Kyushu 2022 discussion (results)

[since_94 650]

20 minutes ago, Tigerboy1966 said:

It is possible, of course that he is going to do that Ryuden thing where he just competes in one match to avoid dropping off the banzuke.

Anybody notice his cheeky smile, either to a judge or a ringside well wisher, after his day 1 win in jonokuchi? He knows what’s ahead and looks eager to take on the challenge 

[Benevolance 2,484]

Word on the streets is that Shodai is going to put on an ABSOLUTE CLINIC in Fukuoka and show these sumo clowns who the REAL BOSS is. 

[Kaninoyama 1,718]

He's kadoban, right? Story checks out. 

[Yamanashi 3,793]

39 minutes ago, Benevolance said:

Word on the streets is that Shodai is going to put on an ABSOLUTE CLINIC in Fukuoka and show these sumo clowns who the REAL BOSS is. 

That reminds me, time to start up Ridiculous Predictions for this basho ...

[Seiyashi 4,072]

Is it just me, or is the lightning in the arena really poor?

[Yamanashi 3,793]

33 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

Is it just me, or is the lightning in the arena really poor?

-n, I assume?

[Seiyashi 4,072]

Er, yeah, lighting...

Hold up, I have a ridiculous predictions post to make. 

[Shinobi Steve 146]

5 hours ago, Benevolance said:

Word on the streets is that Shodai is going to put on an ABSOLUTE CLINIC in Fukuoka and show these sumo clowns who the REAL BOSS is. 

Reportedly, Shodai was very assertive during a recent practice and demanding some talking lower rankers to go outside. So, maybe Shodai plans to show his assertive sumo this basho. We can always imagine such things, only to have those daydreams crushed when the real Shodai inevitably shows up. 

[Seiyashi 4,072]

And Tochinoshin gets done in by his heel. Again.

[Thorbjarn 214]

8 hours ago, Yarimotsu said:

I also think it's takakeisho's basho to lose and he seems in the right mindset to get it won. Kotonowaka is my pick for runner-up, if they handled sanyaku promotions like they did a few decades ago he'd be in the same position as wakatakakage and looking strong.

Kotonowaka definitely had bad banzuke luck. 

I actually went with the silly superstition way of prediction, since Takakeisho won Jonokuchi 2014, Juryo 2016 and Makuuchi 2018 & 2020. He won both his Makuuchi Yusho with a 13-2 score, needing a playoff in 2020. Silly but funny to think it will be the same with even more drama to it. 

[Akinomaki 40,208]

No mention of an Ichinojo scandal, unless I missed it - he's basically in the same situation as at his yusho basho - and same rank, except for the bad publicity now.

Abi doesn't want to get mentioned as a yusho hope

- I think it's time again for another first yusho by a lower rank.

[Thorbjarn 214]

7 hours ago, Benevolance said:

Word on the streets is that Shodai is going to put on an ABSOLUTE CLINIC in Fukuoka and show these sumo clowns who the REAL BOSS is. 

He's starting tomorrow, apparently. 

Takayasu surprised me, he looked really strong against Wakatakakage, whom he has a lot of trouble with usually. 

Edited November 13, 2022 by Thorbjarn

[Taliesin 68]

Might as well just follow traditions and start from week 2.

[Kaninoyama 1,718]

Looks like Takayasu may have injured his foot. Broadcast mentioned he had hurt his big toe during keiko leading up to this basho, so maybe he tweaked it. 

[Hankegami 439]

General impressions from Day 1. Of course that's not much to talk about ATM, first day and all. However, I'd like to point out a few unexpected outcomes in Maakuchi.

The most evident upset was served by Sadanoumi, who won against Hokutofuji despite a 0-5 (now 1-5 record). Close second comes Ryuden, who defied his 1-5 (now 2-5) record against Endo. I believe that's not a coincidence these two rikishi have been going very well recently. Let's see if they manage to keep on.

In the Battle of the Young Hopes, Kotonowaka almost defeated his nemesis Hoshoryu (0-7 in the last seven matches) but the Nephew showed some remarkable skills by staying on the rope. I was nonetheless impressed by Kotonowaka. He went the closest to defeat Hoshoryu since I began to watch these two. I had the impression his sumo has improved - or I wish it has.

In the "defied the odds but actually not" section, we have Takayasu that won against Wakatakakage despite a 3-7 (now 4-7) record against him. However, considering that A) Wakatakakage seldom wins on Day 1 - bad boy!, and B) Takayasu is most likely chasing his first yusho again, it was pretty much the most expected outcome. What surprised me is how much hard-fought this bout was. Despite the loss, Wakatakakage showed a noticeable resistance and he lost only because Takayasu was going nuclear against him. I am at this point concerned about Takayasu's injury at the end of the bout, considering how in a good shape he was today. The old papa bear doesn't deserve another bad basho just because of an injury - one he could realistically win on top of that. Wishing the best to both of them. Tomorrow Wakatakakage will have another difficult bout against Kiribayama (precedents 4-7), while Takayasu will get Shodai - easy win?

About Shodai, today he tried-but-not-tried against Tobizaru. He made in particular a visible frog leap backwards who sent him straight to the rope. Tobizaru had just to keep pushing. He tried to get Tobizaru's belt for sure, so he was not in full vacation today, but he should do better. I still have to understand how much he's actually good at his damn job.

Last line, Mitakeumi started good today, sending Meisei straight out. Sure, he was the favorite on paper (8-3) but he also lost badly to Meisei last basho. I sincerely hope he's back on track, Sekiwake Mitakeumi had almost always deserved to be an Ozeki - differently from Ozeki Mitakeumi. I hope we are finally going to get Package A in the near future.

I wrote last line, but here we go with a post scriptum as I noticed that Mitakeumi will get Ichinojo tomorrow. 'Nojo today shoved an opaque Tamawashi out while also showing an unexpected vitality. I have a bad feeling he decided to be serious in order to get "dohyo points" to counter the ongoing investigation somehow. Not the best of perspectives to me.

Edited November 13, 2022 by Hankegami

[dada78641 884]

Since I happen to be in Japan right now, this is how I watched the sumo today:

With a nice cup of hot kocha in the local coffee shop.

I'm glad Ichinojo is not kyujo given the recent problems. There were some pretty good explosive matches today.

[Yarimotsu 552]

3 hours ago, Hankegami said:

The most evident upset was served by Sadanoumi, who won against Hokutofuji despite a 0-5 (now 1-5 record).

I was relishing this bout after I saw that head-to-head when researching for Norizo's Game. Immediately my head went to Chain Gang and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to get rid of those who pay much more attention to H2H than I do. Played out perfectly, and along with Kinbozan looking sleepy in the first bout, those of us who remain are already in the points (I had improving Hokuseiho against a clearly limited Chiyonokuni).

My reason for thinking the Sadanoumi-Hokutofuji bout wasn't as one-sided as the record shows? Firstly, two of those results are from Sadanoumi's less-than-impressive 2018 outings, so you could really call it 0-3 with his new approach. Secondly, their styles don't really contrast. Hokutofuji will have to dodge (difficult at his size and difficult against Sadanoumi speed) or slap down (prone to failure, especially so for the same reasons) at least some of the time. I don't think he tends to block well at the tachiai and Sadanoumi has lately been charging hard. So in my mind it was just a matter of time before a decent contact led to a straightforward push out and the green-belted man won that H2H.

[Akinomaki 40,208]

Asashiyu got his first win today after 294 days - he was kyujo 4 full basho, had surgery on the right knee in February and now goes for his 4th return from the same recurring grave  injuries of the knee ligaments - the first time in high school. https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2022/11/13/kiji/20221113s00005000300000c.html

[Octofuji 350]

6 hours ago, Seiyashi said:

And Tochinoshin gets done in by his heel. Again.

At least it like the right call this time, just.

[Akinomaki 40,208]

Takerufuji (Ishioka) makes his jk debut this basho, starting with a win. He wants to prove himself worthy of the name Takeru (from Yamato Takeru no mikoto 日本武尊 - actually his shikona kanji is just mikoto, not Takeru, but that is common practice with shikona)  and become one who stands above the others. Terunofuji told him: "Because you'll be in makuuchi" https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2022/11/13/kiji/20221113s00005000325000c.html

[Akinomaki 40,208]

Ichinojo refuses to give interviews after the bout - the rikishi should stop at the remote terminal for that on the way back to the hanamichi after their bout. Will he keep doing this for 15 days?

[Akinomaki 40,208]

Day 1 had just over half of the capacity of 6973 spectators, about 3700. http://www.sanspo.com/article/20221114-JFSJ2QSKQ5OOLHJHKDCPITRIDY/

[Kaninoyama 1,718]

Kotonowaka takes on Takakeisho today. Hopefully he brings headgear. 

[Seiyashi 4,072]

Nishikifuji and Tobizaru continuing to impress. No sign of their joi placement being a prolonged fluke.

[Jakusotsu 5,892]

It looks like the NSK changed the bout order of the first two Komusubi matches, their original plan being obviously wrong (see here).

Edited November 14, 2022 by Jakusotsu