Natsu basho 2019 discussions [SPOILERS]

[neonbelly 226]

10 hours ago, Yatagarasu said:

Honestly, I think a henka would have done less damage to Takakeisho than risk engaging him and injuring him more.  Aoiyama would have caught a lot more flak for that.  As much as I despise henka, I think this was the most merciful way of dealing with a guy who shouldn't have been there.  To me, at least, Aoiyama actually going for the injured knee or forcing Takakeisho into a position where he would have been placing weight on it or twisting it would truly have been exploiting the injury in a nasty way.

Should have gone for ketaguri.

Edited May 21, 2019 by neonbelly

[neonbelly 226]

9 hours ago, Amamaniac said:

Murray Johnson weighed in on this issue today on NHK.  Here is his take:

"Yes, I don't know what's exactly wrong with his butt and shoulders, exactly why he's wearing all those elastoplasts.  Normally quite often it's just sores from going on jungyo getting slight infection from soil and sand.  That's all it is.  So rather than display them, they cover them up."

Frankly, I don't buy his explanation, as much as I'd like to.  Those checker-board patches have been on Tochinoshin's butt for several tournaments now.  If they were infections, they'd have cleared up by now, especially with a good course of antibiotics.  Have to say that I am leaning towards autotroph's explanation, especially considering that Tochinoshin is perhaps the most muscular-looking sekitori out there at the moment, with Ishiura a close second.  My only reservation is: why haven't I seen similar "plaster asses" before.  Tochi can't be the only sumo wrestler to resort to "pinning"...  And if there is a less obvious place on the body for pinning, why then didn't Tochinoshin choose that.

The glutes, parts of the quads, and the deltoids are the go-to places for intramuscular injections. Not many places to hide when you have to wear a mawashi on TV 

Also, in my worthless opinion based entirely on conjecture, Tochinoshin is 100% on the gas.

WILD SPECULATION INCOMING... Thoughts on steroids in sumo.

1. Japan is an island and has strict drug laws, so maybe the stuff Tochinoshin is able to get obliges him to get butt cheek injections whereas other guys have other stuff. It's not like in USA where everyone can get trenbolone, and clomid, or whatever they want to suit their needs.

2. Maybe sumo wrestlers tend to favour oral steroids because they have to be naked in public all the time (bodybuilders can cover their needle marks with the fake tan oil), and maybe this is why so many die from kidney problems (many such cases!)

3. Male bodies have the highest density of androgren receptors in the traps and shoulders, which is why these muscles blow up when a man takes steroids. And, you know, Tochinoshin has boulders for shoulders.

4. Maybe a lot of guys have the "knee tape 4 life" look because they inject at the medial quad....

Edited May 21, 2019 by neonbelly

[Tsuchinoninjin 1,276]

4 hours ago, Shio-kago said:

Endo was both an amateur champion, and a guy who shot up the pro ranks really fast. Those two things earn you a lot of fans. Japanese fans are very loyal, so once you've got 'em, you keep 'em. That accounts for most of it.

For myself-- I appreciate how Endo can be really smooth on the belt. Like-- Sanyaku mainstay kind of smooth. But he also looks like a total dog when backpedaling, which he does all the time, reminding me why every time he ranks up, he ranks right back down.

I think this is it, people were crazy about Ura  and now it seems like Asanoyama, Takagenji, Endo, Wakatakakage, and Kiribayama. Any new guy with potential.

 

JSA needs to get on the ball and make some Endho goods by the way, lots of lost sales!

Edited May 21, 2019 by Tsuchinoninjin

[Gurowake 4,100]

It's good that Endo and Enho don't look anything alike in Kanji.

Edited May 21, 2019 by Gurowake

[Eikokurai 3,437]

30 minutes ago, Gurowake said:

It's good that Endo and Enho don't look anything alike in Kanji.

Nor indeed in their faces and body shapes.

[Benevolance 2,511]

Nor indeed in their merchandising prospects. 

[neonbelly 226]

Nor indeed in their ride access at theme parks.

[robnplunder 976]

3 hours ago, neonbelly said:

The glutes, parts of the quads, and the deltoids are the go-to places for intramuscular injections. Not many places to hide when you have to wear a mawashi on TV 

Also, in my worthless opinion based entirely on conjecture, Tochinoshin is 100% on the gas.

WILD SPECULATION INCOMING... Thoughts on steroids in sumo.

1. Japan is an island and has strict drug laws, so maybe the stuff Tochinoshin is able to get obliges him to get butt cheek injections whereas other guys have other stuff. It's not like in USA where everyone can get trenbolone, and clomid, or whatever they want to suit their needs.

2. Maybe sumo wrestlers tend to favour oral steroids because they have to be naked in public all the time (bodybuilders can cover their needle marks with the fake tan oil), and maybe this is why so many die from kidney problems (many such cases!)

3. Male bodies have the highest density of androgren receptors in the traps and shoulders, which is why these muscles blow up when a man takes steroids. And, you know, Tochinoshin has boulders for shoulders.

4. Maybe a lot of guys have the "knee tape 4 life" look because they inject at the medial quad....

I suspected it for a long time, especially, Tochinoshin.   I will be surprised if Tochi is clean, and ozumo is drug clean.   

[neonbelly 226]

1 hour ago, robnplunder said:

I suspected it for a long time, especially, Tochinoshin.   I will be surprised if Tochi is clean, and ozumo is drug clean.   

Avoiding embarrassment is a high priority for the JSA, so they probably have a "don't ask don't tell" mentality toward steroids.

Edited May 22, 2019 by neonbelly

[Akinomaki 40,771]

4 hours ago, Tsuchinoninjin said:

JSA needs to get on the ball and make some Endho goods by the way, lots of lost sales!

Plenty of Enho goods available at the basho and on the kokugikan shop site - from the pics threads:

o o o  o

as usual, I bought the mini-nobori

o 

Edited May 22, 2019 by Akinomaki

[Rocks 1,809]

Tochinoshin vs Meisei on day 12? Wut? 

[Umizoi 27]

abi, ryuden, taka, shodai and meisei are all 6-4 : fair last round for Y/O/S before the intra-YOS meetings , isn't it ?

Asanoyama has a true chance.

Edited May 22, 2019 by Umizoi

[since_94 650]

6 hours ago, neonbelly said:

Nor indeed in their ride access at theme parks.

Post of the year right here

 

[Jakusotsu 6,049]

Wow! Aminishiki looking *really* pissed off by the call for matta.

Edited May 22, 2019 by Jakusotsu

[Tsubame 368]

And for something completely different:

Is there a special reason why Yokozuna Kakuryu (and his attendants) always wears the same kesho-mawashi set for his dohyo-iri ceremony?

 

[robnplunder 976]

That was a text book win by Tomokaze against Enho.   Enho is likely to lose 3rd in a row against Onosho tomorrow.   

Chiyoshoma appeared to have gained weight compare to a year ago but seems to be going backward. Despite today's win, I think he will go MK.   I thought if & when he gained a bit more weight, he'd be a sanyuku material.   

That was a looooooong monoii but the right call was made.  Asanoyama no kachi!    He's on a mission and can steal an yusho if Kak and Tochi slips.   Go, Asanoyama!

[Kaninoyama 1,818]

Oonomatsu Oyakata Shimpan Bucho outdoes himself in botching the mono-ii explanation in the Asanoyama/Sadanoumi match - so badly that neither wrestler, the gyoji, or the fans had any clue what the call actually was. He needs to be moved to the ticket booth ASAP.

Edited May 22, 2019 by Kaninoyama

[Rainoyama 1,157]

How is oonomatsu even allowed to touch a microphone is beyond me, I don't know if it's social anxiety or if it's the result of years of head first tachi ai but someone please help the poor man. He clearly cannot do that job that was sad to watch.

[robnplunder 976]

1 minute ago, Kaninoyama said:

Oonomatsu outdoes himself in botching the mono-ii explanation in the Asanoyama/Sadanoumi match - so badly that neither wrestler, the gyoji, or the fans had any clue what the call actually was. 

Ah, that's what it was.   I was wondering what the hold up was.   I've got a suggestion for the head shimpan.  Keep it short and sweet.  No need to write a novel when he can't articulate.  He could have just said  "Sadanoumi's heel touched down first.  The result stands."

[Rainoyama 1,157]

He had to read the names of the two guys to remember them and still managed to mix everything up this badly still cannot believe it ...

[Eikokurai 3,437]

Asanoyama is surely on for a prize now he’s in double digits. Both other times he’s managed it he got the kanto-sho.

[robnplunder 976]

Surging Tamawashi vs Yusho hunting Asanoyama tomorrow ..... hmm.  That's going to be one of the key match tomorrow.   

It looked like Daieisho got robbed.   Why there wasn't a monoii is beyond me.  

[Akinomaki 40,771]

1 hour ago, Tsubame said:

Is there a special reason why Yokozuna Kakuryu (and his attendants) always wears the same kesho-mawashi set for his dohyo-iri ceremony?

Some commentator criticized that as well some days ago - apparently his chronic lack of sponsors and no new set in years, which he would be obliged to use - of the few he has, he seems to like this Japan-Mongolia one best

[Eikokurai 3,437]

Oh, Abi. What are you playing at?

[robnplunder 976]

Wow!  Asanoyama and Kakuryu thank you, Abi.   At this rate, Abi  is likely to make a sanyuku debut in the next basho.