Natsu basho 2019 discussions [SPOILERS]

[Akōgyokuseki 228]

Irodori's bout against Akiseyama took me back to the 90's..it was almost like vintage Terao.

Enho's use of ashitori...10 more wins by that kimarite and he's equalled Mainoumi's uses already. Could be his signature move...?

[RabidJohn 1,855]

I thought Aoiyama's henka was very considerate, not letting Takakeisho strain his knee further by having to push against him...

[Benihana 1,937]

3 minutes ago, RabidJohn said:

I thought Aoiyama's henka was very considerate, not letting Takakeisho strain his knee further by having to push against him...

Same here.

Dear Mitakeumi, the gyoji should be treated like air. Please remember next time.

[dada78641 884]

Enho's little mini-interview:

[Morty 1,505]

3 hours ago, robnplunder said:

 

Couldn't see Endo beating Tochi b/c the internet I am using just broke down at that moment.  What happened?

Absolutely beautiful uwatedashinage, perfectly executed. Tochinoshin forgot how good Endo is on the belt and paid for it

[RabidJohn 1,855]

^^ Who is the lady in the commentary box with Mainoumi-san and Oshiogawa oyakata?

[Kishinoyama 596]

1 hour ago, dada78641 said:

Enho's little mini-interview:

You said mini.... 

Anyway, now that the two leaders have lost, who is going to win the tournament? Are Kakuryu or Tochinoshin still the favorites? Who is the surprise rikishi that is 'under the radar' that might take the yusho?

[Dapeng 236]

2 hours ago, RabidJohn said:

I thought Aoiyama's henka was very considerate, not letting Takakeisho strain his knee further by having to push against him...

It's bad practice for a injured rikishi to mount the dohyo. What his opponent can do? His opponent definately does not want to lose, but he may also worry that he may injury the already injured rikishi again. In addition, the audience are sympathetic of the injured rikishi, they will be mad at the one who beat the injured rikishi especially if the injured rikishi is a popular rikishi. 

Edited May 19, 2019 by Dapeng

[robnplunder 976]

4 minutes ago, Kishinoyama said:

Anyway, now that the two leaders have lost, who is going to win the tournament? Are Kakuryu or Tochinoshin still the favorites? Who is the surprise rikishi that is 'under the radar' that might take the yusho?

My money is still on Kak, and Tochinoshin, in that order. I'd give  Kak the edge b/c he has been there more times than Tochi.  He has the experience executing down the line with yusho on the line.  IMO, Tochi better have some lead on Kak going into the last few days of basho, ultimately against Kak.   Besides the two, I don't see any contender for the yusho in this basho.   

The one frustration I have for ozumo of the last 3 - 4 years is that despite 4 top dogs (Kak, Hak, Haurma, Kise)'s demise/decline/aging, no young pups surfaced to replace their dominance.  Once Kak & Hak are gone, we are left with a bunch of rikishi taking turns at yusho and we would know that none of them would be as good as Kak, Hak, Haruma, or even Kise.   None.  We may have to wait for years until we see another set of quality yokozuna in ozmuo.   

[robnplunder 976]

12 hours ago, Rob S. said:

Desperate for wins. 

He did what many athletes do in that situation.   So, no shame in Aoiyama's tactic today although many of us don't like it.  Win at all cost (aka win at anyway one can) - it is very much alive in sumo or in any other pro sport for that matter.   

Edited May 19, 2019 by robnplunder

[Gospodin 219]

20 minutes ago, robnplunder said:

The one frustration I have for ozumo of the last 3 - 4 years is that despite 4 top dogs (Kak, Hak, Haurma, Kise)'s demise/decline/aging, no young pups surfaced to replace their dominance.  Once Kak & Hak are gone, we are left with a bunch of rikishi taking turns at yusho and we would know that none of them would be as good as Kak, Hak, Haruma, or even Kise.   None.  We may have to wait for years until we see another set of quality yokozuna in ozmuo.   

IMO the last 2-3 years are more a return to normalty. It was the 15-year reign of two exceptional rikishi before, who reduced the entire rest to second tier status. It must be quite hard to develop equally good talent if all are stopped cold once they reach the joi and have to fight Asashoryu and/or Hakuho.

Personally I am pleased that this era of complete dominance is over. It should also raise the overall level of competition.

[RaeucherLax 290]

2 hours ago, RabidJohn said:

^^ Who is the lady in the commentary box with Mainoumi-san and Oshiogawa oyakata?

That's Iwasaki Hiromi

[Suwihuto 133]

38 minutes ago, RaeucherLax said:

That's Iwasaki Hiromi

Same age as Madonna, and looks great!

[evilwaldo 11]

16 hours ago, neonbelly said:

Speaking of Ichinojo, he looks terrible compared to that debut tournament, and not just from a win-loss perspective. Watch his match with Hakuho from his debut tournament and see how after Hakuho throws him he rolls along and gets to his feet like a spring, and compare that to how he moves now.

Its frustrated me for a long time that Ichinojo is 1. Too heavy 2. Doesn't even fight in a way that makes use of his weight.

He gets pushed around but guys 200 lbs lighter than him on a regular basis, so drop the bloody weight and wrestle like a Mongolian!

Ichinojo’s problem is that he is too stiff, there is very little bend at the knees so opponents can easily get under him and use leverage to push him around. The height is a bit of a disadvantage but his inability to create any leverage for himself at the point of attack turns him into a sack of potatoes guys just throw around.

[Koorifuu 1,020]

41 minutes ago, evilwaldo said:

Ichinojo’s problem is that he is too stiff, there is very little bend at the knees so opponents can easily get under him and use leverage to push him around. The height is a bit of a disadvantage but his inability to create any leverage for himself at the point of attack turns him into a sack of potatoes guys just throw around.

Slapping them down while they lower themselves was nearly the only reason he made 14-1 last time around but either everyone learnt to avoid it or Ichinojo's memory is too short.

EDIT

I take it back, apparently he had knee limitations which just forced him to go kyujo. OK, losing weight really is the only way for him to improve.

Edited May 19, 2019 by Koorifuu

[Asapedroryu 235]

3 hours ago, robnplunder said:

The one frustration I have for ozumo of the last 3 - 4 years is that despite 4 top dogs (Kak, Hak, Haurma, Kise)'s demise/decline/aging, no young pups surfaced to replace their dominance.  Once Kak & Hak are gone, we are left with a bunch of rikishi taking turns at yusho and we would know that none of them would be as good as Kak, Hak, Haruma, or even Kise.   None.  We may have to wait for years until we see another set of quality yokozuna in ozmuo.   

There was one rikishi that show up there 4 years ago that should be the top dog by now - Terunofuji. When he was promoted to Ozeki he was already at the same level as Kak, Har and Kise. If it wasn't for the events we know, with the experience accumulated by now, he should have already replaced Hakuho as the dominant Yok.

Who knows if there isn't another Dai-Yok already in the lower divisions under the radar and ready to explode in a couple of years? Remember Hakuho wasn't that great comming up the ranks and even had losing records in the lower divisions.

[evilwaldo 11]

1 hour ago, Koorifuu said:

Slapping them down while they lower themselves was nearly the only reason he made 14-1 last time around but either everyone learnt to avoid it or Ichinojo's memory is too short.

EDIT

I take it back, apparently he had knee limitations which just forced him to go kyujo. OK, losing weight really is the only way for him to improve.

When his opponents come in low it is easy to step back and push them down.  If his opponents come in high (above the gut) and push forward there is little Ichinojō can do.  He does not have the mobility to counter someone pushing with leverage.  

 

He reminds me a lot of bad US football linemen.  If they get stood up, they get pushed back quite easily.  

I agree on the losing weight.  At this point, he needs to shed some pounds to take pressure off his knees.  

[Akōgyokuseki 228]

Kise/Araiso in his latest column for Sponichi warns returning Ozeki Takakeisho to be 'mentally strong' in overcoming his recent injury. Having had a spot of bother in that department once (you may all remember of course) Kise/Araiso writes 'its worrying that the injury could be aggravated. Its better to return when the right knee has improved, should Takakeisho stay he will have to make sure he has no regrets'. https://news.biglobe.ne.jp/sports/0519/spn_190519_6591994189.html

[neonbelly 226]

Thinking of Ichinojo, Takakeisho, and others, I wonder how effective taping is on the knee of a morbidly obese person. There's a huge amount of slushy media between the skin to which the tape is applied and the bones, ligaments, and tendons the tape is meant to support.

[Amamaniac 2,079]

9 hours ago, Akōgyokuseki said:

Enho's use of ashitori...10 more wins by that kimarite and he's equalled Mainoumi's uses already. Could be his signature move...?

He has used that kimarite twice so far this tournament.  You may be on to something.  But I suspect that ashitori is one of those techniques that bigger/taller wrestlers tend not to use because they'd have to really bend low to reach behind their opponents legs/knees.

But so far this tournament, Enho has used 5 different kimarite, and a couple of somewhat uncommon ones.  I wouldn't be surprised if he gets a Technique Prize in his Makuuchi debut, as long has he gets 8 or 9 wins.  ... Wait a second.  Mainoumi received a Technique Prize in his Makuuchi debut.  Wouldn't you know it. 

[mt fuji 976]

10 hours ago, Eikokurai said:

I know they all do it and it's part of sport, but he's basically just admitted to purposely exploiting an opponent's injury. Honest, but not very nice.

To be fair, Enho has said the same type of thing this basho, targeting people's injuries. Also, to me the henka seems less likely to aggravate Takakeisho's knee injury than full contact sumo.

[mt fuji 976]

6 hours ago, robnplunder said:

The one frustration I have for ozumo of the last 3 - 4 years is that despite 4 top dogs (Kak, Hak, Haurma, Kise)'s demise/decline/aging, no young pups surfaced to replace their dominance.  Once Kak & Hak are gone, we are left with a bunch of rikishi taking turns at yusho and we would know that none of them would be as good as Kak, Hak, Haruma, or even Kise.   None.  We may have to wait for years until we see another set of quality yokozuna in ozmuo.   

Seems like Kakuryu is upset about the same thing, considering his recent comments about participation in the Jungyo training.

[Amamaniac 2,079]

On 19/05/2019 at 10:26, Eikokurai said:

I've never liked Endo.

Admittedly, he is not living up to the initial hype when he shot up into the Top Division.  And he is generally cool, and not particularly forthcoming in interviews.  Despite that, some commentators feel he is a master technician on the dohyo.  I tend to feel that those moments of brilliance are few and far between, but I have to hand it to him with that nifty move on Tochinoshin today.  

Of course, I dislike the fact that Endo spoiled Tochi's winning streak.  But in a way he was keeping Tochi (and sumo) honest, and now the Georgian will have to fight a little harder tomorrow.

As for Endo, give him some credit.  But I guess you don't have to like him if you don't want to... 

Edited May 20, 2019 by Amamaniac

[Benihana 1,937]

As soon as you step on the dohyo with an injury it is 100% your fault if your opponent tries to exploit that injury. This is a serious competition, not indoor-halma.

[Amamaniac 2,079]

Bad news: Kakuryu will have to wait for that elusive zensho yusho perfect-record championship.  Sigh.

Good news: The pack has tightened, creating more potential yusho scenarios.