March basho 2021

[Seiyashi]

Just now, Thorbjarn said:

Kotoshoho returns and picks up a win. He probably needs to win out to have a chance of staying in Makuuchi with 4-3-8, right? 

That's right, and even then it's a slim chance, but with Kakuryu's retirement there's a bit more room. It does, in theory, make it easier for him even if he drops to juryo because minimal kachikoshis will bring him back up, but the question is always whether it's worth the risk of aggravating the injury.

[Thorbjarn]

Yeah, I agree about the injury part. I'm hopeful it's nothing too bad, but he still has a lot of time on the career clock, so he should really just nurse the injuries as much as possible. 

[Tigerboy1966]

Looked to me like Akiseyama's belly landed simultaneously with Hoshoryu's foot, but no mono-ii. Maybe because the best-placed judge had to take evasive action.

[Seiyashi]

3 minutes ago, Tigerboy1966 said:

Looked to me like Akiseyama's belly landed simultaneously with Hoshoryu's foot, but no mono-ii. Maybe because the best-placed judge had to take evasive action.

Murray covered this on the broadcast; Akiseyama was clearly on the offensive and Hoshoryu clearly on the way out. I don't understand the dead body rule with enough clarity to attempt to embarrass myself with it, but to me that's what it looked like was happening.

Midorifuji still on the dohyo with that ankle heavily taped. I hope Ichinojo takes pity on him and makes it brief. EDIT: he did, after the manner of Terunofuji v Mitakeumi.

Edited March 25, 2021 by Seiyashi

[Karasukurai]

10 hours ago, Amamaniac said:

At the risk of stirring the pot, let me weigh in on the issue from a purely numeric viewpoint.

Stir away my friend! This is what I like about this forum it can go from 'yay my favourite guy won' to statistical analysis; there's even evidence of tolerance and politeness (from most)

[Hakuryuho]

16 hours ago, lackmaker said:

He's certainly a reason to be cheerful, but let's not provoke the gods of Sumo by saying "that's for sure".

Speak for yourself, Hoshoryu‘s going to the moon 

Edited March 25, 2021 by Hakuryuho

[Seiyashi]

31 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

Tobizaru has Meisei today and Aoiyama tomorrow (first time meeting vs Aoiyama). The results of these two bouts will determine whether he gets sprung up to face Takayasu or otherwise.

Tobizaru falling one off the pace for now after his loss to Meisei, who joins him at 8-4. Both men will need the entire arasoi to lose today to be back in with a chance.

[Seiyashi]

Onosho not showing this tournament either, down to 2-10 after a very long bout against Kiribayama which he spent the majority of in yotsu for some inexplicable reason. If not for the fusen and that odd win against Terunofuji, he would be equalling his horror unwinning start from last July.

Takayasu has a lovely parry of one of Hokutofuji's full power thrusts, and sends him careening past and out. With Asanoyama and Terunofuji all but guaranteed to fight, he only has one more potential chaser if he can stay perfect.

[Thorbjarn]

Takayasu with a very calm and collective bout. He seemed less nervous than I was. 

[Seiyashi]

Very odd bout between Daieisho and Wakatakakage, called as hatakikomi. Daieisho sort of did get slapped forwards and down by Wakatakakage; he managed to stay upright but failed to arrest his forward momentum and blundered straight out of the ring. Murray was ready to call it tsukiotoshi, and for my part it looked more like isamiashi.

[Eikokurai]

Wakatakakage wins to get his kachikoshi (8-4) and edge ahead of Hokutofuji, his main challenger for either M1e or a Komusubi slot, the availability of which is going to the wire. Daieisho is 6-6 and Mitakeumi is now 5-7. Asanoyama moves to 9-3 and is firmly in the yusho race.

Terunofuji survives Tamawashi to win his 33rd bout in three basho, though common wisdom says he needs at least one more win to make promotion certain.

 

Edited March 25, 2021 by Eikokurai

[Thorbjarn]

Terunofuji might will himself to Ozeki once more (and maybe even another Yusho), but his knees seem to really trouble him. 

Asanoyama stays in the hunt, which is of course respectable. It will be interesting to see if he can stop Terunofuji this time. 

[Seiyashi]

Tamawashi thrusts himself down against Terunofuji to keep Terunofuji in the yusho race. Asanoyama blitzes Mitakeumi right from the tachiai to resolve their bout quickly by yorikiri; he's never looked more yokozuna-like than here. So this leaves the ozeki and ozeki potentiate chasing the once and possibly future ozeki. By day 14, if Takayasu hasn't dropped any more bouts, he'll only have one more pursuer left since they'll have eliminated each other.

[bessantj]

Just now, Thorbjarn said:

Terunofuji might will himself to Ozeki once more (and maybe even another Yusho), but his knees seem to really trouble him.

I did worry that he was going to give up the fight to protect his knees at one point. Did well to win it in the end. 

[Seiyashi]

Shodai going 7-5 and within striking distance of KK and staving off kadoban. That said, Takanosho seems to be getting sloppier and wilder with his sumo as the basho goes on.

Takakeisho clears kadoban with a stubborn bullrush of troubled Okinoumi. That gets all our ozeki almost out of trouble before they have to start dismembering each other.

 

[Eikokurai]

Funny how little attention there’s been on how poorly both M1s are doing this time: Takarafuji and Onosho are 2-10. My database query tells me this is the first basho since July 2017 in which both M1s got double-digit MKs. Those two ended up okay though: it was Shodai and Takakeisho (both 5-10). 
 

http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Query.aspx?show_form=0&group_by=basho&having=2&form1_rank=M1&form1_losses=10-15

Edited March 25, 2021 by Eikokurai

[Thorbjarn]

Shodai has bounced back quite well and might even avoid kadoban. I was quite sure that he would have been makekoshi by now with the way he looked around Day 6.

Takakeisho clears kadoban with some room to spare, that's a good thing. 

Funny how after ten days with at least one Ozeki losing every day we get back to back sweeps from them. 

[Eikokurai]

Takakeisho clears kadoban.

[Seiyashi]

20 minutes ago, Eikokurai said:

Funny how little attention there’s been on how poorly both M1s are doing this time: Takarafuji and Onosho are 2-10. My database query tells me this is the first basho since July 2017 in which both M1s got double-digit MKs. Those two ended up okay though: it was Shodai and Takakeisho (both 5-10). 

So does that mean we know who our next two ozeki are (after Takayasu and Terunofuji)?

[Jakusotsu]

The only rikishi to have ever climbed back to Ozeki the "hard way" (in the modern era) was Kaiketsu. Did he also receive a messenger delegation from the Kyokai twice? Meaning, would Terunofuji get a second visit on Wednesday?

[Eikokurai]

6 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

So does that mean we know who our next two ozeki are (after Takayasu and Terunofuji)?

Yes, I thinks that’s how it works. I believe it’s 33 losses over three tournaments and then promotion. I’m still new to sumo so maybe one of the old hands can confirm. 

[Seiyashi]

5 minutes ago, Jakusotsu said:

The only rikishi to have ever climbed back to Ozeki the "hard way" (in the modern era) was Kaiketsu. Did he also receive a messenger delegation from the Kyokai twice? Meaning, would Terunofuji get a second visit on Wednesday?

According to NHK's research, Kaiketsu did get the delegation again. But no ozekiwake have gotten the delegation. The closest to an official answer was the non-answer by Oguruma, commentating that day, who said they didn't know and they'll wait and see.

Courtesy of Herouth on Twitter: ヘルット (BASHO SPOILERS!) on Twitter: "Announcer asks Oguruma: "When Kaiketsu returned to Ozeki, he got a second promotion ceremony. Nowadays when returning from Sekiwake to Ozeki, there is no ceremony. What about the case of Terunofuji?" Oguruma: "There is no policy. If it happens, we will discuss and decide"." / Twitter

[Seiyashi]

1 minute ago, Eikokurai said:

9 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

So does that mean we know who our next two ozeki are (after Takayasu and Terunofuji)?

Yes, I thinks that’s how it works. I believe it’s 33 losses over three tournaments and then promotion. I’m still new to sumo so maybe one of the old hands can confirm. 

I should have added a smiley emoji, I really was too serious there...

[Eikokurai]

6 minutes ago, Jakusotsu said:

The only rikishi to have ever climbed back to Ozeki the "hard way" (in the modern era) was Kaiketsu. Did he also receive a messenger delegation from the Kyokai twice? Meaning, would Terunofuji get a second visit on Wednesday?

I believe he did. I’ve a vague memory of seeing it in the sumo documentary series that I’ve momentarily forgotten the name of but which recaps sumo history a few years at a time.

[Eikokurai]

Just now, Seiyashi said:

I should have added a smiley emoji, I really was too serious there...

I know you were joking. I hope you didn’t think my answer was genuine. I’m not that dumb!