Aki 2022 discussion (results)

[Yubinhaad 11,499]

13 hours ago, BlckKnght said:

There was another tsutaezori win today, in Sandanme. Here's a clip.

I wonder if Asakiryu tried out Ura's move, for fun, in practice sometime since day 4, and it just happened to work in his match today. He did go in pretty low, so maybe he was even planning it from the start.

I doubt it, he had a tasukizori win last November so it's a technical ability he has in his arsenal rather than Ura-inspired.

[Yamanashi 3,671]

6 hours ago, junsan said:

Teru needs healing. Needs to kyujo Aki asap and also sit out Kyushu.

That may be.  As several posters have said above, he's got a legitimate reason for pulling out at any time -- his knees and related issues.  Sometimes rikishi come into a tournament and they just look flat (more than one this basho).  If that happens to a Yokozuna, too often the heya  suddenly realize he has a "foot 'n' back thingy" and needs two weeks of rest -- no one believes it.  In Terunofuji's case I applaud how he can keep going at all.

[Seiyashi 4,068]

22 minutes ago, Yamanashi said:

That may be.  As several posters have said above, he's got a legitimate reason for pulling out at any time -- his knees and related issues.  Sometimes rikishi come into a tournament and they just look flat (more than one this basho).  If that happens to a Yokozuna, too often the heya  suddenly realize he has a "foot 'n' back thingy" and needs two weeks of rest -- no one believes it.  In Terunofuji's case I applaud how he can keep going at all.

Pride. You're talking about the man who tried to save his ōzeki, makuuchi, then sekitori rank by putting in ill-advised appearances, then wanted to quit sumo rather than fight back from the lower divisions. Isegahama did wonders to stop that precipitate decision, but I doubt Terunofuji wants to trouble him that much with what is the comparative minutiae of day-to-day appearance at a basho where there is zero threat to his status whatever decision he makes. Either way, Terunofuji is someone who definitely cares - perhaps at the expense of any actual cost to himself - about what others think about him and what image he projects.

Edited September 16, 2022 by Seiyashi

[Akinomaki 39,497]

On 15/09/2022 at 16:30, Akinomaki said:

On 15/09/2022 at 10:36, Taliesin said:

On 15/09/2022 at 09:58, Akinomaki said:

Kaisei at his co-commentator debut on NHK today said he's a bit nervous, but he sounds relaxed and like he's really suited for this. Maybe he'll become a regular, today with Mainoumi.

Not a great day for the commentator debut, with Miyagino on Abema.

And later on he had left his seat as the NHK guy was asking him something - also here a funny Kaisei A and an unreliable Kaisei B

That absence and a comment on Aoiyama was much talked about in the Japanese social media. First Kaisei mentioned the good-nature of Aoiyama and that they were on good terms, but "if he gets many losses he becomes scary, gets angry. He comes back to the shitakubeya with a face as if he wants to kill somebody",  giving Mainoumi and the NHK guy a big laugh and leading to comments on the net like "Maybe the first time on a sumo broadcast I heard the word kill", "Some bigwigs may get angry later, but as a viewer it was extremely funny" http://npn.co.jp/article/detail/200024173

I think Abema and NHK will compete from now on to get him on the shows at least once every basho

[Yamanashi 3,671]

1 minute ago, Seiyashi said:

Pride. You're talking about the man who tried to save his ōzeki, makuuchi, then sekitori rank by putting in ill-advised appearances, then wanted to quit sumo rather than fight back from the lower divisions. Isegahama did wonders to stop that precipitate decision, but I doubt Terunofuji wants to trouble him that much with what is the comparative minutiae of day-to-day appearance at a basho with zero threat to his status.

Well, yeah.  On this very forum people would react to a couple of losses by Hakuho or Kakuryu on the first four days and say "well, they'll be dropping out tomorrow" [incidentally, Harumafuji didn't have that tendency].  The previous two tourneys Terunofuji has lost on the first day, but instead of bailing out he finished the basho.  So good for him!

[Koorifuu 858]

1 hour ago, Akinomaki said:

That absence and a comment on Aoiyama was much talked about in the Japanese social media. First Kaisei mentioned the good-nature of Aoiyama and that they were on good terms, but "if he gets many losses he becomes scary, gets angry. He comes back to the shitakubeya with a face as if he wants to kill somebody",  giving Mainoumi and the NHK guy a big laugh and leading to comments on the net like "Maybe the first time on a sumo broadcast I heard the word kill", "Some bigwigs may get angry later, but as a viewer it was extremely funny" http://npn.co.jp/article/detail/200024173

I think Abema and NHK will compete from now on to get him on the shows at least once every basho

There's our Kaisei A.

[Tsubame 354]

8 hours ago, Seiyashi said:

Their golden boy Kisenosato still gave out 18, 7 more than Terunofuji, with a lot less yūshō to show for it.

I do not know it, but I assume that the revenue the NHK made from Kisenosato surpasses that from Terunofuji. 

[Jakusotsu 5,721]

37 minutes ago, Koorifuu said:

There's our Kaisei A.

Dressed like a man in black, he looked like Kaisei K.

[Kaninoyama 1,649]

4 hours ago, Seiyashi said:

When you put it this way I wonder if he will become this generation's Kaiō equivalent. Plenty to fear when fighting him in form, but medical concerns limiting him from ever stringing together 2 yūshō, and sometimes being restricted to strings of non-double-digit KKs.

Medical concerns, short arms, and an inability to defend at the belt. Although that fierce harite attack looks promising...

[WAKATAKE 2,613]

Chris Gould seems to have turned comments off on his videos? Perhaps he's putting out bad content now and can't take the criticism?

[Morty 1,469]

16 hours ago, dingo said:

I'd say the circumstances of Kisenosato's kinboshi were different from Terunofuji's, but that's just my opinion. 

Edit: spelling

Totally agree. Numbers never tell the true story.

[WAKATAKE 2,613]

No more zensho in Juryo

[Seiyashi 4,068]

That was an odd bout between Hokuseihō and Churanoumi. Both rikishi knew Churanoumi had stepped out into the janome and stopped fighting but the gyōji seemed confused and never raised his gunbai for Hokuseihō, at least not on the live feeds on NHK (he could have done it during the replay, but usually the gyōji is faster than that).

[Seiyashi 4,068]

Well, Midorifuji's almost certainly derailed the ōzeki hype train now. 

[Kaninoyama 1,649]

Great stuff by Midorifuji. Meanwhile, Takayasu is looking solid as a rock. 

[Seiyashi 4,068]

And we might be looking at the prospect of one demoted ōzeki and another going kadoban by the end of this basho. Not a very good day for Tamawashi or the upper ranks.

Good bout by Takakeishō, though. His stamina seems to have dramatically improved this basho; that's at least the second long bout he's won.

Terunofuji manages to stop the rot, at least.

Edited September 17, 2022 by Seiyashi

[Jakusotsu 5,721]

26 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

Terunofuji manages to stop the rot, at least.

Not a very nice way to call Ichinojo.

[Akinomaki 39,497]

On 15/09/2022 at 16:50, Akinomaki said:

At least we still have 2 sanyaku one win behind the leaders, but that may be over soon

Now we have 2 two wins behind, but I guess that won't be over anytime this basho. Nobody thinks Hokutofuji will go on like that, IIRC the discussion here.

[Eikokurai 3,433]

Takayasu on 6-1 and in an excellent position to blow another yusho opportunity.

[Tigerboy1966 1,372]

I was worried that Tamawashi might decide that he's proved his point and start easing up... Did not happen. He lost of course, but only after making a pretty spirited attempt to detach WTK's skull from his spinal column.

[Hankegami 412]

Day 7 gone. Good.

Hokutofuji sole leader. I was expecting that (mostly because I am a Wakatakakage fan, that's it), although it must be said that today's win against Takanosho showed he's in a good form notwithstanding the actual level of his opponents. Tomorrow he will face a murky Onosho (I don't know whether it was me who read wrong, or did they change the pairings) Endo with precedents being 9-10 for the latter.

The 6-1 duo follows up. Takayasu has Takakeisho tomorrow, a second chance for the Hamster to catch up a train for the yusho race. Their precedents are 9-9, with a Takayasu win on the last two occasions. However, as many of you already noticed, 'Keisho is somehow improving his resistance and his performance overall. Chances are it will be a very exciting bout. Tamawashi will host an unlikely nemesis of him, Sadanoumi (precedents 4-10).

Last line, Terunofuji. He didn't go kyujo and actually faced - and won - against Ichinojo. His knees appear to be in a rather awful shape nonetheless. I can only think that Ichinojo himself is injured (his back again, perhaps?) and Terunofuji knew that. Tomorrow Teru will face Nishikigi, an oshi-zumo practitioner with some good belt game, that is the Yokozuna's less welcome kind of opponent. Again, I can only guess that Teru believes Nishikigi is not good enough to give him trouble. Their record is 1-1, by the way.

I admit I am puzzled by Terunofuji's choice to keep participating despite his knees being totally busted. Pride issues aside, he knows a Yokozuna cannot lose that much purely for reasons of prestige. So I gave a look to his perspective opponents for the rest of the tournament. Considering he will not be matched up with fellow stablemate Midorifuji, it's almost time for Teru to go up for the san'yaku. Rank-wise, I believe he will face Takayasu on Day 9 and thereafter all the Sekiwake and the Ozeki (although Hokutofuji might be substitute either Mitakeumi or Shodai). Now, Teru is particularly weak against oshi-zumo wrestlers, yet there are still plenty: Daieisho, Mitakeumi, Takakeisho, even Hokutofuji, not to mention yotsu specialists known for their good oshi game such as Takayasu and Shodai. Now, Daieisho, Mitakeumi and Shodai are performing bad right now, and perhaps Teru believes to be good enough to handle Nishikigi and Hokutofuji. This leaves Takayasu and Takakeisho (with the latter pretty much done anytime a yotsu wrestlers grabs his mawashi). My only guess is that Teru expects himself to win against most of them somehow (included belt specialists Wakatakakage and Hoshoryu), leaving room for one or two losses against Takayasu and Takakeisho. This means a 11-4 or 10-5 final score, which is not half bad. I am the first to believe this would be a very crazy plan, though.

Edited September 17, 2022 by Hankegami

[Seiyashi 4,068]

10 minutes ago, Hankegami said:

My only guess is that Teru expects himself to win against most of them somehow (included belt specialists Wakatakakage and Hoshoryu), leaving room for one or two losses against Takayasu and Takakeisho.

Not as far fetched as it sounds given Terunofuji has pretty much always won against all of them up till now. If there is a time for him to lose, it's now, though.

That being said, it's perhaps too simplistic to assume that Terunofuji is in it only to win. It's much more likely he believes it is his duty as the sole yokozuna to show up, wins or losses be damned, and also in part to ensure the eventual yūshō winner is worthy, but that only goes so far if he is risking terminal injury every time he mounts the dohyō.

Edited September 17, 2022 by Seiyashi

[Kaioshoryu 62]

I don’t comment much on here, but I just had to say this: Shodai’s performance is pathetic. 

[sumojoann 1,254]

27 minutes ago, Kaioshoryu said:

I don’t comment much on here, but I just had to say this: Shodai’s performance is pathetic. 

Unfortunately, I have to agree.  Yesterday when he was in that hallway area getting ready to go down to the dohyo before his bout, he already looked totally defeated.  I knew then that there was no hope of him winning.  He looked so depressed, more than he usually does.  It was like he was thinking, "What am I doing here?"  I hope he gets the help he so desperately needs.

[Morty 1,469]

Midorifuji - Hoshoryu was bout of the basho so far. Great stuff. Interesting that Midorifuji has beaten Hosh five times out of five so far.