Nagoya Basho 2021

[Gurowake 2,929]

A herniated disk isn't necessarily going to keep Takayasu out the whole tournament.  He could easily be back for week 2 and get only light exposure to the sanyaku because he'd already be MK or close to it.  They're a major problem that keeps you from being able to walk the first day or two, but they heal within a week or so.  Given it's a couple days before tournament actually starts, he might be ready to go by Day 3 - it would still hurt, but his range of motion might be back that fast.  That at least gives him the opportunity to rensho from there and still get promoted.  I'd still rate that more likely than a Mitakeumi promotion.

Edited July 2, 2021 by Gurowake

[just_some_guy 172]

1 hour ago, Gurowake said:

 I'd still rate that more likely than a Mitakeumi promotion. 

Between a Mitakeumi promotion, a Takayasu promotion, and aliens dropping out of the sky to abduct Hakuho and Terunofuji, thus opening the door for a second Tokushoryu yusho, I'd say option #3 is the most likely.

[Reonito 297]

Both are hugely improbable, but at least Mitakeumi already has won the yusho twice, including a 13-2, and isn't starting 0-2. Plus there'd be way more appetite to promote him with a borderline case.

[ryafuji 716]

Shame about Akiseyama. Was beginning to establish himself as a late-blooming lower maegashira, then gets his jaw broken and in the blink of an eye he's going to be back in makushita. 

Edited July 2, 2021 by ryafuji

[Asojima 2,812]

47 minutes ago, ryafuji said:

Shame about Akiseyama. Was beginning to establish himself as a late-blooming lower maegashira, then gets his jaw broken and in the blink of an eye he's going to be back in makushita. 

Akiseyama came out of Nihon U. and looked great until he slammed into the wall in upper Makushita/Lower Juryo where he has remained for 13 years.  He has had a couple accidental trips into lower Maegashira, but has had no staying power there.  He is heading back to his normal hangout.  

[Jakusotsu 4,370]

41 minutes ago, Asojima said:

He has had a couple accidental trips into lower Maegashira, but has had no staying power there.  He is heading back to his normal hangout.  

Bullcrap! He was well on his way to Yokozuna in Natsu 2022 if only this nasty jawbreak didn't happen.

[Kaminariyuki 471]

On 01/07/2021 at 16:51, Eikokurai said:

If he goes kyujo because of a kinboshi, absolutely intai should be the result. Kyujo is for when you’re injured, not for when you’re just not up to it. Hakuho has enjoyed enough of that already.

The knee surgery I'm certainly buying. There's also no question, though, that the guy seriously hates losing and simply does not expect to lose. Ever. I'll be pulling for Hakuho every day he's in but I'll be rather impressed if he and Terunofuji both survive to senshuraku. Too old, too beatup. I hope they do, however, as that matchup on Day 15 will be one that's reviewed for decades to come. Although I like Terunofuji's sumo, part of me really wants to see one of the younger guys come up and unseat the King, like Wakatakakage. I just don't think he's ready yet.

 

[Eikokurai 3,179]

2 hours ago, Jakusotsu said:

Bullcrap! He was well on his way to Yokozuna in Natsu 2022 if only this nasty jawbreak didn't happen.

His will be the greatest comeback since Terunofuji’s, who will stall at Ozeki now and be left to watch as Akiseyama cruises past him to the rope.

[Asojima 2,812]

6 minutes ago, Eikokurai said:

His will be the greatest comeback since Terunofuji’s, who will stall at Ozeki now and be left to watch as Akiseyama cruises past him to the rope.

You have to have been somewhere before you can have a comeback.  Akiseyama's comeback will be a return to Makushita.

Edited July 3, 2021 by Asojima

[Yamanashi 2,390]

5 minutes ago, Eikokurai said:

His will be the greatest comeback since Terunofuji’s, who will stall at Ozeki now and be left to watch as Akiseyama cruises past him to the rope.

Oh, hell, alright let's fire up the Ridiculous Predictions, jeez.

[Eikokurai 3,179]

And there I was thinking I was just joking around.

[Naganoyama 4,922]

3 hours ago, Asojima said:

You have to have been somewhere before you can have a comeback.  Akiseyama's comeback will be a return to Makushita.

That's not a comeback, it's a goback...

[Tigerboy1966 818]

Sunday may give us an opportunity to observe a vanishingly rare phenomenon- a win for Shonanzakura. He has been matched against Byakuen a tiny debutant who claims to be 16 but looks as though he used a fake ID to get admitted. I don't want to jinx our boy but this looks like his best chance since his old mate Huon gave up.

[Tochinofuji 159]

3 minutes ago, Naganoyama said:

That's not a comeback, it's a goback...

Ahh, yes, the lesser known LL Cool J hit "Mama-san said go to the shitakubeya and stay there". 

[yohcun 350]

1 hour ago, Tigerboy1966 said:

Sunday may give us an opportunity to observe a vanishingly rare phenomenon- a win for Shonanzakura. He has been matched against Byakuen a tiny debutant who claims to be 16 but looks as though he used a fake ID to get admitted. I don't want to jinx our boy but this looks like his best chance since his old mate Huon gave up.

I swear Shonan does even worse than usual in matches where you think he may have a chance, though.

[ryafuji 716]

8 hours ago, Asojima said:

Akiseyama came out of Nihon U. and looked great until he slammed into the wall in upper Makushita/Lower Juryo where he has remained for 13 years.  He has had a couple accidental trips into lower Maegashira, but has had no staying power there.  He is heading back to his normal hangout.  

Well 9-6 at Juryo 1 East doesn't accidentally get you into makuuchi. It's not like they wrote the wrong name on the banzuke. He looked fairly comfortable there in my view. 

[Amamaniac 1,889]

I'm going to go on the record and say that Hakuho will not win his 45th yusho this month (sorry Hakuho fans).  And I think the odds are that he will withdraw at some point before Day 10.  I base those predictions on his pre-tournament training profile.

My only questions are: Has there been any confirmation as to whether Hakuho will be involved in the Opening Ceremonies for the Summer Games?  And if he does withdraw from he Nagoya Tournament, will he even be eligible to perform a ring-entering ceremony for the Opening Ceremonies?

I have the impression that Hakuho has stayed around until now (despite an embarrassing slew of kyujo non-appearances) just to fulfil his goal of participating (tangentially) in the Tokyo Games to honour the memory of his father.  So one big issue is will Hakuho be denied the opportunity to realise that dream?

[Amamaniac 1,889]

Given that in May, Enho failed to secure promotion to the Top Division, Hakuho will likely go with Terutsuyoshi as tachimochi sword bearer and Ishiura as tsuyuharai dew sweeper for his ring-entering ceremony team.  That's just an educated guess...

[Kintamayama 38,044]

Tatekawa oyakata (ex-Tosanoumi) will be kyujo from Nagoya and will be substituted as a shinpan by Fujigane Oyakata (ex-Daizen). This photo is very worrying, in my eyes:

Edited July 3, 2021 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 38,044]

Hakkaku rijicho missed the dohyo-matsuri today because of train suspensions due to heavy rains. He stayed in Tokyo till the last minute to make sure the virus protocols were being followed. "I have not heard of any other Oyakata affected by train suspensions," said Oguruma Oyakata the deputy.

Edited July 3, 2021 by Kintamayama

[Benihana 1,633]

6 hours ago, Naganoyama said:

That's not a comeback, it's a goback...

Buddy, you're an old man, poor man
Pleading with your eyes, gonna get you some peace someday
You got mud on your face, big disgrace
Somebody better put you back into your place, do it!

[Yubinhaad 10,043]

3 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

Tatekawa oyakata (ex-Tosanoumi) will be kyujo from Nagoya and will be substituted as a shinpan by Fujigane Oyakata (ex-Daizen). This photo is very worrying, in my eyes:

If you're referring to his weight, I think he's just one of those oyakata who sheds almost all of his fighting weight. Him being kyujo is a concern of course, but I don't think the picture (which is from January anyway) tells us anything about the reason.

[Kintamayama 38,044]

7 minutes ago, Yubinhaad said:

If you're referring to his weight, I think he's just one of those oyakata who sheds almost all of his fighting weight. Him being kyujo is a concern of course, but I don't think the picture (which is from January anyway) tells us anything about the reason.

OK, I know it’s an old photo, but I just think he looks a bit off. I hope I'm wrong.

[Tsuchinoninjin 881]

6 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

Hakkaku rijicho missed the dohyo-matsuri today because of train suspensions due to heavy rains. He stayed in Tokyo till the last minute to make sure the virus protocols were being followed. "I have not heard of any other Oyakata affected by train suspensions," said Oguruma Oyakata the deputy.

The journalist sort of downplays the rain amount. Atami, which is in between Tokyo and Nagoya on the shinkansen line had massive flash floods.

 

[orandashoho 718]

Oh, wow. That is a major life-threatening event. Imagine someone being in the path of that thing.