mphtrilogy

Caught some of the original japanese show on esquire this weekend, good stuff!

d2cheer

Zoinks!

Wow that sucks for several big names again. Any one know why Isaac Caldiero didn't compete this year? Lots of rumors out there but no real good explanation.

JimRochester

I'll admit to being torn. I think too many of the obstacles are geared towards ungodly upper body strength which is a disadvantage to the girls and many other types of athletes. I felt they should have more balance and agility tests. However when you see Geoff Brittan slip and fall on the first obstacle, it is way too anti-climactic. He's one of my favorites because he seems so normal.

chowderhead

Gave a wildcard to Kasey and she struck out again. Can nbc stop shoving this couple down everyone's throat? It was pathetic that they gave someone who actually finished the Las Vegas course a while we were away edit. Pathetic.

mphtrilogy

that was a joke, not showing a finisher was terrible job.

Noonan

Yeah; I FF through anything with them now. Kasey is old news and will probably never do well again. Other, more athletic women have come and made her look weak.

DRG

Hell, I would have been upset that Kacy got one yet again, but since they gave wildcards to about a dozen other women -- a few of which I didn't even *remember* from the qualifiers -- I'd have to say Kacy getting one was less suspect than some of the other choices. I can see the ones who got to the City Finals getting wildcards (like Michelle Warnky and Natalie Duran), but some of the women they picked are unknowns who bombed out in their city qualifiers. Compared to some of the other choices they made, at least Kacy is a 'name' competitor and her inclusion makes sense on that level.

It turns out that *every* wildcard went to a female this year. I get that they want to feature more women in the finals, but I think this is a bit overkill and this sort of stacking the deck takes away from the feats of the three women who got there legitimately this year.

jjcool

Giving the wildcards to the women was a waste of a wildcard. They obviously want to have more women in the national finals, and that's fine. It just sucks that it was at the expense of other male athletes that did better on their finals courses, and had a shot at beating the national final.
Kacy seems to be past her prime, but they do have a crop of strong female athletes, thanks in large part to Kacy, that should be able to go further than Kacy ever could.

PhantomStranger

Kacy is still as capable as any female competitor not named Jessie Graff. NBC has had to make the obstacles bigger and more difficult given the deeper pool of athletes. Kacy was always operating at the edge of her talent margin since she's so small. I still think the first time she beat that stage two course is the most incredible performance we've seen on American Ninja Warrior.

It was tough seeing Geoff slip on the first obstacle that almost no one had fallen on. His daughter was absolutely devastated, crying as if he had been shot.

SuckaMC

I have a huge crush on Jessie Graff. She's super bad ass. Hope she wins the whole thing.

I was very surprised that so many vets wiped out in stage one.

Noonan

Classic over-confidence. Thinking they can fly through the early obstacles because they've done it before.

PhantomStranger

Big news in Ninja Warrior gossip. Akbar Gbaja-Biamila claims NBC demanded a much tougher course after two people beat it last year. The number of people that beat stage 1 this year tumbled from 38 last year to just 15.

https://sports.yahoo.com/news/americ...222922385.html

JimRochester

Stage 3 - climb a 100 ft vertical wall covered in axle grease and set on fire while at the same time, the runner is doused in gasoline. At the top of the wall is a fire extinguisher.

PhantomStranger

Been watching the Japanese version, I see.

There are a couple of Japanese obstacles that require more luck than skill at passing. That's why their course is possibly tougher to beat despite generally easier physical requirements.

Noonan

Not surprised. Otherwise, they'd have to stop giving out the mil every year. At which point the drive for many people to compete will go out the window.

Original Desmond

Ridiculous how many wildcards are wasted on women and why go through the charade of getting Kacy run the regional courses ? she is always going to get a wildcard to the finals. its BS

So getting sick of the bleeding heart stories, fine for the regionals, finals should all be about the competition. It seems those who don't inherently have a disabled tragic kid or relative in their own lives feels like they have to go out and seek one for their video

chowderhead

Nbc is cheaper than Bravo then. This show cost next to nothing to produce with travel and staging being the biggest cost. If they give away one 1 million top prize which should be in the form of insurance premiums that would be averaged out over 13 episodes. Episodes of Chicago whatever cost millions per episode to produce and get similar ratings. I am fine with making the course more difficult but people like to see a resolution generally and if there is no final winner it makes it less enjoyable in my opinion.

PhantomStranger

NBC views Ninja Warrior as cheap summer entertainment. I fully agree they are being petty on the prize, which is no great expense for network television.

I'd go a step further and guarantee $1 million to whomever finishes first each season.

Original Desmond

even 250 grand to whoever does the best and 1 million for a total victory

jjcool

NBC is being real petty with the prize money. They did it last year when they stiffed Geoff out of a million. It was always said that if you get to the top of stage 4 you get a million dollars. That's the way it should be.

JimRochester

And tonight we are about to make history as 3 competitors vie for $1 million. All they have to do is get through the machine gun bullet dodge, survive the Vlad the Impaler challenge, then beat up an angry grizzly bear with their bare hands. Exciting TV tonight Akbar.

DRG

The worst part about their finales is that if you have any awareness of the remaining time left in the show, you're pretty much spoiled on what happens. Just knowing there was

JimRochester

My wife said that as soon as she saw the time. "Oh well, I guess we know what happens"

lwhy?

NBC must be really cheap, because they made stage 2 and 3 way too hard! I don't see how anyone could get past stage 3 now.

JimRochester

I had forgotten completely about Stage 4. I saw those guys struggling thinking they just might do it, then heard all would get is an opportunity to try stage 4. Impossible takes all the fun out of it.