English Commentary on NHK

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

A sign of brighter times ahead?

http://youtu.be/kJB_zLUUSuI

Edited July 15, 2012 by Otokonoyama

[Torabayama 51]

Yes!

[Shibata-gumi 1]

ah man I miss having the NHK english commentary...always so informative. I also was never impressed by Kisenosato or Goeido, and have to agree with how BOTH Murray and John focused on the negatives of both rikishi (inconsistancy, lack of mental strength under pressure etc etc). TBH I have kinda passed over them and am now focusing on the "next gen" of Japanese rikishi inclduign Myogiryu and Chiyotairyu.

[Asashosakari 19,667]

  On 15/07/2012 at 21:39, Shibata-gumi said:

TBH I have kinda passed over them and am now focusing on the "next gen" of Japanese rikishi inclduign Myogiryu and Chiyotairyu.

Goeido and Myogiryu were actually high school classmates...

[yorikiried by fate 2,029]

Interesting to have MJ say so clearly that he didn't expect Kotoshogiku and Kisenosato make it to Ozeki. And that he felt it might be undeserved.

[smartass stuff: The 2,5 years of not being able to reach Sekiwake after Komusubi debut for Kisenosato were bad banzuke luck. Five KK from Komusubi, but no space to move up.]

Edited July 16, 2012 by yorikiried by fate

[Kotononami 86]

Is there a streaming link where we can watch NHK with english commentary?

[Shibata-gumi 1]

Goeido and Myogiryu were actually high school classmates...

True but Myogiryu didnt start his pro career till like four years later...I still consider him a generation below Goeido (thats four years less abuse on the body)

[Asashosakari 19,667]

  On 16/07/2012 at 14:24, Shibata-gumi said:

True but Myogiryu didnt start his pro career till like four years later...I still consider him a generation below Goeido (thats four years less abuse on the body)

My point is that the only way in which Myogiryu is a "different generation" from Goeido is that he's not yet had the time to bounce off the ozeki/sekiwake glass ceiling. That's a distinction without difference, as far as I'm concerned, unless one believes that starting Ozumo out of college makes a rikishi a late bloomer by definition. (If there's evidence for that, I haven't seen it.)

And I think you're underestimating the amount of training and all-around physical effort that are required during four years in a top-tier university sumo club. "Less abuse" sounds particularly odd if we consider that Myogiryu had a big knee injury shortly before turning pro, and an even more severe one during his pro career already. In the injury tally he's well ahead of Goeido.

Edited July 16, 2012 by Asashosakari

[Kuroyama 715]

  On 16/07/2012 at 06:33, Nishinoshima said:

Kisenosato for yokozuna. Goeido for ozeki. Yes I thought I'd play it safe and conservative as it was my first time. ;-)

I promise to train harder and do my own style of sumo (commentary) next time.

Spoken like a true sumo professional!

[NYC Fan 1]

I'm a bit slow on the uptake here... but does Nishinoshima = John Gunning? If so, I really enjoyed your commentary. I'm a big fan of MJ and always enjoy when he's commentating (is that a word?) with someone of similar ilk, for example Doreen (and now you). I think the two of you had a good balance, and I look forward to your next time on air whoever you're paired with.

[shumitto 418]

Don't wanna meddle here but Goeido was fully taped today. Ichihara (Kiyoseumi) and Myogiryu are but two of college entrants who have joined pro-sumo with considerable injury records, among not a few. Their advantage, if anything, are the fewer years of work in the lower divisions.

Edited July 16, 2012 by shumitto

[TheMightyTim 1]

Is there anywhere you can watch a live streaming of the English commentary?

[Kaikitsune Makoto 209]

Mr Gunning can bring more in depth knowledge about sumo details and add some spice to NHK's English coverage. Hopefully a recurring event this. Be well.

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

A clip of the first 15 minutes of the portion of the broadcast with English commentary (starting with the yokozuna dohyo-iri) can be viewed on the same Youtube channel.

[kuroimori 1,634]

  On 17/07/2012 at 10:39, Otokonoyama said:

A clip of the first 15 minutes of the portion of the broadcast with English commentary (starting with the yokozuna dohyo-iri) can be viewed on the same Youtube channel.

Thanks for the hint, good to hear some English commentators for a change, Murray always was one my favorites.

Although I really like the Japanese "announcers" routine (watching through KeyholeTV), but there you would never hear any exchange of opinions about whether a (Japanese) rikishi deserved ozeki promotion. Totally different tate-mae free concept. I hope they don't get reprimanded for going against the flow of the "Kisenosato will be the next Yokozuna" media campaign nonsense...

Edited July 17, 2012 by kuroimori

[Shibata-gumi 1]

Then here is my question Asashosakari, I am by far NO sumo expert (just a huge fan), how would you divide generation or "classes" in sumo? Do u divide them by age (which it seems you are) or by the time they debut. Becuase than would you say a guy like Daido (born in 1982) who started his pro career in 2005 be ranked in a group with Tamaasuka (born 1983, pro debut 1998), Hochiyama (born 1982, debut 2000) and Kitataiki (born in 1982, debut in 1998)? Or be in a group of guys who debuted around the same time he did regardless of age (like Goeido, Tochiozan, Gagamaru, Toyohibiki and Okinoumi all who debuted in 2005)?

Im just curious as to how that would work out.

[Asashosakari 19,667]

  On 17/07/2012 at 15:34, Shibata-gumi said:

Then here is my question Asashosakari, I am by far NO sumo expert (just a huge fan), how would you divide generation or "classes" in sumo? Do u divide them by age (which it seems you are) or by the time they debut. Becuase than would you say a guy like Daido (born in 1982) who started his pro career in 2005 be ranked in a group with Tamaasuka (born 1983, pro debut 1998), Hochiyama (born 1982, debut 2000) and Kitataiki (born in 1982, debut in 1998)? Or be in a group of guys who debuted around the same time he did regardless of age (like Goeido, Tochiozan, Gagamaru, Toyohibiki and Okinoumi all who debuted in 2005)?

Im just curious as to how that would work out.

Sorry, I forgot to answer your question... :-| A couple of things - I'm not sure if grouping rikishi by "generations" is all that useful except possibly at the very top (regular sanyaku rikishi). To take two of the rikishi you mentioned: Are Hochiyama and Kitataiki part of the same generation? (They're one school year apart, despite both being born in 1982, and two debut years as you mentioned.) For 99% of those asked, I suspect the answer would be "Who cares?" The rankings are too fluid for it to really matter, six months from now Hochiyama and Kitataiki might be 20 ranks apart and nobody's going to bother thinking of them as one generation even if it's appropriate.

The two things that do matter to the rikishi themselves, as far as I can tell, are: 1) Rikishi from the same school class year (April to March). Even if they turned pro at different times, rikishi who have experience competing against each other in middle or high school often tend to think of each other as rivals, especially if they're from the same region of Japan. And 2) Rikishi who turned pro in the exact same basho (not only same year), no matter their ages. I suspect that's mostly because of the shared experience of going through the sumo school together (and to a lesser degree, appearing together in maezumo and the first jonokuchi basho). Other than that, it's all more about OB network type things (two rikishi from the same high school, or same university), or who's regularly training with whom (e.g. Wakamisho/Osunaarashi), not about ages.

Edited July 20, 2012 by Asashosakari

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

This basho he was a guest on Day 1.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYwOdK12YJs&feature=player_embedded

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

Any news of a Kyushu basho guest spot for Nish?

[specialweek 2 136]

You can count him as a regular so no wondering if he has a spot each basho. This time day 15.