Kyushu 2021 discussion

[yohcun 401]

Even as far as successful henkas go, this was kinda embarrassing. (Fujiseiun - Asashiyu)

 

[robnplunder 976]

On 16/11/2021 at 13:55, RabidJohn said:

Inconsistent is what he is. Good enough to stay in sanyaku for years, but far too inconsistent to be an ozek

Yup.  He seems to lose focus more than others would.  His sumo and my golf game frustrated the hell out of me.  But despite his two losses hitherto, I think he has been better than usual. 

 

Terunofuji is set to dominate ozumo for years until his age catches up.  I don't see anyone on the horizon to stand his way. 

Ura is looking good.  It's a long shot but his Sanyuku debut may happen after this basho.  

[Godango 1,014]

4 hours ago, Treblemaker said:

Fill me in on Ichinojo. More injury issues? 

Consistently dodgy back, coupled with a seeming lack of heart. Weight-wise, yo-yoing between 180kg and 220+kg likely hasn't helped.

[Seiyashi 4,108]

Does Takakeisho always look that discomfited dismounting the dohyo from the dohyo-iri? He looked like he was wincing every other step, or had had something in his eye.

[jsolo 106]

Kyushu November Basho--Links and Statistics Blog--Day 10--results, standings, videos, photos, match articles, kimarite statistics, time of match statistics, kachi-koshi, make-koshi, Top Rank performance, maegashira v san'yaku, videos of several Jonokuchi and one Sandanme bout and a nice travel log from Chris Sumo on his way via fast train from Tokyo. Enjoy.

November Basho--Day 10 Blog Post

 

[Kurowashi 43]

Aoiyama vs Chiyonokuni looked like the former getting a proper beaten by the latter, in front of a bar 

Damn Kiribayama showing his strength today 

[Seiyashi 4,108]

7 minutes ago, Kurowashi said:

Damn Kiribayama showing his strength today 

That's a bucket list item, I believe. He's always wanted to do that like his shisho.

Rare display of power and stamina from Takakeisho today. Endo had a temporary nodowa but once that went, Takakeisho broke out the good old double thrusts and sent him over the bales surely and inevitably. This is yusho-form Takakeisho - and dare I hope, rope-chasing form too.

[Seiyashi 4,108]

Did someone go round to the ozeki and ginger them up yesterday? They're *gasp* actually looking like ozeki for once.

[Jakusotsu 6,049]

13 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

That's a bucket list item, I believe. He's always wanted to do that like his shisho.

Already checked out last basho against Chiyomaru.

[Kurowashi 43]

Tsurugisho vs Midorifuji was also a blast, very entertaining bout 

[RabidJohn 1,855]

Weird to see Hokutofuji in the first makuuchi bout of the day... He's not going to be down there next time.

I don't know what to make of Akua. He's capable of some excellent sumo, and he's so fearless about falling that he seems to me to have a deathwish, but he walked away from that mono-ii decision looking like a petulant child...

I liked that Chiyoshoma didn't henka at the tachi-ai and went for the belt, but I've got to assume he found no openings for a throw or trip because going chest to chest in a yori battle with Tochinoshin displays a lack of tactical wisdom.

The former, slightly-out-of-control Abi might have succumbed to Ura's tricksiness, but the new, improved Abi wasn't messing about.

Bad day to be head shimpan... Takadagawa got flattened, and Isegahama caught one too.

Masterful tsuri-dashi from Kiribayama. I particularly liked that Myogiryu didn't even bother with the standard kicking-and-wriggling response, just looked around to see what/who he was going to land on.

Mitakeumi is setting us up for a real disappointment. (I often claim that I'm not superstitious, but lately I've been wondering if I [and a few others around here] have been attempting to anti-jinx our favourite hafu...)

2 hours ago, Seiyashi said:

Did someone go round to the ozeki and ginger them up yesterday? They're *gasp* actually looking like ozeki for once.

It is coincidental that they both produced their best sumo of the basho today, but I'm reading nowt into it.

Terunofuji is starting to make me feel confident about his prospects. Those "ticking time-bomb" knees of his may be on a much longer countdown than many of us expected.

[Hakuryuho 335]

Man Hiradoumi is awesome, dude's made up of 100% fighting spirit!
My favourite Juryo rikishi now

[Morty 1,505]

Going into today's bout Shodai was 7-1 head to head against Meisei and that's what a confident Shodai looks like. If only he could get his head that right every day.

[rokudenashi 324]

Ryūden vs Chiyonoumi for the makushita yūshō.

Atamifuji goes 5-1 with another formidable performance.

Imagine Shiba needs to win his final bout now to confirm promotion, along with Kitanowaka and Kotoyūshō. All 3 lost today and are 4-2. Not to forget salary yo-yo'ing stalwart Jōkōryū who will be back up provided he can defeat Tōhakuryū tomorrow.

It's pretty clogged down at the bottom of jūryō with the only surefire demotees being Hokuseihō, and Kyokutaisei if he keeps up his current form. Kyokushūhō is a possibility if he drops 2 more.

[rokudenashi 324]

26 minutes ago, Hakuryuho said:

Man Hiradoumi is awesome, dude's made up of 100% fighting spirit!
My favourite Juryo rikishi now

The way he locked onto, then maintained the grip on Kitanowaka's belt was terrifying. Few can match his intensity out there. For this reason I'd love to see him against Chiyonokuni or Daieishō in the near future.

Edited November 24, 2021 by rokudenashi

[Gurowake 4,100]

I'd say there's a good chance Shodai is going to not get some number of the other top 4 rikishi in order to have them be opponents for Abi.  After Takanosho, there's no one else besides the top 4 with a winning record in the joi, and very few winning records anywhere that Abi hasn't already faced (only Chiyoshoma it appears).  If Shodai gets his KK against Kiribayama there's not much point to have those matches with the other top rikishi.  And if Shodai doesn't get his KK there, I think we've seen good evidence that they'll try to manufacture it by not giving him the opponents he normally would face.  There's also the question of what order they're going to do the matches that do occur in the top 4.  Presumably they will save Takakeisho-Terunofuji for last, and they might even save Mitakeumi-Terunofuji for Day 14 for slightly added suspense (even though we know Mitakeumi will finish 9-6).  That would mean having Shodai-Terunofuji Day 13.  In general they're less likely to skip Yokozuna matches against other top-ranked rikishi to test those down the banzuke, and Day 13 Abi still has Takanosho to face, so that makes a good deal of sense.  Takanosho's other last two opponents will presumably be the two 9-2 maegashira, although I suppose by Day 15 things might have changed significantly and they're likely to wait until after Day 14 results as is the new normal.

[ryafuji 815]

No idea why they called a monoii for Kotonowaka really. Akua was in an obvious dead body position. 

[Seiyashi 4,108]

16 minutes ago, ryafuji said:

No idea why they called a monoii for Kotonowaka really. Akua was in an obvious dead body position. 

Sometimes it doesn't hurt to be extra careful. FWIW it's not the only bout I've seen a mono-ii called for when the outcome seemed obvious. And, given what has previously happened in this basho, the mono-ii could also be called for potential infractions before the finishing move, which turned out not to be infractions at all.

[Amamaniac 2,079]

6 hours ago, Seiyashi said:

Does Takakeisho always look that discomfited dismounting the dohyo from the dohyo-iri? He looked like he was wincing every other step, or had had something in his eye.

I noticed the same thing.  I wouldn't be surprised if he has picked up an injury in one of his falls from the ring in recent bouts (my guess is the bout versus Hoshoryu on Day 9)...

[Seiyashi 4,108]

26 minutes ago, Amamaniac said:

I noticed the same thing.  I wouldn't be surprised if he has picked up an injury in one of his falls from the ring in recent bouts (my guess is the bout versus Hoshoryu on Day 9)...

And yet there was apparently a positive effect on his sumo, given his increasingly energetic dispatching of Endo today.

[Amamaniac 2,079]

Just now, Seiyashi said:

And yet there was apparently a positive effect on his sumo, given his increasingly energetic dispatching of Endo today.

That leaves the "something in his eye" theory... 

[Eikokurai 3,437]

Weird how there are seven guys in the joi within a loss of makekoshi (4-7).

[Amamaniac 2,079]

Just wanted to tap into the Forum for views (hopefully educated ones) as to Terunofuji's bent right middle finger.  It is particularly noticeable during his dohyoiri (never noticed it prior to September of this year, but then he wasn't a Yokozuna prior to that).

Many wrestlers tape their fingers/thumbs, and for good reason.  No doubt, finger injuries happen quite regularly in sumo.  It is quite likely, therefore, that Terunofuji's bent finger is evidence of a prior injury – one that I don't recall being reported.  What puzzles me is that for all the wrestlers in the sport, I can't seem to spot another wrestler with the same bent finger condition.  Kakuryu broke a finger a couple of years back, but his finger doesn't seem to have become disformed.  

Any thoughts on the nature of injury that would leave a finger bent the way Terunofuji's finger is?

[Seiyashi 4,108]

6 minutes ago, Amamaniac said:

Just wanted to tap into the Forum for views (hopefully educated ones) as to Terunofuji's bent right middle finger.  It is particularly noticeable during his dohyoiri (never noticed it prior to September of this year, but then he wasn't a Yokozuna prior to that).

Many wrestlers tape their fingers/thumbs, and for good reason.  No doubt, finger injuries happen quite regularly in sumo.  It is quite likely, therefore, that Terunofuji's bent finger is evidence of a prior injury – one that I don't recall being reported.  What puzzles me is that for all the wrestlers in the sport, I can't seem to spot another wrestler with the same bent finger condition.  Kakuryu broke a finger a couple of years back, but his finger doesn't seem to have become disformed.  

Any thoughts on the nature of injury that would leave a finger bent the way Terunofuji's finger is?

For everyone else: screencap as such:

[Amamaniac 2,079]

Just saw Kintasama's video digest, and it would appear that former Ozeki Goeido appeared on NHK's broadcast.  That surprises me given the fact that on Nov 18, he was reported to have contracted Covid.  Six days later, he's in the studio!  (OK, he's wearing a mask, but when Hokuseiho got Covid, he and the rest of the stable – infected or not – were banned from participating in the whole September Tournament as per NSK's guidelines).  I call foul!  That is a double standard IMHO.

Thank you Seiyashi for digging up the news article that clarifies the situation.  In fact, there was no double standard involved. 

Edited November 24, 2021 by Amamaniac