Nagoya 2019 Discussion (here be spoilers)

[Akinomaki 39,784]

Unfortunately, while getting relieved of Onomatsu this basho, we have Nishikido sitting again in a head shimpan seat. To prove that he is really fit, he gave the explanation for the Tomokaze-Okinoumi bout in double speed - and without error.

NHK has announced a new service for mobile and PC - makuuchi real time results and bout VODs for the whole basho on the result page http://www1.nhk.or.jp/sports2/result/result_sumo.html

- but of course the video buttons are only available in Japan

[Eikokurai 3,433]

2 minutes ago, Rainoyama said:

I reckon he won't be ozeki for long at this rate.

I predict he will be Ozeki for at least this tournament and the next! :)

More seriously, it’s not looking great for him so far, but to suggest he shouldn’t be there is silly (not that it was you who suggested it).

[Benihana 1,901]

14 minutes ago, Eikokurai said:

I predict he will be Ozeki for at least this tournament and the next! :)

More seriously, it’s not looking great for him so far, but to suggest he shouldn’t be there is silly (not that it was you who suggested it).

Tochinoshin will be kadoban next basho. On the last day he will be 7-7 and meet 9-5 Takakeisho...

[Eikokurai 3,433]

5 minutes ago, Benihana said:

Tochinoshin will be kadoban next basho. On the last day he will be 7-7 and meet 9-5 Takakeisho...

I see you’ve read the leaked screenplay online. Onomatsu is busy writing a new draft as we speak. That’s where he really is. It will be end up brilliantly incoherent, with plot holes galore and no internal logical consistency, but the arthouse crowd will lap it up.

Edited July 8, 2019 by Eikokurai

[Rocks 1,807]

2 hours ago, ALAKTORN said:

Tochinoshin is a fraud. He shouldn’t be ōzeki.

And somewhere Goeido fans breathed a sigh of relief...

 

As for Aminishiki, that looked bad. But it is Aminishiki. He'll tape a couple of 2 x 4s to his leg and be back for Day 5.

 

[Eikokurai 3,433]

5 minutes ago, Rocks said:

And somewhere Goeido fans breathed a sigh of relief...

 

As for Aminishiki, that looked bad. But it is Aminishiki. He'll tape a couple of 2 x 4s to his leg and be back for Day 5.

 

Commentator: I’m not sure about Aminishiki’s shiko today. He looks a little wooden.

Edited July 8, 2019 by Eikokurai

[nelimw 80]

Ichinojo looks good when he is moving forward like he did today. I hate when he pulls. And speaking of pulls... why would Tochinoshin try to pull in the position he was in?! Tochi needs to learn how to employ a good throat push to create distance and then reset. If Tochi would use a throat push in those desperate situations I think he would do better (or at least not look so silly).

Edited July 8, 2019 by nelimw

[Jakusotsu 5,814]

Watching the replay of Enho vs. Kaisei got me thinking: would it actually be legal to get a hold of the opponent's mawashi with your teeth?

[Benevolance 2,478]

4 hours ago, Rocks said:

And somewhere Goeido fans breathed a sigh of relief...

This is good! 

As for Aminishiki, that looked bad. But it is Aminishiki. He'll tape a couple of 2 x 4s to his leg and be back for Day 5.

This is sad! 

So I had to split the different on my react. 

[Morningstar 118]

5 hours ago, ALAKTORN said:

That matters how? He got back to ōzeki with a stolen win and a fusenshō, while on PEDs.

You have actual evidence of the bolded part?

[Gospodin 187]

7 hours ago, Eikokurai said:

 and Asanoyama can hold his head up high for going toe to toe with the GOAT for more than 45 seconds. 

I don´t want to take anything away from Asanoyama, but in reality the bout was over after one second.

[dingo 1,160]

7 hours ago, Eikokurai said:

I see you’ve read the leaked screenplay online. Onomatsu is busy writing a new draft as we speak. That’s where he really is. It will be end up brilliantly incoherent, with plot holes galore and no internal logical consistency, but the arthouse crowd will lap it up.

Think he'll write in a part for himself as the brilliant eagle-eyed shinpan who can do monoii explanations without screwing up even once? 

[Eikokurai 3,433]

Trivia time. Amiuchi has now been used 79 times in the top division since records began. Kagayaki is the first man since Fujizakura in 1983 to lose twice to this kimarite in a calendar year and only the second man ever to do so. 

[Eikokurai 3,433]

4 hours ago, Gospodin said:

I don´t want to take anything away from Asanoyama, but in reality the bout was over after one second.

The result, perhaps, was more or less predictable, but it still took Hakuho 44 more seconds to find his opening, which came only when Asanoyama made a break. In his prime Hakuho would have settled that in a tenth of the time. I suppose that puts Asanoyama’s efforts in perspective, but I still think he did well to deny Hakuho as long as he did and showed good spirit by going into a belt battle with the greatest yotsu wrestler of all time. Not many youngsters would do that in their first meeting.

Edited July 8, 2019 by Eikokurai

[sekitori 492]

1 hour ago, Eikokurai said:

The result, perhaps, was more or less predictable, but it still took Hakuho 44 more seconds to find his opening, which came only when Asanoyama made a break. In his prime Hakuho would have settled that in a tenth of the time. 

Hakuho's  objective is to win--period. I'm sure he doesn't care in the least if doing that  takes one second, one minute, or even longer. In his prime, he would have still taken as much time as needed to gain an advantage. There are many reasons why he's the greatest of all. One of the major ones is his seemingly infinite patience. 

[sekitori 492]

15 hours ago, ALAKTORN said:

Tochinoshin is a fraud. He shouldn’t be ōzeki.

Anyone who rises to ozeki after being demoted to the mid-makushita ranks should be applauded, not ridiculed. Because he no longer seems to produce ozeki-like sumo, that's no reason to belittle what he has done in the past. I think the word "fraud" describing his present status is an extremely poor, totally unnecessary description. If it seems that if he was on PEDs, I would like to see absolute proof that he was. 

Edited July 9, 2019 by sekitori

[Eikokurai 3,433]

22 minutes ago, sekitori said:

Hakuho's  objective is to win--period. I'm sure he doesn't care in the least if doing that  takes one second, one minute, or even longer. In his prime, he would have still taken as much time as needed to gain an advantage. There are many reasons why he's the greatest of all. One of the major ones is his seemingly infinite patience. 

I’m sure he doesn’t care, but that wasn’t really the point I was making. That Asanoyama was able to deny Hakuho that quick opening at all is worthy of our attention. 

Edited July 9, 2019 by Eikokurai

[Eikokurai 3,433]

11 minutes ago, sekitori said:

Anyone who rises to ozeki after being demoted to the mid-makushita ranks should be applauded, not ridiculed. Because he no longer seems to produce ozeki-like sumo, that's no reason to belittle what he has done in the past. I think the word "fraud" describing his present status is an extremely poor, totally unnecessary description. If it seems that if he was on PEDs, I would like to see absolute proof that he was. 

Ignore him. Alaktorn stops by every basho to scorn rikishi he doesn’t like, particularly if he perceives said rikishi benefited at the expense of one he does like. There is nothing wrong, of course, with criticism (we all like to wag our fingers at Goeido) but there are ways to do that.

Edited July 9, 2019 by Eikokurai

[ALAKTORN 346]

2 hours ago, sekitori said:

Anyone who rises to ozeki after being demoted to the mid-makushita ranks should be applauded, not ridiculed.

That was a while ago, and I applauded him back then. Things have changed.

2 hours ago, sekitori said:

If it seems that if he was on PEDs, I would like to see absolute proof that he was. 

Of course there isn’t absolute proof.

[robnplunder 974]

1 hour ago, ALAKTORN said:

That was a while ago, and I applauded him back then. Things have changed.

Of course there isn’t absolute proof.

I also have no proof that Takano twins are taking something to enhance their cause since the last basho.   But considering their combined record since the last basho, I have to wonder what changed?   Why they are invincible all of sudden since the last basho?   Can anyone believe the twin's win-loss record since the last basho?   It's something short of a miracle if you ask me.    My unfounded guess is they are being helped by something other than their training method.    I sure like to know what that is.  My golf game has gone south in the last 6 months and I can use the same thing the Takano twins are taking employing.  

Kidding aside, for those not keeping track, the Takano twins record starting from the last basho is incredible - 24-3 as of today.  Their combined preceding basho record was 14-16.  Anyone has inside info or thoughts on this incredible turnaround in 6 weeks?   This type of sudden turnaround simply does not happen in martial arts sports.

Edited July 9, 2019 by robnplunder

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

Meanwhile, Ikioi is really struggling.

[robnplunder 974]

11 minutes ago, Otokonoyama said:

Meanwhile, Ikioi is really struggling.

At this rate, he may have to pick up golf .    

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

Ishiura, I see you have mastered the art of henka non-henka.

[Asojima 2,870]

27 minutes ago, robnplunder said:

I also have no proof that Takano twins are taking something to enhance their cause since the last basho.   But ...

they have recently had a change in shisho and training philosophy. It may not be what they are taking, but what they are receiving.

[Rainoyama 1,157]

Chiyoshoma with the mind games and blatant jumping henka, gotta hate this guy.