S08.E08: Indianapolis Finals

[OnceSane]

The top 30 competitors from the Indianapolis Qualifier tackle an even more challenging course. The 4 added obstacles are: the Salmon Ladder, Hourglass Drop, Circuit Board, and Invisible Ladder. Top ninjas taking on the course include Meagan Martin and Brian Arnold, both from the famed Colorado rock climbing team “The Wolfpack.”

[slf]

Aw, I was rooting for Yamauchi. I doubt he made it far enough into the course to advance. His daughter was so cute!

[SanLynn]

I predict, since all the promos have gone to that guy who almost retired due to injury (can't remember his name ugh) that Megan will have another disappointing final. To which I say BUMMER!

Edited to add: Is his name Travis Rosen?

Edited July 26, 2016 by SanLynn

[slf]

Angus is such a handsome dog! His owner had a really good run but I was more excited to see him.

Swanson's run was impressive, I actually thought he'd be able to finish the invisible ladder on just sheer willpower. 

At first the circuit board seemed, frankly, like an asshole course but as he was doing it I think it ultimately wasn't that bad.

1 hour ago, SanLynn said:

I predict, since all the promos have gone to that guy who almost retired due to injury (can't remember his name ugh) that Megan will have another disappointing final. To which I say BUMMER!

Edited to add: Is his name Travis Rosen?

Yeah, his name's Travis Rosen, but didn't he compete last week?

Yikes, poor Meagan. I know she was hoping to hit that buzzer but at least she's going to Vegas. I wonder why she took the hook thing in her left hand out of where she had it, it was fine, it was her right hand she needed to move? Oh well, I'm glad she was able to finally get to the back half of a course.

Edited July 26, 2016 by slf

[SanLynn]

Was it last week? I could have sworn I saw a promo for it a couple days ago. Shows how much I remember LOL

THRILLED that I was wrong about Megan though. That was an awesome run and I think if she hadn't been so fatigued she would have gotten to the invisible ladder.

[slf]

Yeah, it was probably fatigue that got to her. I would've loved to see her handle the invisible ladder.

I still can't with the howling. Arnold making it through doesn't surprise me, I just really need him to stop howling.

[SanLynn]

Yeah I agree it is ridiculous, especially when Arnold does it. But then a lot about Arnold annoys me.

Edited July 26, 2016 by SanLynn

[slf]

Murray doesn't do anything for me but I surprised myself by not hoping he'd fall. Usually the showboaters bring out my gleefully vindictive side.

3 minutes ago, SanLynn said:

Yeah I agree it is ridiculous, especially when Arnold does it. But then a lot about Arnold annoys me.

I hear that!

[SanLynn]

LOL I was actually rooting against Murray after he did the little turn on the warped wall but I'll forgive him since he beat Arnold's time.

Poor Lorin Ball going out on the second obstacle. That's what happens when you take a rest at the starting line I guess. I figured one of the last two was going to bite it bad when they said there were still two people to go at 9:52.

Meagan made the top 10! So glad she qualified for Vegas. She would have gotten a wild card if she hadn't I'm sure but I'm really glad she earned it this year. And I bet she is too.

Thinking back on it I was really expecting her to go out on the warped wall after she did that stutter step on her second try. Going to have to watch my DVR so I can see her make it far again!

Edited July 26, 2016 by SanLynn

[Lantern7]

"Well, we got four minutes left in the show, it takes about six to qualify, and we're not gonna do a profile piece on Lorin Ball. You do the math." "I see you, math! I see you calculating!!" "That's nice, Akbar. Truly." Bright side: Roo! And Angus! He'll probably get the WWWA treatment in Vegas, but I'm glad he made the cut.

Nice run by Meagan. I think a camera should always be trained on Kacy, just to see where she hides the doll and the needle. Ah, I kid. She's happy for all of her fellow female competitors. If her ex fails next week, though, I won't be unhappy.

Yeah, Jake is a goob, but he's a likeable goob. You can see how he and Brian Arnold won TNW as Party Time (sorry, I don't remember their female member).

Damn, Yamauchi is short. Shorter than Dustin McKinney, and that dude is short. And he had about an inch on Kacy in that photo.

[Aliconehead]

Quote

Damn, Yamauchi is short. Shorter than Dustin McKinney, and that dude is short. And he had about an inch on Kacy in that photo.

Glad he qualified though. I like him. I think it was his "but that was sure fun" after falling that won me over. 

[slf]

Yuri's face when Lorin Ball fell was hilarious, he was like "...! ...Can I be happy about this?"

13 minutes ago, Lantern7 said:

Yeah, Jake is a goob, but he's a likeable goob. You can see how he and Brian Arnold won TNW as Party Time (sorry, I don't remember their female member).

I keep wondering about her, that short brunette they had on their team. She was really good! I haven't seen her compete on ANW though.

Edited July 26, 2016 by slf

[simplyme]

1 hour ago, slf said:

At first the circuit board seemed, frankly, like an asshole course but as he was doing it I think it ultimately wasn't that bad.

The circuit board was interesting. You need upper body strength (for the whole second half of the course, actually), and it definitely helps to have a longer reach. You also need to be careful where you place the ball-hook-thing and make sure it won't move back and out the hole you put it through while trying to get the other hand moved (which usually means moving your body backwards). It looked like Meagan took the hook out on purpose, but I wasn't 100% sure that was intentional.

48 minutes ago, Lantern7 said:

"Well, we got four minutes left in the show, it takes about six to qualify, and we're not gonna do a profile piece on Lorin Ball. You do the math." "I see you, math! I see you calculating!!" "That's nice, Akbar. Truly." 

Ha. That's a decent approximation of my thought process at that point. I can't say I'm disappointed to see Lorin Ball flame out. I don't dislike him, but the "Go for speed!" approach isn't necessarily one I think is wise, and he's an excellent example of why.

I was glad to see Meagan do well, and it sounds like she is now considered part of the Wolf Pack. 

I could have done with a little less "bro"ing from the Towers of Power.

[slf]

1 hour ago, simplyme said:

I could have done with a little less "bro"ing from the Towers of Power.

Oh God, they reminded me of the seagulls from Finding Nemo.

3 hours ago, SanLynn said:

Thinking back on it I was really expecting her to go out on the warped wall after she did that stutter step on her second try. Going to have to watch my DVR so I can see her make it far again!

NGL my jaw dropped when she failed on her second try; I kind of associate her with the warped wall, even though Kacy did it first. She's always so consistent with it.

[cheeztoast]

I don't know where I've been living for the last few years, but this was the first episode I've ever seen of ANW and I loved it.  It's like "Wipeout", just not as wacky.  I came in in the middle of it but I loved Murray and I'm glad Megan made it.  The Tower of Power bros were super-annoying and demonstrate why hot bods aren't everything.  I don't think I could have a halfway intelligent conversation with either of them.  The Wolfpack were pretty amazing though I agree about the howling - it's probably even more obnoxious if you're there in person. I loved that Lorin Ball showboating and then failing within five seconds.  Is breakdancing still a thing? (I'm the olds - I remember when it started.) Anyway, good times. I'm so happy I now have a bunch of other back seasons to go through - no spoilers.

[DrSpaceman73]

Those Bro brothers annoyed me, though they are amazingly fit. 

I don't know how some of those contestants compete in pants and some of those outfits. 

I like the new challenges.  The rolling log looks kind of fun, if it doesn't smash you at the end as you dismount.  The circuit board is a great twist as well, though I think any decent climber can do it without much trouble with some practice. 

It seems the newer challenges would be harder to replicate on a home course, so its more of a challenge once they see them in competition without as much practice beforehand.  I don't know how you'd exactly replicate the circuit board.  The log roll you could of course.  Then in the other cities, that clacker thing looks hard and I don't think you could replicate it easily. 

[Chaos Theory]

I was surprised Meagan fell at the circuit breaker being a rock climber so having good hanging strength,. Then again it's new and she looked tired by then.  I was worried for a second she would crap out at the warped wall which was never her best obstical.

I think the newer obstical are there because they are harder to replicate but not impossible for ninja gym owners.

Once again I enjoyed watching Kacy watch everyone else.  Almost as much fun as watching others tin the course.

 

so as of now we have two women in the Vegas finals and we still have that one where the four women got high enough to get to the final qualifying?   

Edited July 26, 2016 by Chaos Theory

[innocuouspuff]

Yay, Meagan! And Yamauchi, all his gymnastic skill were so smooth. I thought the Circuit Board was an odd choice for a tv show obstacle. You couldn't necessarily see what was a right/wrong move, though the dead hang skills of those who succeeded were impressive. Especially the first guy through, he looked like he could hang there forever.

"Yamauchi looking Gucci right there!" Akbar, you're a ridiculous dork but I love you anyway.

[piequinn35]

Those two Arnolds are they related? kinda uncommon for a first name to be the last name. They were good and so was Jake Murray. The last guy with the chair my hubby and I was like "what the heck is this?" then he fell on the second obstacle tsk tsk.

Edited July 26, 2016 by piequinn35

[slf]

6 hours ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

It seems the newer challenges would be harder to replicate on a home course, so its more of a challenge once they see them in competition without as much practice beforehand.  I don't know how you'd exactly replicate the circuit board.  The log roll you could of course.  Then in the other cities, that clacker thing looks hard and I don't think you could replicate it easily. 

That's a really good point, both obstacles would be difficult to recreate making it harder for the ninjas to train for them. That makes me hope they keep those two obstacles for a while.

13 minutes ago, piequinn35 said:

Those two Arnolds are they related? kinda uncommon for a first name to be the last name. They were good and so was Jake Murray. The last guy with the chair my hubby and I was like "what the heck is this?" then he fell on the second obstacle tsk tsk.

I wondered about that too and did a little research; it doesn't look like they're related, and if they are they haven't acknowledged it as far as I can tell.

[riverheightsnancy]

Love Megan, but I still think that Jessie Graff is THE female to beat.  Jessie is taller and that helps because the course is geared more for men, who are taller, so she has that advantage. They always like to say how the rock climbers do the best, but frankly the guy who won last year (rock climber) just barely beat out Geoff, just barely. I think that gymnasts are better overall on the course. I think that they have quicker feet and have more cardiovascular endurance. I loved the guy at the end. LOVED him. Loved his crappy car and his smile. His backwards roll onto the top of the warped wall was epic. 

[SanLynn]

Agreed, I think Jessie is the standard now. I really think she can beat stage 1 this year.

Watching the repeat on Esquire and I almost threw something at the tv during the "bro"-ing. It just sounds so stupid. Plus I think it's about 10 years past trendy.

Edited July 27, 2016 by SanLynn

[DrSpaceman73]

It was actually never trendy for anyone over the age of about 12 that was not a fan of Jersey shore. 

[mlp]

I usually don't like showboating but Jake Murray is so good-natured about what he does that I get a big kick out of him.  He seems like a nice young man in his THs.  

I don't care for Lorin Ball and I very much like Roo the dog guy so I was nastily happy when Lorin wiped out.

Meagan and Jesse are my favorite females so I was holding my breath watching Meagan take three runs at the wall.  I was relieved when she made it.  I could have done without numerous cuts to Kacy who hasn't done anything remarkable since her epic course completion two years ago.  Once would have been enough.  I wonder if NBC pays her and foots the bill for her expenses because she shows up at every competition.

[Quilt Fairy]

I think the circuit breaker would be very easy to replicate. It's really just a type of 3D wood/metal puzzle, except instead of holding it in your hand, you're hanging from it like a jungle gym.  Would they be able to duplicate the exact pattern used on the show? Probably not. But conceptually it's pretty straightforward and I don't even think it would be hard to build, certainly not for some of these full-time "professional" ninjas.  The log roll, by comparison, would be much more difficult to re-create. Even though it's a simple concept it would require heavy machinery and a major construction effort to build, especially to build it so it was safe to use.

[90PercentGravity]

The rolling log terrifies me. It's the only obstacle that I think is inherently dangerous. I cringe every time they get flung from the log. 

Hooray for Megan.

My DVR cut off the last 15 minutes. I guess the DNC went over or something.

[Guest]

I dislike the rolling log.  It seems to really favor people with long legs and it just feels a bit too random to be a true test of skill.  How your brain deals with dizziness seems like something out of your control, at least to some extent?  

I love the circuit board, though.  

I laughed out loud at Jake Murray's wall 'mount'.  Holy cow.  I usually don't like showboating but he didn't seem like a douche about it.  Whereas Lorin Ball, I was glad he fell off the log after the showboating and the silly pants, mainly because it let the dog-lover through, though.  

[DrSpaceman73]

11 hours ago, Quilt Fairy said:

I think the circuit breaker would be very easy to replicate. It's really just a type of 3D wood/metal puzzle, except instead of holding it in your hand, you're hanging from it like a jungle gym.  Would they be able to duplicate the exact pattern used on the show? Probably not. But conceptually it's pretty straightforward and I don't even think it would be hard to build, certainly not for some of these full-time "professional" ninjas.  The log roll, by comparison, would be much more difficult to re-create. Even though it's a simple concept it would require heavy machinery and a major construction effort to build, especially to build it so it was safe to use.

Yes the concept of the circuit breaker would not be difficult to do but the pattern would be tough to get right, which makes a difference.  Its part knowing the pattern and part being able to hang there.  Plus its tough I think in real life than what it seems on TV because the holes and the two pegs are different sizes. 

I don't think the log roll would be that tough to recreate.  The incline is not that high and its not that long. 

I am surprised no one has been injured on the log roll by being crushed by that log.  I wonder if that's a real wood log or some type of synthetic that is safer and looks like wood. 

[simplyme]

7 minutes ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

Yes the concept of the circuit breaker would not be difficult to do but the pattern would be tough to get right, which makes a difference.  Its part knowing the pattern and part being able to hang there.  Plus its tough I think in real life than what it seems on TV because the holes and the two pegs are different sizes. 

This. Also, people with a shorter wingspan can't reach as far and presumably have fewer holes as options, and it will be more difficult for them (if not impossible) to do it with proper L-arm technique. I think with its placement at the end of the course when arms and grips are fatigued and a bit of a puzzle element to it, the circuit breaker might be easy to underestimate.

[VartanFan]

Quote

  ON 7/25/2016 AT 9:48 PM, SANLYNN SAID:

Yeah I agree it is ridiculous, especially when Arnold does it. But then a lot about Arnold annoys me.

I hear that!

He earned my eternal love in his first seasons when he worked at a skilled nursing facility.  He said he thought of all the residents as his own family.  Which probably just means he would also live off of their earning while playing with the WolfPack...but I liked that it was a job that he cared about.

 

I also agree with the poster that said the rolling log is dangerous.  I know they try to make each of the obstacles similar in each city but the rolling log just seems sadistic.

[Fukui San]

The rolling log is a longtime obstacle from the Japanese days, and to my knowledge has not injured anyone even though it has even fallen off the rails completely a few times.  Other obstacles have injured competitors, from a zipline landing to the dismount of the Halfpipe Attack rope swing to even a shoulder separating on the Spider Walk. 

[VartanFan]

Fukui San, do you think the one from the japanese version is very similar in the steepness of the slope, how fast it gets, and diameter?  I'm just wondering how much they fiddle with those things to make it crazier.  

[Fukui San]

They look pretty similar to me. Video links:
Sasuke 25

American Ninja Warrior

[Quilt Fairy]

6 hours ago, simplyme said:

This. Also, people with a shorter wingspan can't reach as far and presumably have fewer holes as options, and it will be more difficult for them (if not impossible) to do it with proper L-arm technique. I think with its placement at the end of the course when arms and grips are fatigued and a bit of a puzzle element to it, the circuit breaker might be easy to underestimate.

I am not saying it's an easy obstacle. It's not. You have to hang there while figuring out which route is going to be the best way to go with every single placement of your hands. But the question I was addressing was would it be hard to duplicate and I don't think it would be difficult at all, at least to get a "flavor" of what skills you need to get through it.

[simplyme]

15 hours ago, Quilt Fairy said:

I am not saying it's an easy obstacle. It's not. You have to hang there while figuring out which route is going to be the best way to go with every single placement of your hands. But the question I was addressing was would it be hard to duplicate and I don't think it would be difficult at all, at least to get a "flavor" of what skills you need to get through it.

Whoops. My coopting quotes to make a point muddied my point. Sorry!

I do agree with you that it would be easier to replicate than people think. I'm sure once they've done it and know about how wide and long it is, they can work out the pattern from video. Even if distances/sizes vary slightly, it's going to be close enough to work.

Well, unless ANW wildly changes the pattern every time they use the circuitboard, which would then keep the puzzle element of it.

I got excited about the part where @DrSpaceman talked about the holes and the pegs being two different sizes and just went with it. 

[Ciarrai]

On 7/25/2016 at 8:05 PM, simplyme said:

I could have done with a little less "bro"ing from the Towers of Power.

"I'm totally going to train you bro!"
Me: shut up, he went farther than you did.

I can't stand Lorin Ball, so I literally cackled out loud when he bailed in the second obstacle.

[slf]

2 hours ago, Ciarrai said:

I can't stand Lorin Ball, so I literally cackled out loud when he bailed in the second obstacle.

Nice to know I'm not the only one who does that, lol.

[majormama]

I was at the Indy qualifying round. The Rolling Log looks bad on TV; it was worse in person. It's not just the dizziness. They get slammed into the mat at the end and the breath knocked out of them. If you watch the clock, you'll see they often edit out anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes between when they hit the mat and move on to the next obstacle, because it takes so long to recover. 

[healthnut]

Noah Kaufman was on the RHAP Ninja Warrior podcast this past week and he said Meagan couldn't get up the warped wall because it was too wet. After her failed second attempt, they paused and the staff wiped down the wall with towels. After all that, she made it up the wall. 

Edited August 3, 2016 by healthnut
Misspelling

[Lantern7]

Man, that is deflating. "I see you, intern! Wipe that wall good!!"

[simplyme]

11 hours ago, healthnut said:

Noah Kaufman was on the RHAP Ninja Warrior podcast this past week and he said Meagan couldn't get up the warped we'll because it was too wet. After her failed second attempt, they paused and the staff wiped down the wall with towels. After all that, she made it up the wall. 

It's good to know that they do that. On one of her attempts you can hear her shoe slip. It was something SimplyMom and I commented on to each other at the time.

[majormama]

They were wiping down the quintuple steps between runs, too, at the qualifier. Lots of people who didn't make the TV cut slipped right off the first step or two in the constant drizzle. 

[SnideAsides]

On 27/7/2016 at 11:35 PM, Winston9-DT3 said:

I dislike the rolling log.  It seems to really favor people with long legs and it just feels a bit too random to be a true test of skill.  How your brain deals with dizziness seems like something out of your control, at least to some extent? 

I mean, considering this show's default way to make qualifier obstacles harder for the finals is to make you jump further to reach a dangling peg/ring/net/whatever, I'm perfectly fine with an obstacle where legs are the key to success.

[slf]

I was skimming through this episode and I got a good chuckle out of realizing Fred Thorne is the husband of Maggi Thorne from Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge, which several ninjas (Neil Craver, Kevin Bull, Lance Peekus, Grant McCartney) competed on. You can see her on the sidelines with their kids cheering hard. I'd like to see her compete on this show, she's a beast.