Basho Talk Hatsu 2018 (SPOILERS)

[Gernobono]

4 minutes ago, McBugger said:

 

@Rocks-

 

above mentioned was the first to hit my ignore list.....this is a very useful feature and the list is growing rapidly....

[Jakusotsu]

41 minutes ago, McBugger said:

Seconded- and paging @Jakusotsu for his thoughts. There's been way too much flooding and posts of little value. I gave parts of this thread a miss, and probably missed out on reading some quality posts. 

While I personally agree wholeheartedly, keep in mind we are moderators, not janitors.

[Atenzan]

10 minutes ago, Jakusotsu said:

While I personally agree wholeheartedly, keep in mind we are moderators, not janitors.

Of course, and of course you have a life - even on Sundays - just wondering if the powers that be concur or I'm just a whiny bugger. 

[Yatagarasu]

Looks like Aoiyama got to be flagbearer in the end.

 

 

And here's one of them in the car for the parade...

 

 

Edited January 28, 2018 by Yatagarasu
Added a second link with additional photo

[Dwale]

What a crazy basho that was. Well, it was lots of fun! This sort of dominance is a good look on Tochinoshin, I have no doubt he picked up a lot of new fans for that performance, and rekindled the fondness of his old ones.

Disappointed with Mitakeumi. I feel sure he'll patch up his game, but this was a little underwhelming for a basho with only one yokozuna. 

Not a lot to add, I guess just "congratulations to the winners, condolences to the losers." Heh. But it was one hell of a ride.

[maorencze]

Just a thought - in a basho full of such surprising performances (positive and negative), what should be taken as the greatest one? Obviously Tochinoshin yusho has a lead by far, but still, Ryuden showing he's here to stay and rise, Terunofuji showing he's probably over, Takekaze as well, Ichinojo finding his mojo, Kise showing us what we thought but hoped not to be, some spectacular second-week collapses, young guys striving for top spots but old ones not being ready to leave just yet...

Overall, what a basho indeed!!!

[dada78641]

I'm really sad that Terunofuji has not had a single win since Aki last year. Day 3. I actually had to look that up, because I found myself thinking I couldn't remember when his last victory was.

edit: how the mighty have fallen... Terunofuji's record of the last couple basho.

Edited January 28, 2018 by dada78641

[Stein]

22 hours ago, Dapeng said:

Anyway he is still better than Kisenosato who is yet to prove that he still can finish a basho. 

At least Kiseno won two bashos in a row...and his performance is 2017 is just because of a career breaking injury, not the quality of his sumo.

[Stein]

11 minutes ago, dada78641 said:

I'm really sad that Terunofuji has not had a single win since Aki last year. Day 3. I actually had to look that up, because I found myself thinking I couldn't remember when his last victory was.

edit: how the mighty have fallen... Terunofuji's record of the last couple basho.

Injury treatment in sumo needs to change....they need to give the guy a break.

[Asojima]

24 minutes ago, Stein said:

Injury treatment in sumo needs to change....they need to give the guy a break.

He needed to take advantage of the breaks that were already available to him.  As a ozeki, he had several  opportunities to take 2 basho off and return as a healthy sekiwake needing 10 wins to regain his ozeki rank.  He refused to do so.  He deserves what he is getting.

[Asojima]

7 hours ago, Asashosakari said:

The line between cluelessness and trolling has been getting rather blurred thanks to some posters over the last two weeks.

My growing list of ignored users has now expanded to 53 users.  It definitely speeds up my browsing of this thread.

[dada78641]

5 minutes ago, Asojima said:

He needed to take advantage of the breaks that were already available to him.  As a ozeki, he had several  opportunities to take 2 basho off and return as a healthy sekiwake needing 10 wins to regain his ozeki rank.  He refused to do so.  He deserves what he is getting.

I don't really know that much about his heya, but I sincerely doubt it's his choice. He's probably being pushed to compete by his oyakata.

[Stein]

6 minutes ago, Asojima said:

He needed to take advantage of the breaks that were already available to him.  As a ozeki, he had several  opportunities to take 2 basho off and return as a healthy sekiwake needing 10 wins to regain his ozeki rank.  He refused to do so.  He deserves what he is getting.

Oh cmon...he was on the way to yokozunahood and he just was too impatient, give him a break

[Asojima]

24 minutes ago, dada78641 said:

I don't really know that much about his heya, but I sincerely doubt it's his choice. He's probably being pushed to compete by his oyakata.

Ozekis and yokozuna are cash cows for their heya.  Most, if not all, of them are in a position to tell their shisho to pound sand.

[rzombie1988]

8 hours ago, Asashosakari said:

The line between cluelessness and trolling has been getting rather blurred thanks to some posters over the last two weeks.

The pot calling the kettle black here.

[Yubinhaad]

On ‎23‎/‎01‎/‎2018 at 14:29, Akinomaki said:

When rikishi get promoted to yokozuna or ozeki, they hand these work hakama trousers (tattsuke-bakama 裁っ着け袴) as presents to the yobidashi - NHK didn't say if to all, or e.g. only of their ichimon or even only the heya.

This is also the case for gyoji in the lower divisions, those from Nishonoseki ichimon have been wearing some spiffy new outfits courtesy of Ozeki Takayasu this basho, as modelled here by Kimura Kazuma:

[Amamaniac]

10 hours ago, Rocks said:

Aoiyama loses giving Daiamami his KK keeping him in makuuchi.

The way things happened on the last day of this tournament deserves notice.  Aoiyama fought in the first bout of the Top Division featured bouts.  If he had won, he would have been in a three-way playoff for the Juryo championship.  Had he gone on and won the playoff, he would have brought the total number of championships won by the Kasugano Stable this tournament to three (3), along with Tochinoshin in the Top Division and Tsukahara in the Jonokuchi Division.  That would have made for one big post-tournament celebration for all concerned!!!

It was also interesting to see the Top Division action stopped as soon as the first Top Division bout was over, and then four separate playoff bouts were held, followed immediately by the award ceremonies for each winner.  Only then did the Top Division action return.  I understand why it has to be this way, but it can in my opinion be a bit of a disruption...

Edited January 28, 2018 by Amamaniac

[Randomitsuki]

I'd like to remind each and every one that religion (especially unrelated to sumo) is a gigantic no-no on this Forum. The recent kerfuffle was a very good example, why this rule was introduced. I took the liberty and deleted eight posts in this thread that mentioned religion in all its no-no-ishness. I hope you can live with that

Edited January 28, 2018 by Randomitsuki

[PawnSums]

1 hour ago, Asojima said:

My growing list of ignored users has now expanded to 53 users.  It definitely speeds up my browsing of this thread.

Mine to 1. 
(not you.)

[Burajirotono]

OOOOOOMMMMGGGG! I was very busy and  just have the chance to see that shit  now!!!!

Parabeny Mr. Gorgadzy!!! Ty velikolepen!!!

Sooooo happy here!!! 

[Highway]

7 hours ago, Yatagarasu said:

Looks like Aoiyama got to be flagbearer in the end.

 

 

And here's one of them in the car for the parade...

 

 

I am delighted to see this. Wish the roles were reversed, but still, much joy all around here. Tochinoshin has long had amazing raw strength, this basho he utilized it to perfection. Hopefully it inspires Aoyiama too to focus and sharpen his raw gifts. 

Only thing disappointing this basho was again, yokuzunas drop out and it's been forever since a full line-up or even mostly full-line up of top guys have finished a basho. On the other hand, Tochi's example should be taken up by others - if you have a serious injury that definitely needs time to heal, much rather to drop out and drop down for as long as it takes and then fight your way back up, then suffer through a slow degeneration into nothingness. 

Edited January 28, 2018 by Highway

[Dapeng]

2 hours ago, Asojima said:

He needed to take advantage of the breaks that were already available to him.  As a ozeki, he had several  opportunities to take 2 basho off and return as a healthy sekiwake needing 10 wins to regain his ozeki rank.  He refused to do so.  He deserves what he is getting.

Not that easy. There's yokozuna taking multiple consecutive kyujos but still can't heal.

[yorikiried by fate]

I just finished watching Moti's senshuraku video. Since I'm contractually obliged to call foul at least once per basho, I suggest to review the Takayasu-Mitakeumi bout, which is exhibit A for a textbook exhibition match.

[Asojima]

30 minutes ago, yorikiried by fate said:

Review the Takayasu-Mitakeumi bout, which is exhibit A for a textbook exhibition match.

Typically about 2/3 of the matches on senshuraku are exhibition matches.  In most cases, at least one of the rikishi has little to gain or lose with the result, but may risk injury putting up a needless good fight.  Senshuraku is like the last week/cycle of a league play.  Teams with remaining championship hopes arrive to play.  Teams with nothing to gain except a better draft pick just show up. 

Edited January 28, 2018 by Asojima

[Yamanashi]

6 minutes ago, Asojima said:

Typically about 2/3 of the matches on senshuraku are exhibition matches.  In most cases, at least one of the rikishi has little to gain or lose with the result, but may risk injury putting up a needless good fight.  Senshuraku is like the last week/cycle of a league play.  Teams with remaining championship hopes arrive to play.  Teams with nothing to lose or something to gain in the draft picks just show up. 

You have reinforced my supposition about this.  Despite the serious aura around the basho, Tochinoshin was hoisting the Sea Bream on day 14 (and forgoing his "abstaining from alcohol", too).  I expected to read a post about some NSK worthy harumphing "undignified, premature", etc.  But ... I guess it's OK.

On the other hand, the 15th day is make-or-break for some rikishi.  So ... some treat senshuraku like overtime at the Super Bowl® and some treat it like the last day of the Tour de France?  What a mysterious and cool sport!