As always, feel free to ask your sumo based questions or see previous posts via the sumo tag with my, typically, in depth comments on the subject. With November's 15-0 zensho yusho (perfect record...
As always, feel free to ask your sumo based questions or see previous posts via the sumo tag with my, typically, in depth comments on the subject.
With November's 15-0 zensho yusho (perfect record tournament), Terunofuji is now in rare company, being only the second yokozuna to win both of his first two tournaments after rising to the top rank. Even the undisputed GOAT Hakuho didn't win his first two basho!
Yokozuna typically have what is referred to as the "yokozuna hangover" for their first tournament. They've just had two - three back to back tournaments in their top form and with the promotion to the top spot comes a lot of pressure along with the obligations to be available to entertain/celebrate with well heeled supporters and media. They typically train less, drink more, and all the other things that come with the big news generating promotion.
Teru really had that aura of invincibility about him this last Basho! Even when Takakeisho and (especially) Abi pushed him to the brink, he was cool as a cucumber and turned it around as if losing...
Teru really had that aura of invincibility about him this last Basho! Even when Takakeisho and (especially) Abi pushed him to the brink, he was cool as a cucumber and turned it around as if losing wasn't even a possibility. It was nice to see after his slightly shakier (though still quite impressive) first tournament as yokozuna. I'm fairly new to sumo (I've only watched the past 4 Basho), but it seems to me that he'll be top dog as long as he keeps his health and his knees. His style no doubt appeals to the conservative audience too--he really embodies that powerful, belt-oriented, forward-moving sumo that seems to be the platonic ideal of traditional technique.
Who would you like to see as the next yokuzuna, @AugustusFerdinand? I could definitely see Takakeiso stringing a couple yusho together, or Mitakeumi finding that last bit of consistency he's lacking. I'd love to see Wakatakakage make it to the top, but I think he probably has a ways to go before he's ready to scratch the top ranks.
I've already dubbed, in my mind-canon, Teru as the patient yokozuna. He does not seem to be in a rush, he responds as needed to make sure that he's not pushed out of the ring, but he seems to know...
I've already dubbed, in my mind-canon, Teru as the patient yokozuna. He does not seem to be in a rush, he responds as needed to make sure that he's not pushed out of the ring, but he seems to know that most rikishi only have a plan for the first few seconds of a bout. They know how they are going to start the match, he seems to know how he's going to end it.
Hmm... Who I would like to see as yokozuna and who I think will be yokozuna are two different questions (not that you asked both). I think, under the right mindset/circumstances, Takakeishou could be a yokozuna. On his good days, the man is an unstoppable cannonball. I mean, did you see him send Teru across the dohyo‽ And that wasn't even the strongest push I've seen him land this basho. I think he may have had a better chance against Terunofuji if he hadn't resorted to his side push/pull that he should know only works on lower skilled rikishi by now. He has power that belies his egg shaped T-Rex armed physique and if he doesn't get injured, he may very well string enough yusho or jun-yusho together for a promotion.
You haven't been watching long so you've probably never seen him at the top of his game, but I miss the days of Tochinoshin at full health. He was truly a sight to behold, but his top of the division days are behind him I fear. In my dream world, he never dropped down the banzuke and also became a yokozuna. He's not lacking in strength or skill, just hampered by injury. Kotonawaka didn't have a great basho, but I've been surprised by him in the past and I think he can do great things. Whether that amounts to an ozeki or yokozuna run time will tell, but he's young and has a lot of promise. Hokutofuji coming back iwth an 11-4 this basho makes me wonder if he's going to make a real run for the upper ranks again or not. He has a habit of showing brilliant tournaments and then falling back into a pattern of mediocrity. I want him to do so well, but I don't know if he can do so consistently. His final day opponent was Chiyoshoma, who is the most Hakuho-like in physique and style, but he never seems to really put it together.
In a perfect world Ura would be near the top of the rankings, he's just so damn entertaining and has such heart. I want him to be at the top, but with the knees it may be too late already. He has the strength of a big rikishi, but the toolbox and drive of a small one; I'm a big fan. Also a big fan of Onosho, I think he does great sumo and I think he analyzes himself a lot. You can see on his face after every defeat that he knows what he did wrong, he is his own worst critic for sure. I love Tobizaru, I want his antics/tactics to work all of the time and his brand of sumo to be represented at the top. I don't think it'll happen, but I still want a crazy Yokozuna Tobizaru. Daieishou has some consistency problems, but I think he could be a real threat. In my fantasy world, Ichinojo in his slow, powerful, textbook sumo is an ozeki at the very least.
Shodai is still an ozeki only because the rank gives them a two tournament chance to keep it instead of the constant promotion/demotion of other ranks (in case you're unaware, ozeki used to be the top, yokozuna is a relatively new rank). Mitakeumi however, absolutely should be an ozeki and I see no reason why he can't be a yokozuna if he can string together the wins; which we may be seeing start right now with his 11-4 starting a possible ozeki run.
Hoshoryu, Wakatakakage, Meisei, and most of all Abi are the future of sumo right now. Abi, had he not been punished and sent down the ranks, would likely be firmly in the sanyaku right now.
I guess to answer the question of who I really want to see as next yokozuna it'd be a Takakeishou that has learned to be patient/last longer in the ring and/or Mitakeumi finding his stride and surprising everyone as an underdog.
As always, feel free to ask your sumo based questions or see previous posts via the sumo tag with my, typically, in depth comments on the subject.
With November's 15-0 zensho yusho (perfect record tournament), Terunofuji is now in rare company, being only the second yokozuna to win both of his first two tournaments after rising to the top rank. Even the undisputed GOAT Hakuho didn't win his first two basho!
Yokozuna typically have what is referred to as the "yokozuna hangover" for their first tournament. They've just had two - three back to back tournaments in their top form and with the promotion to the top spot comes a lot of pressure along with the obligations to be available to entertain/celebrate with well heeled supporters and media. They typically train less, drink more, and all the other things that come with the big news generating promotion.
Teru really had that aura of invincibility about him this last Basho! Even when Takakeisho and (especially) Abi pushed him to the brink, he was cool as a cucumber and turned it around as if losing wasn't even a possibility. It was nice to see after his slightly shakier (though still quite impressive) first tournament as yokozuna. I'm fairly new to sumo (I've only watched the past 4 Basho), but it seems to me that he'll be top dog as long as he keeps his health and his knees. His style no doubt appeals to the conservative audience too--he really embodies that powerful, belt-oriented, forward-moving sumo that seems to be the platonic ideal of traditional technique.
Who would you like to see as the next yokuzuna, @AugustusFerdinand? I could definitely see Takakeiso stringing a couple yusho together, or Mitakeumi finding that last bit of consistency he's lacking. I'd love to see Wakatakakage make it to the top, but I think he probably has a ways to go before he's ready to scratch the top ranks.
I've already dubbed, in my mind-canon, Teru as the patient yokozuna. He does not seem to be in a rush, he responds as needed to make sure that he's not pushed out of the ring, but he seems to know that most rikishi only have a plan for the first few seconds of a bout. They know how they are going to start the match, he seems to know how he's going to end it.
Hmm... Who I would like to see as yokozuna and who I think will be yokozuna are two different questions (not that you asked both). I think, under the right mindset/circumstances, Takakeishou could be a yokozuna. On his good days, the man is an unstoppable cannonball. I mean, did you see him send Teru across the dohyo‽ And that wasn't even the strongest push I've seen him land this basho. I think he may have had a better chance against Terunofuji if he hadn't resorted to his side push/pull that he should know only works on lower skilled rikishi by now. He has power that belies his egg shaped T-Rex armed physique and if he doesn't get injured, he may very well string enough yusho or jun-yusho together for a promotion.
You haven't been watching long so you've probably never seen him at the top of his game, but I miss the days of Tochinoshin at full health. He was truly a sight to behold, but his top of the division days are behind him I fear. In my dream world, he never dropped down the banzuke and also became a yokozuna. He's not lacking in strength or skill, just hampered by injury. Kotonawaka didn't have a great basho, but I've been surprised by him in the past and I think he can do great things. Whether that amounts to an ozeki or yokozuna run time will tell, but he's young and has a lot of promise. Hokutofuji coming back iwth an 11-4 this basho makes me wonder if he's going to make a real run for the upper ranks again or not. He has a habit of showing brilliant tournaments and then falling back into a pattern of mediocrity. I want him to do so well, but I don't know if he can do so consistently. His final day opponent was Chiyoshoma, who is the most Hakuho-like in physique and style, but he never seems to really put it together.
In a perfect world Ura would be near the top of the rankings, he's just so damn entertaining and has such heart. I want him to be at the top, but with the knees it may be too late already. He has the strength of a big rikishi, but the toolbox and drive of a small one; I'm a big fan. Also a big fan of Onosho, I think he does great sumo and I think he analyzes himself a lot. You can see on his face after every defeat that he knows what he did wrong, he is his own worst critic for sure. I love Tobizaru, I want his antics/tactics to work all of the time and his brand of sumo to be represented at the top. I don't think it'll happen, but I still want a crazy Yokozuna Tobizaru. Daieishou has some consistency problems, but I think he could be a real threat. In my fantasy world, Ichinojo in his slow, powerful, textbook sumo is an ozeki at the very least.
Shodai is still an ozeki only because the rank gives them a two tournament chance to keep it instead of the constant promotion/demotion of other ranks (in case you're unaware, ozeki used to be the top, yokozuna is a relatively new rank). Mitakeumi however, absolutely should be an ozeki and I see no reason why he can't be a yokozuna if he can string together the wins; which we may be seeing start right now with his 11-4 starting a possible ozeki run.
Hoshoryu, Wakatakakage, Meisei, and most of all Abi are the future of sumo right now. Abi, had he not been punished and sent down the ranks, would likely be firmly in the sanyaku right now.
I guess to answer the question of who I really want to see as next yokozuna it'd be a Takakeishou that has learned to be patient/last longer in the ring and/or Mitakeumi finding his stride and surprising everyone as an underdog.