2019 Kyushu Basho Discussion (spoiler alert)

[Otokonoyama]

31 minutes ago, Ryoshishokunin said:

Taping to avoid it is super-not cool.  Boxers can hit each other way harder with gloves than they can bare-knuckled because they don't cause themselves damage when they do.  Covering the hand in mittens of tape should have the same effect--one can hit people harder than he otherwise would.  (If for no other reason than tape is less pleasant than skin to get slapped with.)

To say "He" is sexist in the extreme. Trudeau would cook your (Canadian) bacon for such gendered language. This violates the very spirit of Bill C-16, and must be condemned in the strongest of terms.

[Kaminariyuki]

18 hours ago, Jakusotsu said:

http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Query_bout.aspx?show_form=0&group_by=kimarite&m=on&rowcount=5&onlyw1=on

Wow, that is awesome. Thanks!

I don't know if I've ever seen a kimarite labeled as "unknown," but maybe that's not done anymore?

[Kaminariyuki]

5 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

 

I had to play that back multiple times to see the back of Ura's hand touch before the leg of his opponent. Wow, that's really close officiating by the Shinpan in a Jonidan match. I'm impressed, with no digital review.

[Dwale]

Some good stuff today, but still no real yusho race unless someone can hand Hakuho a loss, which is looking ever more remote by the day. Still within the realm of possibility, however. I thought it was a little strange to see Hakuho rely so heavily on brawn to secure that victory. While it's always been obvious that he's enormously strong, his technique is so good that you usually don't notice or think about it? Or something. I don't know. Just seemed a little odd to me.

I did get a kick out of Okinoumi playing mind games with Abi. I reckon it did dawn on Abi what was about to happen, but too late to do anything about it. So it goes.

Mitakeumi. 

[ryafuji]

18 hours ago, Jakusotsu said:

Expanding on this: What?!?!?

 

[Amamaniac]

2 hours ago, Otokonoyama said:

2 hours ago, Ryoshishokunin said:

Taping to avoid it is super-not cool.  Boxers can hit each other way harder with gloves than they can bare-knuckled because they don't cause themselves damage when they do.  Covering the hand in mittens of tape should have the same effect--one can hit people harder than he otherwise would.  (If for no other reason than tape is less pleasant than skin to get slapped with.)

To say "He" is sexist in the extreme. Trudeau would cook your (Canadian) bacon for such gendered language. This violates the very spirit of Bill C-16, and must be condemned in the strongest of terms.

Using "She", perhaps? 

Edited November 20, 2019 by Amamaniac

[lackmaker]

7 hours ago, Eikokurai said:

Of course, this means there’s very little drama to be played out over the final four days. The yusho is Hakuho’s to lose, which he won’t, and there isn’t much else going on.

There's always something of interest. Just how the junior sanyaku rankings will play out is enough to keep me watching. 

[Amamaniac]

41 minutes ago, Kaminariyuki said:

6 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

 

I had to play that back multiple times to see the back of Ura's hand touch before the leg of his opponent. Wow, that's really close officiating by the Shinpan in a Jonidan match. I'm impressed, with no digital review.

I am less convinced that the right decision was made here (full disclosure: I am an Ura fan).  Despite the fact that Ura's forearm (手 hand, whatever) touched down before Chiyo Tora hit the dirt, in my opinion, Ura was initiating the attack and Chiyo Tora was in the air (i.e., falling) before Ura's right foot left the surface of the dohyo.

So I say "gunbaidori"!  (Ura was robbed!)

But I love this video for the following reasons:

1) Shinpan Futagoyama loses his slipper when he steps into the ring

2) Ura heads back down the hanamichi, before realising that he had left his sagari cords behind in the corner

3) Last, but not least, the banter between the man and woman filming this bout really adds to the atmosphere of a near empty stadium

[Jakusotsu]

 

6 hours ago, Eikokurai said:

Taping to protect an injury is a valid reason; taping to avoid it? I’m not so sure. Generally people wear supports on joints that are already injured. Perhaps he is doing that, but then his hands have been hurt for a very long time.

 

5 hours ago, Rainoyama said:

When the fingers are tapped together there's a lower chance to bend one of them awkwardly while slapping plus as you said it can support an already injured finger

Urban legend has it that the fingers are taped together to avoid poking the opponent's eyes. At least that's what they told us with Chiyotaikai.

 

 

1 hour ago, Kaminariyuki said:

I don't know if I've ever seen a kimarite labeled as "unknown," but maybe that's not done anymore?

That's just incomplete data in the Doitsubase.

[Sue]

Where's Waldo? In the front row today, over to the left of the dohyo.

[Giku Squad]

20 hours ago, Amamaniac said:

Is that because the "Giku" isn't giving his Squad much to cheer about?  An MK is definitely not cheer-worthy. 

Yeah :/ Giku is having a rough go, I was excited about it because Makushita had some good bouts set up, the 4 5-0 going at it etc.

[CT3*]

27 minutes ago, Sue said:

Where's Waldo? In the front row today, over to the left of the dohyo.

Ha! I literally had the same thought when I saw that guy.

[Amamaniac]

33 minutes ago, Giku Squad said:

Yeah :/ Giku is having a rough go

At least he got a white star victory over Chiyotairyu today, and there might have been a few more kensho than usual on that bout! 

[Philioyamfugi]

I wish they could bring up Terinofuji now  to have a crack at the Hak. It's not over till it's over. Ishura has been doing some great sumo. And congrats to Kagayaki for a long overdue KK. 

[Sue]

6 minutes ago, Philioyamfugi said:

I wish they could bring up Terinofuji now  to have a crack at the Hak. 

He's having a better comeback than I expected, but winning a Makushita yusho and contending in Makuuchi are two very different things.

Edited November 20, 2019 by Sue

[lackmaker]

I understand people are disappointed in the yusho race but Terunofuji, seriously?

[Dwale]

43 minutes ago, Philioyamfugi said:

I wish they could bring up Terinofuji now  to have a crack at the Hak. It's not over till it's over. Ishura has been doing some great sumo. And congrats to Kagayaki for a long overdue KK. 

Peak Terunofuji was a serious threat to Hakuho (along with the rest of makuuchi). But while I hold out hold out hope of seeing him return to the top division someday, he is not that same monster he once was.

[neonbelly]

6 hours ago, Amamaniac said:

I am less convinced that the right decision was made here (full disclosure: I am an Ura fan).  Despite the fact that Ura's forearm (手 hand, whatever) touched down before Chiyo Tora hit the dirt, in my opinion, Ura was initiating the attack and Chiyo Tora was in the air (i.e., falling) before Ura's right foot left the surface of the dohyo.

So I say "gunbaidori"!  (Ura was robbed!)

But I love this video for the following reasons:

1) Shinpan Futagoyama loses his slipper when he steps into the ring

2) Ura heads back down the hanamichi, before realising that he had left his sagari cords behind in the corner

3) Last, but not least, the banter between the man and woman filming this bout really adds to the atmosphere of a near empty stadium

If this was scored as a win for Ura, guys would be shooting single legs and double legs all day in Sumo. The fact that you never see guys shoot on the legs in sumo ("leg pulls" are different) suggests that losing in such a way when using such a technique is conventional.

[sumojoann]

8 hours ago, Ryoshishokunin said:

Taping to avoid it is super-not cool.  Boxers can hit each other way harder with gloves than they can bare-knuckled because they don't cause themselves damage when they do.  Covering the hand in mittens of tape should have the same effect--one can hit people harder than he otherwise would.  (If for no other reason than tape is less pleasant than skin to get slapped with.)

I have to agree.  Kotoyuki has always taped his fingers into mittens as long as I have watched him wrestle.  It seems to add greater power to his slaps and nodowa, giving him an unfair advantage.  I'm surprised it hasn't been stopped.

[Amamaniac]

Even if Asanoyama wins his last four bouts, his total for 2019 will only be 57 wins, two fewer than Tochinoshin, who had the most wins in 2018 with 59.  Much was made about the low total last year.  This year will be even worse!  Furthermore, this is the second year in a row that neither Yokozuna nor Ozeki has been able to get the most wins (as they are supposed to).  How many reminders do we need to realise that the old guard is in decline?

[Kaninoyama]

38 minutes ago, sumojoann said:

I have to agree.  Kotoyuki has always taped his fingers into mittens as long as I have watched him wrestle.  It seems to add greater power to his slaps and nodowa, giving him an unfair advantage.  I'm surprised it hasn't been stopped.

Mainoumi and other announcers have conversely noted that in taping his hands thus, he also eliminates any possibility of grappling his opponent whatsoever. So he is effectively restricting himself to only one way of doing sumo--pushing and thrusting.

Maybe this restriction evens out his advantage somewhat?

[Eikokurai]

14 minutes ago, Kaninoyama said:

Mainoumi and other announcers have conversely noted that in taping his hands thus, he also eliminates any possibility of grappling his opponent whatsoever. So he is effectively restricting himself to only one way of doing sumo--pushing and thrusting.

Maybe this restriction evens out his advantage somewhat?

Yes, this seems obvious to me. He’s basically fighting with flippers and penguins don’t have great belt grips.

Besides, even with the “advantage” he’s not that good. I think the main concern is the potential to hurt his opponent. He’s basically slapping people with plastic.

[Katooshu]

Heck, makushita, makuuchi, whatever...it's great to see Teru succeeding again and looking strong and so close to sekitorihood. He persisted when it looked like his career was finished 

Of course please don't bring him up vs Hak though, he still needs that 7th win!

Edited November 21, 2019 by Katooshu

[neonbelly]

1 hour ago, sumojoann said:

I have to agree.  Kotoyuki has always taped his fingers into mittens as long as I have watched him wrestle.  It seems to add greater power to his slaps and nodowa, giving him an unfair advantage.  I'm surprised it hasn't been stopped.

Everyone is free to do it.

[specialweek 2]

9 hours ago, Otokonoyama said:

To say "He" is sexist in the extreme. Trudeau would cook your (Canadian) bacon for such gendered language. This violates the very spirit of Bill C-16, and must be condemned in the strongest of terms.

What are you smoking?