Okay, I kind of dropped the ball for Oklahoma City's Qualifier this year. I was out of town, so I didn't have time to sit down and write. As a result, I will be combining these two cities for an extra long post. So, let's start with OKC.
This year, I don't seem to have many qualms with the courses/obstacles. The only problem I've had all year is the Bouncing Spider (I think that's what it's called) that was in Atlanta. So, I guess I'll skip to the ninjas. Obviously, we should start with Daniel Gil. Two weeks ago, when Drew scored both the $10k and the Speed Pass, I thought it was kind of a one in a million chance sort of thing. It takes a very special athlete to be able to obtain both of these coveted prizes in one run. I should not have doubted Gil in any way, though. I suppose a part of me thought he would skip out on the Mega Wall to secure his time, but he made it up last year, so I should have known he would not disappoint. In fact, Gil actually one-upped Drechsel because Gil made the fastest time of the night (if only be 1 second) whereas Drechsel was second fastest of the night. Both walked away with the same deal, but I think it's worth noticing. As far as who else can complete this mighty feat, I would bet on Joe (of course), but I'm not quite sure who else. I'm kind of thinking Chris Wilczewski might have what it takes, but I'm a lot more hesitant to bet on most people. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. It's only 1 week away. Anyway, let's focus back on our OKC people. Next up would be Matthew Day. I definitely remember him from last year because he was the next best 19 year old rookie. In fact, he was probably just as good as The Kid except he didn't have a strong Ninja Legend hyping him up. Day is someone we should not underestimate nor should we ignore. He was great during his rookie year, and I think he'll do just as good as he did last year and as good as The Kid. Speaking of The Kid, he was a bit of a shocker, right? I do admire that he aimed for the Mega Wall and not the Power Tower. He said from the beginning what he wanted and if he happened to be fast enough, great. He's the kind of guy who has a serious choice to make. For people who are slower, they aren't concerned with the Power Tower because they know speed will kill them, but they still have a shot at the money. Everyone who attempts it believes they can make it, so why not try? It is $10k after all. However, people like The Kid have a really good shot at time because speed is so natural to them; therefore, the Power Tower and its prize are very much within their grasp. This leads to a decision they have to commit to. Last week, we saw both options. Drew wanted the Mega Wall and the Power Tower, and he made it. Tyler Gillett was concerned about only the Speed Pass and sacrificed the potential money for a chance at it. Like I said before, it takes a very special ninja to acquire both, and I think you have to be very modest and real with yourself about which one you want to go for, especially because the runner doesn't know their time as they are running the course. Although, it is pretty obvious that if you fail the Mega Wall on the first attempt, there is no hope for your time. Regardless, my point is, for people like The Kid, someone who is fast and could be a contender for the Power Tower but isn't necessarily good enough to grab both (no offense), it's a fork in the road, and I like that he chose one and stood by it. Unfortunately, it was slightly undone when he failed. That is where the surprise came in. I know I got a little sidetracked there, but we're back on The Kid's run. Like I said before, everyone thinks they can make it up the Mega Wall, but I think the real thing is a lot different than their training. Let's look at Flip. A few years ago, he scaled an 18' or 19' wall, right? But he had more run space to generate momentum whereas in the city competition, it's cut quite a bit. Also, he had completed 5 obstacles previously, so his energy was sapped. I think this is something people don't always accommodate for in training. They practice their footwork and their strategy, but not for their fatigue after an unknown obstacle course beforehand. This could have been the case for The Kid. Also, as Akbar mentioned, height doesn't mean anything. So even though The Kid is over 6', he just doesn't have it in him, yet. The surprise is just that, though. He trains with one of the best, and I mean one of the best. He's clearly a natural at this, so it's astonishing that after last year's failure, he still couldn't hit that buzzer. Truly, I would have loved to see Gil against his protege. I still have faith that Gil would have walked away with the Speed Pass, but it would have made a good set-up.
The only other thing I really have to say about OKC is the women. I figured Barclay would do well, but I was shocked that all 5 of the women made it to the 5th obstacle. Looking back at L.A. and Atlanta, the women were pretty disappointing, with the 5th slot going to someone on the 2nd obstacle. This week stepped it up, and I was surprised. I'm excited to see Barclay again in the City Finals because I definitely think she had it in her to pass the Coconut Climb after learning from her mistake. It's great to see 4 of the 5 breach the Top 30 regardless of the women's rule.
There were quite a few people I recognized, most of whom were put on commercial break like Josh Salinas, Jody Avila, Tremayne Dortch, Abel Gonzalez, Brian Burkhardt, Jonathan Horton, and Brent Steffensen. We're probably more likely to see them in City Finals since they've weeded a lot of people out.
All right, let's transition to this week. I have quite a bit more to say about last night. First, Geoff Britten. I am devastated by his failure. He's a true legend. The first and only ninja to have a perfect season, and he's the first official American Ninja Warrior. Isaac may have received the money and the official title, but I think we recognize Geoff as the true first. I was pretty psyched for his return, and I thought for sure, like everyone else, he was going to smoke it. Those balance obstacles kill! I like that they pointed out Isaac's failure on a balance obstacle last year, too. It's just an obstacle you can't take for granted. Not that I think Geoff did that, but it was upsetting to see him fall. I'm still hoping he returns next year.
Next, we should probably address Sean Bryan. Personally, after hearing about his ankle, I was a little off-put about him running. I realize it wasn't as serious as surgery or even to the degree that Rosen broke his (I guess), but I don't think it's ever a good idea to risk your physical health, especially because it sounded like he broke it and recovered very recently. Just like Rosen, he was totally fine on the course, but you never know how ANW is really affecting or will affect his ankle. I worry. Sean Bryan is a really great competitor, and he's only getting better, and I want to see him continue. An ankle isn't as damning as a shoulder like McGrath or Stratis, but anything can happen. That issue aside, I'm really stoked he made the Power Tower. I didn't expect him to chase the Mega Wall because he didn't last year, and he has different priorities. It was the same with Jake Murray. I expected him to strive for the Power Tower, and there was no hesitation to run up the regular wall. Moving straight to Murray, I was actually quite disappointed that Leif edged him out for the competition against the Papal Ninja for the Speed Pass. There is something obvious about why people like Jake Murray, and I fall for that same reason, I guess. Who knows, maybe if I knew him in person, he wouldn't be up my alley, but I like the presence he has on ANW. I am really hoping he'll go far because he truly has become one of my favorites, for whatever reason. I was betting on him to be racing for the Speed Pass, but this brings us to the Swedish Ninja who came out of nowhere. I definitely remember him from last year because his drop was embarrassingly funny. He is a prime example of why you don't show-off. If there was a free-style Salmon Ladder competition, then fine, he'd be a prime candidate, but he was cocky and he suffered for it. I really hope he learns from his mistake when he returns in the City Finals. Anyway, as I said, I can't say I was happy that he knocked out Jake, but he did put up a really impressive time. I mean, I have to give credit where credit is due, and he was the only runner of the night to be under 1 minute. I can barely think about what I can do in under a minute, and he completed an entire ANW Qualifying Course? He may not be a favorite, but it was undeniably a good run. I do look forward to him in the City Finals; however, I can't say I have a lot of faith in him. He's a bigger guy, and if he can manage the Salmon Ladder, I'm not sure he has everything it takes to hit another buzzer. I noticed that height can help in Qualifying when you're trying to go fast because of the wingspan, but height usually means weight, and weight/muscle isn't always that great. The leaner, smaller guys are usually the best, and Leif doesn't much fit that description. He'll probably take on the Salmon Ladder normally after last year, but I would bet that he falls after that. His speed will most likely push him to Vegas, but I think he'll get dwarfed by the other names once there.
If I had known Lorin Ball was running, I may have also put a bet on him, too. The thing with Sean Bryan is I don't remember him ever being a Speed Demon. Clearly, I'm wrong, and if I looked back on the past couple years ago, I'd probably be proved wrong again. Regardless, he was in the Power Tower race, and to be fair, Lorin Ball was quite close. I was surprised he slipped up on the regular Warped Wall. Continuing, I also thought he would have rebounded and jumped right up it. I can't remember the time exactly, but if he hadn't hesitated he might have still been able to snake it away from Bryan. For some reason, it also bothers me that they skipped him. His run would have been able to drum up a little bit of tension; he was gunning for the second fastest time. I noticed that with this city, there seemed to be more people prioritizing the Power Tower over the Mega Wall. Everyone except Lance Pekus who attempted the Mega Wall failed, and they were all passed over. There was no Drew Drechsel who wanted everything which is good. No one got in over their head.
Before I move onto the women, there are others I want to mention. Ben Martin, Alex Hatch, and Marzuez Green were all rookies who scored the 6th, 7th, and 11th best finishing times respectively. This shows a lot of potential for all of them because not only did they finish on their first ever course, but on this particular course. The Lightning Bolts are noted to be a very technical obstacle geared away from rookies, and they both passed with flying colors. I think having an obstacle like this is a touch unfair for rookies, especially because they have outwardly noted that this is a technical obstacle; however, there are still rookies who have what it takes. Even though he didn't make the cut, Ryan Phillips the Rockstar impressed me. I thought, as they were cycling through his bio, he was going to fall early, and he would have been a nothing. It's a shame he didn't make it, even though I thought he would have been quick enough. There was another guy, a walk-on, who also impressed me. I always want walk-ons to do well, but he also didn't make it.
Like last week, there are quite a few people whose name I recognize, but didn't get to see. Karson Voiles, Bart Copeland, Nick Hansen, Nate Burkhalter, Matt Dolce, and Sean Darling-Hammond. I always think it's a shame that people get skipped like that, especially when they complete the course. I know it's likely that they'll be given some attention in the City Finals or the National Finals for some of them, but it's a shame that the very thing that made ANW what it is gets pushed to the side. ANW, ultimately, is about the people who can hit the buzzer, and the (usually not so incredible) bio stories are what follows this. The people may be the heart of the show, but the course is the actual show, so I'm just saying.
The last man I want to mention is Lance Pekus. His Mega Wall success is a little dampered because it took him 3 attempts. At first, I was surprised they showed him last, but I guess it makes sense. It was an all star city, but the Mega Wall was put on the back burner here. I suppose there is no real problem because Lance wasn't going for time, and he did make it up, so he did earn some money without sacrificing his buzzer, like the 5 others. I still don't know how I feel about the Mega Wall. I think it's ridiculous for people to attempt it if they want the Speed Pass, that I know. If there is no chance for time, I guess there's really nothing wrong with trying it. I just feel like there are too many people who are in over their head and don't realize how different the real deal is compared to their training conditions. People are failing because they want the money. In the end, it won't change their qualifications for the City Finals, but it touches on their overall reputation which I guess is worth risking.
Finally, let's wrap it up with the women. I am genuinely impressed by Sandy Zimmerman. She did make history as the first mom and as the oldest woman to hit a buzzer. Jessie Graff was exactly what I thought she would be, and I'm really excited to see her back in Vegas where she belongs. Lastly, Meagan Martin. She has always been slower, and it almost cost her. She gets such a rap for being a female legend, but she was almost knocked out. It was amusing to watch her face as the other Megan ran and almost popped her bubble. Just like Matt and Akbar, it was a little difficult to watch the other girl take her time when she was so close to the City Finals. I don't think anybody believed she was going to pass the Lightning Bolts, and she had so much time to beat Meagan. This is going to sound really harsh, but I keep waiting for Meagan to do something huge, but for some reason, she never amazes me. I do have to be honest and say that she is one of the best female athletes on this show. I have to recognize her as one of the Top 5, but in all honesty, she doesn't come very close to the Top 3. I am still waiting, and hopefully, this is her year.
Okay, I think I have said everything I have to say. This was a great city, I must admit. I love Sean Bryan, Jake Murray, and Jessie Graff. Next week might be the best city, though. I'm going to see Joe, Najee, Chris, Jamie, and James plus more, and I'm ecstatic to see who is racing for that Speed Pass. Except for L.A. none of the winners have been a surprise. Hopefully, it continues and it'll be Joe walking away with the ticket to Mt. Midoriyama.
This year, I don't seem to have many qualms with the courses/obstacles. The only problem I've had all year is the Bouncing Spider (I think that's what it's called) that was in Atlanta. So, I guess I'll skip to the ninjas. Obviously, we should start with Daniel Gil. Two weeks ago, when Drew scored both the $10k and the Speed Pass, I thought it was kind of a one in a million chance sort of thing. It takes a very special athlete to be able to obtain both of these coveted prizes in one run. I should not have doubted Gil in any way, though. I suppose a part of me thought he would skip out on the Mega Wall to secure his time, but he made it up last year, so I should have known he would not disappoint. In fact, Gil actually one-upped Drechsel because Gil made the fastest time of the night (if only be 1 second) whereas Drechsel was second fastest of the night. Both walked away with the same deal, but I think it's worth noticing. As far as who else can complete this mighty feat, I would bet on Joe (of course), but I'm not quite sure who else. I'm kind of thinking Chris Wilczewski might have what it takes, but I'm a lot more hesitant to bet on most people. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. It's only 1 week away. Anyway, let's focus back on our OKC people. Next up would be Matthew Day. I definitely remember him from last year because he was the next best 19 year old rookie. In fact, he was probably just as good as The Kid except he didn't have a strong Ninja Legend hyping him up. Day is someone we should not underestimate nor should we ignore. He was great during his rookie year, and I think he'll do just as good as he did last year and as good as The Kid. Speaking of The Kid, he was a bit of a shocker, right? I do admire that he aimed for the Mega Wall and not the Power Tower. He said from the beginning what he wanted and if he happened to be fast enough, great. He's the kind of guy who has a serious choice to make. For people who are slower, they aren't concerned with the Power Tower because they know speed will kill them, but they still have a shot at the money. Everyone who attempts it believes they can make it, so why not try? It is $10k after all. However, people like The Kid have a really good shot at time because speed is so natural to them; therefore, the Power Tower and its prize are very much within their grasp. This leads to a decision they have to commit to. Last week, we saw both options. Drew wanted the Mega Wall and the Power Tower, and he made it. Tyler Gillett was concerned about only the Speed Pass and sacrificed the potential money for a chance at it. Like I said before, it takes a very special ninja to acquire both, and I think you have to be very modest and real with yourself about which one you want to go for, especially because the runner doesn't know their time as they are running the course. Although, it is pretty obvious that if you fail the Mega Wall on the first attempt, there is no hope for your time. Regardless, my point is, for people like The Kid, someone who is fast and could be a contender for the Power Tower but isn't necessarily good enough to grab both (no offense), it's a fork in the road, and I like that he chose one and stood by it. Unfortunately, it was slightly undone when he failed. That is where the surprise came in. I know I got a little sidetracked there, but we're back on The Kid's run. Like I said before, everyone thinks they can make it up the Mega Wall, but I think the real thing is a lot different than their training. Let's look at Flip. A few years ago, he scaled an 18' or 19' wall, right? But he had more run space to generate momentum whereas in the city competition, it's cut quite a bit. Also, he had completed 5 obstacles previously, so his energy was sapped. I think this is something people don't always accommodate for in training. They practice their footwork and their strategy, but not for their fatigue after an unknown obstacle course beforehand. This could have been the case for The Kid. Also, as Akbar mentioned, height doesn't mean anything. So even though The Kid is over 6', he just doesn't have it in him, yet. The surprise is just that, though. He trains with one of the best, and I mean one of the best. He's clearly a natural at this, so it's astonishing that after last year's failure, he still couldn't hit that buzzer. Truly, I would have loved to see Gil against his protege. I still have faith that Gil would have walked away with the Speed Pass, but it would have made a good set-up.
The only other thing I really have to say about OKC is the women. I figured Barclay would do well, but I was shocked that all 5 of the women made it to the 5th obstacle. Looking back at L.A. and Atlanta, the women were pretty disappointing, with the 5th slot going to someone on the 2nd obstacle. This week stepped it up, and I was surprised. I'm excited to see Barclay again in the City Finals because I definitely think she had it in her to pass the Coconut Climb after learning from her mistake. It's great to see 4 of the 5 breach the Top 30 regardless of the women's rule.
There were quite a few people I recognized, most of whom were put on commercial break like Josh Salinas, Jody Avila, Tremayne Dortch, Abel Gonzalez, Brian Burkhardt, Jonathan Horton, and Brent Steffensen. We're probably more likely to see them in City Finals since they've weeded a lot of people out.
All right, let's transition to this week. I have quite a bit more to say about last night. First, Geoff Britten. I am devastated by his failure. He's a true legend. The first and only ninja to have a perfect season, and he's the first official American Ninja Warrior. Isaac may have received the money and the official title, but I think we recognize Geoff as the true first. I was pretty psyched for his return, and I thought for sure, like everyone else, he was going to smoke it. Those balance obstacles kill! I like that they pointed out Isaac's failure on a balance obstacle last year, too. It's just an obstacle you can't take for granted. Not that I think Geoff did that, but it was upsetting to see him fall. I'm still hoping he returns next year.
Next, we should probably address Sean Bryan. Personally, after hearing about his ankle, I was a little off-put about him running. I realize it wasn't as serious as surgery or even to the degree that Rosen broke his (I guess), but I don't think it's ever a good idea to risk your physical health, especially because it sounded like he broke it and recovered very recently. Just like Rosen, he was totally fine on the course, but you never know how ANW is really affecting or will affect his ankle. I worry. Sean Bryan is a really great competitor, and he's only getting better, and I want to see him continue. An ankle isn't as damning as a shoulder like McGrath or Stratis, but anything can happen. That issue aside, I'm really stoked he made the Power Tower. I didn't expect him to chase the Mega Wall because he didn't last year, and he has different priorities. It was the same with Jake Murray. I expected him to strive for the Power Tower, and there was no hesitation to run up the regular wall. Moving straight to Murray, I was actually quite disappointed that Leif edged him out for the competition against the Papal Ninja for the Speed Pass. There is something obvious about why people like Jake Murray, and I fall for that same reason, I guess. Who knows, maybe if I knew him in person, he wouldn't be up my alley, but I like the presence he has on ANW. I am really hoping he'll go far because he truly has become one of my favorites, for whatever reason. I was betting on him to be racing for the Speed Pass, but this brings us to the Swedish Ninja who came out of nowhere. I definitely remember him from last year because his drop was embarrassingly funny. He is a prime example of why you don't show-off. If there was a free-style Salmon Ladder competition, then fine, he'd be a prime candidate, but he was cocky and he suffered for it. I really hope he learns from his mistake when he returns in the City Finals. Anyway, as I said, I can't say I was happy that he knocked out Jake, but he did put up a really impressive time. I mean, I have to give credit where credit is due, and he was the only runner of the night to be under 1 minute. I can barely think about what I can do in under a minute, and he completed an entire ANW Qualifying Course? He may not be a favorite, but it was undeniably a good run. I do look forward to him in the City Finals; however, I can't say I have a lot of faith in him. He's a bigger guy, and if he can manage the Salmon Ladder, I'm not sure he has everything it takes to hit another buzzer. I noticed that height can help in Qualifying when you're trying to go fast because of the wingspan, but height usually means weight, and weight/muscle isn't always that great. The leaner, smaller guys are usually the best, and Leif doesn't much fit that description. He'll probably take on the Salmon Ladder normally after last year, but I would bet that he falls after that. His speed will most likely push him to Vegas, but I think he'll get dwarfed by the other names once there.
If I had known Lorin Ball was running, I may have also put a bet on him, too. The thing with Sean Bryan is I don't remember him ever being a Speed Demon. Clearly, I'm wrong, and if I looked back on the past couple years ago, I'd probably be proved wrong again. Regardless, he was in the Power Tower race, and to be fair, Lorin Ball was quite close. I was surprised he slipped up on the regular Warped Wall. Continuing, I also thought he would have rebounded and jumped right up it. I can't remember the time exactly, but if he hadn't hesitated he might have still been able to snake it away from Bryan. For some reason, it also bothers me that they skipped him. His run would have been able to drum up a little bit of tension; he was gunning for the second fastest time. I noticed that with this city, there seemed to be more people prioritizing the Power Tower over the Mega Wall. Everyone except Lance Pekus who attempted the Mega Wall failed, and they were all passed over. There was no Drew Drechsel who wanted everything which is good. No one got in over their head.
Before I move onto the women, there are others I want to mention. Ben Martin, Alex Hatch, and Marzuez Green were all rookies who scored the 6th, 7th, and 11th best finishing times respectively. This shows a lot of potential for all of them because not only did they finish on their first ever course, but on this particular course. The Lightning Bolts are noted to be a very technical obstacle geared away from rookies, and they both passed with flying colors. I think having an obstacle like this is a touch unfair for rookies, especially because they have outwardly noted that this is a technical obstacle; however, there are still rookies who have what it takes. Even though he didn't make the cut, Ryan Phillips the Rockstar impressed me. I thought, as they were cycling through his bio, he was going to fall early, and he would have been a nothing. It's a shame he didn't make it, even though I thought he would have been quick enough. There was another guy, a walk-on, who also impressed me. I always want walk-ons to do well, but he also didn't make it.
Like last week, there are quite a few people whose name I recognize, but didn't get to see. Karson Voiles, Bart Copeland, Nick Hansen, Nate Burkhalter, Matt Dolce, and Sean Darling-Hammond. I always think it's a shame that people get skipped like that, especially when they complete the course. I know it's likely that they'll be given some attention in the City Finals or the National Finals for some of them, but it's a shame that the very thing that made ANW what it is gets pushed to the side. ANW, ultimately, is about the people who can hit the buzzer, and the (usually not so incredible) bio stories are what follows this. The people may be the heart of the show, but the course is the actual show, so I'm just saying.
The last man I want to mention is Lance Pekus. His Mega Wall success is a little dampered because it took him 3 attempts. At first, I was surprised they showed him last, but I guess it makes sense. It was an all star city, but the Mega Wall was put on the back burner here. I suppose there is no real problem because Lance wasn't going for time, and he did make it up, so he did earn some money without sacrificing his buzzer, like the 5 others. I still don't know how I feel about the Mega Wall. I think it's ridiculous for people to attempt it if they want the Speed Pass, that I know. If there is no chance for time, I guess there's really nothing wrong with trying it. I just feel like there are too many people who are in over their head and don't realize how different the real deal is compared to their training conditions. People are failing because they want the money. In the end, it won't change their qualifications for the City Finals, but it touches on their overall reputation which I guess is worth risking.
Finally, let's wrap it up with the women. I am genuinely impressed by Sandy Zimmerman. She did make history as the first mom and as the oldest woman to hit a buzzer. Jessie Graff was exactly what I thought she would be, and I'm really excited to see her back in Vegas where she belongs. Lastly, Meagan Martin. She has always been slower, and it almost cost her. She gets such a rap for being a female legend, but she was almost knocked out. It was amusing to watch her face as the other Megan ran and almost popped her bubble. Just like Matt and Akbar, it was a little difficult to watch the other girl take her time when she was so close to the City Finals. I don't think anybody believed she was going to pass the Lightning Bolts, and she had so much time to beat Meagan. This is going to sound really harsh, but I keep waiting for Meagan to do something huge, but for some reason, she never amazes me. I do have to be honest and say that she is one of the best female athletes on this show. I have to recognize her as one of the Top 5, but in all honesty, she doesn't come very close to the Top 3. I am still waiting, and hopefully, this is her year.
Okay, I think I have said everything I have to say. This was a great city, I must admit. I love Sean Bryan, Jake Murray, and Jessie Graff. Next week might be the best city, though. I'm going to see Joe, Najee, Chris, Jamie, and James plus more, and I'm ecstatic to see who is racing for that Speed Pass. Except for L.A. none of the winners have been a surprise. Hopefully, it continues and it'll be Joe walking away with the ticket to Mt. Midoriyama.
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