Basho Talk Haru 2015

[CT3* 331]

Short but brutal clash between Kyokushuuhou and Amuuru. Right kachi-age to the face and then a hard two handed pull down from the back of Amuuru's head. I immediately thought that if Oosunaarashi won in the exact same manner, there'd be some whining and complaining about him being too brutish and rough.

Anyone else notice the headbutt to the face that Takarafuji caught? I missed it initially and only caught it in the replay.

[CT3* 331]

Hakuho appears frustrated and pissed. And as a result, I expect him to be merciless on the dohyo.

And just keep on winning. Perhaps he's decided that rather than give the press something to talk about, he'll give them something to write about instead as he smashes records.

Edited March 16, 2015 by CT3*

[Jakusotsu 5,969]

Somebody close should have a word with the yokozuna. Holding a grudge in public is not a wise move.

[inhashi 2,363]

The diminutive 'pocket size' Toyonoshima - kinboshi! easy.

[Asameshimae 220]

Anybody watch Ami's kachikoshi interview? He was a laugh riot (by Japanese humour standards anyway). Most everything he said was a zinger. He had a huge grin on his face too.

"I wanted to come to the interview room as soon as possible so I kept winning"

"All of my wins (and losses) have been a different kimarite? Well, I'll do my best to make all of them different"

You will be way up in the jo-i next basho possibly... "And I'll get to come to the interview room a lot, good for me"

about Terunofuji "I told him if I lose, he can lose, but I won again so now he has to too"

Seems like there were even more one-liners but I have already erased the video.

When Terunofuji came up for his kachikoshi interview he said that Ami told him the same thing.

"And he just keeps on winning so I have to keep up with him."

Fun stuff. Usually rikishi interviews are about a bit too dry for me; not this time.

[Akinomaki 40,487]

Anybody watch Ami's kachikoshi interview? He was a laugh riot (by Japanese humour standards anyway). Most everything he said was a zinger. He had a huge grin on his face too.

"I wanted to come to the interview room as soon as possible so I kept winning"

You will be way up in the jo-i next basho possibly... "And I'll get to come to the interview room a lot, good for me"

not next, already this basho for the later days: because he's so good he might be put against the higher ranks.

Quite some self-confidence, saying that with that it gets more likely for him to come to the interview-room.

Edited March 16, 2015 by Akinomaki

[Jakusotsu 5,969]

I don't like the Isamiashi call for Shohozan as it was clearly Sokokurai's twist that made him step out.

[orandashoho 720]

Good for Ami! Of course if he keeps on winning he will get tougher opponents but the old guard isn't so easily dismissed... he is showing great skill and I wish him all the luck in the world.

[ALAKTORN 346]

Terunofuji’s got power. Does anyone have vids of those interviews?

[Shikona 148]

Short but brutal clash between Kyokushuuhou and Amuuru. Right kachi-age to the face and then a hard two handed pull down from the back of Amuuru's head. I immediately thought that if Oosunaarashi won in the exact same manner, there'd be some whining and complaining about him being too brutish and rough.

Anyone else notice the headbutt to the face that Takarafuji caught? I missed it initially and only caught it in the replay.

I missed that one, but heads coming together, often audibly, is pretty common. One reason, much as I love sumo, I wouldn't want to try it professionally (aside from my lack of size, speed, and agility).

I think if Shuuhou makes it habit as Osuna did for a while, it will be remarked. Being mired in the lower rungs of the division also tends to leave a guy under the radar. Been a lot less complaining about Osuna since he's dropped down a bit.

[Sumozumo 240]

I know its only Day 9 but....

I wanna see promotion/demotion watch! There's so much going on already!

[Tenshinhan 1,607]

Aminishiki won by eight different kimarite so far. I'm not sure if this is the criterion for the Gino-sho but he definitely has a good chance to get his twelfth sansho.

(I know the criteria for the special prizes were discussed somewhere but I can't find it)

[orandashoho 720]

A bit too early for prizes too, but I'd love to see Aminishiki get a special prize. He has done amazingly well so far, putting the current Ozeki crop to shame.

I like it that Osunaarashi is not just a one-trick pony any more, but varying his technique and becoming more reactive.What he is showing so far this basho makes me think he is learning and growing, If he keeps that up, he might gain sanyaku potential but he has got a way to go yet.

[Kotogouryuu 131]

Harumafuji was caught trying his non-henka again. What happened to his versatility, why is he just trying that trick over and over again?

[Setonaikai 8]

I think that the picture of Toyonoshima's ballet move and Ama flying in the crowd would make an amazing sumo poster ( or at least a funny gif)...

Edited March 16, 2015 by Setonaikai

[Gurowake 4,052]

I know its only Day 9 but....

I wanna see promotion/demotion watch! There's so much going on already!

There's way too much yet to come to have much of a meaningful discussion. But I guess I can say what might happen if the basho were to end now.

Terunofuji will hold on to Sekiwake East, that much we are sure of now. By the numbers, Aminishiki has a slightly better rank/record than Tochiozan, but the latter has the full joi schedule in his favor and I feel would be more likely to take the west Sekiwake spot. Aminishiki would clearly be at least a Komusubi, and I'd say Ichinojo is more likely than Toyonoshima for the last spot. The latter has a better numerical claim than Ichinojo and has fought two Yokozuna, but Ichinojo has all the Ozeki on his schedule too. I'm not sure if they take this into account at all, but the fact that one of Ichinojo's wins was a fusen might be a deciding factor.

Amuru and Chiyomaru would be demoted in favor of Fujiazuma and Takanoiwa. Shohozan could also be demoted based on his record and would be replaced with Seiro who doesn't quite have a strong enough record in general for promotion while Shohozan is just barely falling out.

Kotoeko, Ishiura, and Sotairyu would be demoted from Juryo in favor of Kawabata, Wakanoshima, and probably Shodai (maybe Nishikigi). One thing to watch out for though is Dewahayate at 5-0 at Ms13.

There's still a lot of tournament left though, and very little is known for sure. Okinoumi clearly won't be back in sanyaku, and Sotairyu would need to return and get 4 wins to stay in Juryo. Kawabata has probably clinched a Juryo berth and it would take a lot of things going against him for it not to happen, but Dewahayate probably would be ahead of him with a 7-0 and there might not be any more places in Juryo to be taken. It's also possible that one of the Ms3s could go 6-1 and maybe be ahead of him as well, but I don't really have any evidence of whether that would be the case or not.

[dingo 1,263]

Hakuho has this one in the bag. If he would magically disappear, we'd have a super fun yusho race every basho though.

[Mongolith 51]

Haha hope you are not connected to the Yakuza. Hak is a bit too dominating for my tastes but would hate the artificial parity that would be created if he is forced out. He is the Big Bad Wolf and hoping some rising guys like Ichi, Fuji, or maybe a lower ranked prospect (don't know any since I don't watch Juryo and below) can challenge him. Other than Haramafuji on fire none of the current mainstays can give him a go in any semi-consistent manner.

Edited March 16, 2015 by Mongolith

[Kotoshoumi 31]

Toyonoshima put a smile on my face in his bout against Harumafuji.

[inhashi 2,363]

I think that the picture of Toyonoshima's ballet move and Ama flying in the crowd would make an amazing sumo poster ( or at least a funny gif).

If you catch a better photo or live clip there are many jaws dropping among the crowd.

Edited March 17, 2015 by inhashi

[Setonaikai 8]

I think that the picture of Toyonoshima's ballet move and Ama flying in the crowd would make an amazing sumo poster ( or at least a funny gif)...

I like some of the crowd's reaction

EPIC :-D

[Asojima 2,874]

Harumafuji was caught trying his non-henka again. What happened to his versatility, why is he just trying that trick over and over again?

Harumafuji has been fighting with one arm. Elbow or wrist injury?

Edited March 16, 2015 by Asojima

[Unkonoyama 105]

I think that the picture of Toyonoshima's ballet move and Ama flying in the crowd would make an amazing sumo poster ( or at least a funny gif).

If you catch a live clip there are many jaws dropping among the crowd.

I think I found my new wallpaper, too good!

[Kotogouryuu 131]

Harumafuji was caught trying his non-henka again. What happened to his versatility, why is he just trying that trick over and over again?

Harumafuji has been fighting with one arm. Elbow or wrist injury?

Ah yes, he did seem to hold his arm after one match, so that would explain his narrow arsenal.

Actually, there are a lot of injuries around this basho.

[krindel 671]

Hakuho has this one in the bag. If he would magically disappear, we'd have a super fun yusho race every basho though.

... and Alexander wept, for there were no more worlds for him to conquer.

I have been having the suspicion that Hakuho is facing a mid-life crisis lately. Having just turned 30, and while still at full health, he suddenly finds himself surplus to the requirements of sumo.

Taiho's record is gone, and with it goes the last really motivating target that he could aspire to, and the last aspect that seemed able to keep the public's interest in the current situation. Just one basho later, we are on day 9, and Hakuho is already 3 wins ahead of anyone who would appear to be a credible threat for the Yusho. The warping effect his dominance has on the banzuke and the yusho race is as pronounced as ever, if not more. Yet what is it there for him to aim at?

Expanding records is far far more boring than breaking them after all, I have no doubt that the Yusho winning celebrations at Miyagino have long become "business as usual". In fact I remember thinking at the time that he looked happier at Kyokutenho's victory parade than most of his own...

There are of course some records he can still break (Futabayama, Kaio, etc), but they all have one thing in common; they are mostly, if not completely, streak related, and hence by definition repetitive and thus boring. What I mean is that he could give breaking Futabayama's record a try (which is what he's doing now, I think), but breaking that will probably lead to 3 dead boring basho as he will have to plow through the opposition.

So then what? No one is yet ready to really challenge him, but he's really still not ready to call it quits, especially as he stays healthy. He tried his hand at mentoring, but Daikiho was a flat-out bust, and while Ishiura is doing decently enough, I am not sure if Hakuho has found his calling in coaching. We are then, at a point where he himself is bored of the current level of competition, he understands that his own success is becoming a negative factor for sumo but at the same time he is not ready to retire yet and has not even decided yet what to do after retiring anyway.

Of course, most of this is speculation on my part, but I do believe this is pretty close to the truth, and is at least in part my explanation for Hakuho's bad temper. In fact, I think its a hard situation for the entire sumo establishment, and its interesting to see how everyone deals with it.

Edited March 16, 2015 by krindel