MNF or ANW

Decisions, decisions, decisions. What to watch?

Monday Night Football or American Ninja Warrior?

You know how many great writers always have their odd guilty pleasures? Bill Simmons loves MTV The Challenge. Steve Rannazzisi (The League) loves to watch Real Housewives. Me, you ask? I love American Ninja Warrior!

Yes, I am watching the show right now (MNF is on recall), but I am mainly watching ANW. Tonight is the finale. My picks are...

Najee Richardson - a fun, fast former gymnast

Josh Levin - a solid rock climber who has the build and background of someone who could win

The Las Vegas round 2 has a couple new additions and it is looking tough. I just watched Captain NBC almost finish the "wingnut alley." He fell trying to swing to the landing pad. I stand by my prediction: tonight we crown someone a champ!

This first section was just completed at 8:34 and I have seen 11 runners go through and lose on the 2nd round.

Mwah

I just watched Sean Bryan "Papal Ninja" complete stage 2. He looks strong - Akbar Gbaja-Biamila called him a "Swoll Ninja" he also was a former gymnast for Cal-Berkeley when they finished 5th in the nation.

8:44

Mwah

I just finished watching Adam Rayle fall on "wingnut alley." He looked so strong - rock solid strong. He was just flying through and easily catching himself on the wingnuts. The camera caught him as he was getting out of the pool and he said, "You can't always be perfect. Gotta be happy with that!" Noooooo, screw that! I want a pissed off ninja - Adam Rayle you looked good enough to win and you should not be happy with that. That my friends, that is what the professional athletes are not afraid to express - their dissatisfaction with performances.

I was going to stop this section - but, Najee Richardson is up! They are showing his run - and not just snippets of the run while we were at commercial. I can not wait, here we go......

Hook Swing - check
Salmon Ladder - Check
Waverunner - CHeck
Swingsurfer - CHEck
Wingnut Alley - CHECk
Boards - CHECK

THE PHOENIX IS MOVING ON TO STAGE 3!!!!!!

9:01

Mwah

I just watched snippets of Josh Levin's run and he fell on the Waverunner. I not only shocked; I am sad. I really thought he had the best chance.

Now, I am watching my son and daughter's favorite runner - Daniel Gil. I think I just can't get over the fact that he and his fiance's hair is the exact same. Ahhhhhhh - he just fell trying to swing out of Wingnut Alley. Noooooooooooooo!!!

Now, we have the only female to qualify for stage 2 Alyssa Beird. She made it past the Hook Swing and is now on the Salmon Ladder - and she falls at the top of the Salmon Ladder. I don't want to sound like too much of a chauvinist - but I really don't think we will ever see a women complete all four stages in Las Vegas. But who knows, maybe I am wrong - maybe I shouldn't assume genders either? Maybe everyone running the course is an "it" and not a he or she? Maybe, America is too sensitive and that is just some dumb bullsh*t for people who are not comfortable enough with themselves to complain about?

Too edgy?

9:14

Mwah

Currently watching Joe Moravski and he looks strong. He has 1:20 lest and he is in Wingnut Alley. HE MADE IT!!! JOE "WEATHERMAN" MORAVSKI IS GOING TO STAGE 3!!!!!

He looks really strong and could be a force to contend with on stage 3.

9:23

Mwah

Real Life Ninja Drew Drechsel is now running. He is easily the favorite to win this year - here we go....

Hook Swing - check
Salmon Ladder - Check
Waverunner - CHeck
Swingsurfer - CHEck
Wingnut Alley - CHE, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I can not believe that just happened - he was flying from wingnut to wingnut. He literally overshot two wing nuts - the last one he hugged, full-on hugged. He fell on the swing to the landing pad. He said his arm felt like it was "dead-armed" from hitting his bicep on the last wingnut.

This truly is shocking.

9:37

Mwah

Stage 3 is an upper body gauntlet. No timer. Little landing pads. Lots of hanging and grip work. This is the course that you want to be a rock climber. Someone who has plenty of grip strength. Levin would have been a perfect runner.

Sean Bryan is running right now. He looks exhausted. He made it through the first three obstacles. NNNNNOOOOOO - he just fell!!!

NO FEAR, PHOENIX TIME!!

MOVING THROUGH THE KEY LOCK - LOOKED GREAT UNTIL THE LANDING, FELL BUT GRABBED THE PAD. HE IS NOW FACING THE NAIL CLIPPER (KNOCKED HIM OUT IN THE CITY FINALS). LANDS THE DISMOUNT. MY FEET ARE SWEATING!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

He looked amazing. He looked comfortable. He dropped on his second jump on the ultimate cliff hanger. I am crushed - guess it comes down to the weatherman!

9:48

Mwah

Joe Moravski just fell on the last obstacle on stage 3! This new obstacle called the time bomb took him out. It would have been a much bigger surprise had there really been no time left in the show. It doesn't matter though - my feet were still sweaty and I really thought, "He is going to make it!"

The truly amazing thing about Joe Moravski - he is a weatherman. Like for real, that is his job. He is not a gym owner. Joe Moravski is an amazing competitor - 4 out of the last 5 years he has made it to stage 3. Are we all aware of how amazing that is? There will be a time when either wins the entire competition or he retires and I just hope we all can realize how good Joe Moravski actually is and what all he has done for American Ninja Warrior.

Mwah