2024 Natsu basho: Day 8 results and analysis
2024 Natsu basho: Day 8 results and analysis
Fear not, there are no spoilers here!
Better late than never! My results, analysis and highlights of Day 8 are up on The Fight Site now (link).
I’ll always take longer to get stuff out on Sunday since this is typically a day I choose not to do any work. It’s important to take breaks when you do a job which doesn’t have any actual hours. Too often it can feel like you are always working and never taking time for things that are actually far more important. I wish I could claim this insight as completely my own. But, truth is, my wife had to break to me a few years ago that I was constantly working and needed to do better when it comes to switching myself off from that world.
Anyways, back to sumo… Day 8 saw Onosato vs. Daieisho, Kotozakura vs. Oho and Ura vs. Hoshoryu. All those bouts are very meaningful when it comes to our yusho race this month.
Other bouts I really enjoyed include Tamawashi vs. Midorifuji, Gonoyama vs. Abi and Kotoshoho vs. Meisei.
Bonus gif today is from Day 5, with Takanosho showing how dangerous it can be to overcommit.
Happy Sunday!
I catch the action on the NHK channel's highlights show. One of the bright spots for me in the past two days, with lower ranks filling in for all the missing top-rankers, has been the appearance of my guy Wakatakakage, fighting as Juryo #6. He's won both his bouts in the last few days and apparently most of the earlier ones, too. I have high hopes that we continue to see him in this tournament and gets promoted back up to makuuchi, particularly since his brother Wakamotoharu is out for the duration. Go Waka!
(My wife and I have to laugh to hear the Japanese announcer say the name Wakatakakage. He rips off the syllables so machine-gun fast that I'm still going "Waka...")