S09.E07: Los Angeles City Finals

[Lantern7]

Quote

The top 30 competitors from the Los Angeles Qualifier tackle the City Finals course, which features the Salmon Ladder, Stair Hopper, Swinging Peg Board and Elevator Climb.

You'll remember that we saw Stephen Amell (voluntarily) drop from the Swinging Peg Board in the celebrity special.

ETA: Damn, what a topsy-turvy episode. One of the MIT phenoms from TNW got the second-fastest run of the night, and a substitute from the latest TNW -- the Papal Ninja -- finished the course. Meanwhile, Flip Rodriguez got the WWWA treatment, as did Kevin Campbell . . . and "The Godfather" advances because Grant McCartney wiped out on the Salmon Ladder. This isn't a good year for free spirits, is it?

I'm thinking Zhanique's son can't stand to watch, so he busts out so many moves. Or maybe it's for luck.

Disppointing that Kevin Bull got heavily promoted, but he got the JIP treatment. I hope that he's not too wiped out after three runs on Spartan.

[Aliconehead]

This course was a veteran killer, it killed two of my favorites: Grant and Alaska Ninja.  Also if I was going to do this show I would make sure I could  regularly get up a 15 foot warped wall, let alone at 14.5. Why was Zanique not practicing on a higher one?  Also aren't the final filmed like immediately after the prelims? When would she have time to practice 

Edited July 25, 2017 by Aliconehead

[Chaos Theory]

A lot of shirtless dudes completing the course....and I approve but the the Papal ninja one ups everyone by completing the course with his shirt on.

[slf]

Aw, I feel bad for Zhanique. She was struggling prior to the wall but was fighting through it. Too bad she timed out on the wall.

A little surprised Kevin Bull went out when he did. I would've thought he'd make it.

Grant McCartney's really gotta keep practicing on the salmon ladder. I know it's not the easiest obstacle, especially for the heavier contestants, but I was still surprised that that's what tripped him up.

Edited July 25, 2017 by slf

[sweetandsour]

Wow to a lot of the results.  Great for Josh and Charlie and the papal ninja.  Rebecca Bonilla didn't get shown much (if at all?) in qualifying, so I'm glad they showed how badass she is in the finals - though that's not really a choice to air or not air - she was the top female finisher.

I find ANW's promos to be very confusing.  On one hand, I like that they don't necessarily telegraph who does well and who doesn't - e.g. if you get a backstory, that means you moved on and everyone knows it before your run even starts.  But their features are perplexing.  They super hyped up Kevin Bull, as everyone said, but they only showed part of his run.  And a few weeks ago, in the opening of the episode, they featured Cassie Craig as one of the strong women, but they gave her WWWA treatment!  OK fine, show her as WWWA, but then don't highlight her in the first minute of your episode while you show the runs for say, 10 other women instead!

Also, the Eskimo Ninja DID advance in the 14th spot.  IIRC, last year was the first year David Campbell didn't make it to Vegas finals because he was in the 15th spot and the last runner (or the last person they showed running, since it's not in order) knocked him out into 16th.  What a sad heartbreaker if the same thing had happened this year, but it's too bad Grant didn't move on.  He didn't seem to be running for speed (dangerous unless you know that's what you have to do to make it to an obstacle within a certain time), but that ladder.  It always kind of surprises me when people have problems on the salmon ladder or warped wall because those are two obstacles the training gyms always have, but I get that people make mistakes and are sometimes just gassed, even if they can do it just fine gassed in training.

Zhanique will not make it any further than the wall in Vegas unless she miraculously and quickly figures out how to conquer it.  Half the run-up distance - she's not going to spontaneously conquer that when the regular wall is so challenging.

I'm okay with this wild card rule for the women - 12 total moving on to Vegas finals is okay by me, and certainly more performance-based than the wild cards have been in the last few years.  I'm looking forward to some combination of Jessie, Meghan, and Flex, and possibly others, moving on within the top 15, without a wild card.

[illini1959]

I'm getting tired of not seeing the full runs of veteran competitors like Bull and Flip.

I realize there's new talent out there but I still want to see the ones I know.

We were surprised Grant went out (again!) on the salmon ladder & no Vegas for him :( 

Loved the Eskimo Ninja and the MIT/Northeastern friends.

[eel2178]

6 hours ago, illini1959 said:

I'm getting tired of not seeing the full runs of veteran competitors like Bull and Flip.

There would have been time to show Flip's whole run if we didn't have to listen to Adam Rayl's mother sobbing about her "emotional attachment" to him for five minutes.

Edited July 25, 2017 by eel2178

[eel2178]

17 hours ago, Aliconehead said:

 Why was Zanique not practicing on a higher one?  Also aren't the final filmed like immediately after the prelims? When would she have time to practice 

Exactly. The qualifier was filmed March 7, and the finals were filmed March 8. Either she spent all day March 8 running up warped walls to practice, or that segment was totally fabricated by the producers.

[eel2178]

14 hours ago, sweetandsour said:

Zhanique will not make it any further than the wall in Vegas unless she miraculously and quickly figures out how to conquer it.  Half the run-up distance - she's not going to spontaneously conquer that when the regular wall is so challenging.

 

I doubt she'll even get as far as the warped wall.

[Chaos Theory]

Hell if Zhanique can get past the spider I will call it a big win for her.  I think only Megan Martin  and Jessie Graff have done it.  

 

Hell I'll call it a win if she get to the spider.  

Edited July 25, 2017 by Chaos Theory

[notcreative enough]

For fuck sake why were they acting like all smart people should be carrying around inhalers and coke bottle glasses. Being smart and athletic aren't mutually exclusive. The fact that the announcers are so surprised is annoying. Stop faking the enthusiasm just talk like normal people. The "wow look how fast he's going" or the "I can't believe they made it this far' just makes them come across as dicks.

[sweetandsour]

20 minutes ago, notcreative enough said:

For fuck sake why were they acting like all smart people should be carrying around inhalers and coke bottle glasses.

I didn't know this until I looked him up online (after his Hollywood Game Night appearance), but Matt Iseman went to Princeton AND medical school AND completed his residency before deciding he wanted to change careers to stand-up comedy.  So you'd think that Matt of all people would get that smart people come in all shapes, sizes, proficiencies, hobbies, etc.  Akbar is more inclined to just yell out, "I see you, nerd!"  "I see you, Einstein!"  Just kidding.  I mean, I do like the hosts, but they're not perfect ahahaha.

[ClareWalks]

Yeah, it is kind of amazing, it's not like the guy announcing the end of an Ironman goes "...and you spectators will never believe this, but finisher Jeff has a COLLEGE DEGREE!" (Even though the average Ironman finisher makes about $150K a year.) Being athletic and being intelligent (or intellectual) are not mutually exclusive at all.

[Lantern7]

2 hours ago, sweetandsour said:

I didn't know this until I looked him up online (after his Hollywood Game Night appearance), but Matt Iseman went to Princeton AND medical school AND completed his residency before deciding he wanted to change careers to stand-up comedy.  So you'd think that Matt of all people would get that smart people come in all shapes, sizes, proficiencies, hobbies, etc.  Akbar is more inclined to just yell out, "I see you, nerd!"  "I see you, Einstein!"  Just kidding.  I mean, I do like the hosts, but they're not perfect ahahaha.

I imagine this scene at the post-show press conference.

Writer: Why are you two so amazed that an MIT graduate rocked the course tonight?

Matt: Well, we have a lot of diehard fans who watched Team Ninja Warrior: Campus Invasion earlier this year. We don't take it for granted that all the viewers saw that on a defunct network*. And explaining that edition would cut into the stories of the other competitors. So we feel that we have to replicate the giddiness we displayed in Team Ninja Warrior.

Akbar: Yes, Matt is correct. For me, everything excites me . . . getting up in the morning, eating breakfast, showering, and so on. In relation to any edition, I feel that I have to jack up the intensity with the competitors, and I have to express utter disbelief that somebody from outside the "norm" of a successful ninja succeeds with ease. That is the case with women, older guys, brainiacs . . . you name it.

Matt: Also, Akbar gets to reuse "MIT?!? OMG!!!!" catchphrase from TNW.

Akbar: In my defense, with Geoff Britten retiring from competition, I have lost "Britten's got talent!"

Matt: You did abuse the hell out of that, man.

* Was TNW2 on Esquire? If it aired on USA, then I'm wrong.

[healthnut]

I certainly would've picked Natalie and Tianna to be top 2 beforehand but good on the two ladies that did. Well deserved. So glad David Campbell made it. NBC please show his run in Vegas. I gave no idea why that one guy is called "the papal ninja" (thank you fast forward) but his decision to keep his shirt on got him the fastest time, lol. Of course, if you hit a buzzer, who cares what the time is. The course was tough but doable, I think Jessie Graf could make it to the elevator. Don't know if a women can do the elevator climb or not...sure hope we get to see one try. 

[Chaos Theory]

21 hours ago, ClareWalks said:

Yeah, it is kind of amazing, it's not like the guy announcing the end of an Ironman goes "...and you spectators will never believe this, but finisher Jeff has a COLLEGE DEGREE!" (Even though the average Ironman finisher makes about $150K a year.) Being athletic and being intelligent (or intellectual) are not mutually exclusive at all.

I watched College Madness and MIT made it to I think the Finals and one of the things brought up more then once was that most of the other schools had substantial sports programs and MIT didn't.  I think Charlie helped start the rock climbing team. MIT is not exactly known for sports and still I think during college Madness they came in 2nd place.  That is something that does need to be at least stated.  But I do get your point.

I was surprised that Flip got preempted.  

Edited July 26, 2017 by Chaos Theory

[mertensia]

On 7/25/2017 at 2:06 PM, sweetandsour said:

I didn't know this until I looked him up online (after his Hollywood Game Night appearance), but Matt Iseman went to Princeton AND medical school AND completed his residency before deciding he wanted to change careers to stand-up comedy. 

I knew it from Celebrity Apprentice.  Iseman is also an adorably huge Harry Potter fan;  the show almost didn't get him out of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in California.

Back to the show-do the contestants watch someone demonstrate new obstacles so they know how to do it?

[Guest]

On 7/25/2017 at 8:17 PM, healthnut said:

I certainly would've picked Natalie and Tianna to be top 2 beforehand but good on the two ladies that did. Well deserved. So glad David Campbell made it. NBC please show his run in Vegas. I gave no idea why that one guy is called "the papal ninja" (thank you fast forward) but his decision to keep his shirt on got him the fastest time, lol. Of course, if you hit a buzzer, who cares what the time is. The course was tough but doable, I think Jessie Graf could make it to the elevator. Don't know if a women can do the elevator climb or not...sure hope we get to see one try. 

I watch the stories and still have no idea.  Papal means relating to the pope.  The guy isn't even a seminary student, he just lives(?) and works with some clergymen, sounds like as their IT guy and personal trainer, from what I recall.  Maybe ANW gave him his silly moniker thinking viewers wouldn't know better, and "Christian Ninja" could be too controversial and WTF.  I mean, they wouldn't get away with "Jewish Ninja" or "Muslim Ninja".  Of course, I don't understand why Drew Dreschel is 'the real life Ninja', either.  

Great show, though!  

[BTBAM310]

Surprised that so many people like Grant on these boards. My girlfriend and I both think he's the most annoying person we've seen on the show.

Edited July 27, 2017 by BTBAM310

[Lantern7]

I'm good with most of the ninjas. Goofiness from Grant McCartney and Jake Murray is acceptable, and I don't feel like sneering when they fail. BTW, is Neil "Crazy" Craver competing this season? I can't remember seeing him. Maybe he got the WWWA treatment.

[saber5055]

I don't care for Grant, never have liked him. There's something about him ... but then last season they showed him in Alaska with Eskimo Ninja, which was a good backstory and made him likable. Or at least tolerable.

He's still annoying, but ... tolerable since he was so fun in that Alaska clip.

[ClareWalks]

Grant needs a haircut. One year he had this really nice, shorter-on-the-sides haircut, and he looked literally ten times better. He is a total butterhair this year.

[eel2178]

6 hours ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

 Maybe ANW gave him his silly moniker thinking viewers wouldn't know better, and "Christian Ninja" could be too controversial and WTF.  I mean, they wouldn't get away with "Jewish Ninja" or "Muslim Ninja".  

 

They did, however, have a Rabbi Ninja last year, which was equally inane.

[Quilt Fairy]

Does anyone know the thinking behind "no wild cards" this year?   I always thought there were too many in the past, but now a lot of veterans are going to be sitting it out due to a slip or miscalculation in a qualifier round.  I like that we're guaranteed to see more new people in the finals, but it's really only interesting to me if at least a few people make it to Stage 3, and most newcomers don't even complete Stage 1.

[Chaos Theory]

38 minutes ago, Quilt Fairy said:

Does anyone know the thinking behind "no wild cards" this year?   I always thought there were too many in the past, but now a lot of veterans are going to be sitting it out due to a slip or miscalculation in a qualifier round.  I like that we're guaranteed to see more new people in the finals, but it's really only interesting to me if at least a few people make it to Stage 3, and most newcomers don't even complete Stage 1.

Most of the wild cards tended to be women and there was no particular reasoning behind it.   Now they have at least a more logical idea that 5 women from qualifying make it to finals and 2 from Finals get to vegas regardless and they drop the wild card.   It actually makes more sense.  Instead of random wildcards (which tended to be we have the two best women from each region making it to Vegas.    

Plus if the wild cards are given to too many people like Grant and they make it to stage three after a major fall there would be a major asterisk after their name.  I think the new method works better.  

 

Quote

I watch the stories and still have no idea.  Papal means relating to the pope.  The guy isn't even a seminary student, he just lives(?) and works with some clergymen, sounds like as their IT guy and personal trainer, from what I recall.  Maybe ANW gave him his silly moniker thinking viewers wouldn't know better, and "Christian Ninja" could be too controversial and WTF.  I mean, they wouldn't get away with "Jewish Ninja" or "Muslim Ninja".  Of course, I don't understand why Drew Dreschel is 'the real life Ninja', either.

Original story had the guy on his way to becoming a priest before he changed his mind.  He stayed with the clergymen he was living with because the situation worked for him.  Honestly the name is catchy so it doesn't really bother me.  

Edited July 27, 2017 by Chaos Theory

[mlp]

Quote

Grant needs a haircut. One year he had this really nice, shorter-on-the-sides haircut, and he looked literally ten times better.

Aw.  I like Grant and I love his curly hair.  I hated it when the airline made him cut his hair.  I've been wondering if he still works as a flight attendant because he seems to have had time to be on TV shows and go to Alaska and has let his hair grow back.  Maybe he's doing Ninja stuff full time now.

I think Papal Ninja is a silly name but I think it's neat that the priests he works for and lives with come and support him.  He kind of reminds me of Joe Moravsky in that he's an ordinary looking guy with a regular job who has serious skills.

[Ciarrai]

On 2017-07-27 at 10:35 AM, BTBAM310 said:

Surprised that so many people like Grant on these boards. My girlfriend and I both think he's the most annoying person we've seen on the show.

Did you ever see Rob Moravsky, The Weatherman's cousin? I think he wins the award for most annoying in my book. Him and Jake Murray, who I also can't stand.

[VartanFan]

Quote

Did you ever see Rob Moravsky, The Weatherman's cousin?

1000 times, THIS!  He was the worst.  

The Grant wipeout was surprising but when these guys establish finishing as a foregone conclusion, they get what they get.   I find Lorin Ball to also be super annoying in this regard.  

[hackysacky]

Anyone think that Grant looks and acts like Matt Brown from Alaskan Bush People?   Is it just me?

[AZChristian]

26 minutes ago, hackysacky said:

Anyone think that Grant looks and acts like Matt Brown from Alaskan Bush People?   Is it just me?

Well, given that Grant is over 6 feet tall and has held down a responsible job (flight attendant), and Matt is about a foot shorter and seems to have NEVER worked . . . not me.  And has Grant ever been to rehab or blown off his refrigerator door?  One thing they DO have in common; they have both VISITED Alaska, but never actually lived there.  LOL.

[hackysacky]

No, that's not what I meant.   Just superficially.   Grant may be a great likeable and responsible guy, but on ANW, his antics annoy me a bit. 

[saber5055]

Thanks a lot -- NOT! -- for reminding me about Rob Moravsky, the self-proclaimed ADONIS Ninja who was using ANW to become a Hollywood heartthrob. I thought it was announced ADONIS wasn't competing this year as he had gotten hurt, and all I could think was, good. Yeah, I'd take Grant a zillion times over "Adonis" ninja. The shocking part is, Weatherman Joe seems much a likable and normal guy, he's one of if not my very fav ninja. So I'll cut Grant some slack, curly hair and all.

[ClareWalks]

Speaking of Rob, I'm rewatching the 2015 season on NBCSN, and Rob was a rookie who was trying to break into acting (because you know, he is so incredibly handsome, just ask him). I checked out his IMDB page, he has done NOTHING.

[slf]

Eh, I don't mind Rob's self-admiration as much as I do his cousin Joe's right-wing politics (climate change denier, Trump supporter). In terms of his performance as a Ninja what always bothered me about him was that he wasn't particularly good.

I find that on his own Grant isn't particularly hyper, imo, but when he's buddying around with someone then it can become too much. It bordered on obnoxious during his bromance with Craver. Much preferred him hanging out with the Eskimo ninja. I think he works best with more laidback people who can balance his antics.

[Guest]

This is only my second season watching.  I like Grant.  I'm not sure what his antics are that bug people.  The dancing?  I'd much rather watch a character known for his joy and silliness than one for his sob story or arrogance.  Grant seems to genuinely pull for his friends.  I like Jake Murray, though, too.  I was sad to see them both flame out.  

I'm not sure I can think of anyone who specifically bugs me, though.  But I do hate the sob stories and the name Papal Ninja.  Heh.  I'll probably hate some ninjas in a season or two.  Now I'm still kind of in awe of their athleticism.  

Edited July 31, 2017 by Guest

[VartanFan]

Quote

Eh, I don't mind Rob's self-admiration as much as I do his cousin Joe's right-wing politics (climate change denier, Trump supporter). In terms of his performance as a Ninja what always bothered me about him was that he wasn't particularly good.

Noooooooo!  Oh, that hurts.  I wish I didn't know this. 

[sweetandsour]

13 hours ago, slf said:

Eh, I don't mind Rob's self-admiration as much as I do his cousin Joe's right-wing politics (climate change denier, Trump supporter). In terms of his performance as a Ninja what always bothered me about him was that he wasn't particularly good.

I still remember clear as day - a few years ago I was on an American Airlines flight that was playing an episode of ANW that had obviously already aired on NBC and I'd seen before.  I was sitting next to this cute guy who was chatting me up the whole flight, and he'd never seen ANW before.  Rob Moravsky came up and I knew he was going to do the pec-bouncing thing AND fall spectacularly early.  I told the guy, "oh this is going to be great, he thinks he's awesome, just watch" and we died laughing.  That's probably the only time I've ever possibly been obnoxiously loud on a plane.

I have no words for Joe M as a climate change denier.  He's a weatherman.  He has a background in meteorology, no?  Even if, at his job, he's literally just reading a teleprompter and any middle school student could do the same thing, I don't want to hear weather reports from a climate change denier.

[Aliconehead]

20 hours ago, slf said:

Eh, I don't mind Rob's self-admiration as much as I do his cousin Joe's right-wing politics (climate change denier, Trump supporter). In terms of his performance as a Ninja what always bothered me about him was that he wasn't particularly good.

I find that on his own Grant isn't particularly hyper, imo, but when he's buddying around with someone then it can become too much. It bordered on obnoxious during his bromance with Craver. Much preferred him hanging out with the Eskimo ninja. I think he works best with more laidback people who can balance his antics.

I never liked Joe but could not put my finger on why, now at least I have a valid reason. 

For me Grant always seems so joyous with out being obnoxious about it. He looks like he is a happy guy that is having some fun. 

[eel2178]

On ‎7‎/‎31‎/‎2017 at 7:53 AM, Winston9-DT3 said:

This is only my second season watching.  I like Grant.  I'm not sure what his antics are that bug people.  The dancing?  I'd much rather watch a character known for his joy and silliness than one for his sob story or arrogance.

This is Grant's third year, so you missed out on his sob story. His mother died the year before he competed for the first time, and that promo went on, ad nauseam, every time he appeared on screen or even when he wasn't on screen.  I can't count the number of times we heard, "Look at him! He's competing for his dead mother! He's keeping his family together by competing. Look how happy his family is watching him compete after all they've been through." I'm not exaggerating. It went on forever.

[Guest]

Ugh, that would've made me puke.  That dead parent sob story is one of the worst, to me.  I mean, how many of us adults don't lose a parent at some point?  Do we stop our lives for over a year afterward?  Are we able to work out and do the things we did before within a few weeks, if not days?  

What's next?  The Damaged Ninja:  He didn't get a date for prom?   The ED Ninja:  He can't get it up?  

It's not like this show is unique in that respect, though.  I think Spartan is kind of holding the title right now with the mis-reporting of the Brandon Brickley back story, which we heard about 20 times.  

[eel2178]

1 hour ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

  That dead parent sob story is one of the worst, to me.  

I had a co-worker (who was a nurse, for Pete's sake)  whose parents both died from age-related illnesses when she was in her mid-forties. She couldn't stop talking about the "post traumatic stress disorder" she was permanently suffering from because of it.  

[simplyme]

21 hours ago, eel2178 said:

This is Grant's third year, so you missed out on his sob story. His mother died the year before he competed for the first time, and that promo went on, ad nauseam, every time he appeared on screen or even when he wasn't on screen. 

Yeah. That was annoying as hell. To be fair, though, ANW practically requires ninjas to have a sob story or inspirational story now if they want to get on. I was really sick of Grant by the end of the first year, but since then he's actually become one of my favorite ninjas because he doesn't keep talking about his late mother and he's incredibly supportive of others. But yeah... that first year. Ugh. I had a strong aversion to him due to the coverage. I think it's a testament to him that I no longer feel that.