Day 14 results and day 15 pairings

[Doitsuyama 1,192]

Kotooshu gets too nervous with sights set on yusho, for the second basho in a row. Today he fought poorly against Kisenosato, easily surrendering the bout. Asashoryu had no trouble with Chiyotaikai to pull even with Kotooshu. Mirroring last basho, Asashoryu and Kotooshu go with 12-2 into senshuraku. Last basho Kotooshu lost to Wakanosato, tomorrow he faces Chiyotaikai while Asashoryu has Tochiazuma, the same as last basho. Should both lose, Kisenosato has still the chance to reach a playoff with a win against Wakatoba.

The evil torikumi makers made it tough on Toyonoshima to get a zensho yusho, pairing him with

[Asashosakari 19,543]

...while Kotokasuga and Toki didn't help their case with losses today, needing a win tomorrow.

And there are those evil torikumi makers again...

J5e 

Edited September 24, 2005 by Asashosakari

[Taka 33]

Kotooshu gets too nervous with sights set on yusho, for the second basho in a row. Today he fought poorly against Kisenosato, easily surrendering the bout.

Not much to add to that. He appeared to simply freeze, then panicking and attempting a hopeless pulldown and it seemed to me that it was as much his own shaky footwork, something very unusual from him, as it was Kisenosato's attack that made him end outside the dohyo.

With what happened against Wakanosato last Basho in mind, I don't think it's too early to say that Kotooshu has revealed a real weakness. Something that easily can separate the very good from the great, but having said that, IF he can execute an aggressive bout tomorrow, he absolutely should win. The question is if he feels he has too much to lose, to go all out? We shall see and as sumo fans we should all be happy for such an exciting finish to the Basho!

Katayama lost for the fourth time in makuuchi in four attempts and at 7-7 needs a win against Tochisakae in his fifth makuuchi appearance this basho

This seems like a lot! I can certainly from the top of my head recall two and three visits but I wonder if five is an unusual high number. Maybe someone can answer that?

Tochinohana won in makuuchi to secure a promotion back where he has been last in Haru 2003.

To be honest I don't have much recollection of Tochinohana when he was ranked high in makuuchi. I remember when he seemed very weak and was struggling.

I think it's great that he is back though and ever since he returned to Juryo he has impressed me again and again. He is very agressive with great balance and can both overwhelm his opponents with yotsu and oshi. Add to that, that he possesses a mean nage and you have someone who is great to watch.

Hmm what else did we see today? Well there were two very predictable "henkas" in the bouts between Miyabiyama-Hokutoriki and Roho-Kotonowaka.

Roho and Kotonowaka seem to keep getting back at eachother by henkaing the other. :-S

[Mark Buckton 1]

M16w

Edited September 24, 2005 by Adachinoryu

[Asashosakari 19,543]

Katayama lost for the fourth time in makuuchi in four attempts and at 7-7 needs a win against Tochisakae in his fifth makuuchi appearance this basho

This seems like a lot! I can certainly from the top of my head recall two and three visits but I wonder if five is an unusual high number. Maybe someone can answer that?

Three is pretty usual, yes. Four happens less often, but I wouldn't call it rare either (most recently J1w Tochisakae in Kyushu last year, and J2e Toyozakura and J3w Wakatoba one basho later).

For more than four, you already need to go back to pre-kosho abolition times, when they were often using more Juryo rikishi than just the minimum necessary, in order to fill out the Makuuchi schedule. Yotsukasa had five inter-divisional bouts as J1w in Haru 2003, and then again six as J1e in Nagoya the same year. For particularly glaring cases, though, I suggest Hatsu 2003 and Nagoya 2002 with 30 exchange bouts each, and the latter having what is probably the absolute single-rikishi record with seven (!) bouts for J1e Tochinohana. (Edit: Incidentally, I suspect this year's Natsu basho can lay claim to having the fewest-ever Makuuchi-Juryo bouts in recent times, with only 1.)

Things look much quieter going back through 2001 and 2000, although there are still some cases of 5 bouts for some rikishi. Still, 2002/03 had a real epidemic of Makuuchi-Juryo bouts, thanks to kosho claims and mid-basho kyujo running amok.

Edited September 24, 2005 by Asashosakari

[kawika 123]

Kotooshu blew it cause he push Kisenosato down direct in front of him, so Kise was basically pushed forward into Kotooshu. If you are going to push someone down, you need to step to the side. I think he used to do this bad habit before.. He ought to get a major yelling at by his oyakata tonight! Not ot mention, he has got to have a major case of the nerves at this point in the basho

[Asashosakari 19,543]

After rewatching the bouts...my, what a crushing slap to the side and back of the head by Jumonji that sent Katayama down!

[QttP 0]

IF he can execute an aggressive bout tomorrow, he absolutely should win.

The only way he'll win tomorrow is via his usual henka/sidestepping. If Chiyotaikai will fall for it.

[Avitohol 0]

both of them win tomorrow, osh wins the playoff. (Carried away on a stretcher...)

you heard it here first. (Carried away on a stretcher...) (Bouncing of excitement...)

[Ossetian Yokozuna 1]

Avitohol - Let it be.

[Doitsuyama 1,192]

both of them win tomorrow, osh wins the playoff.  (Carried away on a stretcher...)

you heard it here first.  (Carried away on a stretcher...)  (Bouncing of excitement...)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Your words would have a lot more substance if you promised to eat a banzuke otherwise.

[Fujisan 533]

both of them win tomorrow, osh wins the playoff.  (Carried away on a stretcher...)

you heard it here first.  (Enjoyable TV program...)  (Holiday feeling...)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not a chance (Carried away on a stretcher...)

I predicted Kotooshu's loss against Asashoryu+at least one more loss-I also said Asashoryu would win the playoff. (Poking the other guy...)

Kotooshu blew his chance and Asashoryu wont give him another. (Bouncing of excitement...)

[sekihiryu 51]

to quote EVERY (all 5 of them!) man in the local sushi restaurant tonight - and yesterday come to think of it - ''mada mada da na--' (and pointing tho their chests) ''koko wa nashi jan''

Almost forgot - as Asa won - ''ya'pashi jan, Asashoryu yusho jan''

Lovely old boys who saw Taiho live - and have given me his tegata (orig) which is being saved for a rainy day.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

translation for those not so versed in nihongo

''mada mada da na--' = not yet, not yet, for sure

(and pointing tho their chests) ''koko wa nashi jan'' = "the boy lacks heart"

Almost forgot - as Asa won - ''ya'pashi jan, Asashoryu yusho jan'' = I know it - Asa will win the yusho

[SonofCyrus 0]

both of them win tomorrow, osh wins the playoff.

[Avitohol 0]

you'd better be surprised. (Applauding...)

so when does the playoff take place. in what time???

[Kintamayama 45,445]

you'd better be surprised.  (Applauding...)

so when does the playoff take place. in what time???

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In 5 minutes, or next Tuesday.