Preparations of the Y/Os - Nagoya 2021

[Kintamayama 45,161]

Terunofuji trained today at home, facing Takarafuji for 10 bouts, going 8-2 . “I’m not in bad shape. I will be concentrating on myself and my sumo. Nagoya will be a Tsunatori basho, but if I succumb to the pressure it’s over before it started..”he said. He also did some non-sumo, using tubes and weights.

Edited June 9, 2021 by Kintamayama

[Eikokurai 3,437]

16 minutes ago, Kintamayama said:

Terunofuji trained today at home, facing Takarafuji for 10 bouts, going 8-2 . “I’m not in bad shape. I will be concentrating on myself and my sumo. Nagoya will be a Tsunatori basho, but if I succumb to the pressure it’s over before it started..”he said. He also did some non-sumo, using tubes and weights.

Looking forward to July. I know Takakeisho technically had a tsuna-run recently, but it didn’t come with much hype and it was over almost as soon as it began. It’s been four years since we really got to see one. Terunofuji’s on the other hand feels like the real deal. Let’s hope he stays healthy!

[Seiyashi 4,097]

13 minutes ago, Eikokurai said:

Looking forward to July. I know Takakeisho technically had a tsuna-run recently, but it didn’t come with much hype and it was over almost as soon as it began. It’s been four years since we really got to see one. Terunofuji’s on the other hand feels like the real deal. Let’s hope he stays healthy!

I think within the first three days we knew it was over after hatakikomi losses to Daieisho and Hokutofuji. With Terunofuji it will be much closer to the wire, although Takakeisho is also in position to spoil his party and start his own run at the same time.

[Godango 996]

15-0 Takakeisho, 14-1 Terunofuji, double promotion baby!!!!!!!

Realistically though I very much hope Terunofuji gets it done.

[nagora 88]

All depends on Hakuho.

[Athenayama 1,042]

1 minute ago, nagora said:

All depends on Hakuho.

I don't think he has much to say, really. His days are pretty much over, unfortunately.

[Jakusotsu 5,981]

@Athenayama I really hope you're gonna need this:

[Eikokurai 3,437]

1 hour ago, Athenayama said:

I don't think he has much to say, really. His days are pretty much over, unfortunately.

I’m inclined to agree, no matter how much it provokes the forum. 

Hakuho is obviously still a major talent, but in his condition he’s nothing to fear anymore. Terunofuji is his match, so as long as he believes that about himself, he can meet Hakuho head on in a pretty even contest. Dare I say, but I might even give Terunofuji the edge these days. Whatever the outcome, I don’t think Hakuho’s presence in a basho is as significant as it once was.

Edited June 9, 2021 by Eikokurai

[Athenayama 1,042]

39 minutes ago, Jakusotsu said:

@Athenayama I really hope you're gonna need this:

I really don't know what that means

More seriously, I'm the first who wishes to be proven wrong but let's face it. So many bashos Kyujo or withdrawn.... And suddenly he'll resurrect? Doubtful.

Edited June 9, 2021 by Athenayama

[code_number3 706]

46 minutes ago, Athenayama said:

I really don't know what that means

More seriously, I'm the first who wishes to be proven wrong but let's face it. So many bashos Kyujo or withdrawn.... And suddenly he'll resurrect? Doubtful.

It depends on olympic decision. Now we wait IOC's decision

 

 

 

[Athenayama 1,042]

1 minute ago, code_number3 said:

It depends on olympic decision. Now we wait IOC's decision

 

 

 

I was referring to his performance. Even if he shows up (and I believe he will), I'm afraid he'll withdraw at some point.

[Benihana 1,929]

Someone send this book to Ikioi.

[ViscountessNivlac 24]

2 hours ago, Eikokurai said:

I’m inclined to agree, no matter how much it provokes the forum. 

Hakuho is obviously still a major talent, but in his condition he’s nothing to fear anymore. Terunofuji is his match, so as long as he believes that about himself, he can meet Hakuho head on in a pretty even contest. Dare I say, but I might even give Terunofuji the edge these days. Whatever the outcome, I don’t think Hakuho’s presence in a basho is as significant as it once was.

If he fought Terunofuji now (or on day one) I think he could absolutely stop a run. It’s the 14 days preceding their meeting that are the issue.

[Eikokurai 3,437]

1 hour ago, ViscountessNivlac said:

If he fought Terunofuji now (or on day one) I think he could absolutely stop a run. It’s the 14 days preceding their meeting that are the issue.

Debatable, but also moot as a Yokozuna and an Ozeki wouldn’t ever meet on day one.* As you intimate, in the real world Hakuho needs to get through 14 days of competition first.

*For academic purposes, it’s happened just the once in history, in Jan 1972:

http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Query_bout.aspx?show_form=0&day=1&rank1=Y&rank2=O

http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Query_bout.aspx?show_form=0&day=2&rank1=Y&rank2=O

http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Query_bout.aspx?show_form=0&day=3&rank1=Y&rank2=O

[Seiyashi 4,097]

Hakuho has his own performance to contend with, rhetoric of being a wall notwithstanding. His priority will be to survive Nagoya intact, because another injury acting up is going to cost him any chance at an Olympics appearance (is that even still going to happen, considering there would usually have to be rehearsals and things like that, and there doesn't seem to be any word on those?)

In any event, for all three top-rankers, it's only each other they have to worry about at the tail end of the road. Before that, they really need to not drop random bouts to lower rankers. Terunofuji has less of a habit of that than Takakeisho does, but even he's never gone zensho or sealed the yusho early despite his being clearly head and shoulders above the rest of makuuchi for now. Hakuho's the only one who has done that, but it remains to be seen whether the flesh is weak or not.

[just_some_guy 280]

As long as Terunofuji keeps his fingers out of Myogiryu's hair I think he should be fine.

[Dapeng 235]

I don't think Terunofuji is back to his strength of his first promotion to ozeki and now he can win 12-13 each basho. If Hakuho's knee heals and he completes the July basho, Terunofuji's zuna-run will most probably be extended to Sept.

[Seregost 132]

Even if Hakuho is ready for Nagoya, I don't think he'll be the wall he was before. He will have been out for almost one whole year then, except for that daredevil combat against Daieisho (he nearly lost with that reckless attack). He's Hakuho, ofc, but even for him, to be nervous and rusty might be a big tax to pay. We'll find it out soon. I would love to see him collecting another yusho. Two friends of mine have started watching sumo in september, and I would like they have the chance to see him challenging for the championship.

[Terukuni 105]

I think that everybody would love to see a 3-way playoff, with Hakuho, Takakeisho, and Terunofuji going into senshuraku with all 14-1 records. It could happen if all rikishi come into Day 13 with 12-0 records. Let's say that Hakuho faces Takakeisho and wins, Takakeisho is 12-1 and Hakuho 13-0. The next day, Takakeisho defeats Terunofuji, so Takakeisho is now 13-1 and Terunofuji 13-1. Let's say that Hakuho wins his bout, and also advances to 14-0. Now, Takakeisho wins his bout and Terunofuji ends Hakuho's zensho-yusho chances, with all of them level at 14-1. This would be an absolute dream to see, but I just don't think that all three of them will be in any condition to end regular senshuraku with 14 wins. Coming back from a long kyujo and going 14-1 is something that I don't think has ever been achieved before. Takakeisho has been quite inconsistent in his performances but given his performances in Aki and Kyushu 2020 he has proved himself to be a credible threat. When he's not hampered by injuries, he always has a shot at the yusho. Terunofuji has the momentum, but I'm just not sure if he can weigh the pressure. There isn't any solid ground to make a feasible prediction for how the big three (Hakuho, Takakeisho, and Terunofuji) will perform in July. 

However, this Nagoya Basho will definitely be one of the most exciting and important in recent times. A LOT is on the line here.

[CT3* 331]

I've watched Hakuho for far too long to count him out. If this really is his last hurrah, then I expect he'll do his damndest to go out like a BOSS

[Eikokurai 3,437]

I wonder if Hakuho might retire even if he has a good basho in the event that one or both of Terunofuji and Takakeisho get promoted. Part of me thinks Hakuho will step aside once the next guy steps up, signaling the formal end of the era/changing of the guard.

[Godango 996]

1 hour ago, Eikokurai said:

I wonder if Hakuho might retire even if he has a good basho in the event that one or both of Terunofuji and Takakeisho get promoted. Part of me thinks Hakuho will step aside once the next guy steps up, signaling the formal end of the era/changing of the guard.

I think so too. It's very easy to picture Hakuho going out 'on top' (assuming a strong JY/Y), with a new Yokozuna signalling the clear end of his era and beginning of a new one. Poetic and whatnot.

[themistyseas 242]

I think the thing many folks are forgetting about Hakuho is that - yes, he's been kyujo a ton, and hasn't completed a basho in over a year - but even in the kyujo tournaments, his win percentage is very good (26-8 over the last three years). We've seen him go 10-0 more than once and then lose a couple and withdraw while in the yusho race. So I don't know there's very much evidence from the dohyo itself that he can't beat people, it's more that it's been his medical activities and his own decisions to fix his body that have prevented him from competing. Unfortunately I think the question is "will he still be in the basho" by the time it's presumably time to face Terunofuji and Takakeisho on Day 14 and 15.

Even in a situation where he decides to fight like hell through the injuries and go out in a blaze of glory it's hard to see how he would finish worse than 10 wins.

[Benihana 1,929]

On 09/06/2021 at 09:29, Kintamayama said:

Terunofuji trained today at home, facing Takarafuji for 10 bouts, going 8-2 .

The new version of the Vivaldi browser has a built in translator. I tried it on the Sankei article regarding this training session. It translated Takarafuji to "treasure Fuji", or "Schatz Fuji" in German. But in German "mein Schatz" has two meanings: "My treasure" and "my precious". I will never look at Takarafuji the same...

 

Back to serious. I don't like on-dohyo-Terunofuji, but getting that tsuna should secure him a spot in the all-time Top 10 of awesome sumo achievements, no matter if Hakuho shows up.

Edited June 10, 2021 by Benihana

[Morning 83]

Also My Darling

Edit: should have clarified. My Schatz in German also means My Darling. (The kanji of course doesn't match)

 

 

 

Edited June 10, 2021 by Morning