Haru Basho 2019 Discussion [SPOILERS]

[Morty]

1 hour ago, Kaninoyama said:

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

Poor Tochiozan! Hakuho continually finds ways to embarrass him, this time giving up his back and still mightily throwing him down. Did Tochiozan run over Hak's dog or something?

[YoungSumo]

It looked like Tochiozan expected to be flatlined and was too eager to capitalize on his unexpected favorable scenario. 

Hakuho is done with the maegashira now though. Mitakeumi, Tamawashi, Takakeisho, Tochinoshin, Takayasu, Goeido and Kakuryu left. If he continues as shakily as he has been doing so far that looks like 3-4 losses.

[Dwale]

Hoooohohohoho, that was close! Incredible recovery from Hakuho, true, but he ought never to have been in that position in the first place. I don't think he's going to zensho, which is good because that makes the basho more exciting.

Tochinoshin managed to beat Ichinojo, huh. Well, that was unexpected. The way Tochinoshin started this basho, I was in doubt he was even going to manage a kachikoshi. Looks like he will, though, and that's a good thing. We still haven't seen him healthy at ozeki yet.

Mitakeumi isn't right. Couldn't say if it's his mind or his knee or both, but he's not himself. Unfortunate. 

[ryafuji]

5 hours ago, Kaninoyama said:

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

I’m sure it’s the pressure of who he’s facing. Against anyone else Tochiozan would have just marched him straight out. Instead it’s “Oh my god I’m about to beat Hakuho I’d better not screw it up” and that hesitation allowed Hakuho the extra second or two to pull off the last ditch kotenage. (Also of course very few rikishi other than Hakuho would have been able to do the throw.)

[WAKATAKE]

If that recovery against Tochiozan doesn’t show you how Hakuho is the GOAT, I don’t know what will

[robnplunder]

Let's face it.  It was Hak's pure athleticism that saved the day.  As long as he has that, he will find a way to win even at his age when most martial athletes can't keep up with younger ones.  I hate Hak's antics but he is the GOAT.  I just hope someone stops his zensho in this basho.

[Rainoyama]

1 minute ago, robnplunder said:

Let's face it.  It was Hak's pure athleticism that saved the day.  As long as he has that, he will find a way to win even at his age when most martial athletes can't keep up with younger ones.  I hate Hak's antics but he is the GOAT.  I just hope someone stops his zensho in this basho.

I don't think he'll get a zensho, he only faced the usual joi victims (the more serious guy he faced is Hokutofuji...) and he was really dominant only against Shodai and Kaisei. He won the rest because he is the goat, even at his age, his talent, his technique, his experience and the fear he still strikes still make him way better that the average joi guy. He's probably going to win easily against Mitakeumi tomorow and maybe against Tamawashi but if he continues to play with the fire like he did today he'll pick a few losses against the top guys especially if they stay in the race.

[Amamaniac]

1 hour ago, Rainoyama said:

1 hour ago, robnplunder said:

Let's face it.  It was Hak's pure athleticism that saved the day.  As long as he has that, he will find a way to win even at his age when most martial athletes can't keep up with younger ones.  I hate Hak's antics but he is the GOAT.  I just hope someone stops his zensho in this basho.

I don't think he'll get a zensho, he only faced the usual joi victims (the more serious guy he faced is Hokutofuji...) and he was really dominant only against Shodai and Kaisei. He won the rest because he is the goat, even at his age, his talent, his technique, his experience and the fear he still strikes still make him way better that the average joi guy. He's probably going to win easily against Mitakeumi tomorow and maybe against Tamawashi but if he continues to play with the fire like he did today he'll pick a few losses against the top guys especially if they stay in the race.

The match I am dying to see is Hakuho vs Takakeisho.  Takakeisho upset Hakuho in the last tournament, and in rather convincing fashion.  Takakeisho is all business (that's what I respect about him), whereas at this stage in his career, Hakuho is relying on experience (i.e., heightened instinct).  Since he doesn't have the strength he once had, he is also resorting to all sorts of "antics" – not something to be proud of, for sure, but Hakuho is desperate to stay in sumo (i.e., remain a Yokozuna).  So will Hakuho have an answer to Takakeisho?  The way the Sekiwake has been shoving his (bigger) opponents out of the ring, it is clear that he has incredible strength.  Is their something Hakuho can do (since he hasn't been fighting on the belt as much recently)?  Or will we see Takakeisho with back-to-back wins against Hakuho?  Now that doesn't happen too often.

[WAKATAKE]

1 hour ago, Amamaniac said:

The match I am dying to see is Hakuho vs Takakeisho.  Takakeisho upset Hakuho in the last tournament, and in rather convincing fashion.  Takakeisho is all business (that's what I respect about him), whereas at this stage in his career, Hakuho is relying on experience (i.e., heightened instinct).  Since he doesn't have the strength he once had, he is also resorting to all sorts of "antics" – not something to be proud of, for sure, but Hakuho is desperate to stay in sumo (i.e., remain a Yokozuna).  So will Hakuho have an answer to Takakeisho?  The way the Sekiwake has been shoving his (bigger) opponents out of the ring, it is clear that he has incredible strength.  Is their something Hakuho can do (since he hasn't been fighting on the belt as much recently)?  Or will we see Takakeisho with back-to-back wins against Hakuho?  Now that doesn't happen too often.

The key to nullifying Takakeisho is getting inside on the mawashi or having a lower stance against him. We've seen that Mitakeumi clearly has this figured out on the mawashi side, while others like Goeido and Tamawashi have shown how to get it done without. Hakuho was injured last basho but getting onto the belt will win it for him against the youngster.

[neonbelly]

Hakuho's deep repertoire of wrestling technique means his decay in physical power won't be at a 1:1 ratio with his decay as a sumo competitor, and today's match was a demonstration of that.

Sumo is judged both aesthetically and competitively, so he'll catch flak for not always squaring up for yorikiri, or doing "Yokozuna sumo" or whatever, and hopefully that's consolation for the feelings he'll keep hurting 

[Amamaniac]

Just rewatched the Hakuho v. Tochiozan bout.  If, as Morty speculated, Tochiozan ran over Hakuho's dog ;-), then Tochiozan really got a dose of bad karma today.  Not only did he lose despite having the upper hand against Hakuho, but things kept going bad for the Kasugano man.  Upset about losing yet another contest against Hakuho where he had an excellent chance at a gold star, Tochiozan barely bowed before leaving the ring (frankly, I'm surprised Shikimori Inosuke didn't call him back to bow properly).  Then as he headed back to the shitakubeya, his tsukibito tried to take his sagari but failed, so Tochiozan had to remove it himself and hand it to him.  And to top everything off, when Tochiozan reached the public hallway in the stadium, most of the fans waiting there were holding up Goeido towels (making it clear that they were there to see Goeido, and not him).  Talk about eating humble pie...

Edited March 17, 2019 by Amamaniac

[Dwale]

3 hours ago, Amamaniac said:

The match I am dying to see is Hakuho vs Takakeisho.  Takakeisho upset Hakuho in the last tournament, and in rather convincing fashion.  Takakeisho is all business (that's what I respect about him), whereas at this stage in his career, Hakuho is relying on experience (i.e., heightened instinct).  Since he doesn't have the strength he once had, he is also resorting to all sorts of "antics" – not something to be proud of, for sure, but Hakuho is desperate to stay in sumo (i.e., remain a Yokozuna).  So will Hakuho have an answer to Takakeisho?  The way the Sekiwake has been shoving his (bigger) opponents out of the ring, it is clear that he has incredible strength.  Is their something Hakuho can do (since he hasn't been fighting on the belt as much recently)?  Or will we see Takakeisho with back-to-back wins against Hakuho?  Now that doesn't happen too often.

Hakuho isn't just an offensive powerhouse, his defense is also top-tier. Takakeisho is excellent with leverage and angle of attack, so he can push out anyone, regardless of size. But will he? All combat sport boils down to the mechanics of anatomy: where and when power can be applied in order to achieve victory. Takakeisho is good at this, but Hakuho is still the master. If the latter is on his game, Takakeisho stands little chance. The question is, "How on his game is Hakuho?" 

We'll see soon enough.

[Jakusotsu]

Don't they have any wheelchairs in Osaka? Poor Hakuyozan had to hobble out of the hall with a badly twisted ankle.

[Rainoyama]

That win from Enho today was incredible.

[robnplunder]

That was a near impossible win by Enho.   That little kid keeps on trucking.  

[robnplunder]

What's with Shimanoumi?   After toiling in lower divisions for years, he's 27-4 in the last 3 bashos in juryo and will be in Makuuchi in the next basho.   Is he taking steroid?  Did he make a deal with Lucifer?  Did he grew an inch?   Gained 20 lbs?   He looks strong enough to do well in Makuuchi as is.  

 

[Eikokurai]

1 hour ago, Rainoyama said:

That win from Enho today was incredible.

Yeah, I was expecting Tokushoryu to crush him but somehow Enho popped up, to the side and got the leg grip. Very nice recovery.

[Benihana]

On 14/03/2019 at 20:26, Benihana said:

Poldi probably is the most popular German Football player at the moment. He's a hero, but he always stayed the nice, humorous boy from the steel worker class neighbourhood. Absolutely down to earth, a guy you want to have as your buddy.

He scored his first goal this season and celebrated it with shiko 

http://www.spiegel.de/video/j-league-lukas-podolski-erzielt-erstes-saisontor-fuer-vissel-kobe-video-99025760.html

[Eikokurai]

Great bout between Ichinojo and Goeido. Ichinhojo is looking veeery good this basho.

[robnplunder]

Wow, Ichinojo!   Where have you been?  That was a strong Goeido he just threw down.  

[Akinomaki]

Goeido should have done a henka like Tochinoshin yesterday to get the best grip on Ichinojo.

[Eikokurai]

Well, Tochinoshin is doing his best to prove me wrong about his kachikoshi chances. He's not finding it easy (I mean, Shodai? Really?) but at 6-3 he's nicely poised to make the eight. I think now that he will scrape over the line.

[Gernobono]

15 minutes ago, Akinomaki said:

Goeido should have done a henka like Tochinoshin yesterday to get the best grip on Ichinojo.

he had some kind of morozashi just seconds before he was downed......

not ozeki-worthy from goeido

[robnplunder]

7 minutes ago, Gernobono said:

he had some kind of morozashi just seconds before he was downed......

not ozeki-worthy from goeido

Ichinojo's size helped him.   I've seen the size difference negating the moro-zashi more often than not.   Let's give the credit to Ichinojo.  He's a beast in this basho, beating a very strong Goeido.  

[Dwale]

Some great matches in sanyaku today. I'm not sure whether I prefer Ichinojo's win or Tochinoshin's, they were both excellent. That Tochinoshin match was just about more than my heart can take, holy crap. Takayasu v. Tamawashi was also a bit of a nail-biter. Great stuff.