Seijakuzan

I love Ikioi, but at this point I can't see that happening. He hasn't shown any ability to beat the sanyaku, let alone the yokozunae. Oddly, he does well against Terunofuji of all people (3-1). He's pretty much a bigger Yoshikaze - minus the kinboshi. But he does have another 4 years to start beating yokozunae quicker than Yoshikaze has, so plenty of time to prove me wrong.

Damn, that's about $5,000 USD of camera equipment right there.

The main issue that it still has, though, is that the results are in plain view, and the snapshot tends to show the moment of kimarite as well. The videos are also highlight-length, so Jason's channel still tends to be better for seeing full HD recaps. If Moti ever wanted to retire from his "duty" and hand the reins over to something globally accessible like the app, it would at least need a spoiler-free digest mode for watching. Still, I love the app and have been gladly paying for it since the first month it came out.

I also lurked for quite a while. And I hope you're not referring to me as dismissive or overbearing... which I can only assume is directed at me as I'm the only "new" poster to post in this thread in the last 12 hours. I've never claimed to know more than anyone else on a topic.

Wow, that brought back memories - that was Kyushu 2010, which is the only basho I've ever had the privilege of attending. Actually, Toyonoshima was on fire that basho. He beat Ozekis Baruto and Kaio, Sekiwake Kakuryu, a Kisenosato who had just ended Hakuho's famous streak, and a 12-3 Goeido. He did not go against Kotooshu or Sekiwake Tochiozan, though, and Harumafuji had dropped out early on. And of course, he lost to Hakuho in the playoff. So, I probably wouldn't go as far as to say he didn't "beat any high-rankers". Probably would be considered the second-closest any Japanese has come to winning the yusho, since his odds against Hakuho were much lower than Tochiozan's odds against Kyokutenho. I didn't know much about the special prizes back then, but in hindsight I'm surprised if he didn't win the shukun-sho.

Which is why the ONLY thing that I still can't shake in regards to this basho is how Hakuho completely gave up against Terunofuji. If he truly hates Teru's guts for whatever reasons that can't be disclosed to the rest of us, and knew Teru was gimped, and wanted the yusho badly, why not at least take him for a spin a time or two and try to throw him off balance? Or even trip him? Hakuho's a sumo genius, had plenty of time to think and be creative, yet he was passive right from the tachi-ai. I keep watching it, and I'm coming up with nothing better than his injury getting seriously re-aggravated in the couple days prior. Especially with the disappointing Kakuryu dominating him the way he did the next day. Maybe he is injured-he fought poorly the last three days, not only against Terunofuji. He actually fought very shakily most of the basho and nearly lost a few times. I can't believe anyone can even remotely think Hakuhou would give up on a yusho for anything. And I don't see how having a 3 minute bout constitutes "completely giving up" against Terunofuji. If he wanted to do what you are insinuating, why go for three minutes? It could have been over in a few seconds. These guys can make it look good in a few seconds. They don't need three minutes. I don't think he threw the match, I'm wondering what the hell was going through his head.. or lack thereof. Nobody's going to beat Terunofuji in a stamina match, and he had about 2 and a half minutes out of those 3 minutes to think about anything that he could do to try and outsmart Teru and go for the win, instead of burning himself out by literally being a support post. Then again, Hakuho had been acting all kinds of strange since day 1 of the basho.

Which is why the ONLY thing that I still can't shake in regards to this basho is how Hakuho completely gave up against Terunofuji. If he truly hates Teru's guts for whatever reasons that can't be disclosed to the rest of us, and knew Teru was gimped, and wanted the yusho badly, why not at least take him for a spin a time or two and try to throw him off balance? Or even trip him? Hakuho's a sumo genius, had plenty of time to think and be creative, yet he was passive right from the tachi-ai. I keep watching it, and I'm coming up with nothing better than his injury getting seriously re-aggravated in the couple days prior. Especially with the disappointing Kakuryu dominating him the way he did the next day.

I don't like the sound of that... only a few possible names come to mind. It's probably just the American in me, but I can't stand the mentality of downplaying things like that. Most of my biggest regrets in life are due to not having taken more advantage of spending time with certain individuals before they were gone.

And your views on spelling? What did I misspell? Pronunciation. Unless you meant you are all for nuns.. You're such a colourful fellow.

Neat thread out of the archives. Looks like the name change worked - KK on his very next basho, and getting the 4th victory on the final match via utchari, too.

You may be onto something. The look on his face and the sweep of his right hand after every match is telling. Little things like body language mean a lot. It comes across as a little tin-foil-hat-y, but you know what, I believe I also agree. What is there left for Hakuho to prove? He's just playing with his food at this point. If he were acting surly or pissy, I'd be wondering if his wife was having another miscarriage or something along those lines, but I'm not seeing any anger of any sorts.

Poor horse.

Heard after the match:

Really? He almost fist-pumped! He looked downright ashamed, especially during the bow.

Both of them have remarkably improved their balance over the last couple of years, even if there's still a long way to go. Aoiyama would be an Ozeki in no time if he would just smash face right off the tachiai a la Akebono. He usually spends too long on the collision and trying to break the hold before he starts the chokeslamming. Going for the belt initially works for him against the maegashira, but not the sanyaku/yokozunae. This Aoiyama: Not this Aoiyama: https://youtu.be/YwF0QmnZU44?t=2m43s

It's so haunting seeing such good video of people who have been dead for 100 years. Makes civilization as we know it seem so young.

(Cheers...) Yoshikaze's one of my favorites, too, but let's not get ahead of ourselves, here... He did a good job, I don't think Ama is himself yet. Hopefully he comes back. Blowing it usually means screwing up in my experience, he didn't blow it. Although sand storms blow, so... The great sandstorm blows his way to another kinboshi. Hm... one step forward, two steps back on that wording.

The oldest I've seen is a few of Futabayama, as early as 1938. I'm sure stuff even older exists, though.

Please tell me he's taking advantage of that time off to fix that hole.

Any of those sound like a dream come true, but alas, just attending the Nov 2010 basho during my first and only trip to Japan. Way back when Tochiozan was still a Sekiwake. Oh, wait...

There are many forms of martial arts that involve very little fighting, and many that you could study for years without ever sparring. The modern day has bastardized "martial arts" to refer exclusively to forms of violence, especially with the term "MMA".

The kancho was my first guess, too, especially seeing that done a couple of times during shokkiri.

Scanning the list, I don't think a non-Ozeki/Yokozuna has won since 1980 (and Takanosato was an Ozeki a year later) - and there have been plenty of K/S and upper maegashira who can beat an Ozeki/Yok who is running at 80% any day of the week. Doesn't quite pass the smell test for me, unless the upper maegashira don't care either.

Why Kakuryu? That massive henka they did at the beginning of that highlight clip. Too soon and too vague, I'm sure.

Found a highlight video of the shokkiri shared on Facebook. Who knew that Kakuryu did shokkiri on the side? https://www.facebook.com/Jrockradio/videos/903520079735195/ How is it that Hakuho has only won once ever, and Harumafuji has won a whopping 5 times? From the looks of it, that's the all-time record, too, beating out Akebono, Chiyonofuji, and Futabayama. Hakuho can go 5-0 in his sleep if he wanted to. Edit: found the whole video in the comments - https://youtu.be/mdszgf9ncY8