Aki 2023 discussion (results)

[Akinomaki 39,756]

I was going to praise Inosuke for doing his work properly every day, each day next day's torikumi presented and no sashi-chigae yet, but on day 8 he didn't do the kaobure gonjo after the dohyo-iri.

Would they promote him to Shonosuke if he manages to have one faultless basho?

[kumoryu 88]

50 minutes ago, Benihana said:

Can we really call a henka, what The BigSlow did today? I've seen glaciers moving quicker, but hey, it worked...

Who does "BigSlow" refer to?

[rokudenashi 291]

Takerufuji, despite his unnervingly skinny calves, is displaying solid sumo this tournament. Praying that the stars align and I get to see the title decider against Asahakuryū on day 13 from the (relative) comfort of a masuseki...

[Tigerboy1966 1,376]

1 hour ago, rokudenashi said:

Praying that the stars align and I get to see the title decider against Asahakuryū on day 13 from the (relative) comfort of a masuseki...

If they both win tomorrow we should get Takerufuji vs Asahakuryu on day 11. Winner likely to face Daiseizan or Chiyoarashi on day 13. Daiseizan hasn't done much wrong in his career so far: 8 KKs and 2 kyujo so far.

[RabidJohn 1,663]

1 hour ago, kumoryu said:

Who does "BigSlow" refer to?

Who's big and slow? 
Hokuseiho!

Actually, I have to give him credit for doing stuff with his left arm this basho. It's not done much for his results, but it no longer looks like a nerveless appendage.

[Koorifuu 886]

Hilarious stuff after Nishikigi vs Daieisho.

- Nishikigi falls on his belly when pushing out Daieisho. Clear enough by the naked eye. Gyoji correctly points at Daieisho.

- Daieisho thinks he lost somehow, so he bows and starts to turn away. He then notices the gyoji is turned his way, so he pivots to take the winner's stance.

- Daieisho already got his right hand on that kensho stack when... MONO-II OUT OF NOWHERE! Did his temporary hesitation spark more hesitation on the shimpan or what?

- Quick 'Yeah yeah, he wins' and everything goes back to normal.

[Akinomaki 39,756]

3 hours ago, Bunbukuchagama said:

How did sanyaku become so mediocre again?

We still have one sekiwake 1 behind the leaders, we had worse basho. The ozeki are doing the expected: Hoshoryu heading towards kadoban, the two kadoban away from it

[rokudenashi 291]

Takakeishō came out of today's bout rather worse for wear after being poked in the eye(?), exhausted from being run around by Tobizaru and then winded from that fall...

Gōnoyama gets a crack at him tomorrow - maybe another upset is on the cards

[dingo 1,159]

It seems the ozeki are actively trying to distance themselves from any yusho  possibility. Halfway through who are the main yusho candidates? To me it seems that Wakamotoharu is doing stable sumo and at 6-2 he's certainly in the running. His ozeki run would enormously benefit from a yusho so he would definitely fancy it. Gounoyama has the potential for a surprise yusho, but he still has to face the ozeki. He'd have to beat at least two of them and then we can have another look at his chances. And then there's the rikishi who shall not be named... 

For today's bouts, Myogiryuu did a nice trick to distract Daishoho and get a fairly easy win. I'm actually somewhat surprised that Daishoho fell for it. These kind of slaps are used time to time but very rarely work as well as it did for Myogiryuu. 

Didn't expect that Hokuseiho actually knows how to henka! Yeah sure it wasn't quite the agile jumping henka but the intention was there and he got the desired result as well.

Takayasu was in danger of losing for a bit but overcame Mitakeumi's challenge after digging in deep. He won't be happy with his sumo but as with Hokuseiho's bout, it's the result that counts.

Ouhou quite unlucky today after going for more aggressive sumo again. He almost got rewarded for it against Endo who's not an easy opponent so I hope he sticks with this approach. 

Edited September 17, 2023 by dingo

[Hankegami 412]

3 hours ago, Katooshu said:

Please no one tell Takayasu he's tied for the lead 

Nah, he usually goes well until the last 2-3 days. I'd say to drug his dinner on the evening of Day 11, so that he wakes up sweating the following morning. Then let's tell him that it was all a dream and he's actually 6-5, no pressure, no issues, but it would be nice if he gets a KK. Never know, that could work.

22 minutes ago, Akinomaki said:

We still have one sekiwake 1 behind the leaders, we had worse basho. The ozeki are doing the expected: Hoshoryu heading towards kadoban, the two kadoban away from it

I feel like they're playing musical chairs for whoever is going to be kadoban. Another game appears to be "who's going to get the Yusho and build up and Ozeki run?". We're at its third edition this year, and WMH is still on the game.

More seriously, this basho is a total jeopardy. Takayasu and Atamifuji are not 100% reliable yusho leaders, so I'm not going to put my money on them. The former has an awful history of missing yusho, and the other is still against lower Maegashira. Wakamotoharu is doing good but doesn't seem really dominant, I have issues with prospecting him on a yusho line (13-2 or 12-3). Gonoyama is still new to the Big Game, not to mention how easily Takayasu ran over him on Day 6. Myogiryu and Tsurugisho... Well, "it would be difficult". Perhaps some of the 5-3 guys can win over through the rest of the tournament, or the yusho line will fall to 11-4 this time around. Well, let's say it all: Takayasu is the clear favorite at the moment. We can just start panicking.

[Octofuji 327]

The gyoji should really call Kotonowaka on putting his hands down at the tachiai. He never seems to do it.

[hakutorizakura 590]

Ozekis do laundry on weekends you know, their minds are on their mawashis these 2 days, resulting in 1-5 collectively. They will be back tomorrow (or at least some of them).

[Koorifuu 886]

I wish I knew why Kanzaki is half the rikishi he was when he joined.

[Fashiritētā 169]

Day 8 finished, does no one want this basho?

i would say let Onosato face the Makuuchi leader on day 15 for a double Yusho, Juryo and Makuuchi.

Not a ridiculous prediction based on Their performances 

[Yamanashi 3,723]

57 minutes ago, Fashiritētā said:

i would say let Onosato face the Makuuchi leader on day 15 for a double Yusho, Juryo and Makuuchi.

How would that work?  Do they have the six-way playoff in Makuuchi first, then the winner faces Onosato?

[Bunbukuchagama 688]

6 hours ago, Kaninoyama said:

I have no idea who's going to win this basho. 

I know who will get jun-yusho. 

[Fashiritētā 169]

1 hour ago, Yamanashi said:

How would that work?  Do they have the six-way playoff in Makuuchi first, then the winner faces Onosato?

Sounds about right.

Someone has to set a precedent, why not the Great Village.

[Tigerboy1966 1,376]

4 hours ago, Fashiritētā said:

i would say let Onosato face the Makuuchi leader on day 15 for a double Yusho, Juryo and Makuuchi.

Lets throw Takerufuji in there as well and make it a Triple Crown play-off.

[Akinomaki 39,756]

- I'm sure Onosato only keeps on winning as long as Tamawashi keeps losing, to balance the leader boards:

First time for the all time 2nd in consecutive dohyo appearances (he surpassed Fujizakura on day 6) to start with 8 losses: "My movements are better than the days before. Tomorrow I want to start in a fresh spirit" o

Onosato likes it in juryo: "No day off means the concentration won't get interrupted. My switch is on." "It is good that I reached my goal of kachikoshi faster than expected." - and of course the usual: "One day at a time, simply doing sumo for 15 days. It's not over yet, so tomorrow I'll focus my energy and gambarize" o

[Akinomaki 39,756]

Onosato is in good company as the 7th to start with 8 wins in his juryo debut (in the 15 days per basho era since Natsu 1949) o

Naruyama Hatsu 1953 - got till the 9th -> 12-3Y

Shotenro Kyushu 2008 - also 9 -> 12-3Y - the 4 recent had their streak all end at 8

Ikioi Kyushu 2011 -> 12-3Y

Chiyotairyu Hatsu 2012 -> 13-2Y

Mitakeumi Nagoya 2015 -> 11-4Y

Sato (Takakeisho) Natsu 2016 -> 11-4

 

So yusho, but likely he'll drop the next one, now that he reached his main goal

[Kaninoyama 1,694]

10 hours ago, Octofuji said:

The gyoji should really call Kotonowaka on putting his hands down at the tachiai. He never seems to do it.

To be fair, he Kotonowaka himself appeared to be waiting for that call yesterday, and it never came. 

[Wakawakawaka 136]

Speaking of Kotonowaka, his losses the past 2 days were very similar. He's heavy and plodding, or to put it PC 'inertially challenged'. Was there a recent lesson given to rikishi on Newton's second law of sumodynamics? (A Kotonowaka at rest tends to stay at rest, a Kotonowaka in motion tends to stay in motion?). Both Daiesho and Hokutofuji typically want to put Kotonowaka into motion with thrusts and that's their problem. Let Kotonowaka get into motion, and now it's his problem (stopping that is). 

[Asojima 2,870]

38 minutes ago, Wakawakawaka said:

Speaking of Kotonowaka, his losses the past 2 days were very similar. He's heavy and plodding, or to put it PC 'inertially challenged'. Was there a recent lesson given to rikishi on Newton's second law of sumodynamics? (A Kotonowaka at rest tends to stay at rest, a Kotonowaka in motion tends to stay in motion?). Both Daiesho and Hokutofuji typically want to put Kotonowaka into motion with thrusts and that's their problem. Let Kotonowaka get into motion, and now it's his problem (stopping that is). 

His father (shisho and mentor) made a good living by slowing down his matches and waiting for a good opening.  It's hereditary.  

[Katooshu 3,132]

Shishi - Mitoryu , what a match 

[Bunbukuchagama 688]

Shishi The Escape Artist.