Utsurigoshi, the non-technique

While I'm at it, reminiscing about putting my foot in my mouth about things that would never work, Let's look at a couple of things that are part of the judo system that I (in my infinite wisdom) think are so stupid and extraneous that I don't even teach them. Let's start with utsurigoshi.

This is how we were taught utsurigoshi, as a response to an attempted hip/shoulder throw, tori tosses uke into the air then gets under the falling man so that you can turn him into an ippon as he falls. Our first question was always, "If you can throw him into the air, why get back under him?" This situation should often be resolvable with ushiro goshi, uranage, or taniotoshi. Thus, all utsurigoshi does is impress rank examiners with tori's dexterity.

Following is the best application of utsurigoshi that I've ever seen, but even here it is not one technical principle. Rather it is a failed first attempt at ushirogoshi or uranage followed by any hip throw you can pull off. What makes this better than the demo form is no retarded throwing uke up then getting under him.