Work let us off early due to impending nightmare traffic, so I get to watch the whole thing over today (didn’t take long; I fast forward a lot, especially when Gbajabiamila is bleating about chinny-chin-chins and not letting the spider bite you). A few things to say about some individual performances:
Ryan Stratis: I could tell he really, really wants to be a part of this, and it’s just tragic that his bum shoulder meant that he had essentially no chance of getting past Stage 1. If we had more than one of these a year, maybe he could’ve been persuaded to take time off, heal properly and go in at 100%. Shame. He looked strong.
Jojo Bynum: Damn, he was furious. It was almost scary. I rarely see that level of emotion on Stage 3, much less here. Are there underlying emotional issues? Were there sky-high expectations on him (and if so, who the hell’s putting them on Jojo Bynum)?
Lucas Gomes: Oh, jesus. That…that was CRUELTY. It played out like an athletic representation of the Sad Trombone. I wanted to hug him. Honestly. (On a related note, now I know why Yuri Force’s run was never shown. He was the only Cityfinals qualifier whom NBC didn’t show at all.)
Tyler Yamauchi: More proof that we need to forget about inspiration and groundbreaking and “this guy is a X!!!” once the real contest begins. He simply didn’t have the height (or the speed) for Warped Wall, and I’ll be very surprised if he ever completes a Stage 1.
Michael Torres: I don’t put too much stock in “SOOOO CLOOOOOSSSSEEEE!!!” finishes in Stage 1, but this definitely ranks as a clutch performance, and he should be proud of it no matter how he does in Stage 2.
Jesse LaBreck: Definitely looked like one of the best of the female contingent (by far the best of the Philadelphia Four), but we need a year or two before we know how good she really is. (I thought it was funny how they cut to Meagan Martin saying “That was the weirdest thing! Like, she was right on it!”)
Daniel Gil and Thomas Stillings: Gil looked as overpowering as he was in Team Ninja Warrior, and Stillings was a revelation. No telling who’s better yet as the contest’s focus changes a lot in Stages 2 and 3, but no matter what, I’m glad they’re around to set the bar. And I definitely want to see Stillings in a TNW!
Cassie Criag, Erica Cook, Alyssa Beird, Michelle Warnky, and Rose Wetzel: There’s been plenty of bellyaching about how Kacy Catanzaro doesn’t deserve a wildcard, but as long as competitors like these are getting free passes, I don’t want to hear it. Yes, I understand that the constant sausage factory of Cityfinals is almost unbearable, but why bother putting them on if you’re not even going to show their runs in full? Heck, it’s not like it would’ve taken much time (Craig was the only one who made it past Propeller Bar). IMO, male or female, wildcards should go to those who actually have a chance, and this bunch isn’t anywhere near that territory.
And of course…
Jessie Graff: What more can anyone say at this point? Well, a couple of things:
-
The thing that stood out the most about her groundbreaking round was how textbook it was. No hesitations, no stumbles, no flops, no missteps, no desperation saves, no bumps. Look at how solidly she wedged in at Jumping Spider, how she floated to the platform on Sonic Curve (that ALONE made this worth the Pom Wonderful Run of the Night), how she casually jogged past Broken Bridge. It was the smoothest, cleanest performance I’ve ever seen from anyone on Stage 1.
-
Let me really, really drive this home, because I don’t think it’s been stressed enough. Jessie Graff is unmarried, unengaged (and from all apperances has no interest in hooking up with anyone), and childless, she’s a powerhouse, she has a full-time job, she’s soft-spoken in interviews, she doesn’t get emotional, and her life, as far as anyone can tell, has been pretty ordinary with no great tragedies. She should be a damn pariah on a reality show, much less with NBC’s super-maudlin guidelines in play. But they’re paying attention, and they’re hyping her up, and they’re making her their big star…because now they have absolutely no choice. She’s made her mark the absolute only way a woman in her station could have…by being better than everyone else. This, the smashing of the great reality TV barrier, is, for me, the story of this season.
Man, I do not envy Meagan Martin at ALL. 