Natsu basho 2021

[Amamaniac]

Enho is back for day 3!  He's no baby.  

He has just the hint of taping on his right arm for the ring-entering ceremony.  Perhaps he'll don a supporter for his actual bout against Tokushoryu.  I wish him luck.

Edited May 11, 2021 by Amamaniac

[Godango]

1 hour ago, Eikokurai said:

Just a fun thing to discuss as fans. :) 

People have their eye on history: Could he be the first man to pass through Ozeki in one basho? Nobody has ever won back-to-back as Sekiwake and Ozeki, so it’s fun to anticipate it happening and ruminate over how the Kyokai might respond in that event.

What else are we going to talk about? :)

Oh I'm all for speculating, don't get me wrong! Just throwing my naysaying hat into the dohyo 

[robnplunder]

1 hour ago, Amamaniac said:

Enho is back for day 3!  He's no baby.  

He has just the hint of taping on his right arm for the ring-entering ceremony.  Perhaps he'll don a supporter for his actual bout against Tokushoryu.  I wish him luck.

 

Enho looked bad in losing.   I think his right arm is useless.   He may have to go kyujo to avoid a bigger injury.  

 

Ura has now beaten both J1 rikishi.  If he does not get injured the rest of the way, we will see him in the top division in the next basho.  

[Djihi]

Ichinojo vs Tsurugishou was... slooow. 

[Seiyashi]

My favourite part of the new angle - you get to see the West rikishi's PoV when presented with the kensho. Pity that'll go after tomorrow.

[robnplunder]

10 minutes ago, Djihi said:

Ichinojo vs Tsurugishou was... slooow. 

Ichinojo is always slow, like a giant snail going across my back yard.

[Kaninoyama]

Incredible sumo by Wakatakakage. 

[Seiyashi]

Just now, Kaninoyama said:

Incredible sumo by Wakatakakage. 

Yep. Asanoyama is in trouble this basho, if he's having this much trouble in the first week. The rest of the sanyaku are fighting much better than him.

[robnplunder]

Just now, Kaninoyama said:

Incredible sumo by Wakatakakage. 

+1.  He demonstrated that ozumo is a hard way to make a living. 

Mitakeumi <--- don't you dare collapse in the 2nd half of the tourney!

[Seiyashi]

Terunofuji! Taking absolutely no nonsense from Tobizaru today and just sends him out head over heels.

Wakatakakage making a very strong case for forcing a third komusubi slot so far.

Edited May 11, 2021 by Seiyashi

[Gospodin]

Is it just me or did it look like Terunofuji spotted the gyoji and decided to yank Tobizaru out in another direction ?

Edited May 11, 2021 by Gospodin
spelling

[Seiyashi]

Have we just started an impromptu ballet lesson in the Kokugikan?

[robnplunder]

2 minutes ago, Gospodin said:

Is it just me or did it look like Terunofuji spotted the gyoji and decided to yank Tobizaru out in another direction ?

It is probably just you.  Terunofuji strikes me as an "I don't give a $%^#" kind of guy.

[robnplunder]

3 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

Have we just started an impromptu ballet lesson in the Kokugikan?

 

What I saw was a synchronize diving by Shodai and Daieisho.     The team gets 2 points across.  

Edited May 11, 2021 by robnplunder

[Masunofuji]

決まり手は…物言い

:/

[Amamaniac]

2 hours ago, robnplunder said:

Enho looked bad in losing.   I think his right arm is useless.   He may have to go kyujo to avoid a bigger injury.  

While his right arm movements looked natural in the preliminary ring rituals, it seems clear that for belt-work/lifting, that arm is as you say "useless".  His plan was a foot sweep straight out of the tachiai.  That attempt failed badly, and what's worse, left him too erect and easy prey for Tokushoryu to push out.

He may just be desperate to get at least one win to avoid losing his sekitori status for July.  If he does stay in, it will be almost as painful for Enho fans to watch as for Enho himself...

The fact that he ended up not wearing a supporter for his bout suggests to me that pressure from the supporter was causing him pain rather than helping reinforce the elbow.  The taping job he went with looked like an attempt to hold both parts of his arm (upper arm and forearm) together, as though they were hanging on to each other by a thread.  (I exaggerate)

[Hakuryuho]

Every gram Tamawashi‘s gained leading up to this basho seems to have been worth it. 
 

Stellar performances from him thus far!

[Eikokurai]

I echo others’ appreciation of Wakatakakage’s sumo today.

Kaisei needs to go home though.

[since_94]

2 hours ago, Seiyashi said:

Have we just started an impromptu ballet lesson in the Kokugikan?

That was one of, if not the most, graceful things I have ever seen in this beautiful sport. Should have been a torinaoshi. Blown call.

[pricklypomegranate]

Wakatakakage is the new Chiyonofuji. Discuss. 

[since_94]

2 minutes ago, pricklypomegranate said:

Wakatakakage is the new Chiyonofuji. Discuss. 

He has definitely  got my attention. I’ll be watching closely. Seriously impressed with his sumo. Similar build, for sure.

[Gernobono]

34 minutes ago, since_94 said:

Seriously impressed with his sumo

Most frequent henka-attempts is something to shine

right

[Seiyashi]

1 minute ago, Gernobono said:

37 minutes ago, since_94 said:

Seriously impressed with his sumo

Most frequent henka-attempts is something to shine

right

To be fair, the start of the bout was ass, but his tenacity at withstanding Asanoyama was something to see. That said, considering how Asanoyama seems to have a bee in his mage this basho, not sure how much he won as much as Asanoyama losing the bout.

We'll see how the rest of the basho goes. He's been pretty decent against sanyaku so far.

[Rocks]

9 hours ago, Houmanumi said:

I'm surprised we're even entertaining the idea of Terunofuji promotion with any kind of yusho here. 

There is ample reason between his injury history and his first basho back at the ozeki rank to unquestionably justify non-promotion. 

I don't see them going out on a limb to bend the rules for an ageing (sure, 29 ain't old but it ain't young), injury-time-bomb Mongolian.

Were this Takakeisho I could see them going out of their way to make the case (yeeha, young Japanese yokozuna!), but not here. 

Also I don't think I want them to. His Ozeki re-promotion was made particularly satisfying but just how strong his promotion was, to deny it would have been lunacy. Let him do the same to earn to rope and have one of those satisfying dramatic arcs that sumo is so unique in providing.

While I do think it is very unlikely they promote him with a yusho  I would think his age, condition and current mood culturally is the only thing that might sway them. There is room at the top. He's clearly outclassing everyone. Sumo can use any good news it can get.  With people very concerned about even getting to next year it seems harsh to tell a guy on the back end of his career wait some more when he is doing the job. That said I still don't think they will promote him. 

[nagora]

12 minutes ago, Rocks said:

While I do think it is very unlikely they promote him with a yusho  I would think his age, condition and current mood culturally is the only thing that might sway them. There is room at the top. He's clearly outclassing everyone. Sumo can use any good news it can get.  With people very concerned about even getting to next year it seems harsh to tell a guy on the back end of his career wait some more when he is doing the job. That said I still don't think they will promote him. 

While I agree with all of this, it's still only the end of day 3 and I'd swear I saw hinges under those knee bandages.

But he threw Tobi out like a sack of coal down a chute.