S07.E16: Vegas Finals, Part 3

[ClareWalks]

You mean like when a woman doesn't work and her husband does? Is that "mooching"? Since we're not privy to the conversations between Brian and the mother of his children, we don't know what their arrangement is.

 

You are describing a spouse, not a boyfriend.

[Adira]

I think Brian's title was always "Stay-at-home Dad" not "husband/boyfriend/whatever".

 

I think it's fine to have either parent be the stay-at-home partner to care for the kids, but I always got the impression that Brian was doing it solely for the purpose of training for ANW, not because they thought it would be best for the kids to have him home or because his job didn't pay enough to cover daycare expenses.  I think that's why people feel like he's a moocher.

[ClareWalks]

I think Brian's title was always "Stay-at-home Dad" not "husband/boyfriend/whatever".

 

I think it's fine to have either parent be the stay-at-home partner to care for the kids, but I always got the impression that Brian was doing it solely for the purpose of training for ANW, not because they thought it would be best for the kids to have him home or because his job didn't pay enough to cover daycare expenses.  I think that's why people feel like he's a moocher.

 

Yes, you nailed it there in a way I couldn't explain. It's basically the fact that he is making a girlfriend (a wife I could understand, because she would HAVE to put up with it) support him financially so that he can train to try and win a reality show, but fail every year at the one way to make any kind of money off it. If his girlfriend is okay with it, that's fine for them, but it doesn't mean he is immune to the opinions of the outside world who see that as kind of loser-ish behavior.

[rose711]

Possibly his girlfriend loves him very much and supports his dreams. There are plenty of people who love and support their partners without being married. I know many, many couples like this, because they just don't want to get married.

. And many women make more money than their husbands or partners. My income as a lawyer is more than triple my husband's income as an ivy league college professor. He is the primary caretaker for our son when the babysitter isn't home.

This isn't the 1950s.

I'm not going to judge them or any of these contestants. They are making their own choices.

I'm inspired by all of them.

Edited September 16, 2015 by rose711

[OnceSane]

Back on topic, please.

[saber5055]

I'm not going to judge them or any of these contestants. They are making their own choices.

I'm inspired by all of them.

 

 

 

And being inspired by all these ninjas is back on topic!

 

I did feel sorry for Flip, he was so downtrodden when he failed. He seems to be battling personal demons. I hope he comes back next year and does well. It's like I've watched his growth on this show, year after year.

 

I'm also hoping my handsome blond gymnast who lives in his van and dines at the dumpsters will return next year. He's another of my tv boyfriends. Yes, Isaac, I am two-timing you!

 

I guess most of all, I hope THIS SHOW comes back next year! I love it and miss it when it's gone.

[Richness]

The thing to remember about the million dollar prize this year is that half of it is carry over from last year. It should reset to $500K next year (unless NBC decides to up the prize money). As I recall, this is the first year the prize money has carried over from the lack of a winner in the previous year. As much as I enjoy this show, I doubt it's profitable enough or successful enough to offer a million dollar prize every year, or a gradated prize level like other hit reality competition shows do.

[Quilt Fairy]

NBC got 33 hours of primetime programming out of it. I suspect it's profitable enough.

 

ETA: Not to mention the umpteem repeats of every episode on Esquire.

Edited September 16, 2015 by Quilt Fairy

[MsVixen]

I think Brian's title was always "Stay-at-home Dad" not "husband/boyfriend/whatever".

 

I think it's fine to have either parent be the stay-at-home partner to care for the kids, but I always got the impression that Brian was doing it solely for the purpose of training for ANW, not because they thought it would be best for the kids to have him home or because his job didn't pay enough to cover daycare expenses.  I think that's why people feel like he's a moocher.

 

That was part of the reason I asked the question.  I thought he'd been married and when they said he lived with his girlfriend and their children, I wondered when he got divorced.

I'll try to explain why I about the situation.  I've seen instances where the woman has supported her boyfriend/husband only to be left after the support was no longer needed.  For example, nurses putting their doctor-husbands through med school, but I hope that won't happen to Brian and his girlfriend.

Do you think that these athletes will be as enthused about ANW next year now that someone has won?

[saber5055]

Not to mention the umpteem repeats of every episode on Esquire.

 

 

AND the repeats on network NBC!

Do you think that these athletes will be as enthused about ANW next year now that someone has won?

 

 

Oh, yes. Like Isaac said before he climbed the rope after Geoff: "It's not about the money, it's me against Geoff" or something like that. They want to prove THEY can do it, too, and maybe do it better. Or at least that's my take on how they think, for the most part.

Edited September 17, 2015 by saber5055

[VartanFan]

 

 

NBC got 33 hours of primetime programming out of it. I suspect it's profitable enough.

ETA: Not to mention the umpteem repeats of every episode on Esquire.

 

And don't forget the Pom or it will have all been for naught!!

[MyFavShows]

I wish the top ninja's would do some appearances in different areas of the country - they would be someone worth going to see.

[turnitwayup]

I wish the top ninja's would do some appearances in different areas of the country - they would be someone worth going to see.

 

Last night my local news was promoting Wolfpack's Ninja Smackdown but I can't find the article/vid on the site. I did find a longer interview with Brian at the Denver station.

[jhlipton]

It should also be noted that if I never hear 'wolfpack' again, it will be too soon.  Ugh - It must have been uttered at least 500 times this season.  

 

So many of the top runners came from the Wolf Pack, so I doubt you'll hear it less.

 

Stage 2 was 150 seconds this year. It was 125 seconds last year.

 

The announcers said "The clock is ticking" and, even more "They only have one shot", that my wife and I started saying it as soon as a runner got to Roulette Row.  We howled if Matt and Akbar said it with us.

 

The biggest problem  I have with them is they feel that every second need to be filled with commentary of some sort.  It really doesn't, guys.

[MelinaBallerina]

And don't forget the Pom or it will have all been for naught!!

 

Ha!  That always cracked my nephew and me up - when some unseen person off camera would slam a Pom towel on the wet ninja.  It was like, aww, you failed and you're wet, ::smack:: have a Pom towel!" (last sentence said like "snap into a Slim Jim!"

 

Are we not getting the world team "competition" this year?  I kinda enjoyed those.  It would be cool to have them at maybe Japan's home ground, or some other place.  

[Taeolas]

Doesn't look like there's an International challenge this year, which is a shame considering they have 2 official Ninja Warriors for the US team. But I suspect it is another casualty of the 6th city stage; they didn't have production/programming slots left over for the international show. (Especially after triplesizing the Final episode).

 

I suspect the 1 million dollar prize will become a staple going forward. Ratings wise, ANW is a huge hit for the Summer schedule. It was consistently #1 in its slot (with a few dips to #2) and for each week it was always in the Top 10, usually the Upper Top 10. Since it's not a guaranteed prize, they can basically let the show's insurance pay it off when it happens. 

[Kromm]

Two finishers?!?! That was awesome. I was good with either of those guys winning. I would have preferred Geoff but Caldero is one of the least offensive wolf pack.

I love how excited the others are for the finishers. I have to give Geoff props for handling the loss of a million dollars well. That has to suck.

Caldero reeks of asshole as much as the rest of them, but Britten (despite his one arrogant sounding bit about how easy he'd find Stage 1) seems more grounded. Something about the whole "free spirit" thing with Caldero seems like a performance. Like he's trying really HARD to seem that nonchalant about money and winning.

[SharonH58]

For VartanFan I want to add a "oooooowwwwooo" (that's the wolf howl Noah Kaufman kept doing)

[Swedish Chef]

Caldiero doesn't strike me as an asshole at all.  He always seems good-natured in his interviews and, like the rest of the ninjas, roots on his competitors.  When he would do the things some people think of as "showboating", I thought he was just having fun.  He just seems like a free spirit, like most of the mountain/river rats I know.   I actually loved seeing both him and Geoff compete against each other, because they did so in such a friendly and gracious manner. 

 

I really like Geoff, too, and I thought his run was impressive.  However, when I looked at their Stage 3 runs side by side, I was struck by how easy it seemed to be for Isaac.  Geoff gutted it out, and that was amazing.  But Isaac seemed like he was out for a Sunday stroll.  After that, I was fairly certain that Isaac would beat Geoff up the rope.

[ChattyCathyLA]

How can the other guy, who actually FINISHED all the stages and finals, not get ANYTHING?? Doesn't seem fair to me!

Isaac always said that, if he could just get to stage 3, he could go on to win the whole thing ... and, this time, he DID! Happy for him, but wished there was some kind of prize for the other guy, who came out of nowhere and did it first!

[kikaha]

 

 

Given Caldiero's rock climbing superstar status, I doubt the outcome would have been any different had they switched the climb order.

 

 

He's not really a superstar in the rock climbing world.  Sean McColl, who competed last year for Europe, is a superstar.  Stefano Ghisolfi, who also competed for Europe last year, is pretty close to that.  Caldiero is real, real, real good rock climber, but not at the level of either of those two guys. 

[saber5055]

Caldiero doesn't strike me as an asshole at all.  He always seems good-natured in his interviews and, like the rest of the ninjas, roots on his competitors.  When he would do the things some people think of as "showboating", I thought he was just having fun.  He just seems like a free spirit, like most of the mountain/river rats I know.   I actually loved seeing both him and Geoff compete against each other, because they did so in such a friendly and gracious manner.

 

 

Agree with this 100 and a zillion percent. As I posted earlier, climbers are a different breed of people, living life-and-death on a voluntary basis, and so are not understood by the rest of us mere mortals. Isaac actually seems shy to me and doesn't relish or look for the limelight. I live a lifestyle that is "out of the box" myself, so I appreciate people like Isaac and the other Wolf Pack (Wolf Pack! Wolf Pack! Ha ha!) members and I understand why they group together. And I also understand why they are verbally abused and disliked by those living a conventional 9-to-5, 2-1/2 kids, dog and white-picket-fence lifestyle.

[SmithW6079]

That always cracked my nephew and me up - when some unseen person off camera would slam a Pom towel on the wet ninja.  It was like, aww, you failed and you're wet, ::smack:: have a Pom towel!"

 

Not only that, but they were doing it wrong. The sponsor's name is always supposed to face the camera.

[kikaha]

As I posted earlier, climbers are a different breed of people, living life-and-death on a voluntary basis...

 

For the vast majority of rock climbers this is not true.  They either climb with ropes (on routes high enough where falls could hurt or kill them), or on 'boulders' that are not high enough to typically harm them. 

 

A few climbers, often thought of as lunatics, climb on high routes without ropes.  It's called free soloing.  These routes are not as tough, but carry mortal threat.  Free solo climbers make up a tiny minority of the rock climbing scene. 

 

To give you an idea where Caldiero stands in all this: at route climbing, the highest grade I'm aware of him climbing is 8b+.  That's quite good.  But it's way, way, way below the world's best, who climb 9b and even 9b+.  The difference is vast.  My guess is that several thousand climbers (at least) have climbed tougher than 8b+.   Ghisolfi, e.g., has climbed a few 9a+ routes.  Light years beyond anything Caldiero has done. 

 

In boulders Isaac is more accomplished.  He's maybe top several hundred in the world.  The gap between him and the true elites is pretty big though.  IMO. 

[saber5055]

Thanks for the climbing info, kikaha. I'm guessing you are a climber yourself, or at least so knowledgeable about the sport that you know many who do climb. The point I was trying to make about Isaac and the others who are accused of showboating or being different or not fitting in or whatever ... most serious climbers have a different outlook on life than do "regular" people, and, for the most part, don't fit the profile of the normal 9-to-5 working person. They take busboy jobs or live in their vans. And hang out with others who have the same priorities in life and with whom they feel comfortable.

 

I have a lot of respect for all of these guys, and all who have competed on ANW. I'm just not comfortable with them being cracked on for being "different."

[VartanFan]

 

For VartanFan I want to add a "oooooowwwwooo" (that's the wolf howl Noah Kaufman kept doing)

 

Nooooo!  Make it stop!  It's ruined SheWolf for me and I can sing that like I wrote it!

 

 

(last sentence said like "snap into a Slim Jim!"

...or like how Matt says "Ammmerican Ninja Whhooorrrioooor"!?

 

I'm happy to have had finishers.  I just fear that they'll make next year so ridiculously hard.  I got a little bored with how long the season went, if I"m being honest.  I'd like to see SOMETHING different, but "nearly unbeatable" isn't it.

[healthnut]

Doesn't look like there's an International challenge this year, which is a shame considering they have 2 official Ninja Warriors for the US team. But I suspect it is another casualty of the 6th city stage; they didn't have production/programming slots left over for the international show. (Especially after triplesizing the Final episode).

According to an ew.com interview with one of the producers, there will be both a USA vs. World competition similar to last year and also an all-star competition with "co-ed "all-stars" competing in teams on each of the stages.

[kikaha]

According to an ew.com interview with one of the producers, there will be both a USA vs. World competition similar to last year and also an all-star competition with "co-ed "all-stars" competing in teams on each of the stages.

Actually, I think the USA vs World comp already took place.  (A month or so ago?)  Pretty sure Sean McColl tweeted about it.  No idea about results. 

[kitticup]

One thing that troubled me was that Abel is a fan favorite and we didn't get to see his runs expect for when he was one of the 8 in stage two.

[meep.meep]

There were quite a few people who didn't get their full runs covered in Stage 2.  But, they could save time for the umpteenth iteration of backstory on the Hawaiian flight attendant who lost his mother and sister during the same year.  And someone else letting their infant son drive a tractor.   And someone else......

The producers should have enough respect by the end to just show the full runs of everyone.  They all earned it.

[Fukui San]

One would think that it'd be simple enough to put every run online even if they don't put it up in the real show.  The digested ones could have no commentary or special editing.  If they get enough views they could sell ads before each run.  *shrug*