Spoilers: Europe won.
I knew it would ultimately be Europe facing the USA in the final stage, but I had good faith in USA. I knew Team Asia would not do well, considering they never have. I feel like they are at a disadvantage, though. As I have probably said in the past, the course just isn't really suited for them. They did have a 5'10" member, but it general, Team Asia is shorter on average than the other teams. The US course is much grander and larger than Japan's and other countries (because we're America, so we have to be big). The members from Team Asia were strong competitors and well known within their respective country competitions; however, as with all the past years, I don't think they're like America, so they're not comfortable/used to our courses and obstacles. Granted, I have never seen any of them in their own Ninja Warrior's, but from what I've seen in Japan, I think it is somewhat fair to say. Especially if you look at something like the Wing Nuts or even the Double Salmon Ladder both on Stage 2. I don't think Asian countries have obstacles like the Wing Nut because it was just created, and it's a concept which probably has yet to be explored elsewhere. Also, America's Double Salmon Ladder is extra. Other countries probably have the Salmon Ladder, but just the generic one, not all the extra ups and downs.
I was also pretty impressed with Latin America. I knew they would struggle on Stage 2 and definitely Stage 3, but they did really well on Stage 1. I liked the new point system. It made the scores look higher since 3/4 teams earned points every heat, but I think it made more sense, and kept the scores closer. USA still dominated, but I think they have an advantage. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this ANW Special is filmed directly after the regular season. They pick the team based on who does the best in the regular season, and the course is already set up in Vegas, so they just go ahead and film it right after. So, Team USA ran the course not too long ago, and it's home turf, and they're already very familiar with the obstacles from regular American Ninja Warrior. I really hope the other teams get some time to play on the courses and feel out the obstacles because otherwise, it is really not fair to them that they have to go into this whole thing (if they're brand new) without any former experience while simultaneously competing against seasoned veterans. I know 2 out of 4 people on every team were returning veterans, but it stills gives USA a bit of the upper hand despite Najee and Sean being new to Team USA. Don't get me wrong, Team Latin America still did really well, winning 5 points on Stage 1 which put them ahead of Europe for a little while (until secret weapon Sean McColl, of course). I figured they would do well because last year they did decent. It just seems that Latin America still doesn't have the rock climbing talent needed. They had parkour people last year, and though they had rock climbers this year, I think the American Ninja Warrior experience was lacking, which hurt them overall, especially if they walked into this blind. Even Team Europe could be at a disadvantage because every country's version of Ninja Warrior is different, and European Ninja Warrior(s) may still not be on the level American Ninja Warrior is.
With that said, let's talk about Europe. They did not do well. If they did not have McColl, they definitely would not have won. Sean won them 3 points in Stage 2, which they needed to gain the edge over Latin America. Then he climbed Stage 4 and won the whole thing. If they didn't have him, the rest of the team would not have been able to pull off that victory. I don't mean to say the other competitors were horrible and weak, but McColl is Europe's secret, special weapon, and everyone knows it. He's the real competition for Team USA. My family joke about it because McColl is Canadian, not European. He lives in France, but was born in Canada. I think the first year, they said he was French-Canadian, but I'm not 100% convinced. Again, don't get me wrong, I love watching McColl; I definitely think he is a phenomenal athlete and competitor. He makes it interesting and pushes Team USA. I just KNEW if he was climbing, it didn't matter who he was against-- he would win. I was surprised they picked Sean, but we'll talk about Team USA in a minute. The rest of team Europe really surprised me at how quickly they dropped. Mars and Eiriksfoss went down quick on the Wave Runner and Jumping Spider, respectively. It really opened the door for USA particularly on Stage 2, and Latin America on Stage 1. I was greatly, greatly impressed by the 21 year old rookie, Sergio Verdasco. Beating Drew Drechsel in a time related battle is no easy feat. (I also realized I may have been spelling Drechsel wrong this whole time...) It was also by a couple seconds, not just a few milliseconds, so it was kind of shocking to see him win the points. You think if Drew or Joe is running (if not against McColl) the heat is a given, so cheers to Sergio. He really proved to be a great competitor, and I hope he can come back next year because he could really shake things up. Then there's Sean McColl. I'm never completely positive if they have him run Stage 2 or Stage 3. I feel like Stage 4 is probably expected of him, so Stage 3 makes sense if he wants to conserve energy; however, Stage 3 is like a rock climber's paradise/ultimate challenge. I think he has done Stage 3 before, but you know how they always change it, so I would have still enjoyed seeing him attempt it. Sergio put Europe in the final 2, so Sean running may not have been necessary, but still, it would be interesting to see how far he could go. I can't remember perfectly, but I think he has attempted the Body Prop before, and failed saying it was unfamiliar movements and positions for a rock climber, so he might have dropped there, anyway. Overall, except for McColl, Team Europe was not as hot as they have been in the past. Hopefully, next year will yield even better results.
Now, Team USA. The choices were obvious, and I could have guaranteed them to you at the end of last year's season. I was surprised to see the Papal Ninja climb for victory. I think Drew or Joe would have been better competition, but seeing as they had just finished Stage 3, there was no way. Yet, I still thought out of Najee and Sean, Najee would have been chosen. No offense to Sean, I think he is fantastic and did an outstanding job in Vegas. I can't wait to see him again because I think he can do really great again. It's just for this, I thought the Phoenix would have been the way to go. I think anyone who is chosen for Team USA is obviously worthy and a very strong competitor, even if it is based on the results of the most recent season. Joe, Najee, and Sean all did what 37 or 38 other strong athletes could not, and that definitely deserves recognition. It seems to me that Najee would be more comfortable on a rope. I don't know why I think that, probably because Najee might have more experience, but it still kind of shocks me that Najee was not chosen. Najee knows himself the best, though, and there's probably a reason he didn't climb. I can't help but wonder, though, how he would have fared against the number one rock climber in the world. Bryan did do really well though. He stayed neck-and-neck with McColl for at least 2/3 of the ascent, so I guess I should be giving him a lot more credit. I think McColl was able to use his feet a lot more than Bryan toward the end, which is reason they gave. It did look like that was the case, though. Bryan was only using his arms toward the end, and at the end, is probably a really bad spot to be in. The other interesting tidbits from 2018's USA vs. The World are Star players Joe and Drew. Joe dropping on Stage 1 was not a good start and it was shocking. Joe is so accurate and reliable, to see him trip up under the pressure and speed is a little unnerving. Luckily, it wasn't during the regular season, so in my opinion, it wasn't that big of a deal. However, it does leave worries for next season just for him having that tiny splotch on his record. Though it doesn't mean it's going to happen again, we now know it is more within the realm of possibility. It was also a little underwhelming that both Drew and Joe fell on the Ultimate Cliffhanger. I know both of these guys can complete this. Joe said he broke his concentration because he had already won the points. I don't know what happened to Drew because he didn't say, and he didn't seem that upset he was trumped by Sergio. In fact, Drew seemed different all night which supports my belief that they film USA vs the World right after the regular season because after his 2017 season, he would be pretty salty. It's great he was chosen anyway, but I think I can tell he was upset because of what happened on Stage 2. I was surprised nobody passed the Ultimate Cliffhanger. Frankly, there were a few surprises, mainly disappointing ones, but overall, this year seemed a little more underwhelming compared to previous years. It may also be because I expected USA to be facing off against Europe in the end. There was a 50/50 shot for who would win, and even though I was wrong, Europe wasn't a surprise by any means, especially when Sean McColl climbed.
From all this, most of what I've said has probably been repetition from previous USA vs. The World competitions and regular seasons, and like I said before, this year wasn't the best. I still love the show, and was dedicated to watching the whole special, as I always will be, and I love all the athletes on Team USA; I can't wait to see them again in season 10. I also really hope to see Team Asia and Latin America again next year, and I really hope Team Asia will be able to come back stronger and put some more points on the board.
The biggest issues I have is the potential disadvantage other teams have and the home advantage of USA. It's also kind of been established that either Europe and USA will win in the end. The other teams are really only there to cause initial drama and possibly fear, but only on Stage 1. Stage 2 and 3 are going to be dominated by Europe and/or USA.
I can't wait for the regular season. I hope to see new people, of course, but I really can't wait to see Joe and Drew. I'm also on the look out for Najee and Sean, too, for obvious reasons. Overall, Europe winning was not exactly what I expected, but not necessarily surprising. Team USA 2018 is not exactly MY ideal Team USA, and I think if I put up a team, they would win, hands down.
Please leave a comment. I would be very interested in seeing who your favorite ninja is and who you think I should look out for next season.
I knew it would ultimately be Europe facing the USA in the final stage, but I had good faith in USA. I knew Team Asia would not do well, considering they never have. I feel like they are at a disadvantage, though. As I have probably said in the past, the course just isn't really suited for them. They did have a 5'10" member, but it general, Team Asia is shorter on average than the other teams. The US course is much grander and larger than Japan's and other countries (because we're America, so we have to be big). The members from Team Asia were strong competitors and well known within their respective country competitions; however, as with all the past years, I don't think they're like America, so they're not comfortable/used to our courses and obstacles. Granted, I have never seen any of them in their own Ninja Warrior's, but from what I've seen in Japan, I think it is somewhat fair to say. Especially if you look at something like the Wing Nuts or even the Double Salmon Ladder both on Stage 2. I don't think Asian countries have obstacles like the Wing Nut because it was just created, and it's a concept which probably has yet to be explored elsewhere. Also, America's Double Salmon Ladder is extra. Other countries probably have the Salmon Ladder, but just the generic one, not all the extra ups and downs.
I was also pretty impressed with Latin America. I knew they would struggle on Stage 2 and definitely Stage 3, but they did really well on Stage 1. I liked the new point system. It made the scores look higher since 3/4 teams earned points every heat, but I think it made more sense, and kept the scores closer. USA still dominated, but I think they have an advantage. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this ANW Special is filmed directly after the regular season. They pick the team based on who does the best in the regular season, and the course is already set up in Vegas, so they just go ahead and film it right after. So, Team USA ran the course not too long ago, and it's home turf, and they're already very familiar with the obstacles from regular American Ninja Warrior. I really hope the other teams get some time to play on the courses and feel out the obstacles because otherwise, it is really not fair to them that they have to go into this whole thing (if they're brand new) without any former experience while simultaneously competing against seasoned veterans. I know 2 out of 4 people on every team were returning veterans, but it stills gives USA a bit of the upper hand despite Najee and Sean being new to Team USA. Don't get me wrong, Team Latin America still did really well, winning 5 points on Stage 1 which put them ahead of Europe for a little while (until secret weapon Sean McColl, of course). I figured they would do well because last year they did decent. It just seems that Latin America still doesn't have the rock climbing talent needed. They had parkour people last year, and though they had rock climbers this year, I think the American Ninja Warrior experience was lacking, which hurt them overall, especially if they walked into this blind. Even Team Europe could be at a disadvantage because every country's version of Ninja Warrior is different, and European Ninja Warrior(s) may still not be on the level American Ninja Warrior is.
With that said, let's talk about Europe. They did not do well. If they did not have McColl, they definitely would not have won. Sean won them 3 points in Stage 2, which they needed to gain the edge over Latin America. Then he climbed Stage 4 and won the whole thing. If they didn't have him, the rest of the team would not have been able to pull off that victory. I don't mean to say the other competitors were horrible and weak, but McColl is Europe's secret, special weapon, and everyone knows it. He's the real competition for Team USA. My family joke about it because McColl is Canadian, not European. He lives in France, but was born in Canada. I think the first year, they said he was French-Canadian, but I'm not 100% convinced. Again, don't get me wrong, I love watching McColl; I definitely think he is a phenomenal athlete and competitor. He makes it interesting and pushes Team USA. I just KNEW if he was climbing, it didn't matter who he was against-- he would win. I was surprised they picked Sean, but we'll talk about Team USA in a minute. The rest of team Europe really surprised me at how quickly they dropped. Mars and Eiriksfoss went down quick on the Wave Runner and Jumping Spider, respectively. It really opened the door for USA particularly on Stage 2, and Latin America on Stage 1. I was greatly, greatly impressed by the 21 year old rookie, Sergio Verdasco. Beating Drew Drechsel in a time related battle is no easy feat. (I also realized I may have been spelling Drechsel wrong this whole time...) It was also by a couple seconds, not just a few milliseconds, so it was kind of shocking to see him win the points. You think if Drew or Joe is running (if not against McColl) the heat is a given, so cheers to Sergio. He really proved to be a great competitor, and I hope he can come back next year because he could really shake things up. Then there's Sean McColl. I'm never completely positive if they have him run Stage 2 or Stage 3. I feel like Stage 4 is probably expected of him, so Stage 3 makes sense if he wants to conserve energy; however, Stage 3 is like a rock climber's paradise/ultimate challenge. I think he has done Stage 3 before, but you know how they always change it, so I would have still enjoyed seeing him attempt it. Sergio put Europe in the final 2, so Sean running may not have been necessary, but still, it would be interesting to see how far he could go. I can't remember perfectly, but I think he has attempted the Body Prop before, and failed saying it was unfamiliar movements and positions for a rock climber, so he might have dropped there, anyway. Overall, except for McColl, Team Europe was not as hot as they have been in the past. Hopefully, next year will yield even better results.
Now, Team USA. The choices were obvious, and I could have guaranteed them to you at the end of last year's season. I was surprised to see the Papal Ninja climb for victory. I think Drew or Joe would have been better competition, but seeing as they had just finished Stage 3, there was no way. Yet, I still thought out of Najee and Sean, Najee would have been chosen. No offense to Sean, I think he is fantastic and did an outstanding job in Vegas. I can't wait to see him again because I think he can do really great again. It's just for this, I thought the Phoenix would have been the way to go. I think anyone who is chosen for Team USA is obviously worthy and a very strong competitor, even if it is based on the results of the most recent season. Joe, Najee, and Sean all did what 37 or 38 other strong athletes could not, and that definitely deserves recognition. It seems to me that Najee would be more comfortable on a rope. I don't know why I think that, probably because Najee might have more experience, but it still kind of shocks me that Najee was not chosen. Najee knows himself the best, though, and there's probably a reason he didn't climb. I can't help but wonder, though, how he would have fared against the number one rock climber in the world. Bryan did do really well though. He stayed neck-and-neck with McColl for at least 2/3 of the ascent, so I guess I should be giving him a lot more credit. I think McColl was able to use his feet a lot more than Bryan toward the end, which is reason they gave. It did look like that was the case, though. Bryan was only using his arms toward the end, and at the end, is probably a really bad spot to be in. The other interesting tidbits from 2018's USA vs. The World are Star players Joe and Drew. Joe dropping on Stage 1 was not a good start and it was shocking. Joe is so accurate and reliable, to see him trip up under the pressure and speed is a little unnerving. Luckily, it wasn't during the regular season, so in my opinion, it wasn't that big of a deal. However, it does leave worries for next season just for him having that tiny splotch on his record. Though it doesn't mean it's going to happen again, we now know it is more within the realm of possibility. It was also a little underwhelming that both Drew and Joe fell on the Ultimate Cliffhanger. I know both of these guys can complete this. Joe said he broke his concentration because he had already won the points. I don't know what happened to Drew because he didn't say, and he didn't seem that upset he was trumped by Sergio. In fact, Drew seemed different all night which supports my belief that they film USA vs the World right after the regular season because after his 2017 season, he would be pretty salty. It's great he was chosen anyway, but I think I can tell he was upset because of what happened on Stage 2. I was surprised nobody passed the Ultimate Cliffhanger. Frankly, there were a few surprises, mainly disappointing ones, but overall, this year seemed a little more underwhelming compared to previous years. It may also be because I expected USA to be facing off against Europe in the end. There was a 50/50 shot for who would win, and even though I was wrong, Europe wasn't a surprise by any means, especially when Sean McColl climbed.
From all this, most of what I've said has probably been repetition from previous USA vs. The World competitions and regular seasons, and like I said before, this year wasn't the best. I still love the show, and was dedicated to watching the whole special, as I always will be, and I love all the athletes on Team USA; I can't wait to see them again in season 10. I also really hope to see Team Asia and Latin America again next year, and I really hope Team Asia will be able to come back stronger and put some more points on the board.
The biggest issues I have is the potential disadvantage other teams have and the home advantage of USA. It's also kind of been established that either Europe and USA will win in the end. The other teams are really only there to cause initial drama and possibly fear, but only on Stage 1. Stage 2 and 3 are going to be dominated by Europe and/or USA.
I can't wait for the regular season. I hope to see new people, of course, but I really can't wait to see Joe and Drew. I'm also on the look out for Najee and Sean, too, for obvious reasons. Overall, Europe winning was not exactly what I expected, but not necessarily surprising. Team USA 2018 is not exactly MY ideal Team USA, and I think if I put up a team, they would win, hands down.
Please leave a comment. I would be very interested in seeing who your favorite ninja is and who you think I should look out for next season.
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