The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Hatsu 2011)

My previous blog dealt with the rikishi who had the best performances power ranking-wise at Hatsu. This blog looks at the rikishi who turned in good (forward moving) sumo, bad (henka) sumo, and ugly (non-forward moving sumo). The rikish who produced the best forward moving sumo totals at Kyushu are:

The Good

38  Baruto (14-1)

37  Gagamaru (12-3)

35  Hakuho (12-3)

34  Kakuryu (10-5)

33  Kotooshu (10-5)

32  Tochinoshin (10-5)

31  Myogiryu (9-6)
31  Tochiozhan (11-4)

30  Aminishiki (9-6)
30  Sadanofuji (8-7)
Obviously Hatsu was Baruto’s tournament. He had only one loss (no shame losing to Hakuho), one shameful moment (his henka of Kisenosato) and a couple of careless moments (Miyabiyama actually turned him around and Takekaze had him close to the edge too) he looked good.

Gagamaru displayed forward-moving power sumo throughout the tournament. He didn’t face any of the top wrestlers though, and it should come as no surprise that he can win when ranked in the double digits.

This was a great puzzlement of a basho from Hakuho. I personally found nothing amiss with his loss to Kakuryu although many other commentators did. It’s difficult to explain why Hakuho seemed to go for a shoulder blast against Harumafuji, thus helping to ensure the success of the henka. (Some commentators also emphasized how far back Hakuho was behind the line, but in general he stands at that range against Harumafuji.) And it’s even more difficult to explain how Kotooshu could defeat him and why he appeared so off form during the match.

Kakuryu had a good tournament, but he’s never going to make ozeki if he keeps losing to the likes of Wakakoryu and Tatayasu.

The Bad

There’s good news about the bad: the number of henkas dropped from the 40s (41 at Aki and 45 at Kyushu) to 33 at Hatsu. The biggest reasons for the drop were: 1. Kimurayama had been demoted to Juryo and 2. Tokitenku was low enough on the Banzuke that he didn’t feel the need to henka as often. Those rikishi who were guilty of multiple henkas at Hatsu were:

4  Yoshikaze

3  Kyokutenho
3  Sagatsukasa
3  Takanoyama

2  Aran
2  Asasekiryu
2  Kisenosato
2  Kitataiki
2  Nionoumi
2  Takekaze
2  Tokitneku

Especial dishonorable mention goes out to the three ozeki who utilized henkas: Baruto (against Kisenosato), Harumafuji (against Hakuho) and Kisenosato (against Kotoshogiku and Miyabiyama). The henkas were especially egregious because they all occurred at a stage where the offender was either in the yusho race (as with Baruto and Kisenosato) or his opponent was (as with Harumafuji).

Some people elsewhere have attempted to justify Baruto’s henka on the grounds that Kisenosato was taking a long time to get down to business at the tachi-ai. Perhaps he was, however that in no way justifies Baruto’s cheap tactic. Moreover, this was the third time in the last ten basho that Baruto has employed a henka against Kisenosato, the other occasions being Kyushu 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAoK0bGWoFk, and Natus 2010  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBwiu6y0DK8. Because he is an ozeki (and as the biggest rikishi) Baruto shouldn’t henka at all. For him to henka Kisenosato three times in there last ten bouts is simply undefensible.

As for Kisenosato, his henka of Kotoshogiku was likewise shoddy. While his tachi-ai against Miyabiyama was really more of a wide step left (very wide) – a sort of half henka if you will – to employ that type of “dishonesty” at the tachi-ai against a rikishi who is slow and well past his prime is lazy and inexcusable. When it’s done by an ozeki I rank it as a henka. This is the first tournament I can ever remember Kisenosato ever using a henka. Welcome to the ozeki club, I guess.

On that note, kudos to the two ozeki who didn’t henka anyone, Kotoshogiku and Kotooshu. The only time I can ever recall Kotoshogiku using a henka was at Hatsu 2008 when he came back from an injury (and not wrestling the previous three days) on day 12 and, still injured, used a henka. Kotoshogiku fights straight up.

As for Kotooshu, I’ve been critical of him for lack of heart and lack of effort. On the matter of henkas, however, however, he deserves credit, because he’s stopped using them. I believe he hasn’t employed a henka since 2009. In any case, they are no longer a constant part of his diet, as they once were. It’s a very positive development, one not followed as of yet among his peers.

The Ugly

The ugly wasn’t quite as dreadful as it was at Kyushu, which is rather amazing as a number of rikishi had a very bad tournament. The least forward moving of the bunch were:

  7  Kitataiki (2-13)

10  Yoshiazuma (3-12)

11  Takekaze (4-11)
11  Yoshikaze (9-6)

12  Kyokushuhu (3-12)
12  Miyabiyama (3-12)
12  Sagatsukasa (5-10)

These rikishi fall into three groups: 1. Way overranked (Kitataiki and Miyabiyama); 2. Juryo next basho, deservedly (Yoshiazuma, Kyokushuhu and Sagatsukasa); and 3. General crap artists (oh, surprise! Stablemates Takekaze and Yoshikaze).

I actually like Kitataiki: he’s a working class rank-and-filer who fights hard (one of the few who generally does on day 15, for example). However, he’s not nearly big enough, strong enough or quick enough (blown out knee) to fight in the jo’i. He looked bad throughout; one of his victories was by henka, the other came on the final day.

I don’t care for any of the other rikishi. Hatsu 2012 should be the last time that Miyabiyama is in the sanyaku. He was a bit unlucky not to win more than three bouts, but he certainly didn’t look good. I can’t see him ever making the sanyaku again, although I would have said that before Kyushu 2011 too.
To win 9 matches and end up with 11 forward moving points shows just how dreadful Yoshikaze’s form is. Don’t be fooled by the first number: he’ll be among the jo’i next tournament and he won’t fare well at all.

There were actually a lot of other rikishi who just looked awful at Hatsu, including Kaisei (again) and Toyonoshima. Hey, it happens.