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Whoopdy Do's avatar

Life intruded over the past week and I had to binge-watch the NHK highlights show to catch up, but for once I saw the Day 10 bout before I got Tim's spoilers. Wow, I think I say this every tournament, but how great is this one? With the two Yokes already looking out of it, I'm figuring one of the ozekis will take it, but look at all those long shots in with a chance!

I am really thrilled to see big, lumbering Shishi doing so well. He still has to face the top rankers, but I don't think anybody has made as much improvement over the past year and I hope he keeps at it.

Really rooting for Papayasu and Atamifuji, too. Papa Bear is really showing off a variety of techniques and looking as good as he ever has.

I gotta figure out where to watch the juryo and makushita bouts. Too bad we probably won't see Takerufuji back at the top anytime soon, but glad to hear little Enho is doing well, and Tim don't count Kayo out. He only needs two more wins to get his K!

Dj sto's avatar

Early hours say 4am uk time NHK ON YOUTUBE LIVE

Dj sto's avatar

I am already watching

Dj sto's avatar

On YouTube

@LeoDickinsonSumo

Hatsu Basho Sumo day 11

Look for that

It’s what I have been watching it’s all live

Finishes around 08.45 am

You can’t see it after that

Ken France's avatar

I’m wanting to see Aonishiki pull this out again. Though I will say I’m quietly pulling for Shishi.

Neural Foundry's avatar

This analysis is fantastic! The detail on Kotozakura vsKirishima broke down the strategy in a way I've never seen before. I tried explaining sumo to a friend last year and they thought it was just guys pushing each other but seeing belt grips dissected like chess moves is exacly what I needed. Dunno if Shishi can keep this pace going but rooting for him anyway.

Elisabeth M's avatar

re the atamifuji/onosato bout, i have been wondering how close it has to be for the judges to call a rematch vs declaring a winner. it seems more or less based on vibes to me at this point - compared to, say, rugby, where they'll do the slowest of slow motion replays from a gazillion angles to work out whether control over the ball was lost prior to the ball touching down or whether there a player's foot touched a blade of white (boundary) grass so that he was out etc.

Whoopdy Do's avatar

There have been a couple outcomes in this tournament that I thought were questionable.

Elisabeth M's avatar

yeah. it's only my second tournament that i'm actually watching (was only listening on the heavy hands patreon prior to that), so i don't have a good feel yet for how the judges are leaning or how they tend to do these things. like which factors seem to be important or weigh more than others etc., at what point does the dead body rule come in etc.

sometimes it's very clear and then sometimes i'm like, wait what now?

Whoopdy Do's avatar

I have problems with the "dead body" rule too. Maybe Tim can clarify, but he's pretty busy, so as far as I can tell, it doesn't matter when you go down if you've already fired the other guy right out of the ring. You can be lying there covered in dirt and he can still be in mid-air, but if he's headed for the third row of seats you win.

I agree, it leaves a lot of room for "interpretation."

Hengtee Lim's avatar

It's been a real joy seeing both Kirishima and Kotozakura in good form. They're both such technicians.

Dj sto's avatar

Hi All, whilst right now I feel picking a winner is impossible….Mr insufferable is sticking with Aonishiki

Results of Kotazakura V Kirishima who is putting his card in for a run at Ozeki , he has been there B4 so he is well placed in terms of the expectations of the position that it holds. I like him and look forward to seeing him target that position, also Kotozakura he’s grown on me and I think he’s now running towards Yokozuna, this has come about because Aonishiki has butted his way in to Ozeki, so rivals to get there first ?

Briefly we need to keep an eye on Shishi he’s right there in the pack, this happened with Kotoshoho and bang there he was a the top !!!

Hoshoryu came through but think that win was more by luck than judgement!

He hobbled off, I feel like he thinks he’s now got to stay to the bitter end, and even though Onosato is out of the race I fear it maybe the same for him

We must accept that they particularly Hoshoryu have faced highly critical comments from the JSA, some of it correct, but they were the ones that installed Hoshoryu in a matter of minutes and whilst slightly more thought went into Onosato promotion neither should have been elevated so quickly and now here we are

The JSA have now pinned all their hopes on Aonishiki, and that’s now proving to be a problem, and so there will be panicking leading into the European leg [ Paris ] about Yokozunas not being up to snuff

There will be a number of JSA whom vehemently objected at the time to how quickly these Yokozuna got installed, now sitting back saying told you so !!

Yoshinofuji hasn’t really come forth so far and Hakunofuji is at the same level, when I think Terunofuji had thought with including Midorifuji , Nishikifuji and Enho

Making at my count 6 he was in with a good shot at something and by and large it’s come down to Atamifuji !

Everyone who knows my comments will know I am delighted Tim did quite a long write up on Atamifuji

Poor Atamifuji he’s embarrassed because all the women think he’s cute and sweet lol and obviously he wants to be thought of as crusher the merciless, but he’s beaten two Yokozuna in two straight out wins, Onosato got a second chance and still lost, I bet every judge and the JSA can’t believe he was beaten by Atamifuji whom let’s face it probably think he’s a nice enough guy but not really going far!!

Ken France's avatar

Good stuff. Good insight.

Dj sto's avatar

Thanks

I am just a person looking at it from a audience point of view, how we see it as a member of the public, but with a bit of Tim and you all that know the ins and outs thrown in