Kyushu Basho 2013 Prebasho Report

In a few hours this year’s kyushu basho will begin.  There are more than a few exciting points to cover here, retirements, promotions, possible ozeki; there is the possibility for lots of drama.  Let’s get going down in the lower ranks.  Takanoyama has sunk back down to makushita 2, where, let’s be fair, he continues to struggle.  I love the guy he’s a great wrestler, and i think he’s great for the sport, but if it hadn’t been for the yaocho scandal he never would have made upper juryo, much less makuuchi.  I think he’s more at home here win/loss-wise.   Tochinoshin is going to be absent again this basho, and since he’s scraping the bottom of the juryo barrel after an injury and an entire basho healing up it means he’ll be staring off 2014 in upper makushita.

Aki 2013 Day 2

Long time no see.  Time for day two.  You’ll have to excuse my business-like manner today.  No time for comedy.  Only sumo, and perhaps a cheeky glass of whisky.

Down in Juryo Chiyomaru picked up his first sekitori win over Takanoyama, meat ‘n ‘taters oshidashi.  Osunaarashi got into a sorority-style slap fight with Asasekiryu.  Boody came out on top with a katasukashi. Next was the best mata ever.  Chiyonokuni literally leap frogged completely over Sokokurai, made it all the way to the tawara then had to jog all the way back around to the shikirisen.  Sokokurai was all over this one.  Shifted right at the tachiai and worked his way back for an impressive uwatenage.  Now on to makuuchi.

Nagoya 2013 Day 2

A particularly moody Monday here in Akita, lots of heavy, violent rain coming out of nowhere, ruining my plans for walking to work without getting soaked.  I had a class start at about 6:00 and though I could push it and finish watching makuuchi, but thought better of it before the halfway point.  Besides, what kind of major upset would happen on day 2, with this schedule.  Let’s just say today’s weather couldn’t be a better analogy for today’s sumo.  (This is what we in the literary world call “foreshadowing”… or it could be “misdirection”… guess you’ll just have to read my report to find out.

Osaka Basho Day 13

I am drunk as a skunk, it’s day 13, let’s go.  Today’s soundtrack is the Stan Kenton Orchestra : New Concepts of Artistry in Rhythym.  Frank Rosolino and Conte Candoli are geniuses on this album.  Check it out… unless you’re an asshole.

Spring Basho 2013: Day 11

Greetings sumo fans, lost internet navigators, and those searching for nude photos of Connolly.  ‘Tis Spring Equinox, which provides us in Japan with

Day 6 through Nakabi

When I see a Yokozuna go in during a taichi-ai and not gain the right hand grip when it is there for the taking or I see Kakuryu continue to show of some of the best sumo a top the dohyo and then get caught “off guard” by the likes of Myogiryu or Toyonoshima, I can’t help but

Osaka Basho 2013 Shonichi

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of Osaka.  Welcome, readers, to Sumo & Stogies day 1 coverage of the Haru basho.  Today my substitute for the sub-par English commentary is Blue Mitchell’s I’ll close my eyes, worth a listen and a half check it out here, that’s some soulful shit.  We’ll jump right into the hornet’s nest, as Mr. Daly has generously caught us up on the progress of Mr.s Osunaarshi and Endo. 

Haru Basho 2013 Wind Up

Tomorrow begins the Osaka basho.  This marks the first time that Hakuho has been ranked West Yokozuna since Kyushu 2009.  Takanohana oyakata officially named the next ozeki candidate.  We have some keiko reports to get through, some words about the lower ranks, some chat about what we should expect this basho, and some wild(read:wrong) speculation as to who will fair well in March.  So grab a smoke, and a few drams, and let’s talk Haru Basho.

Hatsu Basho 2013: Senshuraku

The foreign invasion continues!  Russian Amuuru took Jonidan, Mongols Oniarashi took Makushita, Takanoiwa took Juryo, and of course, Harumafuji took the top.

 

m38E Egyptian Osunaarashi to

Nakabi Hatsu Basho 2013

Like a phoenix rising

from history’s fiery ashes

a single crash upon dohyo time

foot shakes the champion’s aura

loose onto the ring

its spirit fills each shikona

with a pride and greatness

once known

but today

awoken

Maybe my initial, gut, analysis is wrong, but it sure felt like at least some rikishi fought Nakabi with a little extra pride and passion today. Taiho was without question a phenomenal yokozuna who will be remembered. Let’s get to the good stuff, and for once, it feels like there was a lot of it to go around.

Hatsu Basho Day 7 2013

The Murray Johnson Quote of the Day
[referring to Miyabiyama]
“The power in the gluteus maximus is gone….the butt.  It’s not firm, if I can say that.”

Hatsu 2013 Day 5

Ladies and Gentlemen, day 5 was not a great day for me.  My morning train was cancelled due to snow and I had to ride in an over-heated taxi with 3 salarymen, one of whom fell asleep and was all over my 1/3 of the back seat… reminded me of Bertrum last weekend in Shizukuishi, only without the “man, I love you guys” talk.  It snowed like a bastard all day (like it has been for the past month or so.)  Work sucked, and one of the guys decided that chatting me up after hours was more important than my after work drinks with a friend.  Train home was delayed by 30 mins, so I missed out on an extra beer, and I had forgotten to go to the grocery store, so dinner tonite sucked… café Lawson special and a left over Asahi clear (mild at best.)  I was about to pop a gasket when I saw a news to report on the situation in Algeria instead of sumo, which had disappeared from the TV line-up.  Thank god it was just pushed back to 2:45am… the things I do for you guys.  Oh well, still never missed a report yet.  

Hatsu Basho 2013 Warmup

Happy New Year to all of our viewers let’s get started on sumo for heisei 25.  Its debatable whether or not I can even call this a warm up, given our slow down in activity, and the temperature and amount of snow in Southern Akita these days.  This is more like a defrost or thaw-out.  That being said there is the potential for some decent heat in this tournament.  A yokozuna fighting to keep his rope, an Ozeki demotee looking to get his balls back, another former ozeki teetering on the brink of the elevator shaft to juryo and possible retirement, an over-hyped sekiwake being over-hyped for promotion, a few rikishi fighting through injuries, and as always some promising talent from the lower ranks.  In addition the Americans (read Hawaiians) are trying to get back into the game, and on top of it all we got Hakuho looking to reaffirm his dominance over any guy that steps up on the clay.  And as a bonus you’ll get a report on how the rikishi did on the ever-horrible Japanese New Years TV programs.

Kyushu Basho 2012: Day 9

I guess the worst part of reporting so soon after you had just did one is that there is not enough time to proper think of a worthy introduction.  Now, I though that I would try to make some outlandish statements about being a walrus, but it got far too weird much too quickly.  Also, I mean really who wants to read about blubbery beast that slip and slide all day. 

Kyushu Basho 2012: Nakabi

Good evening err’ybody and welcome to another wet and wild day of sumo with your ol’ pal Dick “slick willy” Montana.

Even though there are a few well-known names in juryo, I am just going to focus on the beanpole from Czech-land as I am pretty sure Takamisakari will never be making a return to makuuchi considering his only worsening performance over the past year. Takanoyama (3-4) went up against Tamaasuka (6-2 )today and charged in as low as he could without getting overly friendly with asuka’s knob. Unfortunately he didn’t seem to have much of a plan and just tried to play defense and keep his center of gravity low. Not a bad strategy… for someone who weighs 50 kilos more than he does. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Taka needs to keep with his tricky dick sumo if he wants to keep his upper division salary.

Kyushu 2012 Day 2

Kyushu; typically a tense basho.  A basho of change; when all of the rikishi fly down south to avoid the cold, much like the Siberian swans that migrate to Akita.  Every year the less-than-magestic honking of these portly birds reminds me to always wear a hat, and watch where I step, but also that the Kyushu basho is on.  Change; I mentioned it before.  We have a new yokozuna.  Perhaps he’s the panacea the NSK is looking for, perhaps he will bring in more ticket sales, perhaps he will make the sport appealing to younger audiences, perhaps he will cleanse the sport of scandal, gambling, and all the other ailments of every major professional sport.  But who are we kidding… it’s sumo time, always wear a hat, cause zabuton might be flying, and watch where you step, cause the birds are back in town.

Kyushu Basho 2012: Shonichi

Welcome one and all to the final basho of 2012. May Kyushu bring fifteen outstanding days of sumo and a few surprises along the way.

It seems like everyone has high hopes for Chiyotairyu, but the kid backs up all too often. Today Tamawashi got the best of the tachi-ai and had the Young Ryu

Nagoya Basho 2012 Day 12

So on the eve of a very important day at least for two of the members of this beloved website, de Gama is called to champion the sumo cause by reporting day 12 of the Nagoya basho.  On the wee hours of the morning tomorrow again, de Gama is called with his trusty bedmate Bertrum to wake up at 4 in the morning to strap on a Japanese style loin cloth (fundoshi) and run the streets wild to reach a certain shrine.  There they will combat the evil spirits surrounding while a few Japanese people spray buckets of cold water upon their muscly backs.  This will to their minds purify them and ready them for the events to follow.  As avid sumo fans I, de Gama, must ask you one thing: Are you ready to get wet? Because I am.

Natsu Basho 2012 Day 10

Another day of sumo and another glass of whisky as the natsu basho rolls along. The whisky for the day is Glenlivet 18 and the sumo for the day isn’t all that bad with a few good matches in the upper ranks. Although I wasn’t scheduled to force my half-coherent opinions upon you all until later in the basho, De Gama’s sheer explosive elation at the Kimi-Yoshi-Take Kaze hattrick yesterday left him withered and incapable of reporting. So buckle up you sunsabitches, you’re stuck with me.

Natsu Basho 2012 Day 4

This morning I woke up in a daze. I looked to my right and saw a blackboard. I looked to my left and saw three anekomushi going about their usual business. I remembered going to bed, but it wasn’t so long before. The taste of nihonshu flashed enough memories my way to remember where I was, Yagisawa, a super-remote, mountain area with a population of just 15 people. Last night I was drinking with the yougest