March basho 2021

[Seiyashi 4,108]

2 minutes ago, Kaito said:

Yeah, I also think Takayasu's mindset would be in a better place if he's granted an extra chance now. It can be hard to avoid "fighting not to lose" when you're the surprise leader and suddenly have a lot of expectations being placed on you, but it's not his basho to lose anymore. I'll be rooting for him to get it done the hard way tomorrow.

On the other hand, there's also the "aim for target and win prize, aim for prize and miss target" Zen thing possibly going on. Hopefully Takayasu can just go in to the bout with Aoiyama, who's a brutal but relatively straightforward customer, and just play to do well. If he goes in thinking he has another shot at the yusho, he's going to lose.

I hope Araiso gives him some good advice about getting into the right headspace. It's a mental rather than physical game now. Takayasu has the body and the technique but not the heart at the moment, which is what Terunofuji and Takakeisho have over him at the moment.

[WAKATAKE 2,671]

Inosuke almost became an obstacle again. What might have happened had he got bowled over by the Kaiju?

[Jakusotsu 6,049]

13 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

I hope Araiso gives him some good advice about getting into the right headspace. It's a mental rather than physical game now.

And what advice would he be giving other than "try and choke again and again and again..."?

[Seiyashi 4,108]

Just now, Jakusotsu said:

And what advice would he be giving other than "try and choke again and again and again..."?

I mean, Kisenosato did finally unchoke himself at what turned out to be the beginning of the end of his career, didn't he?

Besides, it's not as if Takayasu hasn't already tried and failed to win a yusho before. 4 JY is quite a lot of experience in yusho chasing.

[Jakusotsu 6,049]

4 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

I mean, Kisenosato did finally unchoke himself at what turned out to be the beginning of the end of his career, didn't he?

If I'd be mean I'd say Kise was lucky that age didn't get the better of him first.

Edit: ...or to put it another way: Kisenosato is exactly the expert you need to consult if you want to excel in winning Jun-Yusho.

Edited March 27, 2021 by Jakusotsu

[code_number3 708]

We will have 3 men tomoe-sen if Takakeisho win against Terunofuji

[pricklypomegranate 730]

Credit to @komioku on Twitter. This is the look of a man who saw his freedom coming from the horizon, but it was brutally snatched away: 

For context, Araiso promised he would not leave Takayasu until his yusho'ed. Well, it looks unlikely now, doesn't it? 

[Seiyashi 4,108]

That, or it brings back really bad memories of his own days being an eternal bridesmaid. Or all of them at the same time.

Not that it's impossible at this point for Takayasu to yusho. He needs to beat Aoiyama and pray that Takakeisho beats Terunofuji. I actually fancy his chances in that situation.

Edited March 27, 2021 by Seiyashi

[Eikokurai 3,437]

14 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

That, or it brings back really bad memories of his own days being an eternal bridesmaid. Or all of them at the same time.

Not that it's impossible at this point for Takayasu to yusho. He needs to beat Aoiyama and pray that Takakeisho beats Terunofuji. I actually fancy his chances in that situation.

Yeah, I’m pretty sure it was disappointment at seeing his friend fall again. I doubt Kise was thinking of himself in that moment.

Edited March 27, 2021 by Eikokurai

[Ichimawashi 573]

Wild and crazy final day matchups.  Despite a Juryo visitor to the top division we have three invaders from Makushita and fifteen Juryo bouts, one more than my little spreadsheet ever expected!  And what are we to make of Ms7e Ryusei (1-5-1) vs J10w Yago (3-11)?  The purpose of this match is what exactly?  Did Ryusei sleep in and someone else took the blame in order to get him an eighth try?  To decide who gets a slot at about Ms15 and who drops to Ms16?  I can't wait.

Hiro Morita, as usual, mixed a thousand metaphors with another thousand slightly off or mangled English idioms on the English broadcast today.  My favorite was describing 7-6 Akiseyama vs 7-6 Kotoeko by saying 'kachi-koshi on the line' when he meant 'kachi-koshi on offer' or 'kachi-koshi up for grabs,' since neither of them actually had one yet, and they are virtually impossible to lose once gotten.  Then he pulled a new one by repeatedly pronouncing Daiamami with the accent on the last syllable!  This mystified me until I realized DaiamaMEEE was destiny knocking at the door, pronounced that way to fit the opening notes of Beethoven's Fifth!  Then destiny beat Hoshoryu by yorikiri....

[Seiyashi 4,108]

2 minutes ago, Ichimawashi said:

Hiro Morita, as usual, mixed a thousand metaphors with another thousand slightly off or mangled English idioms on the English broadcast today. 

Never mind his English, he ended with "Arigato and sayonara", which while a direct translation of "Thank you and goodbye", sounded vaguely off for a day 14 broadcast - it should have been something like "mata ne" or the more formal version of that, seeing as how there's still senshuraku to go.

[since_94 650]

A very exciting and momentous day. The high point of a relatively humdrum tournament. Tobizaru absolutely amazing to pull that off. So hope to see Terunofuji win it tomorrow. What a Sumo buzz this day has been...

[Kaminariyuki 500]

On 25/03/2021 at 13:36, Tigerboy1966 said:

If he does get a prize it will not be before time. He should have got a kanto-sho in July last year when he got 10 wins in his first full maku'uchi  basho. He did have his top-division debut 8 months earlier but had to pull out after winning his first 4.  I wouldn't have argued if they had tossed a gino-sho his way after a technically excellent 11-4 last September.  41-21 in completed bouts is a pretty good start.

Given his size, an amazing first year in makuuchi.

[hakutorizakura 643]

I think Takayasu's previous 4 JY came from a chasing position? He's never been in such a commanding lead before with 2 wins ahead, so it's a totally different mentality. Unfortunately, he might not have the mental strength for that, though I still hope that his luck will give him the fish tomorrow.

[Gospodin 219]

15 hours ago, Tigerboy1966 said:

Once in each calendar year, Aoiyama decides to go on the rampage

Sounds similar to elephant bulls in musth 

[Amamaniac 2,079]

2 hours ago, Seiyashi said:

Ozeki is definitely confirmed.

Has there already been an announcement from the Judges Committee?

[Seiyashi 4,108]

Just now, Amamaniac said:

Has there already been an announcement from the Judges Committee?

No, but everyone is treating it like a done deal. Not without basis, since I don't see how you get 11-3, beat 2 ozeki in commanding fashion on the way, stay in the yusho race on the final day and fail to be repromoted. Terunofuji has basically been fulfilling the role of an ozeki in this basho in all but name.

[Ichimawashi 573]

2 minutes ago, Gospodin said:

Sounds similar to elephant bulls in musth 

Wasn't that a famous Orwell essay, Shooting a Rikishi?  :)

[Amamaniac 2,079]

3 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

No, but everyone is treating it like a done deal. Not without basis, since I don't see how you get 11-3, beat 2 ozeki in commanding fashion on the way, stay in the yusho race on the final day and fail to be repromoted. Terunofuji has basically been fulfilling the role of an ozeki in this basho in all but name.

I figured as much.  Frankly, I thought 10 wins should have been enough to secure re-promotion, but there are always exceptions to the number guidelines.  

I believe earlier in this tournament, Rijicho Hakkaku made a comment that Terunofuji's sumo at that point was not good sumo.  I don't believe he has a vote in the matter, but his views probably resonate plenty.  That is why I wrote in my post that today's bout sealed the anticipated likelihood of re-promotion.  Only 10 wins may have left the door open for debate.  10+ wins and you'd have a hard time denying the rank.  

Luckily, Terunofuji has his shisho stablemaster on the Judges Committee (the Head, no less), so he definitely has a leg up.  But with 11 wins and today's determined win against Ozeki Asanoyama, he doesn't really need Isegahama or ... luck.  

So it is virtually a sure thing that we will have ourselves a fourth Ozeki!

[Amamaniac 2,079]

1 hour ago, WAKATAKE said:

Inosuke almost became an obstacle again. What might have happened had he got bowled over by the Kaiju?

"Dohyokill" or "gyoji-nabe", take your pick! 

[Jakusotsu 6,049]

Still, looking at the leaderboard with one single rikishi at three losses, this yusho will be a rather cheap one.

[Amamaniac 2,079]

34 minutes ago, hakutorizakura said:

I think Takayasu's previous 4 JY came from a chasing position? He's never been in such a commanding lead before with 2 wins ahead, so it's a totally different mentality. Unfortunately, he might not have the mental strength for that, though I still hope that his luck will give him the fish tomorrow.

That's a very good point.  In the event that Takayasu fails to yusho tomorrow, I think we'll hear calls of "choke" and/or "mottainai" (what a waste/shame).

As much as sumo wrestlers are trained to ignore the "championship race" aspect of official tournaments, it is inevitable that when someone like Papa Yasu has a two-win lead, people around him will start praising his performance.  The killer is when you get ahead of yourself, and take winning for granted.  I fear that that may have become a factor.

But on top of that, in the first half of the tournament, Abema TV pointed out that Takayasu's bouts were lasting longer on average than the other frontrunners.  That suggests a concern that Takayasu may not have the stamina to maintain the sumo intensity needed to complete 15 days of competition.  It looks to me that there may be some truth in that.  In some of his recent losses, it looked to me that his body was giving out on him.

I too am holding my breath for a Cinderella-story ending tomorrow. 

[Djihi 33]

I for one hope Takakeishou wins tomorow it will make for a excellent and dramatic finish. 

Asanoyama vs Terunofuji is becoming an interesting rivalry. Asanoyama put great effort today and was the closest do the white star from all of the bouts between him and Teru. 

Ps. The push at the end was really bad taste. 

[lackmaker 438]

The 4 ozeki are an interesting mix.

Anyone fancy a guess where they'll all be a year from now?

[Seiyashi 4,108]

37 minutes ago, Jakusotsu said:

Still, looking at the leaderboard with one single rikishi at three losses, this yusho will be a rather cheap one.

It will be cheaper still if Takakeisho beats Terunofuji tomorrow, although the effort by the eventual winner in the tomoesen may be anything but.

9 minutes ago, lackmaker said:

The 4 ozeki are an interesting mix.

Anyone fancy a guess where they'll all be a year from now?

Exactly a year from now? One yokozuna, two ozeki, and one ozekiwake or kadoban.

Edited March 27, 2021 by Seiyashi