How about a sumo thread?

[ursus arctos]

165 new cases in Tokyo and the trend continues to be very troubling. I don't see them getting relief from the restrictions

https://covid19japan.com/

[ursus arctos]

Yes, they can get away with it to a unique degree, especially given that they only have 5000 tickets to sell

[Anton Gramscescu]

I had thought it was because of it being indoors, but looking at the JSA site it says "ticketing to be determined". So maybe they are holing out hope. Can't see it, though.

Kobe is a long way from Tokyo. Though I guess since the Giants are the home team for about a third of the country so maybe they can get away with it.

[ursus arctos]

Is behind closed doors definitive now?

Given that football and baseball now have fans (limited to 5000), there were rumblings of the JSA trying something, though the indoor venue and the new cases in Tokyo obviously pose challenges.

The Yomiuri Giants, who usually play in the Tokyo Done, played their first series outside in Kobe. I'm not sure how long that is to last.

[Anton Gramscescu]

Now official - the Nagoya basho is happening, although not in Nagoya (it'll be at the Kokugikan which I am sure the rikishi will appreciate because the K has air-conditioning and Nagoya doesn't). Behind closed doors, obvs.

Now here's the interesting thing: rikishi have been restricted to training within their own heya. normally, the two weeks before a basho involve mixed training sessions with other heyas, so that rikishi can get practice with more guys at their own level. This will be a problem for guys like Mitakaeumi who have no other stable-mates in the professional ranks (Juryo/Makuuchi), and potentially points to big tourneys for the guys from stables like Miyagino (Hakuho, Ishiura, Enho), Isegehama (Terunofuji, Terotsuyoshi, Takarafuji), Tokitsukaze (Shodai, Yutakayama), itekaze (Daieisho, Endo) and Sadogakate (all five of the "kotos").

(Actually, now that I look at the banzuke, the bottom of Makuuchi is going to be weird this basho, because the five kotos are all bunched in M13-17. Since they are prohibited from fighting each other, that means a whole bunch of their bouts are going to have to be against much more highly ranked opponents).

Twelve days to go.

[Anton Gramscescu]

I'm up to Day 13 on my pseudo-basho (you can see the whole thread with video links here: https://twitter.com/AlexUsherHESA/st...67324215013378). All I can say is that this was a *way* better basho than anything we've seen in the last two years. Three functioning yokozunas, four functioning Ozekis (well, maybe 3.5, Kotoshogiku is a little off the pace here) - it makes *such* a difference to the rhythm of the tournament. No bum days in week two, because from Monday onwards, you're getting at least 3 O/O, O/Y or Y/Y match-ups every single day Incredible.

I may give up watching current-day sumo and go all out on early-mid 2010s sumo instead. just go Full Sumo Hipster.

[Anton Gramscescu]

RIP Shobushi

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...onavirus-japan

[Anton Gramscescu]

I guess I can run it over here, too. Day one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1-zFIPJU5U. Yoshikaze v. Terunofuji is *awesome*. Also, this is the debut Makuuchi basko for both Hokutofuji and Ishiura which is kind of hard to believe in some ways.

[Anton Gramscescu]

I have decided to run a pesudo-basho on twitter. Replaying the November 2016 basho - which I have never seen - day by day using old kintamayama videos. Will post the videos every AM (Toronto time). It;ll be just like having a real basho (which, in a better world, would have started about an hour ago at the Kokugikan). Follow along: @alexusherHESA.

[ursus arctos]

Finally official

https://twitter.com/SumoFollower/status/1257251476369539072

[Anton Gramscescu]

And here is said Banzuke. Kiribayama at M3 is probably the biggest shock here.

[Anton Gramscescu]

And yet they are issuing a banzuke tomorrow.

[ursus arctos]

Six new cases among the sumo community, including an Oyakata and Juryo wrestler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUW2sIrD0b4

[Wouter D]

https://twitter.com/SumoFollower/status/1248459293373812738

[ursus arctos]

Not a sekitori (aka participant in the top two divisions). Stable under quarantine.

More detail in this thread

https://twitter.com/SumoFollower/status/1248169244681961472

[fatbear]

BBC reports the first Sumo Wrestler with the virus, although he hasn't been named

[Anton Gramscescu]

Apparently there are several suspected COVID cases at one of the heya, which means fuhgeddabout May.

[ursus arctos]

Of course not.

It will all be done over time.

Interestingly (at least to me), the stables all appear to be operating normally, with training at full tilt. If that becomes an issue, it will be harder to restart competition quickly.

On the other hand, there are a number of rikishi with chronic injuries who could really make use of five months without competition.

[Anton Gramscescu]

Japanese government is still pretending it has a handle on the crisis; my bet is they the sumo federation won't cancel July right away, not while baseball and J-League are still claiming they are planning for May starts. Would imply lack of faith in govt.

[ursus arctos]

May and July tournaments each delayed by two weeks, though many expect them to be cancelled

[Anton Gramscescu]

John Gunning with an intriguing idea about how to on-board new rikishi into the sport,

[Anton Gramscescu]

Asanoyama promoted,

[Anton Gramscescu]

Nishikigi's lift-out did not disappoint. As per his usual self, he does *just* enough to avoid relegation. Last two matches were both great. Kakuryu held on gamely but man when Hakuho gets *both* hands on the belt, it's just a matter of time.

Rumours are rife that, as predicted by Ursus, that win over Takakeisho was enough to secure promotion for Asanoyama.

congrats to Takanosho for winning the ludicrous "three arrows" prize.

Now here's hoping we actually have a basho in May.

[Wouter D]

I didn't expect to see a sky crane in the bout before the one involving Tochinoshin.

I loved Enho's jaunty jump at the end there to ensure that Ikioi's body touched out first.

The last two bouts both didn't disappoint.

[Anton Gramscescu]

That's plausible. It would be one of the weakest Ozeki promotions of the modern era, but there is certainly precedent.