Monday May 28, 2012

JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

SUMO

Estonian ozeki Baruto wins New Year tournament

Sports Jan. 20, 2012 - 07:24PM JST ( 16 )

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16 Comments

0

zabutonsenbeiJan. 20, 2012 - 11:16PM JST

Congrats to Baruto! I hope you complete the basho undefeated.
1

afterthequakeJan. 20, 2012 - 11:17PM JST

For the first time in a long time I watched about half of the days of this tournament, and I've got to say I really enjoyed it. Good to see a few of the Ozeki's stepping up, and great to see Baruto win it. It should be a cracker on Sunday when he meets Hakuho!
0

SerranoJan. 20, 2012 - 11:21PM JST

"whose real name is Kaido Hoovelson"

I can see why he changed it to Baruto, nyuk nyuk!

Congratulations to Baruto!
-2

BurakuminDesJan. 20, 2012 - 11:38PM JST

Well done to the Baltic Bear! Great achievement by the big unit. Europeans are even winning Grand Tournaments now - this Sumo caper really is a sport for Mongolians and Europeans with a few Japanese minnows making cameo appearances!
1

BurakuminDesJan. 21, 2012 - 12:00AM JST

Looks like we have an upset Hakuho fan here giving the thumbs down! LOL! Look buddy - the Hak is yesterdays news - The Baltic Bear is KIng - deal with it!
4

JohnBeckerJan. 21, 2012 - 02:14AM JST

I wish JT would go back to reporting daily results throughout the basho.
2

Chris LoweryJan. 21, 2012 - 07:45AM JST

" The Baltic Bear " , " The Big Unit ", hmm, I think I'll go with, " The Big Unit ". Congrats to Barto, he earned it, and He was due. See what happens when you build up those neck muscles , and move like a ballerina? Good job! But my fav is still Kotoshoo.
0

afterthequakeJan. 21, 2012 - 02:19PM JST

True JohnBecker. The daily updates back in the days were handy, although almost all of the comments came from haters, who seemed to feel that foreigners were either being marginalised or killing the sport, and that Asashoryu was either god or the devil incarnate, so I don't blame JT for stopping. Hopefully now if the sumo can stay good, and the haters can stay away, daily updates will return.
-1

TorafusuTorasanJan. 21, 2012 - 04:34PM JST

@afterthequake "the haters can stay away"

C'mon, the fans ringside yesterday reportedly booed several lame matches, including Baruto winning too easily with a henka and Hakuho's lackluster dive without even touching Harumafuji. If those fans can boo, why can't we hate on sumotori just a wee bit now and then?

Back when there were daily updates, there were non-haters (OK, lovers) who almost took their fanaticism too far in the other direction. Remember LoveUSA always swooning over the Bulgarian boy Kotooshu?
0

Tel PorterJan. 21, 2012 - 05:11PM JST

I miss the daily updates, what happened to those?

Just happy to see Hakuho not win, although Baruto winning does stretch it out to 35 tournaments (6 years) since a Japanese sumo was champion. How embarrassing!
-2

It"S MEJan. 21, 2012 - 05:19PM JST

Congrats to Baruto.

Hakuo been suffering the same as other yokozuna that had no opponent of the same level.

Asa leaving truly killed Hakuho.
-1

LoveNotJan. 21, 2012 - 06:13PM JST

Yokozuna Hakuho had been hot on Baruto’s heels, but a loss to Kotooshu put the reigning champion out of the race at 10-3.

Kotooshu is not in his best shape, but I was so exhilarated when he beat Hakuho, so thrilling seconds on the dohyo. A true hero! Baruto was awesome too.

I am so happy that JT who perpetually ignore sumo on purpose finally woke up and typed an article about the win of Baruto! Baruto and Kotooshu are the ones who make the life Hakuho interesting!
-1

LoveNotJan. 21, 2012 - 06:17PM JST

the fans ringside yesterday reportedly booed several lame matches, including Baruto winning too easily with a henka and Hakuho's lackluster dive without even touching Harumafuji.

yesterday Hakuho fought Kotooshu, not Harumafuji. Are you implying that Hakuho will risk his title to Baruto to play yaocho?
-1

LoveNotJan. 21, 2012 - 06:18PM JST

But my fav is still Kotoshoo.

Mine too. Absolutely.
0

Tel PorterJan. 21, 2012 - 06:22PM JST

We've now also had 3 different winners of the January basho over the last 3 years.
0

TorafusuTorasanJan. 21, 2012 - 09:48PM JST

Hey Love, good to see you back on here.

You're right, the mysterious minimal contact dive was Thursday, two days ago. Here's the Daily Yomiuri take on it:

"[Baruto's] victory triggered murmurs of disapproval among spectators at Ryogoku Kokugikan, with some booing and jeering his slippery tactics. The day's final bout produced a carbon copy of Baruto's win as Hakuho charged headlong into the front row of ringside cushions after ozeki Harumafuji (9-3) jumped aside at the tachiai."

To have the day's two most anticipated matches decided with minimal contact between the wrestlers smelled fishy to those spectators. I am not a diehard sumo fan (though this may be the year I really get into it), but I was surprised to watch those matches--couldn't remember seeing any so glaringly symmetrical before.