Haru Basho 2019 Discussion [SPOILERS]

[neonbelly]

Ichinojo clearly installed the "physics enabled" mod.

[Otokonoyama]

4 hours ago, Eikokurai said:

The way Shodai flopped and rolled was comedy gold. I’m sure a brush on the chin from Hakuho is a little more potent than normal, but it still looked funny seeing him get dropped by a relatively simple move.

Ichinojo is wrestling like a man who doesn’t want to be the only Mongolian without a yusho. Hope he keeps it up.

Hak's forearm shiver is infamous.

[Kamitsuumi]

4 hours ago, Eikokurai said:

The way Shodai flopped and rolled was comedy gold. I’m sure a brush on the chin from Hakuho is a little more potent than normal, but it still looked funny seeing him get dropped by a relatively simple move.

It looked like Hakuho actually got to Shodai's throat with the right forearm, and also was pushing Shodai's chest with his left hand. The loss seemed more reasonable in the replay.

[Tigerboy1966]

8 hours ago, Gospodin said:

I wonder if Yago´s oyakata has ever read Shakespeare. Probably not.

Or maybe he is familiar with the sources of Othello and knows that the villain's name should probably be rendered as Diego.

[robnplunder]

13 minutes ago, Tigerboy1966 said:

Or maybe he is familiar with the sources of Othello and knows that the villain's name should probably be rendered as Diego.

... or he watched Aladdin.   Speaking of Yago, it looks like Makuuchi level sumo has caught up with him. 

Tama & Tochi making up for the poor start, and Mita starting his 2nd half dive early.

[Highway]

Brilliant basho so far for my favorites Aoiyama and Goedo, the former especially has looked very powerful the last couple of bouts. Has to be careful about getting henka'd though with those charges...

Hakuho again looking like the master that he is, but then his losses usually come out of nowhere.

The (injured) irresistible force vs the immovable object tomorrow, usually one of the funnest bouts in a basho.

[Rainoyama]

4 hours ago, 808morgan said:

I get the feeling he is injured in some way, he is just way off.

If he is it has not been reported. He trained as usual, I can't see any bandages and he had a few bouts where he tried and moved aroud quite well. Unfortunately his tachi ai has been an issue for a while and maybe his confidence too. When he doesn't lose right away he has to recover to hope to get the win and his defence is not the best, pretty much everybody is getting inside with ease. He has talent for sure but he needs to wake up. Hopefully that big hand that Hakuhou printed on his face today will do the trick.

[robnplunder]

1 hour ago, Highway said:

Brilliant basho so far for my favorites Aoiyama and Goedo, the former especially has looked very powerful the last couple of bouts. Has to be careful about getting henka'd though with those charges...

The main different between the two being Aoiyama can't hang with the big boys whereas Goeido can.  

[Asojima]

It would be helpful if there were a way to know who the "he" in a post might be.  Quote can be your friend.

[Gurowake]

Day 9 matchups are out.  Once again a Yokozuna is given Tochiozan for what will presumably be their last maegashira match instead of skipping him and going to the undefeated Ichinojo.  Sure, again, Ichinojo got an Ozeki, but for both Days 8 and 9 that Ozeki could have been given another opponent and have faced Ichinojo later.  Ichinojo will probably get Takakeisho for the latter's last maegashira match, and has a good chance on the last few days to meet anyone else in the lower sanyaku who's doing decently, but he won't face any Yokozuna unless they bail on one of the Yokozuna matches with a Sekiwake or Ozeki.  Since they are less strict on giving Ozeki the exact highest 15 in rank compared to Yokozuna, I put the likelihood pretty high that Takayasu's last maegashira opponent will be Ichinojo, but I wouldn't count out it for sure. 

[Bumpkin]

If M4w Ichinojo (7-0) keeps winning, they will move him up to face the top 4 (Hakuho, Kakuryu, Takayasu and Goeido). Probably, in lieu of Tochinoshin. That would be a very big break for the kadoban Ozeki.

[Gurowake]

Just now, Bumpkin said:

If M4w Ichinojo (7-0) keeps winning, they will move him up to face the top 4 (Hakuho, Kakuryu, Takayasu and Goeido). Probably, in lieu of Tochinoshin. That would be a very big break for the kadoban Ozeki.

Ichinojo is scheduled against Tochinoshin for Day 8.

[Sakura]

23 minutes ago, Gurowake said:

Ichinojo is scheduled against Tochinoshin for Day 8.

I think Bumpkin means that they would put Ichinojo against Hakuho and Kakuryu instead of Tochinoshin having to face the Yokozuna.

[Gurowake]

Just now, Sakura said:

I think Bumpkin means that they would put Ichinojo against Hakuho and Kakuryu instead of Tochinoshin having to face the Yokozuna.

I realize that now that someone pointed it out, but for some reason it wasn't my first interpretation despite it being clearly wrong.

[Benevolance]

15 minutes ago, Gurowake said:

I realize that now that someone pointed it out, but for some reason it wasn't my first interpretation despite it being clearly wrong.

I think she meant that she thought he meant that he would face him and then he could face him, instead of him and him, and him and him facing off. Huh, he was right. Quote IS my friend. 

[Gurowake]

3 minutes ago, Benevolance said:

I think she meant that she thought he meant that he would face him and then he could face him, instead of him and him, and him and him facing off. Huh, he was right. Quote IS my friend. 

Goeido faces Ichinojo on day 9.

[Gospodin]

8 hours ago, Rainoyama said:

If he is it has not been reported. He trained as usual, I can't see any bandages and he had a few bouts where he tried and moved aroud quite well. Unfortunately his tachi ai has been an issue for a while and maybe his confidence too. When he doesn't lose right away he has to recover to hope to get the win and his defence is not the best, pretty much everybody is getting inside with ease. He has talent for sure but he needs to wake up. Hopefully that big hand that Hakuhou printed on his face today will do the trick.

Shodai seems to try to take whatever comes and counter it. If out of form or not healthy, that can backfire badly (and look ugly). He should take lessons from Hakuho on how that approach is done properly.

Edited March 17, 2019 by Gospodin

[robnplunder]

Shocker, Aminishiki beats up and coming Takanosho to even his record to 4-4.  

Shodai is Endo in making, an average career Makuuchi rikishi.

Edited March 17, 2019 by robnplunder

[Gospodin]

A shocker, but not that big. Aminishiki is looking to be in good shape, better than in years. 

[robnplunder]

9 minutes ago, Gospodin said:

Aminishiki is looking to be in good shape, better than in years. 

I don't see it.  He's at J11, fighting against low ranked juryo rikishis.   If he is in good shape in years, I'd assume he'd be 6-2 by now.   He appears to be where he belong, in bottom half of juryo without sign of making it back to Makuuchi.

[Gospodin]

What I was trying to say was his body looks to be in better shape than years. Last basho, his losses were lopsided, this they are not.

That said I don´t expect him to make it back to Makuuchi. He might have a year or so left in Juryo.

Edited March 17, 2019 by Gospodin

[robnplunder]

I didn't expect Terutsuyoshi to beat Yutakayama.   Good for him.     But didn't he throw tons of salt into the crowd?   I believe bunch of people in the expensive seats got a taste of salt. 

[Fukuyamada]

Wow. Hakuho... That was amazing.

[Kaninoyama]

The only thing more unbelievable about how Hakuho managed to win from that position was how Tochiozan managed to lose from it. 

Edited March 17, 2019 by Kaninoyama

[Rainoyama]

Nakabi already. Hakuhou unbeaten sole leader but playing with fire at times. 7-1 Kakuryu still in the race and looking to actually finish a basho for once. 7-1 local boy Goeido dominating and aiming for his second yusho in front of his home crowd. 7-1 Takayasu looking to win his first yusho for him and to honour his friend and mentor Kisenosato. 6-2 Takakeisho on track to becom Ozeki but yet to fight the top dogs, 5-3 Tochinoshin looking for 3 more wins and 7-1 Ichinojo and Aoyama still in the mix. Exciting  second week ahead ! Only Tamashi and Mitakeumi are having major setbacks so far.