2021 "Kozumo" Hatsu Basho discussion thread

[Akinomaki 40,098]

Takagenji gets more and more inspired by his brother

[Tigerboy1966 1,417]

And with both of the unbeaten men in makushita losing, there will be a 6-1 playoff involving (I think) nine wrestlers.

[Gernobono 463]

nice makushita-ketteisen ahead

[Kaninoyama 1,713]

Bravo Akiseyama. Kachikoshi secured!

[Gernobono 463]

7 minutes ago, Kaninoyama said:

Bravo Akiseyama. Kachikoshi secured!

next step sanyaku

[Ichimawashi 573]

Nine man playoff: three tomoesen then a final tomoesen?  Or one tomoesen and three head-to-heads leading to four remaining and semifinals?

 

[Joaoiyama 307]

I'm very happy with Hoshoryu, he seems to be maturing and getting a little bigger along with my hopes for his future.

[WAKATAKE 2,644]

Shonanazukura loses number 82 straight today, which sets him for tying his own personal losing streak and the all time record of 89. Should he get to compete next basho and business goes as usual, he will at the end.

https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202101220000214.html

Taiho grandson #2 Hozan finishes with a 4-3 record at Jonidan 1W, meaning he'll be back in Sandanme next basho

https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202101220000279.html

Jonidan Ryuji gets into the division playoff after defeating Jonokuchi yusho leader Arauma

https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202101220000227.html

More on Hanakaze becoming the first 50+ rikishi to get kachi koshi in 116 years. His match against Sakura actually ended up being a match between heya chanko managers (Sakura is the chanko manager for Takadagawa beya). His shisho Tatsunami when asked about finding out about his deshi's KK. "I actually found out it on the internet," he laughed. He also commented that he does not say much to Hanakaze because he knows is putting his all into his sumo. Hanakaze debuted in March 1986 when Chiyonofuji was asserting his dominace on the dohyo. Hanakaze actually was planning on retiring last year, but the company he was going to work at was impacted by Covid, so Hanakaze decided to stay on the dohyo.

https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202101220000086.html

Oginohama wins the sandanme yusho

https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202101220000417.html

[Kaninoyama 1,713]

Hoshoryu completes a comeback from 5 straight losses with 8 straight wins for an impressive kachikoshi. 

Followed by Midorifuji (with a sukuinage instead of a kata sukashi) in his Makuuchi debut. 

Edited January 22, 2021 by Kaninoyama

[WAKATAKE 2,644]

2 minutes ago, Ichimawashi said:

Nine man playoff: three tomoesen then a final tomoesen?  Or one tomoesen and three head-to-heads leading to four remaining and semifinals?

 

They'll have 8 guys do elimination. Then 4 of the remaining 5 will do a second round of elimantion. Then we get to a tomoesen

[Tigerboy1966 1,417]

15 minutes ago, WAKATAKE said:

They'll have 8 guys do elimination. Then 4 of the remaining 5 will do a second round of elimantion. Then we get to a tomoesen

However they do it, I'll have a quid on Nihonyanagi.

[Morning 75]

If Hanakaze stays till 65, will be be force-retired?

[Jakusotsu 5,876]

2 minutes ago, Morning said:

If Hanakaze stays till 65, will be be force-retired?

You mean like Yoda?

[Gernobono 463]

32 minutes ago, WAKATAKE said:

They'll have 8 guys do elimination. Then 4 of the remaining 5 will do a second round of elimantion. Then we get to a tomoesen

guess the have a pre elimination round and the last 8 are elimnation for the yusho

thats how they do it with 5 men

[since_94 650]

33 minutes ago, Kaninoyama said:

Hoshoryu completes a comeback from 5 straight losses with 8 straight wins for an impressive kachikoshi. 

Followed by Midorifuji (with a sukuinage instead of a kata sukashi) in his Makuuchi debut. 

Hoshoryu wins by uchigake, no less. Not a technique we see every day. That should silence some of the criticism about over reliance on henka this week. 
 

On another note, Takarafuji was toying with his prey in that one against Tobizaru.

[Amamaniac 2,078]

3 hours ago, Tigerboy1966 said:

And with both of the unbeaten men in makushita losing, there will be a 6-1 playoff involving (I think) nine wrestlers.

The critical bout in the Makushita Division was fought between Shohoryu and Nishikifuji.  The bow twirler had a chance to take the yusho(!) if he had won that bout.  Nishikifuji, who just dropped back down to Makushita after November's tournament, had other plans.  His win allowed him to stay in the yusho race, and join the other 8 wrestlers in a playoff!

It's nice that all nine men will have one day off and then won't have to fight a regulation bout on senshuraku.  They should all be properly rested!

2 hours ago, Tigerboy1966 said:

However they do it, I'll have a quid on Nihonyanagi.

I'll place "Kintamayama's hat" on Nishikifuji! 

Edited January 22, 2021 by Amamaniac

[Amamaniac 2,078]

When Shodai finally retires from oozumo, he should probably get a job as an escape artist.  Unfortunately, he has relied on back-against-the-bales, last-minute techniques more than a few times (and many of those requiring a monoii review–today was yet another example) which smacks of desperation, albeit skilful desperation.

Pulling is just bad sumo, so if Shodai really wants to entertain promotion to Yokozuna, he is going to have to show more forward moving victories.  As much as it pains me to say this, Takakeisho shows better sumo (i.e., sumonaiyo) in the sense that he is almost always on the offensive.

[Eikokurai 3,437]

With Takayasu and Mitakeumi winning today, and Takanosho at least guaranteed a minimum of 7-8, no sanyaku slots will be available in March, so Daieisho will get an extra one (unless the banzuke makers are feeling really incredibly mean).

[Naganoyama 5,881]

2 hours ago, Gernobono said:

guess the have a pre elimination round and the last 8 are elimnation for the yusho

thats how they do it with 5 men

Last time we saw a nine man play-off, it was done the way @WAKATAKE said.

- Drawing of lots - one man gets a bye - eight-man elimination round.

- Drawing of lots - one man gets a bye - four-man elimination round.

- Tomoe-sen.

 

[Philioyamfugi 378]

Akiseyama got his KK, I can breathe  now . The new blood is putting on a good sumo show. Hoping for a thrilling finish.  

[pricklypomegranate 730]

Breathe a sigh of relief! Midorifuji gets his KK! Let's see if he can go double-digits and how far he'll be promoted on the banzuke... 

[dada78641 884]

Today's gratuitous screenshot is this close-up of the dohyo craquelure.

[Amamaniac 2,078]

3 hours ago, Philioyamfugi said:

Akiseyama got his KK, I can breathe  now .

 

2 hours ago, pricklypomegranate said:

Breathe a sigh of relief! Midorifuji gets his KK!

Now that your breathing is synchronised...  TACHIAI! 

[dada78641 884]

21 hours ago, hakutorizakura said:

Anything about the hairpull in the Japanese news?

I don't see any articles about it, but sumo fans online seem to be almost universal in their view that the hair pull was a foul and should've resulted either in a hansoku loss for Daieisho or maybe a torinaoshi.

For example, see the replies on the NSK's tweet. (I'm hoping Twitter's translate function will do a decent enough job.) If you search Twitter for something like "大栄翔　まげ" you'll see basically the same reactions.

Or on this Yahoo Answers post they basically came to the same conclusion, with maybe some ambiguity over whether it was intentional or not. Everybody seems to say that they only appear to have discussed who was out first during the monoii.

Looking at news articles, they just don't mention the hairpull. It's all about how brilliantly he maneuvered at the edge. Maybe I've missed a mainstream news article somewhere, let me know if I did.

[pricklypomegranate 730]

22 minutes ago, Amamaniac said:

Now that your breathing is synchronised...  TACHIAI! 

Can't get on the dohyo - not the right gender. 

But I think I could still defeat Shonanzakura though