Araiwa

For my personal taste it was the worst outcome I could possibly imagine. Especially considering the wonderful bouts that Asashoryu and Hakuho would have been capable to perform for the fans.

The stream froze right before the play-off and I saw nothing of the bout... I just thought why on earth now?! Now I know: the sumo-god wanted to spare me this "dramatic final".

I think this makes sence in some way. I don't want to excuse anything, but he seemed to be hampered at tachi-ai several times. He also was wearing a kind of a bandage... (but which rikishi doesn't wear them) I hope he will have enough time for his preparations come kyushu.

That's new to me at least. I thought it was indeed a loss if your mage touches. There was this particular bout between Takanohana and Takamiyama which I think Takamiyama won because Takanohana touched the ground with his hair while throwing. Doesn't hair count as a part of the body too?

And if we just put our tips here?

1. !Most important thing is, to watch the action on the dohyo.! (too bad juryo-stream is gone) -Follow the news. (sumo-now.com, or sumotalk.com. banzuke.com mailinglist...) 2. Bet only on those, that you really like. (at least I feel rather bad when I bet against my personal favorites) 3. Go with your gut-feeling and regard the posts of the forums (sumoforum.com, http://tipspiel.sumofan.net, info-sumo.com...) And at last, the key to winning something, is to get the perfect mix out of your own feeling and the actual records of the rikishis. (I apologize for my all too bad english) ect. anybody else got the feeling juryo is close to lotto (and i don't mean lotto baggins)

1. Asashoryu 2. Tochiazuma 3. Chiyotaikai 4. Hakuho 5. fns 6. Tamanoshima 7. Hokutoriki 8. fns 9. fns 10. fns 11. Kisenosato 12. fns 13. fns 14. Toyonoshima 15. Takekaze 16. Kyokushuzan 17. fns 18. fns 19. Wakatoba 20. Shimotori 21. Tochinonada

And the most concerning bout was Jumonji-Kasugao. Jumonji landed on Kasugao, who seemed to have just reinjured his leg.

I also thought it was a rather good bout. Asashoryu did a complete spin to escape Oshs okuri-trap. Most rikishi would be too slow to spin around so fast. Amazing how Asashoryu recovered to take the match by kubihineri. Oshu was a lot better than against Wakanosato last basho. He has learned to handle pressure. I really like Kisenosato but he should be no match for him. Also a rare kimarite...especially for the musubi. I wonder when the last time a yokozuna used this technique?

That was a good answer to those yaocho-theories. Really good bout. Guess when was the last time Chiyotaikai beat an ozeki? It was at the 2004 Natsu Basho against Musoyama. Now what will Kokonoe say? Maybe "He is a demigod" or something.

It's up on banzuke.com now. I think the head judge (is it Kokonoe?) says "matta, matta" and nods to the gyoji. But the gyoji seems to be even more confused than Tosanoumi... There was a match several years ago where Chiyotaikai lost against Takanowaka pretty the same way. Maybe there is a rule that the hakke-yoi order cannot be overuled by a shimpan? found it, Day 5 Nagoya Basho 2000 Chiyotaikai-Takanowaka Chiyo-Takawaka

But it would be even stranger if Miyabiyama didn't fall flat on his face. In this basho Miyabiyama seems to spend more time lying on the dohyo than standing. He is in the worst shape that I've seen him for a while. Maybe it looked suspicious, but Miyabiyama was very Miyabiyama-like.

Second bout looked very strange indeed. Lets hope its not his old knee-injury.

Yap... coward... only sidestepping... There is no real chest to chest fight... Ozeki ? No way, not now ! (Welcome...) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I don't think he should be called a coward, but this is really not ozeki sumo. He may be 4-0 but all he did was escaping narrow losses. He can't do that forever...Maybe it's his hip-injury that's still keeping him from doing the sumo of last basho.

I voted for the small mk 7-8 with some strong wins. Determination he has, but sanyaku is a huge step, yet too huge for him. Though Futeno seems to get stronger with the competition, so you never know... ANR: Daishouyama is long retired