I would expect this from young wrestlers in their first 3 or 4 years of their career. Which is exactly what Onosato is. He still needs time to build up his body to reach his full potential.

You may get crushed by a 200kg athlete or a 100g pillow, you won’t believe which is considered more acceptable

There just needs to be that little wink of “we’re telling you you can’t but shhhh you really can”

I bet the 1900s fans behaved quite differently to the 1940s who were then different to the 1970s who were different to the 2000s fans. The 2020s fans will be different again. This myth that Japanese sumo culture has be exactly the same for 2000 years is just that, myth.

The trouble with announcing the throwing zabutons is prohibited is that that is not an issue of etiquette because the true etiquette is the opposite. When the Yokozuna loses it is etiquette to throw, despite the rules. so people hear that and it undercuts other rules that are also etiquette.

I would hope that some of the new fans are also Japanese. By new fans I don’t just mean foreigners. Sumo needs the youth of Japan turning out as well and I hope that is happening.

Commentators in all sports struggle with that, especially the longer they cover a sport.

Yeah exactly, but that is an indication of new fans who aren’t aware of the etiquette more than simply disrespectful fans. It’s the sign of good things even if on the surface it’s a minor problem.

London fans are familiar with sports like tennis, cricket and golf. If they are told “you need to be quiet here, you don’t get out of your seat until this time” etc they are used to this. The English have their football hooligans but they also have their gentleman/lady culture.

This isn’t a Japanese thing either. The same thing is expected of tennis fans and other sports at certain times. I hope the new fans can learn when to be loud and when to quiet down cos we want that pin drop quiet before the tachiai but also the roars of noise that follow.

Shows the sport is healthy when the crowd is too loud rather than too quiet. it also shows the audience is maybe less educated on the sport if they aren’t showing proper etiquette. Thats not a bad thing either as it shows new people are watching. JSA have got to see the positives.

The era defined by Yokozuna Terunofuji and the end of Hakuho and Kakuryu also had Ozekis Takayasu, Takakeisho, Asanoyama, Shodai, Tochinoshin and Mitakeumi. You can see from each one of their stories why the era was disappointing. This one not so.

I think so. It feels like we’re in a real era of it’s own now. When I started in 2018 it felt like the tail end of Hakuho/Kakuryu and while we did have Terunofuj/Takakeisho in there they were both so injury plagued it never really took off properly.

It was a tough match with Kotozakura, then he had to back up and beat a fresh Yokozuna. And in the end where was the obvious upset that beat that? Basically a day dominated by favourites

not just that I gave it move of the basho, replacing Midorifuji’s Amiuchi fisherman throw.

Oh man yeah. So many great names. I was trying to fit in Chiyotairyu as well. Damn character limit. Tochiozan is part of that crew as well.

Yeah we need it. Luckily Kotozakura doesn’t have too much to play for. Almost wish hed pull a kyujo too just to put the two finalists on equal footing.