Post Mortem - 2008 Natsu Basho

[Jonosuke]

Now that the echoes of the past are dwindling down, I guess we can bring back a bit of banter again for our semi irregular lookback at the basho that was.

Well then let's hear for the Makuuchi rikishi most deserving of the following distinctions:

0. The rikishi of the basho

1. Rikishi Most Improved over the Haru basho

2. Rikishi with Most disappointing basho

3. Most promising rikishi

4. Least promising rikishi

5. Most pleasant/enjoyable/fun to watch rikishi

6. Most unpleasant/despicable to watch rikshi

7. Rikishi with Least presence (i.e. was this guy still around?)

8. Rikishi with Most boring techniques or pedestrian moves (if you were there in the Kokugikan, you'd rather want to check the contents of your bento box)

9. Best bout of the basho

10. Worst bout of the basho

11. Best mannered rikishi (on the dohyo)

12. Worst mannered rikishi (on the dohyo)

13 . Rikishi with best tachiai

14 . Rikishi with worst tachiai

15. Most likely to have the golden bow rikishi (closest to retirement, to be an oyakata or opening chanko restaurant)

And I have decided on my own to present a special Sumo Forum award to the Rikishi of the Basho winner. The nature of the award to be detailed by our Rijicho in due course I think.

[Harry]

0. Kotooshu

1. Kotooshu

2. Baruto

3. Tamanoshima

4. Hakuba

5. Ama

6. Hakurozan

7. Tochiozan

8. Tamakasuga

9. Ama/Wakanoho

10. Kotomitsuki/Kaio

11. Takamisakari

12. Hakuhou

13. Kotooshu

14. Baruto

15. Chiyotaikai

[Odoriou]

First I want to apologize for naming Wakanoho so often. It's not that I dislike him, this just wasn't a glamorous basho for him. (In a state of confusion...)

0. The rikishi of the basho - Kotooshu

1. Rikishi Most Improved over the Haru basho - Kotooshu

2. Rikishi with Most disappointing basho - Baruto

3. Most promising rikishi - Kisenosato

4. Least promising rikishi - Tochiozan

5. Most pleasant/enjoyable/fun to watch rikishi - Ama

6. Most unpleasant/despicable to watch rikshi - Wakanoho

7. Rikishi with Least presence - Yoshikaze

8. Rikishi with Most boring techniques or pedestrian moves - Futeno

9. Best bout of the basho - Ama-Wakanoho on day 8

10. Worst bout of the basho - Aminishiki-Wakanoho on day 7

11. Best mannered rikishi - Homasho

12. Worst mannered rikishi - Wakanoho

13 . Rikishi with best tachiai - Asashoryu

14 . Rikishi with worst tachiai - Wakanoho

15. Most likely to have the golden bow rikishi - Kaio, as always...

[HenryK]

0. The rikishi of the basho -- obviously Kotooshu

1. Rikishi Most Improved over the Haru basho -- Kotooshu

2. Rikishi with most disappointing basho -- Kokkai

3. Most promising rikishi -- Kisenosato. Wakanoho second.

4. Least promising rikishi -- Kaio

5. Most pleasant/enjoyable/fun to watch rikishi -- Ama

6. Most unpleasant/despicable to watch rikshi -- probably Roho

7. Rikishi with Least presence (i.e. was this guy still around?) -- hmmm..... Kakizoe?

8. Rikishi with Most boring techniques or pedestrian moves (if you were there in the Kokugikan, you'd rather want to check the contents of your bento box) -- Hakurozan, followed by Takamisakari

9. Best bout of the basho -- Ama vs. Wakanoho

10. Worst bout of the basho -- Kotomitsuki vs. Kaio

11. Best mannered rikishi (on the dohyo) -- Homasho (but also Baruto, Kyokutenho, etc.)

12. Worst mannered rikishi (on the dohyo) -- Wakanoho

13 . Rikishi with best tachiai -- Ama. Otherwise the little man couldn't be where he is

14 . Rikishi with worst tachiai -- still Kasugao

15. Most likely to have the golden bow rikishi (closest to retirement, to be an oyakata or opening chanko restaurant) -- Chiyotaikai, obviously

[Nanami]

0. The rikishi of the basho - Ama

1. Rikishi Most Improved over the Haru basho - Kotooshu

2. Rikishi with Most disappointing basho - Kokkai

3. Most promising rikishi - Kisenosato

4. Least promising rikishi - Roho

5. Most pleasant/enjoyable/fun to watch rikishi - Asashoryu

6. Most unpleasant/despicable to watch rikshi - Hakurozan

7. Rikishi with Least presence (i.e. was this guy still around?) - Takekaze

8. Rikishi with Most boring techniques or pedestrian moves - Iwakiyama

9. Best bout of the basho - Ama/Wakanoho

10. Worst bout of the basho - Kasugao/Hokutoriki (painful to see)

11. Best mannered rikishi (on the dohyo) - Goeido

12. Worst mannered rikishi (on the dohyo) - Roho

13 . Rikishi with best tachiai - Hakuho

14 . Rikishi with worst tachiai - Baruto

15. Most likely to have the golden bow rikishi - Chiyotaikai

I had two answers for most of the questions, so I just went with one of them.

[Randomitsuki]

Very nice idea.

0. The rikishi of the basho - Kotooshu

1. Rikishi Most Improved over the Haru basho - Kotooshu

2. Rikishi with Most disappointing basho - Kotomitsuki who was so much better than his 8-7 record.

3. Most promising rikishi - Wakanoho

4. Least promising rikishi - Hakurozan

5. Most pleasant/enjoyable/fun to watch rikishi - Ama

6. Most unpleasant/despicable to watch rikshi - Hakurozan

7. Rikishi with Least presence - first I thought Takekaze, but upon reading about the choices of other forumers I came across Tochiozan who was so invisible that he even ecaped from my invisibility radar.

8. Rikishi with Most boring techniques or pedestrian moves - Tamanoshima

9. Best bout of the basho - Ama-Wakanoho in terms of quality; Kakizoe vs. Hakuba was not high quality, but incredibly spectacular to watch IMO.

10. Worst bout of the basho - I forget bad bouts; well, there was one bout in Juryo this time which I found to be the worst bout I have ever seen, but I forgot about that one as well...

11. Best mannered rikishi - Homasho

12. Worst mannered rikishi - Hakuho on senshuraku

13 . Rikishi with best tachiai - Kotomitsuki; runner-up: Iwakiyama

14 . Rikishi with worst tachiai - Baruto

15. Most likely to have the golden bow rikishi - Chiyotaikai

[Azumashida]

0. The rikishi of the basho: Kotooshu

1. Rikishi Most Improved over the Haru basho: Kotooshu

2. Rikishi with Most disappointing basho: Kokkai

3. Most promising rikishi: Kisenosato

4. Least promising rikishi: Kotokasuga

5. Most pleasant/enjoyable/fun to watch rikishi: Goeido

6. Most unpleasant/despicable to watch rikshi: Roho (if there needs to be one)

7. Rikishi with Least presence (i.e. was this guy still around?): Tamakasuga

8. Rikishi with Most boring techniques or pedestrian moves (if you were there in the Kokugikan, you'd rather want to check the contents of your bento box): Roho (if there needs to be one)

9. Best bout of the basho: Ama's utchari win over Wakanoho

10. Worst bout of the basho: Asashoryu vs. Hakuho...

11. Best mannered rikishi (on the dohyo): Homasho

12. Worst mannered rikishi (on the dohyo): Wakanoho

13 . Rikishi with best tachiai: Kotooshu

14 . Rikishi with worst tachiai: Baruto

15. Most likely to have the golden bow rikishi (closest to retirement, to be an oyakata or opening chanko restaurant): Chiyotaikai (if there needs to be one)

[higginbotham]

0. Kotooshu

1. Kotooshu

2. Kokkai

3. Kisenosato

4. Kaio

5. Ama

6. Wakanoho

7. Kaio

8. Hakurozan

9. Ama Wakanoho

10. Kotomitsuki Kaio

11. Homasho

12. Wakanoho

13 . Dejima

14. Hakurozan

15. Taikai

Edited May 27, 2008 by higginbotham