Natsu 2023 discussion (results)

[Seiyashi 4,071]

7 hours ago, rhyen said:

Hokuseiho has lost to Wakamotoharu, Hoshoryu & Kiribayama.

I would like to see how he bounces back from these defeats. 

To be fair, Kiribayama is probably the second-best rikishi on the dohyō right now, so no real shame in that loss.

No real shame in the other losses right now either, because they're probably the 3rd and 4th best too.

Shame on the Takarafuji loss, though.

[Sumo Spiffy 535]

I realize Kotoshoho is probably figuring he needs one win to maintain top-division status for sure, but all I can think about is how Ishiura was the exact same rank when he felt the need to do this and he never fought again. I realize the nature of the injury was a huge deal for Ishiura, but for fks sake, you had one win for a reason.

[Shikona 139]

5 hours ago, Rocks said:

if you mean a henka, it wasn't. They met chest to chest. All Takakeisho has is pushing and when he does it he uses his whole body. He pushed right and his body goes left. Meisei didn't get a grip. Meisei loses when  he doesn't. 

Absolutely a henka. Chest touched only because he wasn't quick enough to get completely out of the way. Not as blatant as the Henkamafuji (only because of the shorter first step) but henkas are still henkas even when you like the guy who pulls one.

[Reonito 1,335]

3 hours ago, Hankegami said:

I would be not surprised that Asanoyama manages to improve his shape now that he's going to join the san'yaku once again.

He's going to do what now?

[Rocks 1,807]

46 minutes ago, Shikona said:

Absolutely a henka. Chest touched only because he wasn't quick enough to get completely out of the way. Not as blatant as the Henkamafuji (only because of the shorter first step) but henkas are still henkas even when you like the guy who pulls one.

This is the initial hit. How exactly is this a henka?

[hakutorizakura 590]

HNH, the topic we all love and hate.

[Kashunowaka 300]

I have been waiting all basho for that sotogake.

[Bunbukuchagama 688]

4 hours ago, Hankegami said:

Well, Day 13 is gone and I see that everyone jumped out from the Asanoyama bandwagon. Poor lad. Well, that's in part because everyone is looking for the next Japanese Yokozuna, home and abroad. To be honest, Asanoyama for himself is not that bad of a bet. He's a big man with a strong yotsu-zumo. However, Terunofuji today just showed that he's not good enough (yet?). I would be not surprised that Asanoyama manages to improve his shape now that he's going to join the san'yaku once again.

Asanoyama got overhyped lately. I expected him to do well in his return to Makuuchi - and so he did, but expecting him to dominate sanyaku was not realistic. He looks like a Sekiwake level rikishi now: beating Maegashira and Komusubi opponents, sometimes losing to fellow Sekiwake, getting crushed by Yokozuna. Based on that, we should expect him to rise to Sekiwake rank and join Hoshoryu in waiting for a fortunate Ozeki run. 

[Katooshu 3,135]

After being told on here a few basho ago that someone leaping sideways immediately at the tachiai and landing on the other side of the dohyo wasn't a henka, I have refused to enter those debates again 

Edited May 26, 2023 by Katooshu

[Koorifuu 886]

50 minutes ago, Kashunowaka said:

I have been waiting all basho for that sotogake.

Well, many others tried it before, but this is definitely easier said than done. That recipient is deceptively strong.

[Kashunowaka 300]

56 minutes ago, Koorifuu said:

Well, many others tried it before, but this is definitely easier said than done. That recipient is deceptively strong.

I don't think "deceptively" is quite the right word here. 

[Yamanashi 3,725]

4 hours ago, Rocks said:

This is the initial hit. How exactly is this a henka?

I watched it again and again.  Takakeisho clearly shifted to the left and pivoted, but his head was still on the wrong (right) side. [Sorry to go all Lovecraft here]

Meisei started turning his body to his right, but momentum made him sail by.

Did Takakeisho plan the shift?  I have no doubt.  Was it a henka?  I dunno, but he had that left arm around on the shoulder side pretty quickly and pretty smoothly, so ...

[bettega 427]

Takakeisho tried to do  henka but his round body only allowed a HNH

[Gospodin 187]

3 hours ago, Bunbukuchagama said:

Asanoyama got overhyped lately. I expected him to do well in his return to Makuuchi - and so he did, but expecting him to dominate sanyaku was not realistic. He looks like a Sekiwake level rikishi now: beating Maegashira and Komusubi opponents, sometimes losing to fellow Sekiwake, getting crushed by Yokozuna. Based on that, we should expect him to rise to Sekiwake rank and join Hoshoryu in waiting for a fortunate Ozeki run. 

Just for the sake of discussion, and to put it into perspective: imagine one of the best baseball players suspended for a year, and another laboring in minor leagues. More or less suddenly he faces the best pitchers in the the world. What outcome would you expect in their first meeting ? 

 

[Kishinoyama 582]

34 minutes ago, Yamanashi said:

Did Takakeisho plan the shift?  I have no doubt.  Was it a henka?  I dunno, but he had that left arm around on the shoulder side pretty quickly and pretty smoothly, so ...

Notice the movement of the feet as well. The slide to the left. I call it a henka but I know that opinions vary.

[Tsuchinoninjin 1,248]

Terunofuji just utterly destroyed Asanoyama, I was 100% wrong about him for this basho.

[Reonito 1,335]

11 minutes ago, Kishinoyama said:

Notice the movement of the feet as well. The slide to the left. I call it a henka but I know that opinions vary.

Regardless of what we call it, Takakeisho certainly had no intention of doing forward-moving sumo, and no interest in engaging with Meisei.

[Kujo 116]

Well if Takakeisho can only achieve a HNH, maybe he should work out against Abi before the next basho. He'll be sure to pick up a few pointers.

[Seiyashi 4,071]

5 hours ago, Kashunowaka said:

I have been waiting all basho for that sotogake.

Hokuseihō's height makes it all the more visually impressive too. 

[Morty 1,480]

1 hour ago, Gospodin said:

Just for the sake of discussion, and to put it into perspective: imagine one of the best baseball players suspended for a year, and another laboring in minor leagues. More or less suddenly he faces the best pitchers in the the world. What outcome would you expect in their first meeting ? 

 

I'm sorry to do this to you but after three years at war Ted Williams came back to the majors and had a slash line of .342/.497/.667 for and OPS of 1.164 with 38 homers, and was voted MVP. It was close to his best year ever. I don't know what his first at-bat that year was like but he sorted it out. Of course I'm not arguing that Asanoyama is Ted Williams.... I'm not sure even Hakuho was Ted Williams

[Tsuchinoninjin 1,248]

37 minutes ago, Morty said:

I'm sorry to do this to you but after three years at war Ted Williams came back to the majors and had a slash line of .342/.497/.667 for and OPS of 1.164 with 38 homers, and was voted MVP. It was close to his best year ever. I don't know what his first at-bat that year was like but he sorted it out. Of course I'm not arguing that Asanoyama is Ted Williams.... I'm not sure even Hakuho was Ted Williams

Well, everyone was coming back from war to be fair. Only 2 players on the '46 bosox team were from the '45 team.

[Reonito 1,335]

18 minutes ago, Tsuchinoninjin said:

Well, everyone was coming back from war to be fair. Only 2 players on the '46 bosox team were from the '45 team.

Shhh don't mention the war.

[Yamanashi 3,725]

34 minutes ago, Tsuchinoninjin said:

Well, everyone was coming back from war to be fair. Only 2 players on the '46 bosox team were from the '45 team.

It seems the only fair thing to do is check Asanoyama's record against Abi and Ryuden.

[Kaninoyama 1,694]

1 hour ago, Morty said:

Of course I'm not arguing that Asanoyama is Ted Williams.... I'm not sure even Hakuho was Ted Williams

The GOAT with an oversized personality? Calls to mind Babe Ruth more so than Ted Williams. 

Edited May 27, 2023 by Kaninoyama

[neonbelly 226]

Maybe Nolan Ryan, based on how he dealt with batters charging the mound.