The Ozeki run for Yokozuna

[Fay]

Day 01

Now in times Asashoryu isn't around, all Ozeki breathe a sigh of relief and start to think new - hey this could be my chance to finally reach it - win the basho, win another one and .......... YOKOZUNA (Applauding...) So let's see how our brave Ozeki did on Day 01.

First of all Veteran Kaio:

I really like him, but to be honest, he has least chances to win the yusho in my opinion. Everybody - nearly everybody can beat Kaio on a bad day. Today he had Homasho, the "young" talent from Terao's stable. Homasho and Kakuryu had some difficulties with the Dohyo Iri today, there was too little space for all the rikishi so they started moving and moving :-). But this wasn't a bad sign - at least for Homasho, he could beat Kaio and Kaio was not amused.

0-1 Kaio

Lets move to Chiyotaikai.

Yes that's the way to get rid of Kisenosato, well done (Applauding...). It was so fast I hardly could get my camera. Unfortunately Chiyotaikai is always good in the first week but then ... Let's see if he is interested in a new job.

1 - 0 Chiyotaikai

But now the serious candidates for Yusho.

Kotooshu, long time mocked as the king of henka, mentally weak, but not as weak as the Yokozuna - or not so clever - , a mediocre Ozeki .....

Today he showed that he really deserves to be Ozeki. I admit it takes more than one swallow to make a summer but I will see this as a turning point for him :-D. It was a very close fight and Tokitenku couldn't believe that he lost it. Kotooshu had to get a lot of strokes but in the end he won!!

1 - 0 Kotooshu

And finally our new Ozeki Kotomitsuki (Sign of approval...)

He had to fight against Tochinonada and he made short work of it. His nerves seem to be ok, I'm sure he will have a great basho.

1 - 0 Kotomitsuki

my guess after Day 1

Yusho for Kotooshu or Kotomitsuki

to be continued (Clapping wildly...)

[Jejima]

Great pictures! Thank you! (Applauding...)

Edited September 9, 2007 by Jejima

[Chiyomaru]

Thanks for your nice report! (Clapping wildly...)

[Peterao]

Very nice report! But don't count Chiyotaikai out so flippantly...he's the longest tenured ozeki of all time, and still has more yusho than Kotomitsuki and Kotooshu combiend.

[Kobayashi]

Day 01

my guess after Day 1

Yusho for Kotooshu or Kotomitsuki

to be continued ;-)

I agree with you - they are prime candidates, but the main favourite is still Hakuho. But to favour both of them - Kotooshu and Kotomitsuki dont have to face each other (and also Kotoshogiku) and by the end of the basho it might be VERY decisive.

PS! Nice photo coverage, thanx! (Clapping wildly...)

[Zuikakuyama]

Great report and photos to boot. Thanks.

[Tikozan]

(Sign of approval...) Thanks for this great report and I hope Kotomitsuki will do it.(Clapping wildly...)

Could he be the next yokozuna (A yokozuna...)

[Fay]

Day 02

Most of the Ozeki are still genki, only Ozeki Kaio's spirit is willing but the flesh is too weak in the moment. Today he had Kisenosato and Kaio didn't learn from Chiyotaikai yesterday. A long bout, in the end the winner was Kisenosato and Kaio still waits for his first win. Kaio 0-2

Next one Chiyotaikai. He had Tochinonada and Kokonoe Oyakata was watching attentively (Sign of approval...). No problem at all for Chiyotaikai 2-0

Kotomitsuki was a bit too quick at his first start ( a bit nervous?) but then there was no problem at all for him to get Homasho out of the dohyo. Keep on going Mickey!!!! Kotomitsuki 2-0

Last one today was Kotooshu. Despite what some are saying he looked intense and competed well and I can only hope he pays the same attention to the coming bouts. There was a monoii after the fight, a short discussion and Kotooshu got the money. Kotooshu 2-0

Yusho prediction after Day 02 (Clapping wildly...): Kotomitsuki, Kotooshu

To be continued

Edited September 11, 2007 by Fay

[Biri]

thank you

nice report and pics (Sign of approval...)

[Chiyomaru]

Thanks again, Fay! Nice action shots (Sign of approval...)

[fmjs]

Wonderful pictures! I know little about photography, but I really love the warm colours you've achieved, as opposed to those stark 'flashbulb' shots I see on news sites.

Thanks very much and gooooo Kotomitsuki!!

[Fay]

Day 03

Sh ........ what happened today, my prediction already starts to crumble on the 3rd day (Sign of approval...) and good old Chiyotaikai is the sole Ozeki leader. But lets start at the beginning.

The ozeki run started with Kotooshu against Tochinonada. First bout close as all his bouts this basho, a monoii, second bout and there he lay on the ground ;-) The yusho race slows down a bit but I am not willing to give him up yet.

Astonishing that all japanese people who sat around me today told me that they like Kotooshu more than Kotomitsuki and they were astonished to hear that I like Kotomitsuki more than Kotooshu and Kotoshogiku even more than Kotomitsuki and Kakuryu .... ok I know nobody wants to hear this so I'll shut up...

There isn't a lot of shouting for Kotomitsuki yet.

Kotooshu 2-1

Next one good old Chiyotaikai against Ex Ozeki Dejima. A long bout for Chiyotaikai, but he showed us he can do it.

Chiyotaikai 3-0

And then Kotomitsuki (Applauding...), taken by surprise from Ama, not watchful enough and ... At least everybody looked pitiful at me. And I have no defined photo of the bout, seems I was also taken by surprise - sorry

Kotomitsuki 2-1

Last one Kaio against Hokutoriki. Hokutoriki!!!!! It looked to me as if Kaio showed no defense at all, I hope I am wrong. If he doesn't start to win tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, I think he will go kyujo.

Kaio 0-3

Edited September 11, 2007 by Fay

[Peterao]

Very nice report! But don't count Chiyotaikai out so flippantly...he's the longest tenured ozeki of all time, and still has more yusho than Kotomitsuki and Kotooshu combiend.

QFT

[Washuyama]

I know it's only day 3, but Chiyotaikai looks like he's on a yusho mission. ;-) I also know that Mickey, Kotooshu and Hakuho will have something to say about that before all is said and done. Maybe Kotooshu can set a record for most bouts with a Mono-ii in a basho....

[aderechelsea]

Taikai's "head to head" records against the other Ozeki-Yokozuna is not that promising. He dominates though the rest of the sanyaku and joi-jin .... tough quiz but i tend to think that he cannot do it.

[Fay]

There's life in the old dog yet - Kaio's fight against Ama. I thought he will be out the next moment but he recovered and get his first win this basho. A big applause from the crowd. Tomorrow Dejima shouldn't be such a big problem ... perhaps .....I hope so .....we will see.

and I lost Kaio's head ;-)

Kaio 1 - 3

No Monoii today for Kotooshu, a straight good fight from him against Homasho. There is nothing to complain.

Kotooshu 3 - 1

Nothing to complain also about Chiyotaikai, he let Hokutoriki wait a bit and got him out the dohyo with yorikiri.

Chiyotaikai 4 - 0

And finally Kotomitsuki. I tried my best this morning at Sadogatake Beya, nice words and some doping, it helped Kotooshu and Kotomitsuki but what about Kotoshogiku ;-) ;-)

Kotomitsuki had big strong Tokitenku and it nearly broke my heart to cross my fingers against him. A long hard fight, an amazing Kotomitsuki, he didn't give up and got the win.

Kotomitsuki 3 -1

Yusho prediction still Kotomitsuki, Kotooshu with a tendency for Kotomitsuki :-D

[Washuyama]

Yusho prediction still Kotomitsuki, Kotooshu with a tendency for Kotomitsuki ;-)

I may have something to say about that.... ;-)

[Chiyomaru]

I may have something to say about that.... :-)

:-P Chiyotaikai...ever so charming (Clapping wildly...)

Edited September 13, 2007 by Chiyomaru

[Naganoyama]

Your pictures are getting better and better!!

I particularly like the ones where you take pictures of the bouts as they are unfolding.

:-)

[Fay]

Day 05 for our brave Ozeki. The run started today with Ozeki Kotomitsuki (In love...) against Wakanosato.

He had no problems to finish the bout as winner and he still is in the lead of my personal Ozeki ranking. 4 - 1

Next one Ozeki Kaio (Shaking head...) My prediction of yesterday that Dejima wouldn't be hard to beat went a bit wrong. Dejima, yesterday beaten by Kakuryu (Showing respect...) , could stand up to the Ozeki and Kaio is 1 - 4 now.

Kotooshu against Kakuryu. I couldn't cross my fingers for Kotooshu and had to forget all my predictions. Of course my heart was beating for Kakuryu :-D. This didn't change anything. Kakuryu did his best, he bravely tried to get to the mawashi of Kotooshu, but he lost by yorikiri. Next year it will be the other way around (Holiday feeling...) .

So Kotooshu matches his stable mate Kotomitsuki.

Kakuryu preparing for the match

Kotooshu 4-1

Last Ozeki was Chiyotaikai, the sole Ozeki leader. But it's all water under the bridge now ... Ama was the better fighter today and Chiyotaikai is 4-1 as well as the Sadigatake connection.

Yusho prediction: Kotomitsuki, Kotooshu

Edited September 13, 2007 by Fay

[Bishonohana]

(Clapping wildly...) Great pictures, Fay!! (Applauding...) I know it must take time to post them all, but I do appreciate every minute you spend putting these up for us! (Sign of approval...)

[Fay]

Aki Basho Day 06

There he goes our (dai) Ozeki Kaio. My friend who came today for the first time to the basho was quite disappointed, she already missed him in Nagoya, as he went kyujo the day she arrived ... is this a jinx (Applauding...) Lets hope he can cure the injury and we will see what happens at Kyushu basho.

So the Ozeki day started with Ozeki Chiyotaikai against my beloved Tokitenku. But it was over in a few seconds, Tokitenku underfoot (Applauding...) the Ozeki victorious.

But tomorrow it doesn't look good for Chiyotaikai, cause he has to fight against my Kakuryu, goooooooooooooooooooo Kakuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu! B-)

Chiyotaikai 5-1

Next Ozeki was Kotomitsuki. He looked concentrated and a bit grimmy, I was quite sure he would make it, but Asasekiryu is always good for a surprise. He could beat poor Kotomitsuki and Mickey is now 4-2

Remains Ozeki Kotooshu, today against Hokutoriki. Everything else than a clear win I would have taken amiss. Kotooshu did me the favour and he got his 5th win.

So somechanges in our Ozeki trio:

Chiyotaikai 5-1

Kotooshu 5-1

Kotomitsuki 4-2

Yusho prediction:

Stand by your man ...... Kotomitsuki, Kotooshu, 13-2 is still a nice result (Applauding...)

To be continued ...

[Takamizakura]

Hi Fay,

Great photos as always, but FYI I got a some broken links of pics from some of the above posts, post #20 in particular.

Edited September 14, 2007 by am3n3

[Fay]

Aki Basho Day 07

Well, Kotooshu. This wasn't necessary, you should have won this bout but you had a bad finish. But still nothing is lost for you, I will go on crossing my fingers for the Sadogatake boys.

Kotooshu 5-2

Next bout Kakuryu B-) against Chiyotaikai. A mother couldn't be more proud of her son ... brave fighting Kakuryu this basho ;-). Chiyotaikai had no difficulties to finish the bout as winner and he is is now 6-1

Last Ozeki for today Kotomitsuki, he had the longest bout, Hokutoriki was stronger than expected but Kotomitsuki gave it all!!

Kotomitsuki 5 - 2

Yusho Prediction: Kotomitsuki, and still Kotooshu

[Fay]

Aki Basho, Day 08

It seems one more of our brave Ozeki wants to leave the yusho race ;-) but let's start at the beginning ...

First bout Kotomitsuki against ... nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Kakuryu :-O , my poor boy has to face all the

big guys this basho, a hard life at Maegashira 2. I didn't want Kakuryu to lose, but I didn't want Kotomitsuki to lose either.

So I closed my eyes and let the camera do the work. A throw at the end, next year it will be the other way around Kotomitsuki (Whistling...)

Tomorrow Kakuryu against Kotoshogiku - life can be so cruel ...

Kotomitsuki 6-2

And then once again Kotooshu, I couldn't believe it. Not able to finish the bout with Toyonoshima. I fear this was the end of

the yusho race. One more loss and this thread will be closed for you!

Kotooshu 5-3

Seems Chiyotaikai and Wakanosato weren't really in a mood to fight. Both dreamed of a second matta, but this was reality

Chiyotaikai with the better reaction in this lame fight.

Chiyotaikai 7 - 1

Yusho prediction: Kotomitsuki