S08.E02: Atlanta Qualifier

[OnceSane]

The competitors in Atlanta tackle six obstacles, including the Floating Steps, Block Run and Pipe Fitter.

[slf]

A disappointing start so far, but man, that Gallagher (?) guy just barely made it through any of the obstacles.

This has been a fairly boring episode so far. I really wish they'd stop skipping the people who make it through in favor of people who wipe out on the floating steps.

Not a single woman through so far, which is disappointing but thank god none of them are wiping out as violently as the men are. WTH is that about? One guy goes down, CRACK, sternum first. Another slammed into the platform on his lower back before flopping into the water. Another's head slammed into the platform. If I see a guy fall I automatically cover my face now, it's so brutal. How are these people walking away without injuries?

Edited June 9, 2016 by slf

[VartanFan]

I hate the emotional manipulation but the brother who cares for his sister with muscular dystrophy....tears.  

So happy to see Travis Rosen.

So meh on Drew D and James McGrath.  

I can start watching this DVR'd at 9 and finish at 10 with the show...sometimes I catch up before it's over.  A bit ridiculous.

Edited June 9, 2016 by VartanFan

[Lantern7]

If the show was running on Mondays to start, I would've been out tonight. Oh well. And I think this is the closest I've been to an ANW course. A few years ago, I passed by Turner Field on the way to the zoo. I'm surprised they didn't shut down the course and move it to Cobb County.

Damn, JJ Woods going out on the second obstacle had to be the shock of the night. And I don't know if I should be impressed or concerned about Neil Craver practicing with fire.

ETA because I don't know where to ask: How can you get in an ANW audience? Or is it strictly friends, family and other ninjas?

[irisheyes]

46 minutes ago, Lantern7 said:

If the show was running on Mondays to start, I would've been out tonight. Oh well. And I think this is the closest I've been to an ANW course. A few years ago, I passed by Turner Field on the way to the zoo. I'm surprised they didn't shut down the course and move it to Cobb County.

Damn, JJ Woods going out on the second obstacle had to be the shock of the night. And I don't know if I should be impressed or concerned about Neil Craver practicing with fire.

ETA because I don't know where to ask: How can you get in an ANW audience? Or is it strictly friends, family and other ninjas?

My husband and son considered going when they filmed in Atlanta. If I remember correctly, you can request free tickets online. Somewhere in the forum, though, people complained that the lines were really long, and there wasn't any guarantee of getting in if you chose a later time on your ticket.

OT, but moving the Braves to Cobb was a stupid idea. At least our Ninjas didn't crash and burn as badly as the Braves. 

[Chaos Theory]

Not as good as the LA one.  Not sure why.  I did like that one guy who kept tripping on the course and barely making it trough until his luck fondly ran out.  I think maybe there were less personalities that made it and no women.  Which is a big miss for me.

[Quilt Fairy]

Did any women make the top 30? I don't remember seeing the final list and most of the names are unfamiliar anyway. I know there was at least one that made it as far as that pipe thing, I was hoping she had a chance.

[Morgan of Hed]

They only put 27 through, all finishers. 

[SophiaD]

Brittany Reid must have been near the top 30, but didn't make it.  I hope she gets a wildcard.  

Yes, that episode was pretty dull, and the falls were brutal. 

[kitticup]

I didn't like this episode at all. it was boring.   Almost all the contestants were forgettable.  It's too bad because I think I might have gotten two co workers to watch tonight 

[VartanFan]

I do love the face plants.  I think it wasn't that exciting for me because this course's upper body segments seemed easier...but a little less easy for women because of the use of wing span on that upper body obstacle.  I hope that makes sense.  

[Morgan of Hed]

7 hours ago, SophiaD said:

Brittany Reid must have been near the top 30, but didn't make it.  I hope she gets a wildcard.  

I was surprised she made it that far. She's stronger than she looks. 

[Lantern7]

I think the episode suffers from the preview. "Monday night. Indianapolis. A DUDE WILL RUN THE COURSE ON ONE LEG!!!!" I mean, The Beast and Real Life Ninja kinda pale in comparison.

[slf]

This episode was like Military qualifiers boring, seriously. It only picked up when the veterans showed up. (Though I found myself rudely rooting for Drew to fall. I don't think he's a bad guy but the whole Real Life Ninja thing has struck me as particularly funny since he wiped out within the first three courses a season or two ago.)

Contestants who run the course with gum in their mouths are asking for trouble.

Watching people run across the spinny blocks obstacle made me wish some of the contestants dressed up in costumes. Especially the guy who just tripped through every obstacle. It might've endeared him to me.

[mlp]

Quote

Contestants who run the course with gum in their mouths are asking for trouble.

Thank you!  I've wondered if I'm the only one driven nuts by this.  Even if the Ninjas don't mind looking dumb, they're risking their well-being so I'm surprised the PTB allow it.  If JJ Woods had gasped when he fell and aspirated his gum, he could have choked to death before anyone could begin to get something sticky out of his trachea. 

[Quilt Fairy]

23 hours ago, Morgan of Hed said:

They only put 27 through, all finishers. 

Wow, I know people started finishing in the 2nd hour (predictably) but there must have been a lot of "While we were away" finishers that I missed. I always thought it was the top 30 or all finishers, whichever was greater. Did they change the rules, or are the rules somewhat flexible on ANW?

[ClareWalks]

I thought they put 30 through. They showed the entire list of 30. There were 27 finishers but there were 3 more at the end of the list.

[Chaos Theory]

I think they state there were 27 finishers which is impressive but I also think the rules state the top 30 make it through so only the top 3 non finishers get to the next round.  

My my question has always been if more then 30 people finish do all of them move on?

Edited June 10, 2016 by Chaos Theory

[ClareWalks]

34 minutes ago, Chaos Theory said:

I think they state there were 27 finishers which is impressive but I also think the rules state the top 30 make it through so only the top 3 non finishers get to the next round.  

My my question has always been if more then 30 people finish do all of them move on?

I think so, they say you are guaranteed to move on if you finish so they must! I am surprised that I don't remember it really coming up before. Apparently they haven't had more than 30 finishers? Then again I don't even know how many people compete in the qualifiers. Is it like 100 folks per city?

[Lovecat]

4 hours ago, ClareWalks said:

I thought they put 30 through. They showed the entire list of 30. There were 27 finishers but there were 3 more at the end of the list.

You are correct!  I was on the lookout for the Cuban-born dentist (Armando something-or-other?)--he was on the list, despite not finishing.

[Chaos Theory]

I think I realized why I liked the LA one better.  I watch this in large part because it takes the women seriously and the previous course had three strong female; one even pressed the buzzer.  This lacked strong female competitors.  I think the next couple should be better in that regard at least.  

[Taeolas]

On 6/10/2016 at 10:20 AM, Chaos Theory said:

I think they state there were 27 finishers which is impressive but I also think the rules state the top 30 make it through so only the top 3 non finishers get to the next round.  

My my question has always been if more then 30 people finish do all of them move on?

If there are more than 30 finishers, than they will all move on. Finishing the course is an auto pass on to the next stage. 

 

In the next round, I think all finishers will also get to move on to Vegas. 

 

In any case, they will always have at least 30 finishers to run the second city round. 

[Lantern7]

I think the top fifteen from each region goes to Vegas, with ten wild cards handed out. I might be wrong on that.

I see that ANW will be invading Philadelphia. Is that in the parking lot of Citizens Bank Ballpark? I haven't had the chance to go there. When will the show turn up in the NYC area? I'd settle for New Jersey.

[Etta Place]

On 6/9/2016 at 4:29 AM, Lantern7 said:

ETA because I don't know where to ask: How can you get in an ANW audience? Or is it strictly friends, family and other ninjas?

I was in the audience in Denver in 2013. As was said, you can get free tickets online. You do have to wait, and after they've filled the stands, for the rest of the night they let people in as others leave. And people do leave, because it is a long, long night of taping. My husband and I went, and we only waited about half an hour to get in, but we had to leave before we saw anyone complete the course (it was the city finals, so an extended course, and our dog couldn't stay at home alone more than 6 hours). There's a lot of preliminary stuff at the beginning - random calls for the crowd to clap and cheer, taping intros, etc. And lots of time between runs (comparatively speaking) when they talk to the contestant, friends and family.

This Atlanta episode was probably the most boring one I can remember. The only thing that will probably stick with me is JJ Woods failing so early. :/

Edited June 12, 2016 by Etta Place
forgot to mention it was city finals

[Lovecat]

On June 11, 2016 at 8:57 PM, Lantern7 said:

I see that ANW will be invading Philadelphia. Is that in the parking lot of Citizens Bank Ballpark? I haven't had the chance to go there. When will the show turn up in the NYC area? I'd settle for New Jersey.

It was taped Memorial Day weekend. Mr. Google tells me it was at the old Richmond Generating Center, on Delaware Avenue near Lewis Street. I checked a map, and that's in the shadow of the Betsy Ross Bridge.

Edited June 13, 2016 by Lovecat

[jhlipton]

On 6/10/2016 at 9:12 AM, Chaos Theory said:

This lacked strong female competitors.  I think the next couple should be better in that regard at least.  

I think Brittany Reid was strong.  She just made a few mistakes.  If they have wild-cards for the finals, I hope she's in it.