Hatsu 2022 discussions (results)

[Yamanashi 3,689]

18 minutes ago, MumboJumbo said:

As I've watched Mitakeumi through the years, I've always thought he fights well against oshi guys. He resists the thrusts/slaps very efficiently and is able to force himself beneath the strikes. Looking at his record against some notable oshi specialists (that pop into my head), he seems to match up favorably. Maybe his domination of Tamawashi has skewed my view a bit.

7-2 Abi

4-4 Aoiyama

13-7 Daieisho

12-10 Hokutofuji

10-3 Onosho

11-10 Takakeisho

26-3 Tamawashi (!)

 

Holy deja vu, Batman!  We had this exact conversation last basho.  Go back through the archives and you'll probably find it all.

P.S.  While you're back there, can you check my math to see if I got the same numbers you did?

[hakutorizakura 582]

One thing I noticed about Mitakeumi is that when he's receiving blows from his opponent to his head/neck, his body stays mostly unmoved while his head jerks backwards, so he absorbs that attack and continues moving forward. I guess this contributes to his success against oshi opponents, on good days. 

Tamawashi is just probably mis-matched in his style against Mita, somehow. He seems to be more effective against relatively tall opponents.

And yeah, Ura didn't seem to have planned that side shift slash henka. He kind of hesitated a bit before moving to the side, then made a sure scoop for the leg when he saw it.

[Yamanashi 3,689]

Magaki (on hanamichi duty):  "All right, it's time to go up there for the yumitori-shiki."

Satonofuji: "That's OK, sonny, I got this."

[Gospodin 185]

2 hours ago, MumboJumbo said:

As I've watched Mitakeumi through the years, I've always thought he fights well against oshi guys. He resists the thrusts/slaps very efficiently and is able to force himself beneath the strikes. Looking at his record against some notable oshi specialists (that pop into my head), he seems to match up favorably. Maybe his domination of Tamawashi has skewed my view a bit.

7-2 Abi

4-4 Aoiyama

13-7 Daieisho

12-10 Hokutofuji

10-3 Onosho

11-10 Takakeisho

26-3 Tamawashi (!)

 

It´s clear Tamawashi is going nowhere against Mitakeumi, yet he tries the same thing all over again, making it boring to watch. Why doesn´t he change something ? 

[Seiyashi 4,068]

When all you've got is a hammer...

His style is working pretty decently for him, Mitakeumi excepted. Trying yotsu or something else he doesn't have the muscle memory and instinct for might just be flat out worse overall than just trying oshi again, even against his bete noire.

[Gospodin 185]

I was joking, referring to the discussion about Okinoumi. His style also works pretty well for him, except against sanyaku regulars. 

[Fujisan 530]

7 hours ago, Rocks said:

Chiyomaru - Akua? How much more blatant does a hair pull need to be? 

Absolutely I was shouting at the tv when I saw it even though it was long after the bout was over in real time. 

[specialweek 2 136]

Hand placement is not illegal, pulling hair is. Nothing to see there.

[Yarimotsu 515]

Just now, specialweek 2 said:

Hand placement is not illegal, pulling hair is. Nothing to see there.

Yeah, it seems consistent with other non-hansoku from previous basho. no closed-fist tug = no disqualification.

[Rocks 1,804]

1 hour ago, Yarimotsu said:

Yeah, it seems consistent with other non-hansoku from previous basho. no closed-fist tug = no disqualification.

He closed his fist and pulls. Immediately let's go but it's there. I've seen it called for much less.

Ring and pinky fingers clenched and pulling. 

 

Edited January 17, 2022 by Rocks

[Fujisan 530]

28 minutes ago, Rocks said:

He closed his fist and pulls. Immediately let's go but it's there. I've seen it called for much less.

Ring and pinky fingers clenched and pulling. 

 

I've watched many,many sumo bouts over the years and I can honestly say I cant remember seeing a rikishis hand so clearly on his opponents top knot for so long....

If anyone can prove otherwise lets see the proof here.

[Jakusotsu 5,743]

6 minutes ago, Fujisan said:

I've watched many,many sumo bouts over the years and I can honestly say I cant remember seeing a rikishis hand so clearly on his opponents top knot for so long....

...and yet not worth calling because Akua lost the bout anyway.

Edited January 17, 2022 by Jakusotsu

[Katooshu 3,083]

I didn't mind Ura's ashitori, nor do I have a problem with his techniques in general. I don't think sumo would be in a better place if he, say, repeatedly and predictably went for a yorikiri or just slapped away wildly ever match, which plenty of rikishi do. He keeps you guessing.....if that's gimmicky, then gimmicky isn't such a bad thing. Harumafuji continually did some form of side step at the tachiai, and I enjoyed his sumo too, as seemingly a lot of people did.

Edited January 17, 2022 by Katooshu

[jsolo 106]

January (Hatsu) 2022 Basho--DAY 8 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. Tamawashi--Ouch!. See photo and quote links.

[Masunofuji 36]

2 hours ago, Jakusotsu said:

...and yet not worth calling because Akua lost the bout anyway.

It was Chiyomaru who was pulling, though.

[lackmaker 428]

A still photo never tells the full story of a hairpull.

[Seiyashi 4,068]

No sign of week 2 Mitakeumi so far. That's very strong, forward-moving sumo he's been using well this basho. That zensho is getting less and less far-fetched.

[Akinomaki 39,549]

Another sashichigae for Inosuke, so much for Shonosuke hopes this year

[Masunofuji 36]

A gif file to make up for a still photo's shortcomings: https://i.imgur.com/jYNLbms.mp4

[Jakusotsu 5,743]

12 minutes ago, Masunofuji said:

A gif file to make up for a still photo's shortcomings: https://i.imgur.com/jYNLbms.mp4

Thanks - I mixed up the mawashi colours (an easy mistake to make).

I still see no pulling, though, only pushing down, but YMMV. Chiyomaru would have still won even if Akua was bald.

[Akinomaki 39,549]

1 hour ago, Seiyashi said:

No sign of week 2 Mitakeumi so far. That's very strong, forward-moving sumo he's been using well this basho. That zensho is getting less and less far-fetched.

I realized how much of a veteran Mitakeumi already is when I heard the new oyakata (Chiyootori) on NHK today called by the announcer as from the same year (born, not in ozumo). He must feel like that as well, and he made some comment about his last year in his twenties on his birthday before the basho - looks like it gives him the extra drive of this basho so far.

Edited January 17, 2022 by Akinomaki

[since_94 650]

19 hours ago, Hakuryuho said:

It's such a shame he isn't trained to be a primarily yotsu-wrestler.
In my opinion the underutilisation of his long limbs and size in general will hamper his ascension through the ranks quite significantly. 
Sometimes he is forced to wrestle on the belt and he usually does remarkably well in these instances.

I completely concur when it comes to his Yokozuna prospects but only on the condition that he transitions to a yotsu-first-style instead his current oshi/tsuki style.

Thought about your comments as I watched him fight today and wondered if he might seize the belt. Even though he didn’t, he looked so poised and measured throughout his match, even when on the defensive. He seems to always be planning his next steps, as suggested by his pantomiming of the next movement after completing his winning kimarite, as if he was reading his opponent and the flow of the match and preparing to employ another technique, just in case his plan didn’t work out. Kind of like speed chess, with violence. I think this mentality is what separates the greats from the also-rans.

[Gernobono 447]

1 hour ago, Akinomaki said:

Another sashichigae for Inosuke, so much for Shonosuke hopes this year

the inosuke now, easily qualifies for the worst tate-gyoji ever

not that i know all of them, but there cannot ba a worse one

[RabidJohn 1,637]

12 minutes ago, since_94 said:

Thought about your comments as I watched him fight today and wondered if he might seize the belt. Even though he didn’t, he looked so poised and measured throughout his match, even when on the defensive. He seems to always be planning his next steps, as suggested by his pantomiming of the next movement after completing his winning kimarite, as if he was reading his opponent and the flow of the match and preparing to employ another technique, just in case his plan didn’t work out. Kind of like speed chess, with violence. I think this mentality is what separates the greats from the also-rans.

Having not watched Oho in the lower divisions, my impression after the day 3 was that he was a yotsu guy...
So he's an oshi guy with a viable yotsu sideline. That's a great basis for becoming an all-rounder.
Great defensive sumo today.

Mitakeumi appears to be wearing his freight train head this basho. I believe I'm starting to hope he's not just teasing us real bad.

What's up with Chiyonokuni, beyond the usual having to deal with injuries? He's way better than 0-9.

[Leo C 52]

My boy Akua lost again, too bad. I don't know who was on commentary, but I laughed when he pointed out "that kakenage thing, he should just stop it" or something like that. But I do enjoy how Akua can still put on some entertaining matches even without the kakenage, like his bout yesterday or the day before when he didn't know what to do so just started going for those wild slaps haha. Very fun.