Ok, let's talk about the course really quick. I think they are changing the Qualifying half of the course in order to help more people finish, but it is a little uneven between the cities. To begin with, the city courses are uneven, and their changes are no exception. In Dallas, I already have an issue with the Bouncing Spider because I hate trampolines. Obviously, it didn't need to be changed because it doesn't expend a lot of upper body strength to begin with, but the balance obstacle was a little surprising. The Tuning Forks were a big problem in Qualifying, so it makes sense to replace that instead of the Bouncing Spider if their goal is for more people to advance. However, it is just lopsided compared to L.A. The city courses all follow the same formula, but I still think the overall difficulty is unbalanced. The Bouncing Spider is easier than the Sky Hooks but both were still the 3rd obstacle. I do realize a lot of people fall on trampoline obstacles, but it's more of a rookie trap than Sky Hooks, and it doesn't take too much upper body or grip strength like the Sky Hooks. You could potentially just get lucky with your jump and pass the Bouncing Spider, but not for the Sky Hooks. Is the Shelf Grab equal to the Bouncing Spider? I suppose you could argue that fairly, so it might have been more balanced in the finals, 3rd obstacle speaking not the whole course. Honestly, I feel like Dallas was easier than L.A. Crank It Up is challenging, but if you can, it is possible to use your momentum, and like Gil, probably not even sap that much strength. L.A.'s Doorknob Drop was grip intensive, and then the Giant Cubes was grip/finger intensive. Dallas only had 1 grip/finger intensive obstacle, the Nail Clipper. Arguably, grip/finger power obstacles are harder. L.A.'s Baton Pass seemed a touch harder because it was longer and required more time and thought. Fall Out's main difficulty, I think, came from trying not to spin around. Without that element, it was just a simple board to board jump. The first part where you had to grab it in different directions definitely seems awkward, but I don't think anyone actually dropped because of that. For example, with Thomas Stillings, he got so turned around and he hung for too long, so he had to fall. Without spinning, he easily would have been able to cross. Obviously, Fall Out needed body control and steadiness, not mention you had to have enough strength just to hold on, but I think the Baton pass required you to be up in the air longer. They had to cross the whole span of the 9th obstacle moving the batons, whereas, if you were calm, you could jump through Fall Out fairly quickly. I will say, the Nail Clipper looked more difficult than the Giant Cubes. For the cubes, for a small portion of it, you could use you feet to take some strain off plus you could splitz your way to the next cube. The Nail Clipper is all in the fingers for all 4 of those cylinders. The cut-off for L.A. was the Baton Pass a.k.a. the 9th obstacle, and for Dallas it was the Nail Clipper a.k.a. the 8th obstacle which may prove that it was more difficult in Dallas than L.A. 8th obstacle speaking not overall. Additionally, only 5 people finished in Dallas compared to the 9 in L.A. One could possibly argue that the people are stronger in L.A./there were more "big names" who we know can do really well. L.A. probably did have more big time, well-known vets. 8 of the 9 were popular vets, with 1 rookie in L.A., but there were 2 rookies in Dallas. The numbers and the names can both be support for L.A. being a more difficult course.
Obviously, I am no expert, and I couldn't do anything on that course, so my opinions of the course difficulties probably mean nothing. It is simply what I happen to notice and think about when I watch ANW. Maybe, in the end, all the course really do balance out with each other. Maybe the greats would finish all 6 city courses if they ran, and everyone who fell would still have fallen even on a different course. There is definitely slight disadvantage to having different stages because there is the possibility that someone could complete another city's course, but not their own. Maybe it's just one obstacle which is too challenging which denies them a trip to Vegas, but everything else they could do (city courses, if you can't make it to Vegas based on finishing or time, you probably don't have a shot anyway). I think the Salmon Ladder or the Warped Wall are the only things which don't have a variance excuse. If you can't do those 2 in your city, you can't do them anywhere. Anyway, overall, yes I feel like L.A. was a little tougher, but one could easily argue with me. The Nail Clipper is extremely difficult. I mean, if they added it to Stage 3, it's pretty serious.
Alright, now let's talk about the people. It's much more interesting. Let's start with The Kid. I was not at all surprised that he finished. First, I saw a "sneak peek" last week which was showing him, and they gave it away that he reached the 9th obstacle, so even a week ago, I knew he was going to Vegas. Without that, I could have easily guessed. He trains with Daniel Gil at a ninja gym, and they've been talking about him a lot. It'll be interesting in Vegas to see if he gets dwarfed by everyone else, but for now, there was quite a bit of hype. I was surprised to see him have the slowest time. He definitely looks and acts like a speed demon, but you could tell he was tired by the end. Props to him for powering through, but when he hit the buzzer, he was done. That tells me, if it was like last year's city finals course, he would not have finished. Hands down he is a rookie breakout star and looks like he could tear it up, but a few more years might do him well. I think he'll be fine on Stage 1 because he is lean and fast and seems sure footed, but I think Stage 2 might trip him up. I would be shocked if he fell on Stage 1 because he trains with Gil, and the biggest problem would probably be the Spider Jump. If he lands that, which I would bet he does, he'll probably survive a little longer.
Speaking of Gil, his time was unbelievable. 3:54... Think about how long, or how short, 4 minutes is. Daniel Gil ran that whole thing in under 4 minutes. Gil is definitely on my top list. People like Sean Bryan and Najee Richardson are skilled and very good, but, for me personally, aren't quite there, if you know what I mean. I still love watching them run and hope they finish, but Gil is truly amazing. Joe, Drew, and Daniel are my top 3 without a question or doubt. Filling out 2 more members for a 5 member USA type team is a little harder because there are a lot of people to pick from, but these 3 stand out so much. What else can you say about Gil other than he is completely and unbelievable amazing in ANW? It'll be great to see him back in Vegas, and if they keep Stage 2 the same (which I doubt) we'll probably be seeing him tackle Stage 3.
Next, Matthew Day and Josh Salinas. Frankly, I don't think they were giving Day enough credit or hype. He finished faster than The Kid, and he is in the same boat. Both 19, both rookies, and both train at the Iron Gym (I think that is what it's called?). The Kid may work more closely with Gil, but that is just more reason to love Day. He doesn't look 19 because of his beard, but I would consider him more of the rookie breakout star than The Kid. I think both have the same chance, though, in Vegas. Both are inexperienced on the actual course, and both are going to attack it with everything they've got. Personally, I feel Day has a slight advantage, but not much. I wouldn't be surprised if they go out on the same obstacle. Either way, I am excited to see both of them. I think these two were the only 19 year olds who showed serious potential. There were others, of course, but none were talked about too heavily in other cities, so these two are definitely the only 19 year olds competing for the glory. As for Salinas, I do remember him from last year. I didn't remember he was a rookie last year, but the name is familiar. Obviously, he did well, but he strikes me as the kind of guy who will only receive attention in the city courses. Once everyone is together in Vegas, he won't have a hope of receiving any attention while competing against the biggest names like Joe, Drew, Najee, Sean, Jake, or Isaac. For Stage 1, assuming he finishes it, it is unfortunate that some people get glossed over even though they are capable of doing the same thing as someone who gets a bio and an interview and their full run aired. Stage 2 and 3, of course make more sense because the number is cut down, and, to be fair, all the finishers are shown. It's good that Salinas gets some praise and recognition now, because I doubt he will in Vegas, regardless of whether or not he deserves it.
Now to Jeremiah Morgan. I remember him from previous years. I don't remember if he competed last year, but he might not have due to his physical inability. However, I do remember him from the year they had 11 finishers total. I think it was the year Isaac and Geoff won it all (2015). He was in Houston. This was Gil's first year, by the way. Morgan was 1 of 2 to finish in the finals that night. I thought his brother and his dad ran that year, too, but he was the best. Digging more into it, he reached Stage 3 in season 7, but fell on the crazy cliffhanger. I do remember that, I just wasn't sure if it was in fact season 7. It's definitely grown since then, and the courses have only become harder, but Morgan is still somebody to watch out for. He is one of only 5 Dallas finishers. He got cut the last time or two he competed, so I think he's due for a little love.
Finally, Barclay was the only real female contender. It was safe to assume she was returning to Vegas. Jessie Graff is still my favorite and ultimate pick for women, but I think Barclay would be second, even after considering Allyssa or Jesse. She is tied fairly closely with Jesse, but there's personal preference, I guess, which makes me choose Barclay. I just like her more. In person, she's probably too perky and bubbly for my personality, but she always seems happy, and that's a nice trait in someone.
When it comes to the next 4 weeks, all I really have to talk about is the finishers and the course. I'm glad to see Thomas Stillings and Abel Gonzalez in 6th and 7th place. Stillings got sent to the corner for his run, but at least he was aired? When they do the 70/30 split, I'm not sure if it's a gift or an insult. Brent had a good year last year, but has fallen back a little. Somebody, I can't remember who maybe Josh Norton, is going to Vegas for the first time (The Kid and Day not included), so that's great for them. In the end, it's not all about who is shown and who is cut. It's not about how popular you are or how hyped up you are. Ultimately, it should be about wanting to compete to have fun, stay in shape, and maybe meet some new people. Don't get me wrong, all the bio stuff still irks me, and I'm sure everyone would prefer to be shown instead of skipped, but for these athletes it's not the most important thing. I, personally, would like some things to be different, as you should know by now, but at least they showed all the finishers (unlike in L.A.).
Next week, Miami. From their "sneak peek" I saw that Jessie reaches the 9th obstacle, so she has a really good shot of completing the course. She was really close last year, so hopefully, the alterations work in her favor. Comment your favorite from Dallas and your Vegas predictions for these Finishers.
Obviously, I am no expert, and I couldn't do anything on that course, so my opinions of the course difficulties probably mean nothing. It is simply what I happen to notice and think about when I watch ANW. Maybe, in the end, all the course really do balance out with each other. Maybe the greats would finish all 6 city courses if they ran, and everyone who fell would still have fallen even on a different course. There is definitely slight disadvantage to having different stages because there is the possibility that someone could complete another city's course, but not their own. Maybe it's just one obstacle which is too challenging which denies them a trip to Vegas, but everything else they could do (city courses, if you can't make it to Vegas based on finishing or time, you probably don't have a shot anyway). I think the Salmon Ladder or the Warped Wall are the only things which don't have a variance excuse. If you can't do those 2 in your city, you can't do them anywhere. Anyway, overall, yes I feel like L.A. was a little tougher, but one could easily argue with me. The Nail Clipper is extremely difficult. I mean, if they added it to Stage 3, it's pretty serious.
Alright, now let's talk about the people. It's much more interesting. Let's start with The Kid. I was not at all surprised that he finished. First, I saw a "sneak peek" last week which was showing him, and they gave it away that he reached the 9th obstacle, so even a week ago, I knew he was going to Vegas. Without that, I could have easily guessed. He trains with Daniel Gil at a ninja gym, and they've been talking about him a lot. It'll be interesting in Vegas to see if he gets dwarfed by everyone else, but for now, there was quite a bit of hype. I was surprised to see him have the slowest time. He definitely looks and acts like a speed demon, but you could tell he was tired by the end. Props to him for powering through, but when he hit the buzzer, he was done. That tells me, if it was like last year's city finals course, he would not have finished. Hands down he is a rookie breakout star and looks like he could tear it up, but a few more years might do him well. I think he'll be fine on Stage 1 because he is lean and fast and seems sure footed, but I think Stage 2 might trip him up. I would be shocked if he fell on Stage 1 because he trains with Gil, and the biggest problem would probably be the Spider Jump. If he lands that, which I would bet he does, he'll probably survive a little longer.
Speaking of Gil, his time was unbelievable. 3:54... Think about how long, or how short, 4 minutes is. Daniel Gil ran that whole thing in under 4 minutes. Gil is definitely on my top list. People like Sean Bryan and Najee Richardson are skilled and very good, but, for me personally, aren't quite there, if you know what I mean. I still love watching them run and hope they finish, but Gil is truly amazing. Joe, Drew, and Daniel are my top 3 without a question or doubt. Filling out 2 more members for a 5 member USA type team is a little harder because there are a lot of people to pick from, but these 3 stand out so much. What else can you say about Gil other than he is completely and unbelievable amazing in ANW? It'll be great to see him back in Vegas, and if they keep Stage 2 the same (which I doubt) we'll probably be seeing him tackle Stage 3.
Next, Matthew Day and Josh Salinas. Frankly, I don't think they were giving Day enough credit or hype. He finished faster than The Kid, and he is in the same boat. Both 19, both rookies, and both train at the Iron Gym (I think that is what it's called?). The Kid may work more closely with Gil, but that is just more reason to love Day. He doesn't look 19 because of his beard, but I would consider him more of the rookie breakout star than The Kid. I think both have the same chance, though, in Vegas. Both are inexperienced on the actual course, and both are going to attack it with everything they've got. Personally, I feel Day has a slight advantage, but not much. I wouldn't be surprised if they go out on the same obstacle. Either way, I am excited to see both of them. I think these two were the only 19 year olds who showed serious potential. There were others, of course, but none were talked about too heavily in other cities, so these two are definitely the only 19 year olds competing for the glory. As for Salinas, I do remember him from last year. I didn't remember he was a rookie last year, but the name is familiar. Obviously, he did well, but he strikes me as the kind of guy who will only receive attention in the city courses. Once everyone is together in Vegas, he won't have a hope of receiving any attention while competing against the biggest names like Joe, Drew, Najee, Sean, Jake, or Isaac. For Stage 1, assuming he finishes it, it is unfortunate that some people get glossed over even though they are capable of doing the same thing as someone who gets a bio and an interview and their full run aired. Stage 2 and 3, of course make more sense because the number is cut down, and, to be fair, all the finishers are shown. It's good that Salinas gets some praise and recognition now, because I doubt he will in Vegas, regardless of whether or not he deserves it.
Now to Jeremiah Morgan. I remember him from previous years. I don't remember if he competed last year, but he might not have due to his physical inability. However, I do remember him from the year they had 11 finishers total. I think it was the year Isaac and Geoff won it all (2015). He was in Houston. This was Gil's first year, by the way. Morgan was 1 of 2 to finish in the finals that night. I thought his brother and his dad ran that year, too, but he was the best. Digging more into it, he reached Stage 3 in season 7, but fell on the crazy cliffhanger. I do remember that, I just wasn't sure if it was in fact season 7. It's definitely grown since then, and the courses have only become harder, but Morgan is still somebody to watch out for. He is one of only 5 Dallas finishers. He got cut the last time or two he competed, so I think he's due for a little love.
Finally, Barclay was the only real female contender. It was safe to assume she was returning to Vegas. Jessie Graff is still my favorite and ultimate pick for women, but I think Barclay would be second, even after considering Allyssa or Jesse. She is tied fairly closely with Jesse, but there's personal preference, I guess, which makes me choose Barclay. I just like her more. In person, she's probably too perky and bubbly for my personality, but she always seems happy, and that's a nice trait in someone.
When it comes to the next 4 weeks, all I really have to talk about is the finishers and the course. I'm glad to see Thomas Stillings and Abel Gonzalez in 6th and 7th place. Stillings got sent to the corner for his run, but at least he was aired? When they do the 70/30 split, I'm not sure if it's a gift or an insult. Brent had a good year last year, but has fallen back a little. Somebody, I can't remember who maybe Josh Norton, is going to Vegas for the first time (The Kid and Day not included), so that's great for them. In the end, it's not all about who is shown and who is cut. It's not about how popular you are or how hyped up you are. Ultimately, it should be about wanting to compete to have fun, stay in shape, and maybe meet some new people. Don't get me wrong, all the bio stuff still irks me, and I'm sure everyone would prefer to be shown instead of skipped, but for these athletes it's not the most important thing. I, personally, would like some things to be different, as you should know by now, but at least they showed all the finishers (unlike in L.A.).
Next week, Miami. From their "sneak peek" I saw that Jessie reaches the 9th obstacle, so she has a really good shot of completing the course. She was really close last year, so hopefully, the alterations work in her favor. Comment your favorite from Dallas and your Vegas predictions for these Finishers.
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