Okay, so my first impression is mixed. When we reach Stage 2 and on, the only people are big names, you know? There's an occasional rookie/lesser known, but there are going to all-star vets. Yet, it still surprises me when certain people are skipped. I figured Nicholas Coolridge, of course, but even Chris and Josh, too. Poor Josh Levin never got any screen time at all this entire season. I was also sure 'The Kid' was going to pass Stage 2. They were hyping him up so much throughout the season and even just this episode. They also showed him later in the night, and I thought they were setting him up. There were only 2 Stage 2 finishers, so I suppose they had to place them later in the night. So, I'm sure the editing was in play this week, but I would also guess Drew actually ran last. I'd also like to mention really quick how much I liked that they used past athletes as examples of how to complete the obstacles, like when they were going through the course, the people weren't testers, but actual competitors like Drew, Joe, and Isaac.
So, let's talk about the actual course, first. I didn't like Catch and Release. Whatever they had last year, the Jungle Swing thing, seemed like a better obstacle. More people struggled on it and wasted strength. Which, as a viewer, you want people to pass, but as an obstacle/course designer and for the producers and such, you don't want people to advance. Jake fell, which I will get to in a little bit :(, but only one or two other people, maybe, struggled on it. Competitors did not spend as much time on Catch and Release as they did on the past obstacle, so it felt toned down. Déjà Vu I thought was a good obstacle. I'm sure people are not Kevin Carbone's best friend, since he created this obstacle as well as the infamous Wing Nuts, but props to him for such challenging obstacles. Anyway, this was odd, but I think it was just as good as The Wave Runner. It was not as finger grip intensive as The Wave Runner, but it was technical and precise, though we did see a couple people's general grip give out like Thomas Stillings and Casey Suchocki on the drop. For people like Hunter Guerard and a couple others, the bar itself was hard to handle and move which ended seasons, so precision and deliberation (?) was key. I liked it, and a lot of people fell on it, but I still like the Wave Runner, too. I was surprised they kept the Wing Nuts. A good handful of people never even reached the Wing Nuts, so less people dropped on it, but it was still tricky; only 3 people could pass. I thought they would just change it anyway, but I guess they thought it was still good enough to keep around since they are always changing things which aren't broken, so to speak. The underwater, as I said before, I figure comes from Sasuke in Japan. I don't have much to say about it. I think it was a good way to strengthen the last obstacle of the Walls. The one in Sasuke, from what I saw, was just swimming against an artificial current, but I like ANW's version better. So that's the course. I can't say I was crazy about the changes, specifically Catch and Release and Déjà Vu, but they weren't terrible. It was, obviously, still a very difficult course, so mission accomplished, I suppose.
Alright, let's talk finishers. Drew was a bit of a given, I feel. He can still go out early, of course, and we saw in his City Finals he dropped before the buzzer. Sean Bryan being the only finisher could definitely have been possible, but it wouldn't have felt right. Now, I don't think there was any behind the scenes shenanigans happening in order to have 2 finishers especially considering who they were. Drew is just so natural with these courses. He really is incredibly strong and an amazing athlete; it's like this show was destined for him. Stage 2, I expected. Stage 3 was a pretty big disappointment. I think the way he reacted, too, spoke volumes. He was more concerned with beating Bryan's time and winning the 100k over beating the actual course. He was asking his girlfriend if he was okay on time. He seemed way to okay with dropping so early. Feeling fantastic after that? I feel like in the past Drew would not have been feeling so hot. I guess the 100k cooled him off. Think of last year and the year before that and how absolutely devastated he was when he fell. Think about how bad he has said he wanted this. Then go back and see how chill he was this year. I definitely think it's because of the new cash prize for farthest the fastest. His goal is still to win it all, and he humbled himself when he said he was honored to be there, but it was definitely different this time around. I don't know Drew personally, and he's one of my favorites because of how great he is on the show. He is exactly the kind of athlete who has made ANW what it is; he's who people come to see, but it's based off his athletic ability, not necessarily who he is. Think about it, Drew never really has a deep or long biography before his runs except for his history on the show. He doesn't have trauma or personal struggle or anything like that. He's purely ANW. I don't want to doubt Drew's character, and I can't because I don't know him. However, this year, with the 100k seemed fishy. I still think Drew is one of my favorites, and he's still probably one of the best bets for winning everything, but this year it was different. He still managed to be one of the last men standing, but he fell in the exact same place as Bryan. It seemed a little anti-climactic. I was expecting more from Drew, the Real Life Ninja, and his reaction was unexpected.
Speaking somewhat of Sean Bryan. I think he has definitely solidified how great of an athlete he is, completing Stage 2 twice in a row and being one of the last men standing. He's going up against some of the greatest, biggest names who have always been strong and consistent, and does better than them! Sean Bryan has proved himself to be one of the best, and I only hope the show recognizes it and utilizes it more. He also had a really great attitude about Stage 3 and Drew. I'm sure he would have appreciated the money, but he cared more about Drew and how well he did, something Drew did not seem to have for Sean. I can't wait to see him as he continues on the show.
Now Najee. His run was one of the most painful. It sucks even more because Najee was literally within 5 seconds of the buzzer. All he needed was to lift himself out and reach for the button. 5 seconds more was all he needed. He was also only 1 of 3 to pass the wing nuts, again, and everyone would have loved to see him take on Stage 3 again. Even though he didn't finish Stage 2, I think he also proved himself. Previously, I said I was looking for a little something more to know Najee was the real deal, and, though he ended on Stage 2, I definitely think he's got that something. He said it was his asthma, and I don't have asthma, so I don't know how hard it affects you. However, I do find it slightly odd that they only mentioned this about Najee tonight when he was so close to finishing. It almost seemed like they were blaming the asthma for his timing out because he kept checking his pulse and trying to slow down. He's always completed difficult courses, and they've never talked about this being a problem or made a big deal about how he has to balance it and pace himself. Until now when he failed. It's kind of like Drew. I can't say anything for sure because I don't know anything; however, the placement of announcing (so to speak) his asthma is reason to wonder. Either way, his asthma shouldn't have been what he's saying was the reason, even if it was. He did take a lot of time in between obstacles, something he's never really done as much as this in previous runs. His breathing never seemed to be an issue in the past, but now it is? Bottom line, I still love Najee, can't wait to see him again, but the asthma thing seemed odd, particularly because it didn't come into play until now. Of course, he should put his health first, and it's not like he's ever been the fastest but we know it doesn't hinder him that much because he's still been able to complete Stage 1 under an even lower time limit. So that's the scoop on the Phoenix. Don't get me wrong, I still love watching him run, and I hope he's back at Stage 3 next year.
As far as other people who's drop hurt. There are so many. Daniel Gil, Josh Levin, Nicholas Coolridge, Adam Rayl, Jamie Rahn, and Jake Murray. Daniel and Adam I still believe could have bested the Wing Nuts this time around. They were very close last year, and I think after experience and more training, they would have been fine if they had gotten there. Daniel is still one of the best, for sure, and if they didn't keep switching the obstacles out, Daniel would be very far. Nicholas hurt because you know I love him, and it sucks he fell on the same place. For him and Rayl, it seemed like they both just fell off the Criss Cross Salmon Ladder. It's like they weren't even moving and the bar just dropped. It was mostly Coolridge, but for Rayl, he moved one side a little off the ledge but it still seemed super jarring. It surprised them both, as well as me. I couldn't really see up close the bar or how much either of them were actually moving, but they dropped so suddenly. Oh, and to quote him, "Failure is Inevitable." Josh Levin is such a good and accurate rock climber, so it was surprising he missed the final Wing Nut. I thought he had a good chance if he could make it there, but I guess not? Josh Levin is the kind of person I wonder a lot about on Stage 3, specifically something like the Ultimate Cliffhanger. Same with Isaac, but Levin is a rock climber, and a very good one at that. I don't think he's made it to Stage 3 in official competition, but I know he did it in USA vs. the World, and did well. I wanted him to finish Stage 2 to see how he could do on Stage 3. Jamie Rahn I like a lot, and it was unfortunate he fell again on the Wing Nuts; however, based on his run from last year, I wasn't super surprised. I thought, because they placed him later in the night, that maybe he could finish, but I have come to realize that Rahn is a great athlete and fan favorite, but never going to be a last man standing kind of guy. He's consistent and good, he bested Stage 1 and did what others couldn't, but not the best. He still has yet to reach Stage 3, but he has a great attitude. Now, honestly, aside from Najee and maybe Daniel, I think Jake Murray hit the hardest. I have come to like Jake Murray a lot, and for good reason. I was definitely upset that he, not only failed, but on the first obstacle! It was so horrible to watch. I don't necessarily think he would have finished, he's never been on the Wing Nuts before, so he might have failed there or Déjà Vu, but the fact it was so early and he was the only one to fail on Catch and Release did hurt a little.
Also, as much as these Stage 2 guys hurt, the biggest upset of the entire season was Joe Moravsky. I still can't get over his fall on Stage 1.
'The Kid' did really well this year. He may have been a rookie, but like they said, he's been training for 6 years with and like the vets. He may not have a ton of experience on the actual courses, but I think he was a little ahead of other rookies. As far as his run, he said he wasn't that tired, but he looked tired when he dropped on the Wing Nuts. The thing about his run, I noticed, was his fatigue affected his ability to gain momentum. People like Najee and Drew, Drew specifically, can swing high with quickness and ease. It's very natural movements for them, or so it seems. 'The Kid' was struggling a bit from the beginning it felt. On his final jump, he came up pretty short because he didn't have the momentum probably because he was tired. His grip could have gone out before he jumped, anyway, so might as well try. For the Wing Nuts, it kind of sucks and is unfair because you need to generate height and momentum, and some people just seem to not be able to. Part of it is also catching yourself and grip strength, but if you can't even get a hand on, you're screwed. It's also why I would have loved to see Isaac on the Wing Nuts because he competed against Drew in the Super Sonic Shelf Grab All-Stars competition a few years back. He gained air just as easy as Drew, and they both reached the same distance, so it would have been interesting to see him attempt this new Stage 2 and the new Stage 3. Anyway, 'The Kid' still did great, and I am very interested to see how he does in the future. I think he still has a lot to work on, including his endurance, maybe. I wonder if he's more of a one-hit-wonder or if he will be able to stay in the spotlight. Will he be leading the new generation?
The rookies were decent. 8 out of 30 is pretty good, almost 1/3. A good chunk fell on Déjà Vu and the Criss Cross Salmon Ladder but those seem very technical and probably require experience, just in the way to move the bar and the feel of the movements. Obviously, actual strength is needed, but they're something which are difficult to rebound from if you mess up on and are harder to just "get lucky" on. Austin Gray, who I believe is a rookie, actually proved my point about 'The Kid.' 'The Kid' is almost started on Veteran status. Gray showed how inexperienced and unprepared he actually was. Once people have competed for a couple years, for the most part, they have built an endurance and don't seem to gas out that early. They also skipped a decent amount of the rookies including Mike Murray, Angel Rodriguez, and Lucas Reale. For making it to Stage 2, especially after Stage 1 killed so many great vets, that in itself is a spectacular feat. It does suck they don't show them a little because this may be the best year for some of these guys, and what they've completed shouldn't be skimmed over. They've done extremely well as rookies, competing on the same level as really great athletes, so now is the time to hype them up. However, I can see the other side, none of them finished, and none of them did particularly well. It was easy to mix them into everyone else. I also don't know who exactly were all the rookies. Lucas Reale, Angel Rodriguez, Mike Murray, R.J. Roman, Zach Day, 'The Kid', Jonathan Stevens, and Austin Gray I think were all the rookies. Anyway, I know I said I wanted to mention everyone, but I don't have anything to say for everyone. I do think it's unfair that some people have to be skipped, especially the rookies, but also as a viewer, it makes sense and honestly, unless they finish, based on where they're falling, I'm kind of okay with not seeing them. There are obvious break out stars. 'The Kid' was one of them, but he also came in with a reputation known by others like Gil. Drew Knapp and Tyler Gillet have also done fairly well in the past, but were skipped on Stage 2. So, it's hard to tell who they decide makes the cut. I've talked about this a lot in previous posts, so you pretty much know my feelings. I realize they can't show everyone, and it makes a lot of sense to show the people who generate the most hype. They're the ones most people are here to watch run, plus their failure is more shocking and dramatic. So, from a finale point of view, it is a little more acceptable.
So before I move onto talk about Stage 3, I'm going to list all the Stage 1 finishers as a record
Jake Murray --> Catch and Release
Drew Drechsel --> Completed
Mathis Owhadi --> Wing Nut Alley
Daniel Gil --> Déjà Vu
Austin Gray --> Déjà Vu
Drew Knapp --> Wing Nut Alley
Adam Rayl --> Criss Cross Salmon Ladder
Josh Salinas --> Wing Nut Alley
Tyler Gillett --> Déjà Vu
Najee Richardson --> Underwater (timed out)
R.J. Roman --> Wing Nut Alley
Ethan Swanson --> Wing Nut Alley
Karson Violes
Sean Bryan --> Completed
Josh Levin --> Wing Nut Alley
Hunter Guerard --> Déjà Vu
Eric Middleton --> Déjà Vu
Lucas Reale
Mike Meyers
Thomas Stillings --> Déjà Vu
Brian Burkhardt --> Wing Nut Alley
Angel Rodriguez
Jonathan Stevens --> Criss Cross Salmon Ladder
Chris Wilczewski
Dan Polizzi
Jamie Rahn --> Wing Nut Alley
Mike Murray
Zach Day
Casey Suchocki
Nicholas Coolridge --> Criss Cross Salmon Ladder
*I'm sorry I can't remember where some of these guys dropped. I am watching it online as I write to try to remember some stuff, but what I'm writing isn't actually lined up with what I'm watching. So, these blanks are people I'm not totally sure of which obstacle ended them. Most I can, but I don't want to go back to try to find people, especially since I don't know the order they were shown.
I'll definitely try to keep an eye out for these 8 rookies. I'm assuming most of them will continue to be commercial break runners, but hopefully they'll receive the respect they have won this year.
Also, another thing I noticed was that the landing platform for Wing Nut Alley is wider. It was pretty slim last year, but now it's actually a proper landing pad.
So, Stage 3. It still bothers me that they switch almost everything because it's not like anyone passed it last year. If it ain't broke, why fix it? Drew dropped pretty early, too, so they really didn't have anything to worry about. Granted, they didn't know when they set it up, but still. You can't say "the only one to beat Stage 3" kind of thing if Stage 3 is never the same except for title. The actual course itself is always changing, same with Stage 1 and 2, but it means less if it's different every year. They say only 2 athletes have conquered it, which is true, but those same athletes may not be able to complete it now. When they change it, it's like stage 3, not Stage 3 (uppercase), you feel me? I liked the Circuit Board and the inverted rock climbing wall (whatever it's real name was), but of course those are gone. The Ultimate Cliffhanger keeps getting longer and more tiresome, which is quality stage 3 material, so that's cool. I don't like the Crazy Clocks, didn't like them in Finals. The Cane Lane would have been good. I miss the Nail Clipper, I think that was good. The Body Prop is interesting for Stage 3 simply because it isn't all upper body. Also, Sean Bryan would have had a perfect season, if he had won it all. Think about that. It's the Isaac, Geoff scenario. Drew probably would have won on time, and thus the title and cash, but Drew would not have had a perfect season. He would have been perfect at Mt. Midoriyama, but he would not have been perfect like Geoff. Neither won it all, but they ended at the same spot, so that does say something about Sean Bryan. His sportsmanship was also really great, which makes him even more likable.
It was hard to watch both of them to fall. Like I said before, Drew was too chill about it all, and I really wish he had made it farther. I want to see him take on those new obstacles, especially something like Cane Lane because he's never seen it, and those kinds of scenarios are true testaments of how strong of an athlete he is. Unfortunately, we'll never know.
Also, it sucks for Joe because they just added the new 100k, which he really could have used because he has 2 young kids. They owe him 200k, is what I think he commented on Instagram.
Overall, Drew being the last man standing was like Joe last year: pretty expected. If Drew hadn't rushed the Ultimate Cliffhanger like he said he did, I'm not so sure he would have finished anyway. It looked like a pretty grueling course, and I don't know how well he would fare on the Body Prop (though he did complete it last time) or Cane Lane. After what he did manage on Stage 3 and after completing Stage 2, the human body has limits, and there are so few places to rest on the course. I'm sure they're set on keeping people away from Stage 4. Plus, there are new cash prizes, so it isn't a total dud. Everyone has a chance of winning something whether it's last man standing or the Mega Warped Wall prizes. There is also the added thought of being the First American Ninja Warrior. The title can be given out to multiple people, and it has, but Drew and even Joe knowing they will never the first may affect them, too. Granted there is still question over who is officially the first within Geoff and Isaac (Geoff). It's still the goal of everyone who competes, and that's what matters. I hope we'll see Joe and Drew competing for the 100k next year, because that could be very interesting or very devastating. With serious competition like Joe, who is fast, too, there could have been a mistake way before the Ultimate Cliffhanger, or he could have done better because there was more motivation and he would have been more careful (or reckless). Obviously, I don't want people who have a lot of potential to speed through just for 100k. I want them to take it seriously and shoot for the million. So, Joe against Drew could have been detrimental to both of their successes. Regardless, we'll don't know because Joe fell (sobs).
In the end, the City Courses were pretty great, but Vegas felt different. Stage 3 didn't feel as hyped as last year, and Stage 1 had a lot of devastating failures, so maybe that's it. There were still good times and good runs, and 2 people made it to Stage 3. I'm hoping next year with the return of Drew, Joe, Isaac, and Geoff it will be super action packed. I want all 4 of those guys on Stage 3 again. I love this show, it's great to watch, but this year had so many disappointments, I think it killed it a little for me. I know "failure is inevitable" and everyone, even the best, fail eventually, so it's not like my expectations are too different. There were a lot of unfortunate shocks, let's say. I would expect a lot of failure on Stage 3, but Stage 1 was rough. I don't expect everyone to make it, so it's hard to gauge my feelings, but they are definitely different compared to previous years, I will say.
Nevertheless, I will return for Season 11 as well as All-Stars and USA vs the World, assuming those specials are airing. Comment your greatest disappointment from the season and who you are most excited for next year. Talk to you soon
So, let's talk about the actual course, first. I didn't like Catch and Release. Whatever they had last year, the Jungle Swing thing, seemed like a better obstacle. More people struggled on it and wasted strength. Which, as a viewer, you want people to pass, but as an obstacle/course designer and for the producers and such, you don't want people to advance. Jake fell, which I will get to in a little bit :(, but only one or two other people, maybe, struggled on it. Competitors did not spend as much time on Catch and Release as they did on the past obstacle, so it felt toned down. Déjà Vu I thought was a good obstacle. I'm sure people are not Kevin Carbone's best friend, since he created this obstacle as well as the infamous Wing Nuts, but props to him for such challenging obstacles. Anyway, this was odd, but I think it was just as good as The Wave Runner. It was not as finger grip intensive as The Wave Runner, but it was technical and precise, though we did see a couple people's general grip give out like Thomas Stillings and Casey Suchocki on the drop. For people like Hunter Guerard and a couple others, the bar itself was hard to handle and move which ended seasons, so precision and deliberation (?) was key. I liked it, and a lot of people fell on it, but I still like the Wave Runner, too. I was surprised they kept the Wing Nuts. A good handful of people never even reached the Wing Nuts, so less people dropped on it, but it was still tricky; only 3 people could pass. I thought they would just change it anyway, but I guess they thought it was still good enough to keep around since they are always changing things which aren't broken, so to speak. The underwater, as I said before, I figure comes from Sasuke in Japan. I don't have much to say about it. I think it was a good way to strengthen the last obstacle of the Walls. The one in Sasuke, from what I saw, was just swimming against an artificial current, but I like ANW's version better. So that's the course. I can't say I was crazy about the changes, specifically Catch and Release and Déjà Vu, but they weren't terrible. It was, obviously, still a very difficult course, so mission accomplished, I suppose.
Alright, let's talk finishers. Drew was a bit of a given, I feel. He can still go out early, of course, and we saw in his City Finals he dropped before the buzzer. Sean Bryan being the only finisher could definitely have been possible, but it wouldn't have felt right. Now, I don't think there was any behind the scenes shenanigans happening in order to have 2 finishers especially considering who they were. Drew is just so natural with these courses. He really is incredibly strong and an amazing athlete; it's like this show was destined for him. Stage 2, I expected. Stage 3 was a pretty big disappointment. I think the way he reacted, too, spoke volumes. He was more concerned with beating Bryan's time and winning the 100k over beating the actual course. He was asking his girlfriend if he was okay on time. He seemed way to okay with dropping so early. Feeling fantastic after that? I feel like in the past Drew would not have been feeling so hot. I guess the 100k cooled him off. Think of last year and the year before that and how absolutely devastated he was when he fell. Think about how bad he has said he wanted this. Then go back and see how chill he was this year. I definitely think it's because of the new cash prize for farthest the fastest. His goal is still to win it all, and he humbled himself when he said he was honored to be there, but it was definitely different this time around. I don't know Drew personally, and he's one of my favorites because of how great he is on the show. He is exactly the kind of athlete who has made ANW what it is; he's who people come to see, but it's based off his athletic ability, not necessarily who he is. Think about it, Drew never really has a deep or long biography before his runs except for his history on the show. He doesn't have trauma or personal struggle or anything like that. He's purely ANW. I don't want to doubt Drew's character, and I can't because I don't know him. However, this year, with the 100k seemed fishy. I still think Drew is one of my favorites, and he's still probably one of the best bets for winning everything, but this year it was different. He still managed to be one of the last men standing, but he fell in the exact same place as Bryan. It seemed a little anti-climactic. I was expecting more from Drew, the Real Life Ninja, and his reaction was unexpected.
Speaking somewhat of Sean Bryan. I think he has definitely solidified how great of an athlete he is, completing Stage 2 twice in a row and being one of the last men standing. He's going up against some of the greatest, biggest names who have always been strong and consistent, and does better than them! Sean Bryan has proved himself to be one of the best, and I only hope the show recognizes it and utilizes it more. He also had a really great attitude about Stage 3 and Drew. I'm sure he would have appreciated the money, but he cared more about Drew and how well he did, something Drew did not seem to have for Sean. I can't wait to see him as he continues on the show.
Now Najee. His run was one of the most painful. It sucks even more because Najee was literally within 5 seconds of the buzzer. All he needed was to lift himself out and reach for the button. 5 seconds more was all he needed. He was also only 1 of 3 to pass the wing nuts, again, and everyone would have loved to see him take on Stage 3 again. Even though he didn't finish Stage 2, I think he also proved himself. Previously, I said I was looking for a little something more to know Najee was the real deal, and, though he ended on Stage 2, I definitely think he's got that something. He said it was his asthma, and I don't have asthma, so I don't know how hard it affects you. However, I do find it slightly odd that they only mentioned this about Najee tonight when he was so close to finishing. It almost seemed like they were blaming the asthma for his timing out because he kept checking his pulse and trying to slow down. He's always completed difficult courses, and they've never talked about this being a problem or made a big deal about how he has to balance it and pace himself. Until now when he failed. It's kind of like Drew. I can't say anything for sure because I don't know anything; however, the placement of announcing (so to speak) his asthma is reason to wonder. Either way, his asthma shouldn't have been what he's saying was the reason, even if it was. He did take a lot of time in between obstacles, something he's never really done as much as this in previous runs. His breathing never seemed to be an issue in the past, but now it is? Bottom line, I still love Najee, can't wait to see him again, but the asthma thing seemed odd, particularly because it didn't come into play until now. Of course, he should put his health first, and it's not like he's ever been the fastest but we know it doesn't hinder him that much because he's still been able to complete Stage 1 under an even lower time limit. So that's the scoop on the Phoenix. Don't get me wrong, I still love watching him run, and I hope he's back at Stage 3 next year.
As far as other people who's drop hurt. There are so many. Daniel Gil, Josh Levin, Nicholas Coolridge, Adam Rayl, Jamie Rahn, and Jake Murray. Daniel and Adam I still believe could have bested the Wing Nuts this time around. They were very close last year, and I think after experience and more training, they would have been fine if they had gotten there. Daniel is still one of the best, for sure, and if they didn't keep switching the obstacles out, Daniel would be very far. Nicholas hurt because you know I love him, and it sucks he fell on the same place. For him and Rayl, it seemed like they both just fell off the Criss Cross Salmon Ladder. It's like they weren't even moving and the bar just dropped. It was mostly Coolridge, but for Rayl, he moved one side a little off the ledge but it still seemed super jarring. It surprised them both, as well as me. I couldn't really see up close the bar or how much either of them were actually moving, but they dropped so suddenly. Oh, and to quote him, "Failure is Inevitable." Josh Levin is such a good and accurate rock climber, so it was surprising he missed the final Wing Nut. I thought he had a good chance if he could make it there, but I guess not? Josh Levin is the kind of person I wonder a lot about on Stage 3, specifically something like the Ultimate Cliffhanger. Same with Isaac, but Levin is a rock climber, and a very good one at that. I don't think he's made it to Stage 3 in official competition, but I know he did it in USA vs. the World, and did well. I wanted him to finish Stage 2 to see how he could do on Stage 3. Jamie Rahn I like a lot, and it was unfortunate he fell again on the Wing Nuts; however, based on his run from last year, I wasn't super surprised. I thought, because they placed him later in the night, that maybe he could finish, but I have come to realize that Rahn is a great athlete and fan favorite, but never going to be a last man standing kind of guy. He's consistent and good, he bested Stage 1 and did what others couldn't, but not the best. He still has yet to reach Stage 3, but he has a great attitude. Now, honestly, aside from Najee and maybe Daniel, I think Jake Murray hit the hardest. I have come to like Jake Murray a lot, and for good reason. I was definitely upset that he, not only failed, but on the first obstacle! It was so horrible to watch. I don't necessarily think he would have finished, he's never been on the Wing Nuts before, so he might have failed there or Déjà Vu, but the fact it was so early and he was the only one to fail on Catch and Release did hurt a little.
Also, as much as these Stage 2 guys hurt, the biggest upset of the entire season was Joe Moravsky. I still can't get over his fall on Stage 1.
'The Kid' did really well this year. He may have been a rookie, but like they said, he's been training for 6 years with and like the vets. He may not have a ton of experience on the actual courses, but I think he was a little ahead of other rookies. As far as his run, he said he wasn't that tired, but he looked tired when he dropped on the Wing Nuts. The thing about his run, I noticed, was his fatigue affected his ability to gain momentum. People like Najee and Drew, Drew specifically, can swing high with quickness and ease. It's very natural movements for them, or so it seems. 'The Kid' was struggling a bit from the beginning it felt. On his final jump, he came up pretty short because he didn't have the momentum probably because he was tired. His grip could have gone out before he jumped, anyway, so might as well try. For the Wing Nuts, it kind of sucks and is unfair because you need to generate height and momentum, and some people just seem to not be able to. Part of it is also catching yourself and grip strength, but if you can't even get a hand on, you're screwed. It's also why I would have loved to see Isaac on the Wing Nuts because he competed against Drew in the Super Sonic Shelf Grab All-Stars competition a few years back. He gained air just as easy as Drew, and they both reached the same distance, so it would have been interesting to see him attempt this new Stage 2 and the new Stage 3. Anyway, 'The Kid' still did great, and I am very interested to see how he does in the future. I think he still has a lot to work on, including his endurance, maybe. I wonder if he's more of a one-hit-wonder or if he will be able to stay in the spotlight. Will he be leading the new generation?
The rookies were decent. 8 out of 30 is pretty good, almost 1/3. A good chunk fell on Déjà Vu and the Criss Cross Salmon Ladder but those seem very technical and probably require experience, just in the way to move the bar and the feel of the movements. Obviously, actual strength is needed, but they're something which are difficult to rebound from if you mess up on and are harder to just "get lucky" on. Austin Gray, who I believe is a rookie, actually proved my point about 'The Kid.' 'The Kid' is almost started on Veteran status. Gray showed how inexperienced and unprepared he actually was. Once people have competed for a couple years, for the most part, they have built an endurance and don't seem to gas out that early. They also skipped a decent amount of the rookies including Mike Murray, Angel Rodriguez, and Lucas Reale. For making it to Stage 2, especially after Stage 1 killed so many great vets, that in itself is a spectacular feat. It does suck they don't show them a little because this may be the best year for some of these guys, and what they've completed shouldn't be skimmed over. They've done extremely well as rookies, competing on the same level as really great athletes, so now is the time to hype them up. However, I can see the other side, none of them finished, and none of them did particularly well. It was easy to mix them into everyone else. I also don't know who exactly were all the rookies. Lucas Reale, Angel Rodriguez, Mike Murray, R.J. Roman, Zach Day, 'The Kid', Jonathan Stevens, and Austin Gray I think were all the rookies. Anyway, I know I said I wanted to mention everyone, but I don't have anything to say for everyone. I do think it's unfair that some people have to be skipped, especially the rookies, but also as a viewer, it makes sense and honestly, unless they finish, based on where they're falling, I'm kind of okay with not seeing them. There are obvious break out stars. 'The Kid' was one of them, but he also came in with a reputation known by others like Gil. Drew Knapp and Tyler Gillet have also done fairly well in the past, but were skipped on Stage 2. So, it's hard to tell who they decide makes the cut. I've talked about this a lot in previous posts, so you pretty much know my feelings. I realize they can't show everyone, and it makes a lot of sense to show the people who generate the most hype. They're the ones most people are here to watch run, plus their failure is more shocking and dramatic. So, from a finale point of view, it is a little more acceptable.
So before I move onto talk about Stage 3, I'm going to list all the Stage 1 finishers as a record
Jake Murray --> Catch and Release
Drew Drechsel --> Completed
Mathis Owhadi --> Wing Nut Alley
Daniel Gil --> Déjà Vu
Austin Gray --> Déjà Vu
Drew Knapp --> Wing Nut Alley
Adam Rayl --> Criss Cross Salmon Ladder
Josh Salinas --> Wing Nut Alley
Tyler Gillett --> Déjà Vu
Najee Richardson --> Underwater (timed out)
R.J. Roman --> Wing Nut Alley
Ethan Swanson --> Wing Nut Alley
Karson Violes
Sean Bryan --> Completed
Josh Levin --> Wing Nut Alley
Hunter Guerard --> Déjà Vu
Eric Middleton --> Déjà Vu
Lucas Reale
Mike Meyers
Thomas Stillings --> Déjà Vu
Brian Burkhardt --> Wing Nut Alley
Angel Rodriguez
Jonathan Stevens --> Criss Cross Salmon Ladder
Chris Wilczewski
Dan Polizzi
Jamie Rahn --> Wing Nut Alley
Mike Murray
Zach Day
Casey Suchocki
Nicholas Coolridge --> Criss Cross Salmon Ladder
*I'm sorry I can't remember where some of these guys dropped. I am watching it online as I write to try to remember some stuff, but what I'm writing isn't actually lined up with what I'm watching. So, these blanks are people I'm not totally sure of which obstacle ended them. Most I can, but I don't want to go back to try to find people, especially since I don't know the order they were shown.
I'll definitely try to keep an eye out for these 8 rookies. I'm assuming most of them will continue to be commercial break runners, but hopefully they'll receive the respect they have won this year.
Also, another thing I noticed was that the landing platform for Wing Nut Alley is wider. It was pretty slim last year, but now it's actually a proper landing pad.
So, Stage 3. It still bothers me that they switch almost everything because it's not like anyone passed it last year. If it ain't broke, why fix it? Drew dropped pretty early, too, so they really didn't have anything to worry about. Granted, they didn't know when they set it up, but still. You can't say "the only one to beat Stage 3" kind of thing if Stage 3 is never the same except for title. The actual course itself is always changing, same with Stage 1 and 2, but it means less if it's different every year. They say only 2 athletes have conquered it, which is true, but those same athletes may not be able to complete it now. When they change it, it's like stage 3, not Stage 3 (uppercase), you feel me? I liked the Circuit Board and the inverted rock climbing wall (whatever it's real name was), but of course those are gone. The Ultimate Cliffhanger keeps getting longer and more tiresome, which is quality stage 3 material, so that's cool. I don't like the Crazy Clocks, didn't like them in Finals. The Cane Lane would have been good. I miss the Nail Clipper, I think that was good. The Body Prop is interesting for Stage 3 simply because it isn't all upper body. Also, Sean Bryan would have had a perfect season, if he had won it all. Think about that. It's the Isaac, Geoff scenario. Drew probably would have won on time, and thus the title and cash, but Drew would not have had a perfect season. He would have been perfect at Mt. Midoriyama, but he would not have been perfect like Geoff. Neither won it all, but they ended at the same spot, so that does say something about Sean Bryan. His sportsmanship was also really great, which makes him even more likable.
It was hard to watch both of them to fall. Like I said before, Drew was too chill about it all, and I really wish he had made it farther. I want to see him take on those new obstacles, especially something like Cane Lane because he's never seen it, and those kinds of scenarios are true testaments of how strong of an athlete he is. Unfortunately, we'll never know.
Also, it sucks for Joe because they just added the new 100k, which he really could have used because he has 2 young kids. They owe him 200k, is what I think he commented on Instagram.
Overall, Drew being the last man standing was like Joe last year: pretty expected. If Drew hadn't rushed the Ultimate Cliffhanger like he said he did, I'm not so sure he would have finished anyway. It looked like a pretty grueling course, and I don't know how well he would fare on the Body Prop (though he did complete it last time) or Cane Lane. After what he did manage on Stage 3 and after completing Stage 2, the human body has limits, and there are so few places to rest on the course. I'm sure they're set on keeping people away from Stage 4. Plus, there are new cash prizes, so it isn't a total dud. Everyone has a chance of winning something whether it's last man standing or the Mega Warped Wall prizes. There is also the added thought of being the First American Ninja Warrior. The title can be given out to multiple people, and it has, but Drew and even Joe knowing they will never the first may affect them, too. Granted there is still question over who is officially the first within Geoff and Isaac (Geoff). It's still the goal of everyone who competes, and that's what matters. I hope we'll see Joe and Drew competing for the 100k next year, because that could be very interesting or very devastating. With serious competition like Joe, who is fast, too, there could have been a mistake way before the Ultimate Cliffhanger, or he could have done better because there was more motivation and he would have been more careful (or reckless). Obviously, I don't want people who have a lot of potential to speed through just for 100k. I want them to take it seriously and shoot for the million. So, Joe against Drew could have been detrimental to both of their successes. Regardless, we'll don't know because Joe fell (sobs).
In the end, the City Courses were pretty great, but Vegas felt different. Stage 3 didn't feel as hyped as last year, and Stage 1 had a lot of devastating failures, so maybe that's it. There were still good times and good runs, and 2 people made it to Stage 3. I'm hoping next year with the return of Drew, Joe, Isaac, and Geoff it will be super action packed. I want all 4 of those guys on Stage 3 again. I love this show, it's great to watch, but this year had so many disappointments, I think it killed it a little for me. I know "failure is inevitable" and everyone, even the best, fail eventually, so it's not like my expectations are too different. There were a lot of unfortunate shocks, let's say. I would expect a lot of failure on Stage 3, but Stage 1 was rough. I don't expect everyone to make it, so it's hard to gauge my feelings, but they are definitely different compared to previous years, I will say.
Nevertheless, I will return for Season 11 as well as All-Stars and USA vs the World, assuming those specials are airing. Comment your greatest disappointment from the season and who you are most excited for next year. Talk to you soon
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