Kotooshu dodges a bullet again

[maxim]

For the second time in as many tournaments, Kotooshu has managed to avoid demotion from Ozeki in the last possible moment. I must give him credit for not sitting out the last bouts against Chiyotaikai and Tochiazuma repectively in Natsu and Nagoya basho, ignoring the trauma and winning both matches.

Which brings me to the question - how can you win against very strong Ozeki and other great fighters like Miyabiyama, and in the same time lose against fairly weak opponents?

September is maybe his best month, remember he got 13-2 last year. I really hope we see a genuine, healthy, determined Kotooshu next tournament.

Edited July 23, 2006 by maxim

[Peterao]

Actually, he's never had to worry about demotion from ozeki. He's only had to worry about becoming a kadoban ozeki.

My opinion is that he's just been doing too many commercials and PR appearences, and not enough keiko. The Israel jungyo may have taken some starch out of his preparations as well. Hopefully he will get back on track soon.

[mokele]

Although I have a strong preference for technically sound, muscular and athletic rikishi, conventional wisdom in sumo has always been that a rikishi should carry a comfortable amount of fat in order to hold his ground in gappuri-yotsu or oshi battles. Kotooshu has very little excess weight at all, maybe only 20 or 30 lbs. I honestly think that he would have far fewer close shaves like he had this basho if he were a bit heavier, maybe by 20 lbs. or so. Then if he was suffering from a minor injury he could still win some of the bouts that he is losing even without a great tachi-ai. At his current weight he desperately needs a strong tachi-ai or else he ends up pushed back or thrown down.

Furthermore he almost never uses tsuppari. A man of 6'8" should use tsuppari occasionally against select rikishi, partly for surprise and partly to gain an early advantage in order to get a favorable belt grip. It would make some of his bouts easier. Personally I like Kotooshu and his clean, classical yotsu-zumo style, but I see no harm if he puts on a few pounds and uses a bit of tsuppari once in awhile.

[Avitohol]

For the second time in as many tournaments, Kotooshu has managed to avoid demotion from Ozeki in the last possible moment. I must give him credit for not sitting out the last bouts against Chiyotaikai and Tochiazuma repectively in Natsu and Nagoya basho, ignoring the trauma and winning both matches.

Which brings me to the question - how can you win against very strong Ozeki and other great fighters like Miyabiyama, and in the same time lose against fairly weak opponents?

September is maybe his best month, remember he got 13-2 last year. I really hope we see a genuine, healthy, determined Kotooshu next tournament.

he did not avoid demotion he escaped kadoban, again :'-(

[Joeblack]

Some sort of fixing is going on.....I can feel it.

[SalParadise]

When Kotooshuu was coming up, he used his long reach to get a quick grip, and his height to either create leverage in hauling them out, or his strength for a quick uwatenage (or the occasional shitatenage). This basho he was absolutely miserable at getting that grip. I don't know if it's nerves, the change of oyakata and training regimen, loss of head on the dohyo or what, but the difference is obvious. He lost once this basho when getting that grip, and it was against baruto, the one rikishi who has the height, weight, and reach to challenge him in his strengths.

If he comes back at tachiai with that left hand outside that got him to where he is, I don't think he'll have many problems. He only managed it in around a fifth of his bouts this tournament, which was a serious handicap to the old sumo motto of 'doing my own type of sumo.'

He managed his kachikoshi, and he did it dramatically on the last day. Here's to hoping he goes 15-0 or 14-1 next basho and shows Hakuho that he's not the only young Ozeki.

[maxim]

SalParadise, shitatenage and uwatenage also require strong legs which Kotooshu hasn't had the previous two tournaments.

[SalParadise]

Everything requires strong legs in sumo. Some techniques more than others. It isn't the performance of the throw that he's been failing with, it's getting the grip. If he were getting the grip and failing to demonstrate that he had the power for the throw, I could understand the concern. Since he's just floundering from the tachiai, and winning by luck or gumption (I can't tell which), it's harder to tell if it's a power issue, or a technique issue, or simply a mental issue (with pressure).

This is like me saying that you need charisma to be a successful presidential candidate in the US, and despite not seeing you on TV/in real life to determine you charisma, I state that it isn't that you'd be a bad president, just that you lack charisma maybe.

In other words, it's rather, well, away from any solid reality that would be a consistent basis for judgment.

Edited July 23, 2006 by SalParadise

[maxim]

Hatakikomi doesn't require leg strength and that's what Kotooshu has been relying a lot on lately. Another interesting thing I found in the archives is that in 2004 (the year he got 4 consecutive kachikoshis) his favorite technique was Uwatenage and now he uses it rarely. Maybe because side thrusts put tremendous pressure on a single leg. Just a guess, of course.

[Sashohitowa]

...

I don't know if it's nerves, the change of oyakata and training regimen, loss of head on the dohyo or what, but the difference is obvious.

Hmm.. Change of oyakata is something I haven't considered - but sounds reasonable indeed....

Anyway, I am really glad that for second consecutive basho Kotooshu wins the two last bouts and avoids kadoban. And also hope that in September he'll be in better health and show us some of his "forgotten" techniques.

And that will be done a lot keiko - like he promissed:-)

[Hananotaka]

Everything requires strong legs in sumo. Some techniques more than others. It isn't the performance of the throw that he's been failing with, it's getting the grip. If he were getting the grip and failing to demonstrate that he had the power for the throw, I could understand the concern. Since he's just floundering from the tachiai, and winning by luck or gumption (I can't tell which), it's harder to tell if it's a power issue, or a technique issue, or simply a mental issue (with pressure).

This is like me saying that you need charisma to be a successful presidential candidate in the US, and despite not seeing you on TV/in real life to determine you charisma, I state that it isn't that you'd be a bad president, just that you lack charisma maybe.

In other words, it's rather, well, away from any solid reality that would be a consistent basis for judgment.

The primary requirement of strong legs in sumo is to stand your ground, and it seems to me that this has indeed been Kotooushuu's problem this tournament. And indeed, it is almost certainly the reason why he can't get the grip you mention. If you can't control the area between the shikiri lines, you can't get the grip you want, unless you're a defensive sumo specialist (like Takanonami, and possibly Baruto). I think Oushuu's knee is preventing him from establishing strong tachiai wherein he can set-up his desired position, and I think it's preventing him from holding his ground and keeping his footing versus strong, quick opponents. In particular, he showed a marked inability to recover whenever an opponent attempted a throw.

[Asojima]

I am looking at the Aki basho as a watershed point for Osh. He supposedly had a back injury going into the last Aki which resulted in some very erattic (bizarre) tactics. Since then he has suffered an ankle and a knee injury. As a result, he has now spent a year compensating for injuries during the basho and doing minimal effective keiko between bashos to keep from aggravating his injuries. He has to regain both the physical and mental sharpness that got him to the ozeki level. If he doesn't do it for Aki, I fear that he will slip more or less permanently into the "do what I can to get my 8" attitude of the three older ozekis.

Edited July 23, 2006 by Asojima

[Senpai]

Watching him like that losing and winning to get a kachi-koshi on the edge, makes me wonder .. Will there be a possibility that in one basho he won't get his 8 and will drop out of ozekihood soon? And with performances like that is he able to get back if not get time out to heal hes injuries fully?

[SalParadise]

He'd have to have a losing record two basho in a row. Yes, it looks bad currently, since he's had two straight tournaments where he barely eked out a winning record. However, it doesn't seem that he is likely to drop two in a row. He's had a single losing record in his career. Having two in a row in the near future, barring a serious injury, is unthinkable if you ask me.

[Jonosuke]

You go away for a bit over a week and the whole world changes....first Shea Hillenbrand got shipped to San Fran...wait, that's a wrong forum.

When I first read this thread topic I thought Kotooshu got ambushed by a gunman as I was reading a story about him getting a threatening phone call on July 22.

Apparently security around him was tightened as police officers surrounded him when he was entering into the venue on that day as well as they had a couple of police officers with bullet proof jackets guarding the dressing room.

The question I had was what he did to deserve such a phone call, obviously not for pointing out the wrong footwear someone was wearing.

[kaiguma]

I for one can't wait for a healthy Kotooshu in Aki! (finger's crossed) All you have to do is scope the bandages - Osh is too young to fake injuries and he's still sporting an enormous ankle brace or ace bandage. You can't always see it on feeds, or even the video captures of digest, because it is the same color as his skin.

[Only old fools like Tamanoshima, and sometimes Chiyotaikai?, wear bandages well after injuries heal. Tama grabs his right elbow and grimaces nearly every time he is forced out in an embarassing way, and almost never when he wins, even with the right arm! Did anyone notice that after the bandage fell off during one of the bouts he stopped wearing it? I might have imagined that though . . . sorry this is all :-) ]

My point is: the recurring injuries are the root of all of his troubles. Yes they are taking their toll on his geiko, his nerves, his muscle mass, his body weight, his confidence, his everything . . . but make no mistake he would be in the yusho race every basho were it not for the knee and now the ankle. It's really amazing that he's held on for 3 consecutive basho without MK. When his leg heals completely we will get the old Osh back. I think he should sit out Aki and do nothing but physical therapy and strength training, relax, eat lots of chanko nabe to bulk up, and then do plenty of geiko on two good legs before the kyushu basho. After all, as Ozeki he has that luxury, maybe even a responsibility?, to take care of himself so he can do the rank justice.

[Guest netko]

Knee and ankle injuries of Kotooshu are healed and after two tournaments where he was at the edge of having a loosing result now I think he will perform much more better.

He starts against Maegashira Tamanoshima in Day 1 hopefully with a win.

[Phoenix]

I hope he does much better this time! This last minute KK is making me old (er)! (Nodding yes...)

[yamaneko]

I think it has to do with how taped up his ankles and knee are. His last 4+ dissapointing basho he has completely been taped up due to injuries...lets see how injured he is to start off...

[kotooshu_bulgaria]

Kotooshu is not injured anymore according to his own words, so he does not have an excuse anymore, therefore he has to perform like a strong ozeki, such as Hakuho. It was also interesting to see that he has gained a couple of kilos since May and is now listed at 150 kg. Rounding up the belly or putting some extra muscle on for swiftness? We will see on the first day, which is traditionally bad for Kotooshu as he has started three out of his four tournaments as ozeki with a loss...

[yamaneko]

he is still taped up on the right leg. However, his body language seems a LOT better than last few bashos, he does look stronger, more balanced. Looked pretty good in his win today.

Tomorrow will tell though...today wasnt THAT much of a test.

[Guest netko]

I am very happy to see the good start of Kotooshu and I hope he would not have problems tomorrow to reach 3-0.

[yamaneko]

kotooshu looked terrible today, getting his gluteus maximus handed to him by Aminishiki. I really dont know what happened. Like he couldnt decide what to do.....Didnt look like it was the result of any injury, just bad decision making from the tachiai on..

[yamaneko]

Dont look now but it looks like someones shot a bullet straight at kotooshu and hes really going to have to pull a matrix to dodge this one.

Hes sitting on a 5-4 record right now and has to face red hot roho today.

He also has bouts remaining, if im not mistaken with Chiyotaikai, hakuho, asashoryu, and Baruto, and someone to replace kaio.

with the sumo he has shown the last few days i would actually have kotooshu as the UNDERDOG in ALL of those fights except maybe if he goes against a maegashira guy to replace kaio. Its going to be very hard for him to pick up 3 wins unless he changes the sumo hes been doing lately.

Anyone predicting makekoshi for kotooshu?

[SalParadise]

I don't know what's wrong with him. Ever since reaching Ozeki he has seemed absolutely incapable of getting his favoured grip, or really any grip at all. He hits semi-high at the tachiai, fumbles around, gets thrown left and right by mobile rikishi, or pounded back by the powerful, and manages a win only through kismet or dumb-luck.

When he does get that grip, he hurls his opponent like nobody's business, but without it he looks like a lame duck flailing less powerfully than Miyabiyama.

Despite all this, I can't predict a makekoshi. It's possible, mind you, but the man has gotten a single make-koshi his entire sumo career, and that was at shin-komosubi. That's pretty impressive. He seems to have hit a barrier to progress, but I think he'll be able to stay stable eking out a kachikoshi.

(now watch me be proven absolutely wrong by having him go on a rampgage and win his next 5 bouts by getting his preferred grip and manhandling the opposition from the solid tachiai on)