Aki 2022 discussion (results)

[Akinomaki 40,802]

The most important reason for dropping today's ozeki only bout was to ensure a shukun interview for a win from below vs. Y/O - but NHK didn't broadcast it

Edited September 24, 2022 by Akinomaki

[Eikokurai 3,437]

1 hour ago, Hankegami said:

Yoshibayama

He served in WW2 for several years and got wounded. Would make a good biopic: war movie and sports movie mashup.

[Leo C 52]

Takakeisho and Nishikifuji was great.

[LifeisaDragon 1]

I know they're the sumo experts and I'm not, but I can't help feeling like the JSA is acting shortsighted right now. Sure, some drama/excitement on day 15 might boost attendance tomorrow, and Takayasu finally winning a yusho could be a nice feel good moment, but in the medium to long term sumo needs new stars. I like Takayasu, but that's not him—he's too old and isn't consistently good enough. So is him getting another shot at a yusho (which fans don't have any faith he'll cash in on, anyway) really worth making rikishi like Hoshoryu (who definitely is star material, and will likely get a big push in the next couple of years) look like doofuses?

[hakutorizakura 643]

Oh my ... That was quite an oshiwashi 

Happy for whoever wins it tomorrow! Tama/Yasu deserves it!!

[lackmaker 438]

5 hours ago, Eikokurai said:

All the more remarkable when we consider that he’s never missed a bout (Covid-mandated kyujo excepted). He’s never given himself a day off to rest, so to still be competing at this level is really something.

Maybe it's simply that he's never had a serious injury and that's why he's still there.

[Seregost 132]

2 hours ago, LifeisaDragon said:

I know they're the sumo experts and I'm not, but I can't help feeling like the JSA is acting shortsighted right now. Sure, some drama/excitement on day 15 might boost attendance tomorrow, and Takayasu finally winning a yusho could be a nice feel good moment, but in the medium to long term sumo needs new stars. I like Takayasu, but that's not him—he's too old and isn't consistently good enough. So is him getting another shot at a yusho (which fans don't have any faith he'll cash in on, anyway) really worth making rikishi like Hoshoryu (who definitely is star material, and will likely get a big push in the next couple of years) look like doofuses?

Don't really get what you mean... Why is JSA making Hoshoryu look like whatever? 

[Koorifuu 1,020]

Look, Tobizaru-zeki, I know it's all good to bring some variety to the dohyo, keep your opponents guessing and all that. But, out of all people to plough head first into... why Tamawashi?

[Akinomaki 40,802]

It will only be the 2nd time in sumo history under the present 6 basho system that maegashira take the yusho 2 basho in a row. the first was 1991 Nagoya and Aki, Kotofuji and Kotonishiki. I was the end of an era, Chiyonofuji and Onokuni retired, soon after Takahanada got his first yusho and a new era started. https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASQ9S733HQ9SUTQP01G.html

[Seiyashi 4,108]

Nikkan's summary of the consequences of tomorrow's bout. H2H Takayasu leads by a whisker at 16-15. 

If Tamawashi wins he will be the oldest yūshō since the Showa era, beating Kyokutenhō's record by about 2 months, and will also pick up his second yūshō.

If Takayasu wins, it will be his first yūshō. At 104 basho since his hatsu dohyō, this will be the second slowest hatsu yūshō (the first is Kyokutenhō, with 121 basho).

This will also be the first time since 1991 Nagoya/Aki (31 years on) that the yūshō in two consecutive basho was won by a hiramaku.

Edited September 24, 2022 by Seiyashi

[Fashiritētā 184]

7 hours ago, Jakusotsu said:

Yup. He can choke easily in the playoff.

Hopefully Takayasu doesn’t have a flashback to the match against Tamawashi where he injured his elbow. 
The look on his face after Wakatakakage lost, looked like fear and confusion.

I'm rooting for him tomorrow regardless.

[Rocks 1,809]

7 hours ago, Eikokurai said:

7 hours ago, Jakusotsu said:

Yup. He can choke easily in the playoff.

He has two excellent opportunities to throw it away.

 So mean. They are very evenly matched and both doing well. Beating anybody 2 matches in a row on the same day is tough. No matter what happens Day 15 I doubt you can say either choked. 

[Kishinoyama 596]

1 hour ago, Akinomaki said:

It will only be the 2nd time in sumo history under the present 6 basho system that maegashira take the yusho 2 basho in a row. the first was 1991 Nagoya and Aki, Kotofuji and Kotonishiki. I was the end of an era, Chiyonofuji and Onokuni retired, soon after Takahanada got his first yusho and a new era started.

The problem right now is who is going to step up and become the next Ozeki and Yokozuna? As much as I like Terunofuji, we knew that his time would be limited because of his knees. The current Ozeki, trying to be nice, are not good. I was pretty certain that Asanoyama would be the next Yokozuna but he will still be in Makushita next tournament. I do believe that he is the best current candidate to make it to Yokozuna, barring injury. I hope some of these young guys step up and soon. Their are some terrific matches and some young guys that have potential but the current state of sumo right now, in my opinion, is bad. Will I keep watching? Of course because I like sumo. I will be watching for these young guys to finally take over the top of the banzuke. I hope tomorrow that the Takayasu and Tamawashi match or matches are entertaining. 

[Kashunowaka 300]

17 hours ago, Gospodin said:

Perhaps a training demonstration of his very last kachiage ?

Seriously, it would really surprise if Hakuho wouldn´t take care of wrong antics which brought himself trouble. If he doesn´t he is just another of those sports greats who turned out to be bad coaches, but I do not think he falls into that category.

I would be pleasantly surprised if Hakuho is in fact a good coach, judging from how previous dai-yokozuna have fared as coaches.

[Akinomaki 40,802]

17 minutes ago, Kashunowaka said:

I would be pleasantly surprised if Hakuho is in fact a good coach, judging from how previous dai-yokozuna have fared as coaches.

He already brought 4 of his uchi-deshi to sekitori, 3 of them to makuuchi, though not for long. Next basho Hokuseiho is the heya top and he should have a more lasting career. Nishonoseki has much to do to catch up with Hak in respect of coaching quality, also Naruto. So far Hakuho is the best coach among the younger shisho.

[Seiyashi 4,108]

13 minutes ago, Akinomaki said:

37 minutes ago, Kashunowaka said:

I would be pleasantly surprised if Hakuho is in fact a good coach, judging from how previous dai-yokozuna have fared as coaches.

He already brought 4 of his uchi-deshi to sekitori, 3 of them to makuuchi, though not for long. Next basho Hokuseiho is the heya top and he should have a more lasting career. Nishonoseki has much to do to catch up with Hak in respect of coaching quality, also Naruto. So far Hakuho is the best coach among the younger shisho.

Scout, yes. Coach, not that much yet although how Ōtani matures will be a mark of that.

He's definitely much better as a scout compared to Nishonoseki, and if deshi rank is another indication, better as a coach than Naruto (although arguably Naruto's scouting is also pretty good). But the fact that most of his deshi were quite decent ams themselves makes it pretty hard to judge how good his coaching actually is, as opposed to whether his deshi already had had a certain degree of skill.

Edited September 24, 2022 by Seiyashi

[Akinomaki 40,802]

33 minutes ago, Kishinoyama said:

The problem right now is who is going to step up and become the next Ozeki and Yokozuna? As much as I like Terunofuji, we knew that his time would be limited because of his knees. The current Ozeki, trying to be nice, are not good. I was pretty certain that Asanoyama would be the next Yokozuna but he will still be in Makushita next tournament. I do believe that he is the best current candidate to make it to Yokozuna, barring injury. I hope some of these young guys step up and soon. Their are some terrific matches and some young guys that have potential but the current state of sumo right now, in my opinion, is bad. Will I keep watching? Of course because I like sumo. I will be watching for these young guys to finally take over the top of the banzuke. I hope tomorrow that the Takayasu and Tamawashi match or matches are entertaining. 

I guess the period of deterioration will continue way into next year. I expect Wakatakakage to make it to ozeki and hope Ichinojo gets constant enough to make it some day as well, and some day Kotonowaka, but not next year. A yokozuna hope is not in sight yet for me, none of the present or former ozeki will make it, IMO.

[Akinomaki 40,802]

2 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

Scout, yes. Coach, not that much yet

Daikiho, Ishiura, Enho and Hokuseiho were coached mainly by Hakuho, especially the 2 in the middle would not have made it to makuuchi without excellent coaching. He failed with Toma, he may fail with Otani - doesn't matter if he succeeds with Kawazoe. MMA bully Chiyodaigo also has calmed down and didn't hurt the reputation of Kokonoe, maybe even the jd yusho for him like Otani the jk, these are the times now.

[Benevolance 2,511]

I briefly had hopes that Takakeisho might be able to grab the rope back at the end of 2020. He seemed like he'd recovered from his injury during his ozeki run and put up that junyusho and yusho back to back. In hindsight, it's probably best that he didn't, because he'd probably already have had to retire with his results since. And, sadly, he's been the most consistent ozeki over that time period. 

[Yamanashi 3,904]

10 hours ago, Benihana said:

I wish there were a bunch of older, experienced, well respected sumotori in the lower ranks, which couldn't make it to the top, perhaps due to injury, but who are still capable to go Denzel Washington once in a while. Don't push him out, don't slap him down, just keep him in the ring and give his face a massage, until he bends the knee.

Interesting that you mention it.  I've come to think that the lack of such a group of ... enforcers ... argues against most of the grand conspiracy theories about Sumo.  If there was a shadowy Mafia-like structure to Ozumo, I'd expect they'd have a class of button-men who'd take care of people like this to keep up appearances for the public.

Now the Hokutofuji - Takakeisho - Wakaktakakage henka affair, that's just good old professional courtesy.

[lackmaker 438]

3 hours ago, Rocks said:

 So mean. They are very evenly matched and both doing well. Beating anybody 2 matches in a row on the same day is tough. No matter what happens Day 15 I doubt you can say either choked. 

2 in a row is indeed a big ask but it's certainly possible for either one to just not bring their game to the dohyo which would look like choking.

[Akinomaki 40,802]

3 hours ago, Rocks said:

 Beating anybody 2 matches in a row on the same day is tough. No matter what happens Day 15 I doubt you can say either choked. 

Since Heisei (=1989), it happened 6 times, last time exactly 5 years ago: Harumafuji won as Goeido choked properly after a 10-1 start.

http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2022/09/24/kiji/20220924s00005000625000c.html

[WAKATAKE 2,671]

To my recollection if a person wins to force the playoff against the same opponent, they are more likely to win than lose, isn't that correct?

The trend of this year will continue as we will see a 5th different yusho winner guaranteed between Takayasu and Tamawashi. This happened last in 2020, but that year also had a cancelled basho. 

The last year with five different winners with six basho was in 2000 (Akebono won 2)

The last true year of six basho and six different winners was 1991

Hatsu - Kirishima
Haru - Hokutoumi
Natsu - Asahifuji
Nagoya - Kotofuji
Aki - Kotonishiki
Kyushu - Konishiki

[dingo 1,294]

Takayasu definitely has the physical ability to beat Tamawashi. The question is, will he have the mental ability? 

[Seiyashi 4,108]

1 minute ago, dingo said:

Takayasu definitely has the physical ability to beat Tamawashi. The question is, will he have the mental ability? 

To be fair to him I think he's done very well to keep pace already. It's certainly a marked departure from the last time he was in serious yūshō contention and all but threw it away.