Natsu 2022 Discussion Thread - here be spoilers

[Taliesin 68]

Wow. On day 2 there's no sanyaku with 2-0. This basho will be an intense one.

[Eikokurai 3,437]

Takakeisho may have won, but he didn't look like he had much power yet again. I don't know whether he's consciously changing his style away from the wave attack he's known for to keep himself in the fight longer, or if there's something there bothering him.

[Eikokurai 3,437]

Shodai is doing a Shodai again. 0-2 start. Tbf, he was in the fight and should have won, but it was one of those where a split second makes a difference.

[Yarimotsu 548]

17 minutes ago, Taliesin said:

Wow. On day 2 there's no sanyaku with 2-0. This basho will be an intense one.

I'm going to have a lot of fun following the leaders over the next few days. What a crazy start!

[Jakusotsu 5,873]

27 minutes ago, Taliesin said:

Wow. On day 2 there's no sanyaku with 2-0. This basho will be an intense one.

If  sumodb and my query don't lie, this is the first time in history!

[Hankegami 439]

Absurd second day. My predictions went regularly wrong. All the guys I felt were in top form yesterday just dropped one: Meisei, Wakatakakage, Mitakeumi, even Kiribayama. On the other hand I am happy, though: Hoshoryu, Takakeisho and especially Terunofuji proved to be alive and well... well, sort of. Takakeisho has no tachi-ai anymore, yet he managed to win despite everything. Terunofuji is clearly in trouble with oshi wrestlers but can still do his number against fellow belt specialists. This is good news, considering everyone feared his knees just gave up on him altogether. Was this the case, his only very serious problem - aside from his knees giving up - is Tamawashi.

Speaking of Tamawashi, he's having a hell of a start this basho. Curious to see whether he will manage to keep it up.

Edited May 9, 2022 by Hankegami

[robnplunder 975]

1 hour ago, Eikokurai said:

Takakeisho may have won, but he didn't look like he had much power yet again. I don't know whether he's consciously changing his style away from the wave attack he's known for to keep himself in the fight longer, or if there's something there bothering him.

He is definitely missing that explosiveness but I think he may be good enough to go KK.  

[Swami 245]

46 minutes ago, Hankegami said:

Absurd second day. My predictions went regularly wrong. All the guys I felt were in top form yesterday just dropped one: Meisei, Wakatakakage, Mitakeumi, even Kiribayama. On the other hand I am happy, though: Hoshoryu, Takakeisho and especially Terunofuji proved to be alive and well... well, sort of. Takakeisho has no tachi-ai anymore, yet he managed to win despite everything. Terunofuji is clearly in trouble with oshi wrestlers but can still do his number against fellow belt specialists. This is good news, considering everyone feared his knees just gave up on him altogether. Was this the case, his only very serious problem - aside from his knees giving up - is Tamawashi.

Speaking of Tamawashi, he's having a hell of a start this basho. Curious to see whether he will manage to keep it up.

I remember back many years ago Konishiki developed a strategy of letting more of his opponents come directly to him, rather than chasing them on dodgy knees.  OK, it won't work with every opponent, but if he fight on his terms, not his opponents, it will be to his advantage.

In Konishiki's case it worked for a brief period (1990 - 1992), but his yotsu-zumo was never skillful enough to outfox the likes of Akinoshima.

Swami

[Akinomaki 40,038]

Like NHK had reported yesterday, makuuchi gyoji Kimura Motoki is back on the dohyo again. No sekitori or oyakata were tested positive in the PCR tests for all NSK members, but at least he was, without symptoms, and till yesterday had to stay in quarantine in a hotel.

Edited May 9, 2022 by Akinomaki

[dingo 1,212]

Time to come out of the two-month sumo hibernation. Some belated thoughts about the first day --

Endo definitely had a slight smirk on his face after his win over Hoshoryuu

Tamawashi meanwhile thoroughly out-Abied Abi. Good to see him going strong in his advanced age ;)

Wakatakakage continues his calm and patient sumo. So far so good.

Takakeisho is lacking some power and explosiveness from his peak.

That was about the most straightforward force-out I've seen Terunofuji suffer since he became yokozuna. 

[dingo 1,212]

22 hours ago, Eikokurai said:

Ah, sumo returns. I need this: I’ve been stuck in lockdown for five weeks (and working from home for another four before that, going out once a week for groceries, so effectively nine weeks inside). Though I couldn’t catch today’s action live, I shall be sure to have it on screen Mon-Fri while working (one of the few perks). It will help with routine, as Haru did for me in March.

Anyway, some intriguing results today. Takakeisho looked powerless in his loss, as did Terunofuji obviously. Daieisho has a great record against him now. Doesn’t bode too well for the too guys lasting 15 days, but Ozeki-chasing Wakatakakage could benefit from a weakened sanyaku corps. Good start from him, and his brother. Both Waka beat a Fuji by yorikiri.

Stay strong in the lockdown, that s*** sucks.

[RabidJohn 1,721]

2 hours ago, Eikokurai said:

Takakeisho may have won, but he didn't look like he had much power yet again. I don't know whether he's consciously changing his style away from the wave attack he's known for to keep himself in the fight longer, or if there's something there bothering him.

He's not driving in with his head at the tachi-ai. Maybe he's been warned about that neck injury. Still, he managed to eke out a yorikiri win against a yotsu guy today. Haven't checked the bout length, but he might have exceeded 10 seconds there, too. He always looks totally knackered when that happens.

Some really good bouts today.

Maybe I wasn't paying enough attention yesterday, but I also noticed some new faces sitting as shimpan today: Nishonoseki and Naruto.
What's that, just a year or two for the former Kisenosato to get there, but seven or eight for moto-Kotooshu?

Edited May 9, 2022 by RabidJohn

[Fashiritētā 171]

Gotta love the start of this Basho, going to be a rough 1st Act for all of the sanyaku , makes for an interesting Yusho race, 12-3 or 11-4 takes the cup.

A side note; Get it together Shodai and Takayasu 

[Hankegami 439]

29 minutes ago, RabidJohn said:

Maybe I wasn't paying enough attention yesterday, but I also noticed some new faces sitting as shimpan today: Nishonoseki and Naruto.
What's that, just a year or two for the former Kisenosato to get there, but seven or eight for moto-Kotooshu?

Almost. Kotooshu retired in March 2014 (8 years and 2 months ago) and Kisenosato in January 2019 (3 years, 4 months ago). Rumors are that the SNK is grooming Nihonoseki to become eventually Riichijo (a position in which usually your former rank plays a big role) since he is the only Japanese Yokozuna still on the inside. Hakkaku is almost 59 years old and will have to step down in a few more than six years. His most natural successor would have been Takanohana (nine years younger) but he famously screwed up big time. Aside from that, Kisenosato is the only Japanese Yokozuna born in the 1980s so they have to go with him anyway sooner or later. Of course there are ex-Musashimaru for the 1970s (b. 1971) and ex-Hakuko (b. 1985) and Kakuryu (b. 1986) available, but they might be a bit too much foreigner to get enough votes. Even worse, that particular generation also gave several foreigner Ozeki, so it almost has to be ex-Kisenosato.

Edited May 9, 2022 by Hankegami

[Rocks 1,807]

3 hours ago, Eikokurai said:

Shodai is doing a Shodai again. 0-2 start. Tbf, he was in the fight and should have won, but it was one of those where a split second makes a difference.

I'm beginning to think that's why Shodai didn't get the monoii. I think he lost but the judges don't think he deserves one in a close match due to his seeming to find ways to lose.

[hakutorizakura 609]

Yay, sumo time again! Interesting start for the basho, yesterday 3/4 of the top guys lost and now Takakeisho won by yorikiri 

Takayasu made a bad decision there with the makikae: everyone knows how dangerous Terunofuji's armpits are! Hope he'll finish the basho happier than he did last time.

[Hakuryuho 334]

18 hours ago, Swami said:

Takakeisho simply has no plan B if he can't get somebody straight out

Well this aged like milk 

[dingo 1,212]

28 minutes ago, Hakuryuho said:

Well this aged like milk 

I wouldn't consider that a real plan B, more like a last ditch thrown kitchen sink. That didn't look like he'd stand a chance against real yotsu sumo. 

And Shoudai definitely deserved a monoii there. It reeked of unwillingness to give him the benefit of a doubt, but judging should be impartial. 

[Leoben 126]

I did not expect Hoshoryu to win that match, what a pleasant surprise. It's cool to see he now has the strength to go up against the big guys and not get overpowered immediately. I think the change in his physique has been very noticeable in the last couple of tournaments. He looks a lot chunkier now than he did a year ago, but he's put on weight the right way. His whole body is thicker and more muscular, it's not all in his gut.

Edited May 9, 2022 by Leoben

[Sumo Spiffy 544]

I just got a chance to watch the fights, and... just... what? All the way around, what?

Day 1, my daily picks looked not so good. Day 2 was worse statistically, but I feel less failtastic about it because who expects Mitakeumi and Wakatakakage to lose for the first time to their respective opponents on the same day?

[Sumo Spiffy 544]

Oh, I have a question, especially for those who have been watching the sport for a while:

Was it just me, or did it seem like guys were slipping a lot yesterday? 

[RaeucherLax 287]

10 minutes ago, Sumo Spiffy said:

Was it just me, or did it seem like guys were slipping a lot yesterday? 

Just wait for the Nagoya Basho, there'll be even more wins by Slippiotoshi* 

Dunno what the weather is like in Tokyo atm but it tends to happen more often when its hot and humid.

*Registered trademark by @Kintamayama

[Yamanashi 3,774]

6 minutes ago, Sumo Spiffy said:

Oh, I have a question, especially for those who have been watching the sport for a while:

Was it just me, or did it seem like guys were slipping a lot yesterday? 

Remember, suggesting that a flurry of slippiotoshi losses occurred after Terutsuyoshi chucked half a kilo of salt onto the dohyo is Misinformation.

[Amamaniac 2,078]

Midorifuji showed why some call him "Mr. Katasukashi" today against Kagayaki.  The small Isegahama grappler outmanoeuvred his opponent and set up a great under shoulder swing down.  Whenever technique overcomes size disadvantage, sumo fans derive inspiration that they can overcome obstacles in their lives, or at least that is how I felt after seeing that.

[jsolo 106]

MAY 2022 (NATSU) BASHO LINKS AND STATISTICS BLOG--DAY 2

Links to 8 archived match videos (NHK will be up later after about 1:00 AM US Eastern--but they aren't archived past two weeks after the Basho), over 175 photos, match articles, selected Rikishi quotes, match results, Kimarite and time statistics with comparisons to the March Basho. I have added match results and Kimarite statistics for Juryo. Also Top Rank performance, Maegashira v san'yaku, and Top Ten performance in Juryo. 

Have added Time of Match statistics for Juryo (no official source, so I used a stop watch app). Probably not exact, but close. Anyway, if anyone knows of an "official" source available in English please let me know. Hope it increases your enjoyment of the Basho. 

 

Enjoy