Basho Talk - Aki Basho 2016 +++ Spoiler Alert! +++

[CT3*]

I wonder if Hakuho is watching this basho from home, shaking his head and chuckling to himself...

[Bumpkin]

Just now, CT3* said:

I wonder if Hakuho is watching this basho from home, shaking his head and chuckling to himself...

I was wondering the exact same thing.

[YoungSumo]

Just now, CT3* said:

I wonder if Hakuho is watching this basho from home, shaking his head and chuckling to himself...

I think it's actually the other way around. The fact that Harumafuji isn't steamrolling the competition in his absense, while actually fighting really well, only means that the level of competition is rising and Hakuho will have to try a bit harder next time than he usually does.

[Harry]

So, who is going to arrange it so Hakuho sits out another basho or two so Goeido can get his rope?

[robnplunder]

8 hours ago, Kishinoyama said:

Yes he did and he finally fought an Ozeki and won on the 12th day. The difference being Goeido is beating all of the top guys so far. He still has Kotoshogiku, Harumafuji and maybe a top performing Maegashira left. I can't see him losing all three of those matches and I think he will beat Kotoshogiku. 

And there was another undefeated rikishi who went 15-0 to lift the yusho trophy.   On the contrary, Goeido has 2 matches up on his closest pursuers.  

[robnplunder]

5 hours ago, Jakusotsu said:

The final bout today looked veeeery strange to me as it seems like Kakuryu profusely avoided to grab Goeido's mawashi although he had ample opportunity. 

That thought crossed my mind, too.   But to be honest, there are other matches I can say the same about.  

[Rocks]

45 minutes ago, YoungSumo said:

Is there any chance Goeido isn't winning the tournament? He could lose to Harumafuji (which I see as more likely than not) but who else is going to beat him? Kotoshogiku isn't taking a w against Goeido in this tournament for sure and the only other guys who are doing well enough that they could possibly beat Goeido (Kakuryu, Kisenosato and Takayasu) have already faced him and lost. 

Who would've thought Goeido would be in contention for Yokozuna promotion next basho, while he was kadoban during this one.

I would say there's little chance Goeido doesn't win this even with a loss to Harumafuji but I would have said there is little chance Okinoumi doesn't get 10 wins after he lost match 8 but yet that seems very likely now. It will depend on how Goeido takes the loss I guess.

[robnplunder]

Agreed.  Goeido is in the driver seat for the yusho.   He looked to be playing at his best on his way to 12 straight wins.   That cannot be disregarded. 

[Asashosakari]

18-year-old Sd8w Shonannoumi achieved his kachikoshi today and will be the youngest rikishi in makushita next basho.

[Kintamayama]

Of course, there is no way a Japanese rikishi can win a yusho without the help of the Mongolians/Kyokai bigwigs. No way he can win by being actually better than everyone for one basho.  Now that the "Hakuhou is out so that Kisenosato can get the yusho and the tsuna" theory is shot, let's go with "let's give Goueidou the yusho and a possible tsuna run, while keeping Hakuhou out for another basho" now. . He hasn't even clinched a playoff berth yet, let alone won the yusho.,  A loss tomorrow to Harumafuji and everything is open again, so let's wait till the fat guys sing to dive into that steaming pile, huh?

 

 

[Rocks]

I don't really see how you can denigrate what Goeido has done here. He has looked very strong and fought excellently IMO. If Hankuho was here Goeido would probably not have faced him yet so his 12-0 record so far is unaffected by Hakuho's absence. Hakuho has won 2 Yusho this year but he's only looked great in those 2. He could easily have lost this one too. A win for Goeido here would not have been out of the question if Hakuho was present given how strongly Goeido has fought this yusho.

[Harry]

My remark above about who's asking Hakuhou to stay away for a couple of basho was meant as a joke by the way; I hope the lack of a smiley doesn't mean it was taken seriously. My question about if this is really Goeido might almost be considered a real question. The kadoban situation really has done something to Goeido to make him way more aggressive than usual and it has worked out very well for him.

Edited September 22, 2016 by Harry

[Rocks]

To me far more shocking  than a Goeido yusho is having 2 guys go 7-0 and 0-7 in the first week and having the former, without going kyujo, go MK while the latter gets his KK. If anyone had suggested that at the end of Day 7 people would say they were crazy. While it's still extremely unlikely it has become an actual possibility.  If Okinoumi doesn't get his KK here I think it may be the most heartbreaking thing ever. I hope he gets himself back in gear here.

[robnplunder]

18 minutes ago, Harry said:

The kadoban situation really has done something to Goeido to make him way more aggressive than usual and it has worked out very well for him.

I agree that this may be the case.  When  put in a corner with a proper motivation, one tends to do better.  That begs the question why Goeido couldn't do this before?   If he can answer that question, he can probably do this basho after basho.   If not, Goeido goes right back to himself after this basho.

Edited September 22, 2016 by robnplunder

[dingo]

1 hour ago, YoungSumo said:

I think it's actually the other way around. The fact that Harumafuji isn't steamrolling the competition in his absense, while actually fighting really well, only means that the level of competition is rising and Hakuho will have to try a bit harder next time than he usually does.

Harumafuji has never been the type of rikishi that steamrolls his opponents. Yes he's had some excellent bashos but he's very susceptible to sudden losses. 

[Harry]

1 minute ago, Asashosakari said:

You know he's been kadoban two more times just in the past year, right?

Yes, and he also followed the last one up with a 12-3, his so far best performance yet as an ozeki. So it does seem as though he feeds off the need to get a good record. Unfortunately if history repeats itself he will go something like 9-6, 7-8 afterward but hopefully he can learn to harness this feeling in a non-kadoban basho.

[Rocks]

I would say Goeido was fired up to start the basho being kadoban but I don't think it's the main driver. His first 5 matchs were all against guys who have done poorly this basho. I would say the win against Takaysu and especially an undefeated Okinoumi is what has kicked him into higher gear.

[Jakusotsu]

46 minutes ago, Asashosakari said:

18-year-old Sd8w Shonannoumi achieved his kachikoshi today and will be the youngest rikishi in makushita next basho.

Just to remind people: at the same age Kisenosato had his second Makuuchi basho.

[Harry]

5 minutes ago, Jakusotsu said:

Just to remind people: at the same age Kisenosato had his second Makuuchi basho.

In November it will be 12 years in makuuchi for him... without a yusho unless something happens.

[word20]

This is what I said after Kisenosato lost not only one match but two matches in the two first days. It seems that Kisenosato is weak when it comes to opponents trying to make a henka and they succeed with this. If it was one of the yokozunas I do not think that they will fall for opponents trying to make a henka. Otherwise he is great and make an outstanding sumo with that many wins in several tournaments in a row, four times. Let us see if Goeidou can win two tournaments in a row.

[robnplunder]

7 minutes ago, Rocks said:

I would say Goeido was fired up to start the basho being kadoban but I don't think it's the main driver. His first 5 matchs were all against guys who have done poorly this basho. I would say the win against Takaysu and especially an undefeated Okinoumi is what has kicked him into higher gear.

A good point.   At the same time Goeido was going on the next gear, Okinoumi hit south.  

[Rocks]

Kisenosato must be rooting for Goeido at this point. If Goeido beats Harumafuji and Kise can do the same Kise has a real shot at being jun-yusho again if Takaysu loses 1 more. Has any non-yokozuna ever gone jun-yusho 4 times in a row?

[inhashi]

Goeido v Harumafuji head to head is currently 3 9-29 in favor of the yokozuna.  The last time Goeido defeated him was this year in his hometown Osaka with that last minute but effective kubinage.  Makes me a little nervous for him tomorrow.  Being a fan of Harumafuji, I've been doing the double cross and rooting for Goeido this basho.  Really at a loss for words 

Edited September 23, 2016 by inhashi
no idea why i typed 3

[Tsubame]

15 minutes ago, Rocks said:

Has any non-yokozuna ever gone jun-yusho 4 times in a row?

Asahifuji is the only one who achieved five jun-yusho in a row as ozeki. With two lost playoffs.

<query>

 

Four sekitori can say they achieved at least four jun-yusho in a row: Wajima (as sekiwake/ozeki), Asahifuji as mentioned above, Musashimaru (only one doing this as a yokozuna) and Kisenosato (as ozeki). The letter one is the only one who has no playoff loss within his jun-yushos.

<query>

 

Edited September 22, 2016 by Tsubame

[Ryoshishokunin]

17 minutes ago, Rocks said:

Kisenosato must be rooting for Goeido at this point. If Goeido beats Harumafuji and Kise can do the same Kise has a real shot at being jun-yusho again if Takaysu loses 1 more. Has any non-yokozuna ever gone jun-yusho 4 times in a row?

http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Query.aspx?show_form=0&n_basho=4&form1_jy=on&form2_jy=on&form3_jy=on&form4_jy=on&columns=4

 

Yes. Kisenosato's even done it.