More of a placeholder post while Andy is kyujo. Your leaderboard heading into the middle Sunday is:
○○○●○○○ Y1e Hoshoryu
○●○○○○○ S1e Kirishima
○○○○○●○ S1w Takayasu
○○○○○●○ M4w Takanosho
○□○○●○○ M5w Kotoshoho
○○○●○○○ M10e Gonoyama
In Juryo, Wakanosho (7-0) continues to dominate, with Kazuma and Kazekeno one win back. And in Makushita, Enho (3-1) won a crucial bout, keeping his hopes of a sekitori return alive.
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Nice to see Kotozakura be much more aggro today!
Tomokaze seems destined to drop farther into Juryo. I suspect if he falls out of the division he’ll go intai.
Great match today between Kotoeiho and Fujiseiun. More of this amount of spirit and vigor in matches, please!
Roga had Asanoyama’s number today because he kept attacking Asanoyama’s left leg. Smart move by him to get the win.
Tokihayate has either stepped up to the next level in his sumo or he’s currently in the middle of doing that. It’s good to see him take those steps.
Shodai absolutely wasn’t interested in fighting today. Unfortunate, given how he’s done recently.
Takanosho wasn’t going to lose today.
Wakamotoharu seems destined for an 0-15 basho. Would he drop down as far as M8 or M9 if that happened?
Interesting that Kotozakura all of a sudden has vigor and moves forward aggressively when his opponent is smaller than he is. That says a lot about his mental confidence.
Atamifuji absolutely has figured out Aonishiki and all of the other rikishi are going to pay attention to that. The shin-Ozeki needs to create backup plans for his matches at this point.
No messing around for Hoshoryu today. Good to see that too.
Zero wins as komusubi in this century resulted in falls to a rank between M9 and M12.
Apparently, I’m always mentally more lenient on rikishi with terrible basho records than the banzuke committee! Thank you for the information, Herbern!
Also, here are the current rikishi who have the most potential to be Captain of the Juryo barge:
Mitakeumi, M15, 2-5
Tobizaru, M13, 2-5
Oshoumi, M11, 1-9
Other rikishi with potential rank demotion issues depending on how next week goes:
Tamawashi, M9 2-5
Onokatsu, M6, 1-4-2
Hakunofuji, M7, 1-2-4
Oshoma, M7, 2-5
It had crossed my mind that it would be interesting to see Tobizaru causing chaos in Juryo!
Oshoumi seems to be in a time machine :)
Don’t forget Abi at M5 with zero wins.
(Though at the moment only Wakanosho and Daiseizan would have promotable results.)
Oooooh. A valid point!
Of all the guys who were at one loss going into today, only Shodai (who else?) added another, so the leaderboard is still quite populous.
Takerufuji is 2-5 at J4.
Two years ago many thought that the future rivalry at the top could be him against Onosato…
Yes, seems he doesn’t just have stick-legs, but has stick-just about everything. Still, I live in hope that he’ll get back to full-genki one day..
Another day, another Konosuke blooper moment.. You know the world is against your yusho (yes, we’re talking Takayasu) when even the gyoji tries to stop you from winning!!
Well, I look at this from another perspective: if not even the gyoji are able to stop Takayasu no one will be! My wish now with Aonishiki being out of the race is a playoff win of the bear against the both ex- and next ozeki Kirishima.
Wakanosho‘s performance has been „exploding“ since last basho.
Might (the remaining half of) Takakeisho be the reason for that?
The same goes for Atamifuji, who in my eyes is now among the most dangerous rikishi. Thanks to Terunofuji?
Aonishiki – from yokozuna run to kadoban?
We know that scenario don’t we, Kotozakura?
Let’s hope the Ukrainian will not suddenly become the next faux-zeki (a great new rank Andy created) because more and more rikishi solve the puzzle he used to be for them.
I think he hasn’t earned that doubt just yet. Coming into this basho he was on par with Onosato’s meteoric rise as one of the fastest to potentially make yokozuna. He’s still never lost more than 5 matches in a basho before this one. He’s entitled to a bad tournament given his run.
U‘re right of course and I‘m far from saying that this worst case scenario (except for injuries) will happen. But more and more rikishi seem to know by now how to get Aonishiki upright. I hope he finds a counter medicine soon, because it seems that he tends to lose pure power battles.
Injured toe, apparently.
Really? Since what day? Can’t find anything about it, but would be a valid explanation.
In his rope run of all times! What a pity.
I like Mitakeumi, but someone needs to tell him to show a bit more respect than a barely noticeable head twitch when he loses.
He’s been doing this for multiple basho and it has irritated me for just as long. He has the rank he has earned, but apparently he doesn’t feel that way.
Does Takayasu get two wins today? He took two people out of the Dohyo.
Pink Star?
Takayasu fought really well, pivoting back into position when he was (temporarily) in a bad spot.
Kotozakura: well, there ya go. Looked like he wanted to win and had a plan.
Hoshoryu: he’s not doing the extra glare that struck fans (like me) as arrogant. Good. I’ve never doubted his technique or strength but now find him a tad more likable. Hope he continues this way.
Interesting how we all see things differently. Hosh’s half step and glare always struck me as part of the ‘shtick’ and I paid zero attention to it. Whereas Takayasu, well, his hissing exhalations and glare whilst mawashi thumping, to borrow from Shania Twain, ‘ don’t impress me much’. No doubt that’s part of the same shtick as Hosh’s glare.
Hi,
me again looking for the NHK videos.
Can’t seem to find them today.
Could someone help me out ?
Cheers,
Day 8: https://www.web.nhk/tv/pl/series-tep-Z8WRRJ9K96/ep/K66K8YL43W
Scroll down and click on the box that says “続きを読む”
Post Day 8 .. This is literally the walking wounded basho .. it feels like 30-40% of riskishi should be kyujo ..
Also feels like a feel good story basho .. A long suffering rikishi may take the cup ..
It looked like Hosh got too cute v Daiesho .. reached down for the leg when he could have used a less risky tact to capitalize on Daiesho balanced on the bales ..
Kiri v Papa was a classy bout .. I wonder why Papa decided to go straight for the belt v volleys of tsuppari .. seems a risky choice v Kiri ..
Does Ao has a core/upper leg injury? .. seems too slow to get back into + maintain his favored sumo posture ..
Kotozakura returned to defensive sumo v rikishi who are not a physical mismatch ..
WMH must have a similar injury .. not known for his crouching style .. but even when winning today, he used a revolving door throw ..
Good to see Koto-bros having a solid basho .. have always struck me as having untappted potential + consistent effort .. both seem to be sustaining focus & disciplined sumo ..
Gonoyama is healthy .. makes a big difference from his prior immitation of a beachball ..
Shishi got cute with a mini-henka v the henka master .. then forgot to keep his head down + grab the belt ..
Aonishiki: Iksumo has mentioned an apparent toe injury (see above).
Kotoshoho: When he was an M5 in November after his yusho he ended 3-12. Now he‘s back at M5 with a 7-1; maybe before his second yusho?
Shishi: I seem to remember that his last henka backfired too. Probably he has to concentrate fully on the planned move, does it halfheartedly and forgets everything else…