Hatsu Basho 2019 Discussion [SPOILERS]

[Jabbamaru 166]

wow, just saw the highlights now!what a day!

All the boys did great sumo! Even Yago (almost kk sickness?); Asanoyama, Oyanagi, Sato, Onosho and, of course, Mr. Mita! Mf* just come back to bring some emotion to the basho! Niiiice.

I love you Hak...But...you better work, Bioutche!

ps*The old guy slapping Takara's butt...OMG!

[robnplunder 975]

44 minutes ago, Jabbamaru said:

 

All the boys did great sumo! Even Yago (almost kk sickness?);

Disagree with you there ... he folded like an accordion.    Suspect he has some kind on injury since he lost two in a row in lack luster fashion.   Hope he gets his KK today somehow a la Mita.   Speaking of, it almost looks like Hak let him win.   If he did, it was very nice of him.   

[Amamaniac 2,079]

1 hour ago, Kintamayama said:

A simple case of wrong reading.ガチンコ means "honest" or straightforward",  the direct opposite of yaocho. You were thinking of パチンコ, the pinball game.

Yes, I realise now I got mixed up.  Have to say that the katakana threw me off...  Google translate doesn't even provide the English for ガチンコ!  Thank you for catching that.

Edited January 23, 2019 by Amamaniac

[since_94 650]

9 hours ago, Amamaniac said:

You make it sound as though you were at the Kokugikan today.  If so, did you notice whether or not Hakuho did his toe-dipping ritual?  The NHK broadcast keeps cutting away, so I have yet to see it.  My wacky theory contribution of the tournament is: maybe Hakuho lost to Mitakeumi because he forgot to dip his toes in power water!  LOL

Didn't notice. I was just watching bouts on the televised Abema stream outside the venue and not paying much attention before each tachiai. I definitely saw him do it on days 6 and 7. I have tickets for days 13 and 14 so I will report back. Inquiring minds want toe know. Maybe Hakuho had observed him and underestimated the injured Mitakeumi, who was heavily taped and limped off the ring post bout

Edited January 23, 2019 by since_94

[Amamaniac 2,079]

1 hour ago, since_94 said:

Didn't notice. I was just watching bouts on the televised Abema stream outside the venue and not paying much attention before each tachiai. I definitely saw him do it on days 6 and 7. I have tickets for days 13 and 14 so I will report back. Inquiring minds want toe know. Maybe Hakuho had observed him and underestimated the injured Mitakeumi, who was heavily taped and limped off the ring post bout

Thanks for replying, and for offering to do further investigation.  This inquiring mind is waiting with bated breath...  

I've been watching broadcasts closely ever since #Treblemaker brought it up in a post.  Trouble is they rarely focus on the whole process.  What I have noticed, however, is that Hakuho places his right heel atop the tawara along the outer edge of the dohyo with the toes of that foot resting on the clay edge.  I have had a difficult time seeing what happens after that.

At this point, I have checked the Abema broadcasts for Days 1 & 2, and Hakuho did not have water poured on the surface of the ring for him to dip his toes.

Edited January 23, 2019 by Amamaniac

[dingo 1,263]

13 hours ago, Jakusotsu said:

It's not just luck in my opinion. I've always said that the ability to avoid injuries is a major part of the whole package called "talent".

Right, and I agree to a certain extent, but some falls and knocks cannot be avoided or controlled, so luck does play a part. Hakuho has had his injuries, just not major ones. 

[Kotomiyama 172]

16 hours ago, mt fuji said:

That Enho / Gagamaru match was really something, what a throw!

Video for those interested:

https://youtu.be/FuW7p98xjWw

[Yamanashi 3,843]

4 hours ago, Benihana said:

Hansoku at 4:04

Good call.

 

[Kuroyama 715]

4 hours ago, Benihana said:

Hansoku at 4:04

I suspect Enho allowed Gagamaru to grab and throw him to avoid a hansoku on his record.

[Benevolance 2,501]

 

17 minutes ago, Kuroyama said:

I suspect Enho allowed Gagamaru to grab and throw him to avoid a hansoku on his record.

That's the only conceivable way that Gagamaru could pull off a wicked awesome win like that. 

[Eikokurai 3,437]

4 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

In almost every single interview the guys give from day 12 upwards, they state they are tired, including Hakuhou. I tend to believe them.

I’m sure they are. My question is ‘why?’ Because let’s be honest, of all athletes rikishi have one of the lightest ‘on field’ work loads. A rugby forward does a hundred tachi-ai in one game and has the stamina to do it for an hour or more before he’s substituted. These days too the rugby calendar is seriously congested so they play twice a week sometimes, with a very short off-season. If a rikishi is tired I’d suggest it’s because of other activities or disrupted sleep rather than the sport itself. That or they’re talking about mental exhaustion from the need to stay focused for 15 days. Their training ought to condition them to manage one bout a day. I wonder if they struggle to adjust to the change in their routine. Aren’t they usually napping at around the time they’re prepping for their bouts?

Edited January 23, 2019 by Eikokurai

[Atenzan 1,081]

4 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

I shall gambarize and return stronger. Also, never pay attention to my nonsense analysis.

How's the hat shopping coming along? 

[Tiger Tanaka 225]

Mitakeumi!!! Putting on the most impressive performance of the basho. Would likely be tied for the Yusho lead if he did not get injured. He's now beaten all 3 Yokozuna, 1 Ozeki, and both Sekiwake. Should be up for a Sansho if he manages to go 2-2 and get his 8 on that hobbled leg. Tochiozan, Takayasu, and then potentially Ichinojo and Nishikigi left. Tak and Ichi will be tough with their size against his weak leg. Wouldn't it be something if he ran the table and got double digits?

[Rocks 1,809]

1 hour ago, Benevolance said:

 

That's the only conceivable way that Gagamaru could pull off a wicked awesome win like that. 

Enho henkaed last time they met so he couldn't use it this time. He tried everything possible to wriggle out of Gagmaru's clutches but it wasn't happening. He's lucky Gagamaru didn't land full on top of him. Ugly match.

[Highway 46]

Mitakeumi THE MAN today. wow.

[Ack! 465]

So I'm waiting for the "I survived Hatsu 2019" T-shirts...

[neonbelly 226]

1 hour ago, Tiger Tanaka said:

 Ichi will be tough

I've come to believe that Ichinojo's results are completely independent of his competition. Good Ichinojo cannot be conquered, bad Ichinojo will get backed up by a mouse.

Only Hakuho can take on Good Ichinojo.

[Shinrei 47]

6 hours ago, Thorbjarn said:

I think it's quite obvious that the bouts put a physical toll on the fighters.

Mental and emotional, too. Performance jitters/anxiety, not wanting to disappoint, self-doubt - especially from almost-wins and "missed" calls, and in this particular honbasho, fellow wrestlers leaving in a wheelchair or retiring . . . every day for 15 days for the pros.

For the rest, an uneven 7* matches over the same period with 0-3 days before their next match.

[Bumpkin 438]

45 minutes ago, neonbelly said:

I've come to believe that Ichinojo's results are completely independent of his competition. Good Ichinojo cannot be conquered, bad Ichinojo will get backed up by a mouse.

Only Hakuho can take on Good Ichinojo.

I agree 100%. There are two Ichinojos. Ichinojo A and Ichinojo Z. Ichinojo A is awake. Ichinojo Z is asleep. Or so it seems.

[Dwale 419]

1 hour ago, neonbelly said:

I've come to believe that Ichinojo's results are completely independent of his competition. Good Ichinojo cannot be conquered, bad Ichinojo will get backed up by a mouse.

Only Hakuho can take on Good Ichinojo.

There have been times when Ichinojo fought hard and still lost. But I agree with the basic sentiment here: there's a truly great rikishi buried in there but we only see that in flashes.

[Fujisan 533]

13 hours ago, autotroph said:

In my neck of the woods (the North East of England) dinner means lunch, and tea means the evening meal.

Yes I can clarify that too.......

Off topic.....

Which part of the N.E is that Autotroph?

You don't have be exact but I was wondering that's all.....

Edited January 24, 2019 by Fujisan

[Kintamayama 45,140]

5 hours ago, Atenzan said:

How's the hat shopping coming along? 

Swimmingly.

[Kuroyama 715]

19 hours ago, Eikokurai said:

I’ve always been skeptical about this. How much stamina does one really need to fight for ten seconds a day? Rikishi train for hours every morning so they can’t be completely without endurance. And they train exclusively to take part in 15-day basho, so that surely is what they condition themselves for.

It's very likely not physical fatigue alone. When your entire life depends on your win-loss record, each bout represents a massive amount of stress. Athletes in other sports, who get paid whether they win or lose and must perform truly abysmally to end up without a paycheck, experience nothing like it on a routine basis.

[Morty 1,495]

13 hours ago, autotroph said:

In my neck of the woods (the North East of England) dinner means lunch, and tea means the evening meal.

Where I am (Western Australia) dinner means dinner and tea means dinner also 

[Midoriyama 35]

31 minutes ago, Morty said:

Where I am (Western Australia) dinner means dinner and tea means dinner also 

I guess that has something to do with cricket... The test breaks called lunch and tea, but I am not sure how it originated