What is wrong with Asashoryu ?

[Yangnomazuma]

Sumo is not a just game that bigger ones push the other one out of a circle.  I like sumo because I often see lighter8 weaker guys out manuevering heavier and stronger guys.  That is just fantastic!  ;-)

For example, the Yushos by Kotonishiki and to some extent Takatoriki... The "little" guys had spunk and in your face attitude. Powerful for their size and tried to push, but being "undersized" often resorted to speed and maneuvering. I thoroughly enjoyed their Yushos both for the unexpectedness of them as well as the very good sumo. Not overpowering, but definitely had it all together for 15.

[paolo]

I see that the discussion in this topic goes well farther than it was my goal, but anyway this is a very pleasant thread to follow for the initiator ( that is me ...!).

Just to summarize an answer to my original points, I think that more or less all agree on these facts:

a. Asashoryu is less dominant possibly because of his elbow. He is reacting with

the great will that is his own, and his general shape is not as good as it used to

be in the latest basho's. Everybody seem to admire him for his efforts to do

the best he can anyway, even running risks.

b. Chiyotaikai has problems with his leg that advice him to use techniques that

differ from his most usual one. There are different views on this attitude of his;

somebody would prefer him to risk more, even at the risk of losing, somebody

likes his attitude to do what he think he can do to win disregarding other

considerations.

I had also mentioned Kaio who, somehow surprisingly, seems the most probable

winner of the basho: am I right if I say that his sumo looks the most solid one

until now ? Does somebody agree ? He does not appear to suffer too much from

his known back pain.

[Naganoyama]

This thread is excellent. This is exactly the sort of discussion I joined the forum to see. Lots of different opinions, well-argued and with not a discourteous word even in the face of implacable disagreement.

(In a state of confusion...)

[QttP]

I had also mentioned Kaio who, somehow surprisingly, seems the most probable winner of the basho: am I right if I say that his sumo looks the most solid one until now ? Does somebody agree ? He does not appear to suffer too much from his known back pain.

I agree. Kaio looks super solid. Judging by the basho so far, he deserves it the most. But there are still 5 days, and "deserves" is a tricky word.

[aderechelsea]

i agree with the above mentioned about Kaio but i have to say that untill day 8 i thought that Musoyama was the best in the basho and could take the yusho if he stayed in that form.

It took him two losses to prove my assumptions science fiction........ :-P

[paolo]

(Oops! ) Ooooops....! Some days ago I wrote that Kaio was the clear favourite of the basho and the most solid, Asashoryu had big problems with his elbow, Chiyotaikai had big problems with his leg ..... (In a state of confusion...) Wow ! And what now, poor man ? (Depressed...) I humbly apologize .... (In a state of confusion...) Next time I will wait till the end ... Apparently I have not seen big sumo enough to be able to understand what is going on ! Thank you all for cooperating in this thread ! :-D