First, I expected L.A. to be the first city, but since next week's city is promoting/sponsored by Jurassic World, or something, it may have been a time issue when filming. Anyway, I like the addition of the 10k 18' warped wall option, and it is no surprise Gil was the first one to hit that buzzer. I was also pretty impressed with "The Kid," but I'll come to him next.
The Bouncing Spider is something I generally do not like at all as an obstacle. I've said it before, but I do not like obstacles that are based solely on how you jump on a trampoline. I know it does take technique in order to lock in you legs and knees and keep them in the right position for a good jump, but it's like the Hourglass drop, and I just don't think this kind of obstacle shows what someone can do. You can lock you legs in, but if you don't hit the trampoline in the perfect spot, you can still fall. I think the Bouncing Spider relies more on hitting the sweet spot than it does technique, strength, or skill. Jake Murray fell on it last year in Denver (or wherever they were) and we all know Murray can do a lot more. Sometimes, a trampoline is kind of a gray area, and with an obstacle like this, there is absolutely no way to recover. I don't really know why I have such an issue with this, but I really don't like the trampoline obstacles.
Anyway, let's talk about Gil and Owhadi a.k.a. The Kid did really well. There was a lot of hype about him, so I was a little nervous he was going to fall somewhere, but I think he became the first finisher of the night with the 3 or 4 fastest time. He trains with Daniel Gil, so there can't be too much surprise, right? It's great they lowered the age limit to 19, although it does suck for the people who turned 21 and competed Last year because they just lost 2 years of competition. However, I am excited to see the next generation. Daniel Gil and his incoming cohort used to be the "next generation" 3 years ago, and they are still plenty young, but these 19 year olds will be interesting to see. I don't think they will do as well as the early 20/ mid 20 year olds, but the latter also has previous experience. At 19, you still have a lot of time to train and build muscle. The Kid was fast and seemed lean, but the finals will really test his upper body and grip strength, which ultimately is more important than speed and agility. I think going in with a nickname and some recognition hurts him, too. As a 19 year old rookie, you should become well-known throughout the ninja community and on the show for being really good, not for training with the best. All rookies should go in being a nobody, essentially. Then, they can truly show what they've got, and earn the praise The Kid was receiving before he even ran. It puts more pressure on you, too, if you are expected to do well because you've had legitimate training experience. What if The Kid hadn't done well? It would have been more embarrassing for him, and it would have been more disappointing and discouraging. Granted, they've got plenty of time, but it hurts to go out early and have to wait a whole year to return. Overall, he delivered, and that is what mattered last night. I am really pumped to see what the other 19 year old rookies can do. Including Matthew Day. First of all, this kid did not look 19 at all! It's definitely the beard, but man, I never would have guessed. He didn't get nearly as much recognition, but then again, he didn't train with Daniel Gil; it's all about the connections. Those two I will be looking for in the finals. I am really interested in The Kid just because he was so hyped, and definitely does seem to have some natural talent.
Now, what can I say about Gil? Gil is truly amazing. I always get a little nervous for my favorite veterans even on the Qualifiers because I want to see them in Vegas again so badly, and I don't want them to slip up on something they took for granted. Gil didn't even seem nervous, though. He flew by everything. Even the Bouncing Spider and the Tuning Forks, the latter of which really tripped up some good people (Steffensen, Williams, and Stockett). Everything was so effortless, and the fact he didn't seem nervous was intrigues me. I feel like sometimes even Joe and Drew and other greats still get jitters, but Gil seemed so at home. Something about his composure and his whole run seemed so relaxed and easy. It seemed different. Maybe it's just me, but you can definitely say Gil is one of the best.
Thomas Stillings made it. I like Thomas a lot. He's fast and generally reliable. I know he isn't one of the best like his somewhat rival Gil, but I still enjoy watching him. He is one of the on-off kind of people when it comes to screen time. Some people are good enough to be recognized, but their runs only get shown on screen every other year or once or twice depending on how far they make it. Sometimes, I am surprised they skip some of the veterans. I guess I shouldn't be, especially during the Qualifiers. This is a good time for their sob stories and the annoying bios. There are a lot of stories to tell, and, clearly, it doesn't matter whether or not they complete the course. It may make me sound really horrible, but I don't care that much about bios if the person can't do anything on the course. If anyone, I want to know more about the people who will actually do something for the show, not someone who drops on the second obstacle because, otherwise, what is the point of trying to "get to know them" if we're never going to see them again? You understand my point? Yes, it sounds heartless, and maybe it is, but I would rather see bios on people who are strong, reliable, and fun to watch run the course. People like Stillings get screwed because they have to dedicate 5 minutes to tell someone's whole life story. The bios are longer than their runs! I know I said this probably 5 times last year, but the bios are obviously getting fancier, longer, and more frequent. It's like "Stillings made it. Yes, good for him." I know the show is also about getting to know these people and showing how strong they are emotionally for overcoming some hardships; it's not all about who hits a buzzer and who doesn't; I just think it's too much sometimes. Vegas is less like that, so I guess they do it while they can.
I'm really glad for Abel Gonzales, Josh Salinas, and all the other veterans who made it (those shown, those mentioned, and those completely forgotten). Steffensen was a surprise. He went down just like Karsten Williams on the Tuning Forks. Those, honestly, did look pretty brutal. I probably could never legitimately cross those. Some balance obstacles are definitely harder than others, and this one looked rough. I'm guessing a few competitors last night would agree. Fortunately, both Brent and Karsten will be back in the City Finals to try and redeem themselves. Frankly, they got pretty lucky that 1) the Tuning Forks were 4th and not 3rd otherwise they probably wouldn't have made and 2) not very many people passed them/were faster. When you look at the completers list, there are only 13 who were able to hit the buzzer. When it comes down to the finals, I'm going to guess, Gil will be the only one, just like last year. Steffensen actually did pretty great last year, but last night was a little embarrassing. Most dropped on Crank It Up, so, hopefully, some of those guys will be able to pass it in the City Finals. Otherwise, it probably won't be too interesting until later. The Kid has some potential, like I've said, but I don't think he will complete the course. He might make it to Vegas, but I don't have enough faith in him yet for the City Finals. Gil is really the only one I would bet on in 6 weeks (or whenever the Dallas Finals air).
Barclay was unfortunate. I wanted to see her on Crank It Up. I think she would have done pretty well because she is kind of jacked, in a good way. I think, personally, Barclay is second only to Jessie Graff. I think Jesse LaBreck and Meagan Martin and very strong competitors, but Barclay proved to be a beast right off the bat. I think last year was her rookie year, and she dominated. She surpassed Martin in Vegas, who was a star veteran. As far as females go, I would first bet on Jessie, obviously, but then it would be Barclay Stockett. Quest and Karen were also interesting to watch. They both made it to Crank It Up, and have potential to go farther. I don't think they will, though. Barclay had a misstep with the Tuning Forks, something she can correct in the future. Quest and Karen were tired and ran out of gas on Crank It Up, something which is not as easily correctable. They could try to pace themselves more in the beginning, but, in the end, if they aren't quite strong enough, they won't finish. I think Barclay has more stamina and endurance as well as strength. If you tire out, you can't finish the obstacle. It is as plain as that. We didn't get to see how Barclay would perform on Crank It Up, but if she had reached it, I think she would have made it to the other side. It's not just women, either. If you really tank out at a certain spot in the course, you only have one day in between filming to try to improve, which I imagine is not enough. The women tend to prove this the most based on what I've seen the past couple years, with some exceptions. Odds are, you'll fall in the same spot or only making it one or two obstacles more. The 5th in Qualifiers and the 8th in Finals are the "cut-off" obstacles. In other words, reaching that one as fast as possible is probably most people's best shot at heading to Mt. Midoriyama. If the 12 people who fell on Crank It Up all manage to pass it in Finals, I'm guessing 10 will fall on the 8th obstacle. Anyway, I'm really hoping Barclay will be back. Most of the women I, honestly, don't particularly care for that much. It's fine to watch them and see what happens, but women are usually not the ones I'm actively cheering for. Graff and Stockett are pretty much the exceptions.
There's not too much left to say. I didn't recognize as many veterans, even though I knew there were a good amount. Gil was their big name, and he delivered on the hype. I think it's really funny to see the difference between Gil's time and Stewart's time. It's extremely impressive for Jon Stewart at 56 years old to be able to beat out a lot of youngsters for a guaranteed spot in the Dallas Finals. He may not be able to compete with people like Gil, but I am amazed every time he completes something like Crank It Up and the Tuning Forks. I don't expect him to have the fastest time, and his accomplishment is not diminished whatsoever, but it is kind of funny to see his 5:43 next to Gil's 1:40. It's insane to think anyone could run and complete that whole course, including the Mega Warped Wall, in under 2 minutes. Think about 2 minutes. It is not long at all. It's truly amazing. This season I'll have to look at all the cities fastest times and who ultimately had the fastest. It's more interesting in Vegas when you have all the speed demons in one place. Gil is always fun, but when you pit him again Joe, Murray, Drechsel, and others like that, it gets close. Some people even surprise you. I think last year, Lance Pekus earned the fastest time for Night 1 of Stage 1. City courses let certain people shine, whereas, once you mix everyone in Vegas, things get a little fuzzier unless you're someone like Drew.
In the end, the Finals will be better. We'll get real nitty gritty, and see who has what it takes to go to Mt. Midoriyama.
The Bouncing Spider is something I generally do not like at all as an obstacle. I've said it before, but I do not like obstacles that are based solely on how you jump on a trampoline. I know it does take technique in order to lock in you legs and knees and keep them in the right position for a good jump, but it's like the Hourglass drop, and I just don't think this kind of obstacle shows what someone can do. You can lock you legs in, but if you don't hit the trampoline in the perfect spot, you can still fall. I think the Bouncing Spider relies more on hitting the sweet spot than it does technique, strength, or skill. Jake Murray fell on it last year in Denver (or wherever they were) and we all know Murray can do a lot more. Sometimes, a trampoline is kind of a gray area, and with an obstacle like this, there is absolutely no way to recover. I don't really know why I have such an issue with this, but I really don't like the trampoline obstacles.
Anyway, let's talk about Gil and Owhadi a.k.a. The Kid did really well. There was a lot of hype about him, so I was a little nervous he was going to fall somewhere, but I think he became the first finisher of the night with the 3 or 4 fastest time. He trains with Daniel Gil, so there can't be too much surprise, right? It's great they lowered the age limit to 19, although it does suck for the people who turned 21 and competed Last year because they just lost 2 years of competition. However, I am excited to see the next generation. Daniel Gil and his incoming cohort used to be the "next generation" 3 years ago, and they are still plenty young, but these 19 year olds will be interesting to see. I don't think they will do as well as the early 20/ mid 20 year olds, but the latter also has previous experience. At 19, you still have a lot of time to train and build muscle. The Kid was fast and seemed lean, but the finals will really test his upper body and grip strength, which ultimately is more important than speed and agility. I think going in with a nickname and some recognition hurts him, too. As a 19 year old rookie, you should become well-known throughout the ninja community and on the show for being really good, not for training with the best. All rookies should go in being a nobody, essentially. Then, they can truly show what they've got, and earn the praise The Kid was receiving before he even ran. It puts more pressure on you, too, if you are expected to do well because you've had legitimate training experience. What if The Kid hadn't done well? It would have been more embarrassing for him, and it would have been more disappointing and discouraging. Granted, they've got plenty of time, but it hurts to go out early and have to wait a whole year to return. Overall, he delivered, and that is what mattered last night. I am really pumped to see what the other 19 year old rookies can do. Including Matthew Day. First of all, this kid did not look 19 at all! It's definitely the beard, but man, I never would have guessed. He didn't get nearly as much recognition, but then again, he didn't train with Daniel Gil; it's all about the connections. Those two I will be looking for in the finals. I am really interested in The Kid just because he was so hyped, and definitely does seem to have some natural talent.
Now, what can I say about Gil? Gil is truly amazing. I always get a little nervous for my favorite veterans even on the Qualifiers because I want to see them in Vegas again so badly, and I don't want them to slip up on something they took for granted. Gil didn't even seem nervous, though. He flew by everything. Even the Bouncing Spider and the Tuning Forks, the latter of which really tripped up some good people (Steffensen, Williams, and Stockett). Everything was so effortless, and the fact he didn't seem nervous was intrigues me. I feel like sometimes even Joe and Drew and other greats still get jitters, but Gil seemed so at home. Something about his composure and his whole run seemed so relaxed and easy. It seemed different. Maybe it's just me, but you can definitely say Gil is one of the best.
Thomas Stillings made it. I like Thomas a lot. He's fast and generally reliable. I know he isn't one of the best like his somewhat rival Gil, but I still enjoy watching him. He is one of the on-off kind of people when it comes to screen time. Some people are good enough to be recognized, but their runs only get shown on screen every other year or once or twice depending on how far they make it. Sometimes, I am surprised they skip some of the veterans. I guess I shouldn't be, especially during the Qualifiers. This is a good time for their sob stories and the annoying bios. There are a lot of stories to tell, and, clearly, it doesn't matter whether or not they complete the course. It may make me sound really horrible, but I don't care that much about bios if the person can't do anything on the course. If anyone, I want to know more about the people who will actually do something for the show, not someone who drops on the second obstacle because, otherwise, what is the point of trying to "get to know them" if we're never going to see them again? You understand my point? Yes, it sounds heartless, and maybe it is, but I would rather see bios on people who are strong, reliable, and fun to watch run the course. People like Stillings get screwed because they have to dedicate 5 minutes to tell someone's whole life story. The bios are longer than their runs! I know I said this probably 5 times last year, but the bios are obviously getting fancier, longer, and more frequent. It's like "Stillings made it. Yes, good for him." I know the show is also about getting to know these people and showing how strong they are emotionally for overcoming some hardships; it's not all about who hits a buzzer and who doesn't; I just think it's too much sometimes. Vegas is less like that, so I guess they do it while they can.
I'm really glad for Abel Gonzales, Josh Salinas, and all the other veterans who made it (those shown, those mentioned, and those completely forgotten). Steffensen was a surprise. He went down just like Karsten Williams on the Tuning Forks. Those, honestly, did look pretty brutal. I probably could never legitimately cross those. Some balance obstacles are definitely harder than others, and this one looked rough. I'm guessing a few competitors last night would agree. Fortunately, both Brent and Karsten will be back in the City Finals to try and redeem themselves. Frankly, they got pretty lucky that 1) the Tuning Forks were 4th and not 3rd otherwise they probably wouldn't have made and 2) not very many people passed them/were faster. When you look at the completers list, there are only 13 who were able to hit the buzzer. When it comes down to the finals, I'm going to guess, Gil will be the only one, just like last year. Steffensen actually did pretty great last year, but last night was a little embarrassing. Most dropped on Crank It Up, so, hopefully, some of those guys will be able to pass it in the City Finals. Otherwise, it probably won't be too interesting until later. The Kid has some potential, like I've said, but I don't think he will complete the course. He might make it to Vegas, but I don't have enough faith in him yet for the City Finals. Gil is really the only one I would bet on in 6 weeks (or whenever the Dallas Finals air).
Barclay was unfortunate. I wanted to see her on Crank It Up. I think she would have done pretty well because she is kind of jacked, in a good way. I think, personally, Barclay is second only to Jessie Graff. I think Jesse LaBreck and Meagan Martin and very strong competitors, but Barclay proved to be a beast right off the bat. I think last year was her rookie year, and she dominated. She surpassed Martin in Vegas, who was a star veteran. As far as females go, I would first bet on Jessie, obviously, but then it would be Barclay Stockett. Quest and Karen were also interesting to watch. They both made it to Crank It Up, and have potential to go farther. I don't think they will, though. Barclay had a misstep with the Tuning Forks, something she can correct in the future. Quest and Karen were tired and ran out of gas on Crank It Up, something which is not as easily correctable. They could try to pace themselves more in the beginning, but, in the end, if they aren't quite strong enough, they won't finish. I think Barclay has more stamina and endurance as well as strength. If you tire out, you can't finish the obstacle. It is as plain as that. We didn't get to see how Barclay would perform on Crank It Up, but if she had reached it, I think she would have made it to the other side. It's not just women, either. If you really tank out at a certain spot in the course, you only have one day in between filming to try to improve, which I imagine is not enough. The women tend to prove this the most based on what I've seen the past couple years, with some exceptions. Odds are, you'll fall in the same spot or only making it one or two obstacles more. The 5th in Qualifiers and the 8th in Finals are the "cut-off" obstacles. In other words, reaching that one as fast as possible is probably most people's best shot at heading to Mt. Midoriyama. If the 12 people who fell on Crank It Up all manage to pass it in Finals, I'm guessing 10 will fall on the 8th obstacle. Anyway, I'm really hoping Barclay will be back. Most of the women I, honestly, don't particularly care for that much. It's fine to watch them and see what happens, but women are usually not the ones I'm actively cheering for. Graff and Stockett are pretty much the exceptions.
There's not too much left to say. I didn't recognize as many veterans, even though I knew there were a good amount. Gil was their big name, and he delivered on the hype. I think it's really funny to see the difference between Gil's time and Stewart's time. It's extremely impressive for Jon Stewart at 56 years old to be able to beat out a lot of youngsters for a guaranteed spot in the Dallas Finals. He may not be able to compete with people like Gil, but I am amazed every time he completes something like Crank It Up and the Tuning Forks. I don't expect him to have the fastest time, and his accomplishment is not diminished whatsoever, but it is kind of funny to see his 5:43 next to Gil's 1:40. It's insane to think anyone could run and complete that whole course, including the Mega Warped Wall, in under 2 minutes. Think about 2 minutes. It is not long at all. It's truly amazing. This season I'll have to look at all the cities fastest times and who ultimately had the fastest. It's more interesting in Vegas when you have all the speed demons in one place. Gil is always fun, but when you pit him again Joe, Murray, Drechsel, and others like that, it gets close. Some people even surprise you. I think last year, Lance Pekus earned the fastest time for Night 1 of Stage 1. City courses let certain people shine, whereas, once you mix everyone in Vegas, things get a little fuzzier unless you're someone like Drew.
In the end, the Finals will be better. We'll get real nitty gritty, and see who has what it takes to go to Mt. Midoriyama.
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