Hatsu 2022 discussions (results)

[Inside Sport Japan 760]

On 09/01/2022 at 03:57, Ack! said:

Being curious, I reviewed the yusho history to see which portraits were currently hanging in the Kokugikan.  With these two added, there will be 11 14 different rikishi with portraits hanging.  

Visual aid

Two of the Hakuho portraits in that were replaced by the two Terunofuji ones seen above.

[Leoben 121]

56 minutes ago, RabidJohn said:

Takakeisho has gone the risky route of putting nearly all his points into bulk and a single powerful attack that takes a full day to recharge.

Takakeisho can use Swimming Thrusts once per long rest. After using Swimming Thrusts, Takakeisho takes one level of exhaustion.

I wonder if this is going to be a repeat of Hatsu 2021, where it looked like he put on a lot of extra weight and he lost all of his power and what little endurance he had, or if he's simply been unlucky these first few days. In his first match he won very convincingly and looked really strong, but the next two have been pretty bad.

Edited January 11, 2022 by Leoben
Adding more serious content

[Morty 1,480]

I don't typically watch the lower divisions so this is my first look at Oho. My initial impression, after three bouts, is that he's a big strong boy!

[Morty 1,480]

59 minutes ago, Kujo said:

I am guessing the kyokai's concussion protocol (or lack thereof) is not like other sports where you have mandatory time off when suffering one.

 

Given that every third bout starts with a clash of heads, if they had a legit concussion protocol that required people to sit out, there would be no sumo after day five. I too was surprised Ura turned up today, but he looked good when he did.

[Rocks 1,807]

1 hour ago, Gernobono said:

Takakeisho was robbed 

I would agree. I don't see where they get to a redo here other than "Hey, it was close so do it again" Both are going down but Ura looked down first. 

While it's nice for Ura that he got the win versus of very winded Takakeisho I don't think having Ura go twice the day after he suffered a concussion that he is clearly not completely recovered from  is a good idea. 

I wonder what is up with Okinoumi, as far as injury. While I expected him to not do well this basho  he looks awful. 

[rokudenashi 291]

Exciting first 3 days particularly in jūryō with 4 prospects leading the race at this early stage. Kotoshōhō of course already has makuuchi experience, and I expect we'll see the other 3 there too in the future (Kaishō, Asanowaka, Kitanowaka). Hope they can keep it up as a battle between those guys would make for the most interesting jūryō championship since the 3-way Tatsunami playoff back in July 2020.

As for makushita, if Kinbōzan continues his winning ways, a match against Ryūden and/or Atamifuji would be fantastic - I am unsure what to make of his current level, but he looks to have all the tools; certainly more well-rounded than Hokuseihō, who he might also bump into along the way.

Anyway, it's too early to make any useful speculation, I'm just getting overeager...

[Seiyashi 4,071]

5 minutes ago, Rocks said:

I don't see where they get to a redo here other than "Hey, it was close so do it again" Both are going down but Ura looked down first. 

Without the benefit of the setsumei, Takakeisho's feet were close to turning, so he might have been deemed irrecoverable as well. But yes, I agree Takakeisho was robbed, although one could equally argue he didn't deserve it from failing to dispatch a frankly flailing Ura.

6 minutes ago, Rocks said:

I wonder what is up with Okinoumi, as far as injury. While I expected him to not do well this basho  he looks awful. 

Severely out of his depth. Age means he's no longer competitive in the joi, and he has had the misfortune of facing Endo, a superior technician, then a hard-thrusting Onosho, a Chiyoshoma who seems to have taken Tamawashi lessons, and then he's up against Tamawashi himself tomorrow. It's alright, he'll go down to lower makuuchi next basho and clean house there.

[lackmaker 432]

5 hours ago, Eikokurai said:

Mitakeumi is 3-0 and looking motivated by that Ozeki run!

Still week one Mitakeumi.

[Sue 483]

35 minutes ago, lackmaker said:

Still week one Mitakeumi.

Hey, if Next Ozeki Shodai can actually make it, why not Non-Disappointing Mitakeumi? I'm sure Charlie Brown can kick that field goal.

[Sue 483]

4 hours ago, Kujo said:

I am guessing the kyokai's concussion protocol (or lack thereof) is not like other sports where you have mandatory time off when suffering one.

Does the NSK have a concussion protocol? Given their rather retro stance on injuries in general, it wouldn't surprise me to learn that they don't, but Ura's interview today shows just how urgently they need one. 

Ugh, and they're feeding him to Terunofuji tomorrow. Poor guy.

Edited January 11, 2022 by Sue

[lackmaker 432]

1 hour ago, Sue said:

Hey, if Next Ozeki Shodai can actually make it, why not Non-Disappointing Mitakeumi? I'm sure Charlie Brown can kick that field goal.

Well he certainly could, but a good first week tells us very little. And if he makes it his record indicates he'll be rarely kadoban.

[Hakuryuho 334]

5 hours ago, Leoben said:

Takakeisho can use Swimming Thrusts once per long rest. After using Swimming Thrusts, Takakeisho takes one level of exhaustion.

I wonder if this is going to be a repeat of Hatsu 2021, where it looked like he put on a lot of extra weight and he lost all of his power and what little endurance he had, or if he's simply been unlucky these first few days. In his first match he won very convincingly and looked really strong, but the next two have been pretty bad.

Takakeisho did not put on the extra weight for the Hatsu Basho, people conveniently forget that he weighed in at 183kg at either the September or November meet (don't remember the exact basho) and he actually won Kyushu, showing that his weight definitely wasn't hindering him, at least in that tournament.

[Jakusotsu 5,815]

3 hours ago, Sue said:

Ugh, and they're feeding him to Terunofuji tomorrow. Poor guy.

"Feeding to" is more than a slight exaggeration. Barring any kyujo, the Yokozuna was bound to meet the M2e on day 4, no matter if they are called Ura or Curly Sue.

Edit: Oops - I just realized who I was quoting here. That name-calling was solely inspired by the current mae-zumo thread, I swear!

Edited January 11, 2022 by Jakusotsu

[Hankegami 412]

7 hours ago, Gernobono said:

Takakeisho was robbed 

5 hours ago, Rocks said:

I would agree. I don't see where they get to a redo here other than "Hey, it was close so do it again" Both are going down but Ura looked down first. 

While it's nice for Ura that he got the win versus of very winded Takakeisho I don't think having Ura go twice the day after he suffered a concussion that he is clearly not completely recovered from  is a good idea. 

I wonder what is up with Okinoumi, as far as injury. While I expected him to not do well this basho  he looks awful. 

5 hours ago, Seiyashi said:

Without the benefit of the setsumei, Takakeisho's feet were close to turning, so he might have been deemed irrecoverable as well. But yes, I agree Takakeisho was robbed, although one could equally argue he didn't deserve it from failing to dispatch a frankly flailing Ura.

I'm not an expert, but I believe the rule for falling is along the lines of "touching the surface of the dohyo with anything which is not the sole of your feet". Takakeisho appears to touch the floor with the upward of his right foot about the same time Ura fell as a whole. Moreover, Takakeisho stepped back in a very awkward way (to my eyes, of course), causing him to be bound to fall anyway. I had the impression that another rikishi would have not fallen this quickly, but perhaps it's just me.

Although the redo may have been called over a technicality, I am worried for Takakeisho as he has basically no plan B for his bouts. Redo can happen, yet he always points all his chances on his first 10 seconds and no more.

[Sue 483]

3 hours ago, Jakusotsu said:

"Feeding to" is more than a slight exaggeration. Barring any kyujo, the Yokozuna was bound to meet the M2e on day 4, no matter if they are called Ura or Curly Sue.

Edit: Oops - I just realized who I was quoting here. That name-calling was solely inspired by the current mae-zumo thread, I swear!

The punch line is that I have naturally very straight hair that absolutely will not curl, and have never worn curly hairstyles as a result.

[Godango 956]

To say Takakeisho was robbed is a stretch imo. 

More accurately, "Damn, Takakeisho nearly got away with a lucky win". 

[Yamanashi 3,725]

12 hours ago, Seiyashi said:

Considering Shodai's age, it doesn't bode well for his future that he's already kadoban 2x in 8 basho, unless he too picks it up a notch some time in the future like Mitakeumi seems to be doing this basho.

The problem is that he needed a miracle pick-me-up to get to Ozeki in the first place!

[Godango 956]

12 minutes ago, Yamanashi said:

The problem is that he needed a miracle pick-me-up to get to Ozeki in the first place!

Shodai's problem is he is better than he realises. He had confidence and belief in himself in his ozeki run. When/if he gets that back he's as good as anyone on the banzuke (possible exception of Terunofuji).

[Kujo 116]

13 hours ago, Morty said:

Given that every third bout starts with a clash of heads, if they had a legit concussion protocol that required people to sit out, there would be no sumo after day five. I too was surprised Ura turned up today, but he looked good when he did.

Yeah, it sounds like coconuts being banged together, it always makes me cringe.

10 hours ago, Sue said:

Does the NSK have a concussion protocol? Given their rather retro stance on injuries in general, it wouldn't surprise me to learn that they don't, but Ura's interview today shows just how urgently they need one. 

I would be surprised if there was a forced protocol, like most other sports (where continuing to play is a doctors decision, not the player's or coach's decision).

At least the head shimpan called attention to it and had someone hold onto Ura to lead him off the dohyo (I guess you call that progress in a sport where there doesn't seem to be any "real" medical personnel standing by in case of an emergency).

[jsolo 106]

January (Hatsu) 2022 Basho--DAY 3 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.

[Inside Sport Japan 760]

Takakeisho has withdrawn

[Eikokurai 3,433]

15 minutes ago, Inside Sport Japan said:

Takakeisho has withdrawn

Damn. Two-wins off the pace, I guess the slim possibility of him getting a rope with a yusho* this time was already well and truly gone anyway, but still disappointing to lose an Ozeki this early.
 

*14-1 minimum I think for that conversation to happen

Edited January 12, 2022 by Eikokurai

[Seiyashi 4,071]

1 hour ago, Eikokurai said:

1 hour ago, Inside Sport Japan said:

Takakeisho has withdrawn

Damn. Two-wins off the pace, I guess the slim possibility of him getting a rope with a yusho* this time was already well and truly gone anyway, but still disappointing to lose an Ozeki this early.
 

*14-1 minimum I think for that conversation to happen

The problem is, Takakeisho is more than 10 years younger than Hakuho, yet his past year of sumo or so has looked more like Hakuho in his final years: kyujo one basho, a bare minimum result the next, then yusho contention after that. I don't see the NSK willing to even start the conversation from a jun-yusho with that record, and their silence the last time he actually got a yusho was telling, too; almost as if they knew he was due to screw up the next basho and didn't feel the need to talk of hypotheticals.

[Eikokurai 3,433]

1 hour ago, Seiyashi said:

The problem is, Takakeisho is more than 10 years younger than Hakuho, yet his past year of sumo or so has looked more like Hakuho in his final years: kyujo one basho, a bare minimum result the next, then yusho contention after that. I don't see the NSK willing to even start the conversation from a jun-yusho with that record, and their silence the last time he actually got a yusho was telling, too; almost as if they knew he was due to screw up the next basho and didn't feel the need to talk of hypotheticals.

It’s academic now so not worth going too far down the rabbit hole with this topic, but suffice to say that possibly with a 14-1 and definitely with a 15-0 at least some people inside the YDC would consider him for the rope. I don’t think there’d be anything close to a consensus, but there doesn’t need to be just to talk about it.

[Kaninoyama 1,694]

Abi is picking up right where he left off last basho.