MovieChat Forums > American Ninja Warrior (2009) Discussion > Can you win without winning?

Can you win without winning?

posted 9 years ago by hubcap18
12 replies | jump to latest

In theory, isn't it possible to win the competition without actually completing any of the courses? Just finish in the top 30 in one round, then the top 15, and make it farther than anyone else in the final round, and you'll be crowned the winner without having actually hit a buzzer to complete the course. Am I right?

In the Japanese version, when you fall you're automatically eliminated, there are four rounds, and sometimes there is no winner.
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The sun is shining... but the ice is slippery.

[–] BellT 9 years ago

In Vegas you have to complete every stage and the first one is timed.

M is fearless, she's the original honey badger, she doesn't give a sh!t! - Nekojita

[–] KCCharles 9 years ago

Agreed. Last year was the first year where people actually finished the course and we had a winner.

[–] chumpbroni 9 years ago

Is this the first season that you've watched American Ninja Warrior?

When they introduced the city portions they just took the top 30 for the qualifiers to go to the city finals. From the city finals they take the top 15 to go to the Las Vegas. They try to bring in a total of 100 competitors to Vegas to sometimes they have to fill it with "wildcards." Once they're all in Vegas, it basically is like Sasuke where if you don't complete the round you're out. The season with Brent Stephenson was such a big deal because he was the only guy to even make it to Stage 3 in that one.

Going by your rules though, technically Isaac Calderio didn't actually hit all six buttons. He only hit 5 out of the 6 buttons (he missed his City finals button). Geoff Britten actually hit all six buttons and yet he kind of got screwed.

[–] abejd 9 years ago

That's why I felt bad for geoff. They should add 2 seconds to your starting for every time you fell in the water during the season.

[–] weemidge 9 years ago

I agree...if you don't even finish your city finals, there should be some kind of penalty....who is to say people don't do "just enough" knowing that they will get that ticket to Vegas? I feel for Geoff Britten too, he is the 1st and ONLY American Ninja Warrior to hit all six buzzers...Isaac did "just enough" to advance to Vegas....

There should be an award (whether more time or what) for those who actually finish the courses...

"Life is like a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death."

[–] hubcap18 9 years ago

This IS the first season I've watched American Ninja Warrior.

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The sun is shining... but the ice is slippery.

[–] davy12349 9 years ago

IF you don't hit the buzzer, you shouldn't move on. IMO

If only 2 or 3 reach stage 3 , and no one stage 4 , then so be it.

[–] BellT 9 years ago

They gotta have a show though.

M is fearless, she's the original honey badger, she doesn't give a sh!t! - Nekojita

[–] KCCharles 9 years ago

I disagree. I like that they take the top 15 of each City, this means that even if one city had a more grueling course, the best still make it.

[–] someenchantedeve 9 years ago

That IS how the Vegas rounds work. Last season was the first season that anyone made it to stage 4 at all.

As for the qualifier and city final, if there were less competitors at Stage 1 in Vegas we'd have to deal with every more fluff/filler of backstories than we already do, so I'm fine with the set-up starting with 100 and having auto-elimination for non-completion or running out of time from there.

[–] davy12349 9 years ago

Treat it like a real sport, networks have no idea if they are getting 4, 5, 6, 7 playoff games in any given series .

[–] BellT 9 years ago

I just can't take a cheaply produced show about an obstacle course that takes place in a parking lot all that seriously.

M is fearless, she's the original honey badger, she doesn't give a sh!t! - Nekojita