S06.E09: Miami Finals

[Lantern7]

When Drew was talking about how fast he was going to be on the course . . . flaming out in the second obstacle probably wasn't what he had in mind.

 

Damn, the adjusted Miami course was brutal. I never thought I'd see people screw up the Spider Walk (final obstacle), but I counted at least two guys doing that. And who would've thought Drew would make like Flip and disappoint everybody so damn quickly?

 

ETA: Crap, this was the tenth episode, not the ninth. My bad.

Edited July 29, 2014 by Lantern7

[Richness]

Pride goeth before a fall into the water at ANW. Sorry, but betting on how fast you're going to complete a course is just tempting fate unnecessarily. Prior to that display of hubris, I liked Drew for the most part. I suppose they'll give him and Flip a wild card spot to Vegas. However, I would find it extremely unsatisfying if someone who is given a free pass to Vegas actually becomes the first ANW. Glad to see gymja was able to go though.

 

The only other person I cared about was the guy who went just before Drew. (Was that gymja?) He managed to save himself with that cartoon-like windmilling of his arms to stay on the dancing stones. He then managed to save himself again from near disaster on the curtain slider. However, his luck finally ran out on the salmon ladder I think. (Or at least I think that was the obstacles, as I've done deleted the episode off my DVR.)

 

I was also impressed by the guy who sat down on the dancing stones, but was able to get back up and continue. "Are you kidding me?!?" is beginning to be Matt's go to catchphrase, and it really tickled me there.

 

Glad to see they made the obstacles more difficult after so many made it through the qualifiers. However, again I kept worrying about shirts/costumes dangling into the water on the cargo net. Tuck it or wear something a little more clingy so you're not disqualified. Or make your way along the edge where there's less slack than in the center.

[Ohwell]

I don't understand the contestants who have their shirts/costumes dangling; you would think that they'd know better.  Also, I wonder if the rule applies to hair dangling in the water because I was afraid for the guys with the long dreads.  

[Taeolas]

The rule does apply to hair. If anything at all of the Ninja touches the water, it's DQ time. 

 

After how many cleared the course the first time, a lot of changes had to be made. But as usual, they almost overcompensated. Not as bad as the cannonballs a couple weeks back, but any 2 or 3 of the changes they did would probably have been enough. Keeping the toadstools the same height and just moving the rope, the net and removing the curtain would probably have been enough.

 

Gymga was on the bubble and due to Drew's flameout, he gets through.

 

I sort've hope the guy who saved himself on the Toadstools by falling but NOT touching gets flipped a card too. 

[Kromm]

Pride goeth before a fall into the water at ANW. Sorry, but betting on how fast you're going to complete a course is just tempting fate unnecessarily. Prior to that display of hubris, I liked Drew for the most part. I suppose they'll give him and Flip a wild card spot to Vegas. However, I would find it extremely unsatisfying if someone who is given a free pass to Vegas actually becomes the first ANW. Glad to see gymja was able to go though.

One of the things I kind of dislike about Iseman this season is that he's been outright glorifying the "go fast" idiots, when in fact we've seen a whole procession of them get mowed down by their idiocy this season.  I'd have loved to have heard the rhetoric change a bit after this happened with the first few arrogant morons, but it didn't seem to sink through.  Me personally, I celebrated each time we heard a build up by Iseman and the athletes in their VTs about how fast they were going to go and then they messed up.  I am not kidding or exaggerating.  I enjoyed it each time they failed.  I know the narrative the show likes to give is about how much these guys all support each other.  But the narrative I've been SEEING is them having entirely the wrong prioritizes and getting shown up for it.  

 

In fact, I'm so evil I actually LAUGHED when Drew fell.  Pointed at the screen and laughed.

 

I don't want these guys to get wildcards. I will be unhappy if they get them.  Give the wildcards, if you MUST have them, to the rookies who did really well but failed to qualify.   Drew, Flip, even Brett... these guys deserve a year off as a penalty for their hubris.  And sadly I bet they won't get it.

Edited July 30, 2014 by Kromm

[Fukui San]

Good God, the adult baby competitor might be the most disturbing thing I've ever seen on television.

[kechara]

There was one guy,whose shirt was blue I think. He got through the cargo net but it looked to me like his shirt had gotten really wet at the back - more so than sweat would do. Did anyone else notice that?

[MsVixen]

Neither Drew, Flip, or Brett should get wildcards this year.  Other participants got a lot farther than they did and should be considered.  Brett and Flip shouldn't even come up in the conversation since they didn't make it to the finals.

I bet Drew and Flip are wishing they had done as the man in Denver (who quit his job to concentrate on American Ninja Warrior).  He wasn't concerned with time so much as completing the course.  Who cares if it would have taken over 5 minutes (like with Kacy)?  At least you would have made it.

[Kromm]

There was one guy,whose shirt was blue I think. He got through the cargo net but it looked to me like his shirt had gotten really wet at the back - more so than sweat would do. Did anyone else notice that?

It's funny, it's not like athletic shirts with a bit of rayon or lycra or something like that are all that uncommon or expensive.  It should be standard equipment for people running these courses.  Even if they're granola eating "must be cotton or else" types, even then I'm sure if it's simply fitted properly it's still not going to hang that far off someone's body.

[blueray]

I cheered when that guy who was all "I'm going to do it in 2 minutes" got out after the second obstical lol.

[VartanFan]

 

I don't want these guys to get wildcards. I will be unhappy if they get them.  Give the wildcards, if you MUST have them, to the rookies who did really well but failed to qualify.   Drew, Flip, even Brett... these guys deserve a year off as a penalty for their hubris.  And sadly I bet they won't get it

This.

 

My husband and I love it when the guys who take it for granted that they will finish, fall...even better when it's on one of the easier early obstacles.

 

I've also gotten very tired of the special interest stories.  Ohhhh...a full grown man dresses like a baby but it's for a VERY good reason!....Uh...social anxiety.  Wha wha what?  And we're supposed to act like that's ok.  Everyone has a sob story or a special outfit, bla bla bla.  I just want to see as many people attempt the course as possible in 2 hours.  And I think everyone should have to stand in line...EVERYONE...even their 'stars'.  I think we likely miss some really great competitors in the 'wait' line because they automatically wave through someone who ONCE. HAD. A. CAVITY!!! or some other stupid story.  I'm grumpy.

[blueray]

I don't mind the stories as long as they are relevant and can't be taken the wrong way. Like that one guy who's whole story was about how he is helping an autistic kid (which is great) but they made it seem like he was doing it to get attention or to get the "oh isn't he sweet" reaction.

[jhlipton]

I think everyone should have to stand in line...EVERYONE...even their 'stars'.

I don't mind having the stars get a "Front Of The Line" pass. Otherwise, they might just get a lot of athletes who can't make it past the first couple of obstacles. But I fast-forward over all the stories -- I just want to see them compete.

[ChristmasJones]

Count in me as someone who also laughed out loud when Drew fell early in the course. That was hilarious!!! The multiple repeats of his hands waving wildly in the air as he tried to grab the rope was great.  I love it when the over-confident guys go out on an easy obstacle- to me, that is one of the best things about this competition.

 

I found myself wondering why the guys with the  long dreads did not tie them up. Its very exciting watching them in that area where they are so close to the water, waiting to see if they are going to touch it.

 

I also agree that Drew and Flip shouldn't even be mentioned again this year. They both screwed up so they should be out for good until next year, IMO

 

I understood Baby Ninja's motivation for wearing the baby costume as a way to overcome social anxiety. But I found myself wondering if he still has some when he wouldn't remove the black mask off his face when he was talking to Jen at the end. Either way, if wearing the baby costume helped him- more power to him- its certainly cheaper than therapy or medication.

[goodogcarl]

I've also gotten very tired of the special interest stories.  

It wouldn't be so bad if we didn't get the same stories more than once!  Baby Ninja's social awkwardness, that one guy who takes his little corgi to hospitals.

 

and i don't like it when we come back from commercial to find that a couple of people have completed the course and the announcers are kind of like, "oh well"

 

They show so many who DON'T make it -- they should at least show EVERYONE who does!