Hatsu 2022 discussions (results)

[jsolo 106]

January (Hatsu) 2022 Basho--DAY 6 Links and Statistics Blog--videos, photos, match articles, quotes, results and standings, kimarite statistics, time of match statistics, top rank performance, Maegashira v san'yaku, Rookie performances and more.

[Seiyashi 4,068]

Mita winning this basho, while great for his ozeki prospects, will break the hatsu yusho streak of the Hatsu basho, though. That's really the only remaining reservation I have about Mitakeumi winning vs e.g. Abi. Otherwise, based purely on week 1, I'd say Mitakeumi really deserves to win it: his sumo has looked really really good this basho, and he starts week 2 with a 1-win lead over Teru and might even beat him head to head, given Teru's condition now.

[Benihana 1,900]

We've seen a few lopsided heads-on, so Mitakeumi dominating Tamawashi is nothing unusal. But that, of all sekitori, it is Tamawashi, amazes me again and again. I just can't get that into my head. A kitten has a better chance at bringing Mitakeumi to his knees, than Tamawashi.

Shodai amazes me in another way, because when you think it can't get worse, Shodai exclaims "challenge accepted". Please take him to a psychologist. Poor lad.

Edited January 15, 2022 by Benihana

[Seiyashi 4,068]

27 minutes ago, Benihana said:

Shodai amazes me in another way, because when you think it can't get worse, Shodai exclaims "challenge accepted". Please take him to a psychologist. Poor lad.

Maybe Shodai lost his mojo in an alley and Mitakeumi picked it up. Mitakeumi, legitly, is looking like Shodai was during his ozeki run.

[Hankegami 412]

5 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

Maybe Shodai lost his mojo in an alley and Mitakeumi picked it up. Mitakeumi, legitly, is looking like Shodai was during his ozeki run.

I was not watching sumo when Shodai climbed up the ladder, but in case most probably Shodai has lost his goal. Benihana might be right after all: he needs a psychologist or at least a motivator. He's Ozeki, he tends to make his safe 8-7 and keep his fancy wage, but cannot see himself good enough to rack up yushos or make a Yokozuna bid. To this extent Takakeisho is his total opposite, always attempting a run for the rope despite his one-note oshi-zumo and frequent injuries. 

[Mightyduck 67]

14 hours ago, Seiyashi said:

COVID AFAIK, but they've also gradually been trying to stop it through more efficacious means than PA announcements. The Fukuoka zabuton are twofers so they're much more difficult to throw, for instance. I wouldn't be surprised if those were gradually introduced to the other venues.

It would be a shame if it died out. It is one of my favourite quirky things about sumo. Must be annoying for people in the line of fire though.

[Morty 1,478]

2 hours ago, since_94 said:

Tochinoshin’s win over Miyogiryu looked very close from the sole angle Abema TV showed. Without the benefit of others, I’m surprised no monoii was called 

I couldn't understand why that wasn't at least a monoii or an outright win to Myogiryu - looked like a textbook utchari and Tochinoshin landed first. Unless Myogiryu stepped out while executing the throw, and that didn't look conclusive, I can't understand how he didn't win that?

[Morty 1,478]

1 hour ago, Benihana said:

 

Shodai amazes me in another way, because when you think it can't get worse, Shodai exclaims "challenge accepted". Please take him to a psychologist. Poor lad.

He looks like a man completely bereft of confidence, and without any plan for what he is going to do once he's on the dohyo. 

[Seiyashi 4,068]

1 hour ago, Mightyduck said:

15 hours ago, Seiyashi said:

COVID AFAIK, but they've also gradually been trying to stop it through more efficacious means than PA announcements. The Fukuoka zabuton are twofers so they're much more difficult to throw, for instance. I wouldn't be surprised if those were gradually introduced to the other venues.

It would be a shame if it died out. It is one of my favourite quirky things about sumo. Must be annoying for people in the line of fire though.

I would like to see it evolve. It is undoubtedly fairly dangerous as it is - there is a GIF of Asashoryu ducking thrown zabuton during one of the honbasho, and you can see a camera's lens next to him being sharply jerked down, either from being hit by one or recovering from being hit by one. So there is some fair force and mass behind a flying zabuton. Soft they may be, but the momentum they can impart to something else is another matter: it could be quite dangerous to be hit by a zabuton and smashed forward into the metal railings of the masu-seki, for instance.

But the historical context is fairly interesting: the zabuton custom evolved from haori with mon being thrown into the ring and picked up by the winning rikishi's tsukebito to redeem for gifts from their owners, so I agree it would be a pity to let it die out completely. Maybe special zabuton made for throwing, which are much lighter, can be used instead.

Edited January 15, 2022 by Seiyashi

[Seiyashi 4,068]

1 minute ago, Morty said:

I couldn't understand why that wasn't at least a monoii or an outright win to Myogiryu - looked like a textbook utchari and Tochinoshin landed first. Unless Myogiryu stepped out while executing the throw, and that didn't look conclusive, I can't understand how he didn't win that?

Myogiryu's right heel was forced out before the utchari completed. It was pretty clear the heel had grounded into the janome on Abema's slow-mo replay.

[RabidJohn 1,631]

I thought they must be running tight on time when no mono-ii were called for either Tochinoshin-Myogiryu or Sadanoumi-Tobizaru. Not arguing with the results; just thought they were close enough to warrant a look. 
Then they called one for Hoshoryu-Chiyokuni...
Again, no argument from me, but I can't make any sense of it.

Rock, paper, scissors came to mind when Tamawashi took his almost mandatory loss against Mitakeumi today. I'm expecting Terunofuji to make short work of Mitakeumi...

[Hankegami 412]

1 minute ago, RabidJohn said:

I thought they must be running tight on time when no mono-ii were called for either Tochinoshin-Myogiryu or Sadanoumi-Tobizaru. Not arguing with the results; just thought they were close enough to warrant a look. 
Then they called one for Hoshoryu-Chiyokuni...
Again, no argument from me, but I can't make any sense of it.

Rock, paper, scissors came to mind when Tamawashi took his almost mandatory loss against Mitakeumi today. I'm expecting Terunofuji to make short work of Mitakeumi...

I was almost bewildered myself when a mono-ii was called for Hoshoryu-Chiyonokuni. It was crystal clear that Chiyonokuni, like, already bowed out of the dohyo by the time Hoshoryu landed. On the other hand, the other bouts were not that clear.

I don't know exactly how the referees work. My only guess is they don't call a mono-ii if the referee with the best view signals he agrees with the gyoji. Like the one with a front view of Myogiryu's heels. Perhaps the one in front of Hoshoryu wasn't sure of what he saw for a split moment.

[Gospodin 185]

14 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

Terunofuji has looked hesitant the whole basho, except for his bout against Kiribayama. He had a few last second escapes and generally is not looking as dominant as of late. I truly hope he is not harboring an injury. Tomorrow will tell. He is 6-5  against Endou, (won 4 of the last 5 but still..) so it's going to be interesting. If he loses again, it could be a slippery slope. 

To me it appears they have figured him out a bit, trying to deny him any kind of grip or hold, and keeping him constantly in motion. 

[Thorbjarn 214]

28 minutes ago, RabidJohn said:

Rock, paper, scissors came to mind when Tamawashi took his almost mandatory loss against Mitakeumi today. I'm expecting Terunofuji to make short work of Mitakeumi...

Since Terunofuji returned to Makuuchi, Mitakeumi was able to beat him exactly once by keeping him off the Mawashi, otherwise he went straight into Yotsu and lost every damned time. I expect no different this time.

Terunofuji to me hasn't looked much different than in most of his tournaments since his return. He seems to be the strongest fighter, but he is prone to quick footwork. He knows he has the power and resolve to win most of the time when he gets the belt, so he allows Oshi attacks and withstands them to try and get a good grip. 

Mitakeumi is good in every department, but I tend to think he is not great in any. His Oshi attacks generally aren't enough to keep the Yokozuna off the belt, his wrestling is not technical enough to overcome Terunofuji's power. And out-muscling Terunofuji is not going to be the way to go for anyone in Makuuchi right now. 

[Akinomaki 39,535]

Yobidashi miss on day 6 after the Ura bout: for the bout against Meisei, yobidashi Shiro called out for kyujo absent Takakeisho instead of Wakatakakage, and the crowd got excited (Japanese style, stoic and calm and of course with mask), with maybe the expectation of the ozeki coming back. Shiro realized it and came back onto the dohyo to do the proper yobiage.

In the past Asasekiryu was announced as Asashoryu, but a totally different shikona is a rare miss. Yes, announcing Wakatakakage is difficult.

NHK drowned all of this in repeats and talks, they mute the yobidashi sound - you can hear it on Abema.

https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2022/01/14/kiji/20220114s00005000474000c.html

Edited January 15, 2022 by Akinomaki

[Jakusotsu 5,739]

30 minutes ago, Hankegami said:

I was almost bewildered myself when a mono-ii was called for Hoshoryu-Chiyonokuni. It was crystal clear that Chiyonokuni, like, already bowed out of the dohyo by the time Hoshoryu landed. On the other hand, the other bouts were not that clear.

I don't know exactly how the referees work. My only guess is they don't call a mono-ii if the referee with the best view signals he agrees with the gyoji. Like the one with a front view of Myogiryu's heels. Perhaps the one in front of Hoshoryu wasn't sure of what he saw for a split moment.

There's a quite easy explanation: different set of judges after the break.

[Seiyashi 4,068]

8 minutes ago, Jakusotsu said:

38 minutes ago, Hankegami said:

I was almost bewildered myself when a mono-ii was called for Hoshoryu-Chiyonokuni. It was crystal clear that Chiyonokuni, like, already bowed out of the dohyo by the time Hoshoryu landed. On the other hand, the other bouts were not that clear.

I don't know exactly how the referees work. My only guess is they don't call a mono-ii if the referee with the best view signals he agrees with the gyoji. Like the one with a front view of Myogiryu's heels. Perhaps the one in front of Hoshoryu wasn't sure of what he saw for a split moment.

There's a quite easy explanation: different set of judges after the break.

In fact the Abema commentators saw the judges moving and also thought it was a mono-ii, but then realised it was the shimpan kotai that was scheduled to take place after the bout.

[Kintamayama 44,229]

Just to say I disagree with all of you on every issue. Just wanted to make that clear.. As for the monoiis, we are all so clever with hindsight, replays and watching again. They're only human and have the benefit of the video and of being five of them. Even when they got all their decisions right today (no monoii for two bouts) they still can't get a break from the hard crowd here. They got it right, for goodness sakes. And when the monoii result explanation starts with "kakunin no tame (just to confirm)" it means they saw it, but would like to be on the safe side since one of them at least was not 100% sure of what he saw. (They are actually really scared to get it wrong in case the hard crowd here will be on their case again.. )  

Back to the ward.

[BroadMeadow 32]

24 rikishi at 4-3 or 3-4. They must have done a pretty good job on the banzuke. That's a bell plateau! 

[Morning 73]

2 hours ago, Seiyashi said:

 

But the historical context is fairly interesting: the zabuton custom evolved from haori with mon being thrown into the ring and picked up by the winning rikishi's tsukebito to redeem for gifts from their owners, so I agree it would be a pity to let it die out completely. Maybe special zabuton made for throwing, which are much lighter, can be used instead.

Make them digital and turn a price tag on them. Like price money, only cheaper and digital

[lackmaker 428]

2 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

Just to say I disagree with all of you on every issue.

I'll try not to take that too personally but I feel I've let you down.

[Kintamayama 44,229]

1 hour ago, lackmaker said:

I'll try not to take that too personally but I feel I've let you down.

On the contrary, you have picked me up. Go Ikioi!!

Edited January 15, 2022 by Kintamayama

[rhyen 1,799]

7 hours ago, Godango said:

Anyone know the reason for the red news border in the nhk broadcast? Weather event/earthquake?

Tonga earthquake causing Pacific wide tsunami warning. It reached Japan after 12 midnight. 

[rhyen 1,799]

5 hours ago, Seiyashi said:

I would like to see it evolve. It is undoubtedly fairly dangerous as it is - there is a GIF of Asashoryu ducking thrown zabuton during one of the honbasho, and you can see a camera's lens next to him being sharply jerked down, either from being hit by one or recovering from being hit by one. So there is some fair force and mass behind a flying zabuton. Soft they may be, but the momentum they can impart to something else is another matter: it could be quite dangerous to be hit by a zabuton and smashed forward into the metal railings of the masu-seki, for instance.

But the historical context is fairly interesting: the zabuton custom evolved from haori with mon being thrown into the ring and picked up by the winning rikishi's tsukebito to redeem for gifts from their owners, so I agree it would be a pity to let it die out completely. Maybe special zabuton made for throwing, which are much lighter, can be used instead.

Can I suggest origami paper planes printed with yen vouchers that the NSK kyokai can sell to people in the seats.

[Seiyashi 4,068]

3 hours ago, rhyen said:

Can I suggest origami paper planes printed with yen vouchers that the NSK kyokai can sell to people in the seats.

Or knowing Japan, maybe they should develop smart zabuton. Once thrown, they have an onboard motor that can perfectly impel the zabuton in a graceful, parabolic arc towards the dohyo. Bonus points if you can pay for one of these upfront for, say, 10k yen as part of your box, and then that 10k yen goes to the winning rikishi of the bout for which the zabuton was thrown.

(Only half joking about this; I'm clearly taking the piss at least as far as the smart zabuton are concerned, but considering this is Japan we're talking about, I wouldn't be surprised if they could come up with such a solution.)

I'm actually legitly surprised that there isn't any form of crowdfunded kensho. I guess the koenkai system is felt to be a sufficient means of supporting rikishi by private individuals.

Edited January 15, 2022 by Seiyashi