Kinta! 

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

Great fight by Enho! He owned the man after Takagenji pulled that Meisei-style  tachi-ai matta.

[Amamaniac 2,078]

In this tournament, Kakuryu and his sumo have definitely looked better than Hakuho and his.  I perceive a calmness and hidden determination in him.  One would think that going all out and putting everything you got into one's bouts is the best approach, but clearly remaining calm is the next level of mastery.  

Ichinojo beat Kakuryu on Day 5 of the January Tournament.  However, generally, Kakuryu handles the behemoth with relative ease.  Unlike Hakuho, Kakuryu has the arm strength to deal with Ichinojo on the belt.  Hopefully, Ichi doesn't go "out on the town" with the kensho prize money from his first gold star victory over the Hak!

Edited July 15, 2019 by Amamaniac