Sevan Matossian (00:00):
If you say so, boss? Uh, yes. Bam. We’re live. John Young. Bill Grundler. Brian Spin. Welcome back. Brian.
Brian Spin (00:07):
You
Sevan Matossian (00:08):
Good to see you? How are you feeling?
Brian Spin (00:10):
Doing good. I’ve been building a basketball hoop all morning.
Sevan Matossian (00:13):
Uh, I know that, uh, the Stro was really stressing you out and you needed, uh, break. The pressures were getting to you
Brian Spin (00:19):
Very much, very much. It was much, much needed rest
Sevan Matossian (00:23):
After a day off. You are, uh, back, um, a couple, uh, John Young was saying we should start with Torian. Okay. Let’s start with Torian real quick, and then I got some things I wanna talk to you about. Oh, by the way, in 27 minutes, it looks like we will have a live streaming the, um, press conference. And it looks like it won’t be Justin and Adrian this time. It looks like it’ll be Don fall. And, and it also appears that they will be streaming the, um, CrossFit will be streaming the press conference. N uh, not on the web, but to everyone in the venue. So I, I, I think is the way I’m picturing it is that everyone in the venue will see it on a big screen. Is there a big screen there? No. Hold. Scratch that idea. Idea.
Bill Grundler (01:08):
<laugh>,
Brian Spin (01:09):
He might be on the main floor. I don’t know.
Sevan Matossian (01:14):
Alright. Uh, Torian Pro, uh, Ellie Turner, uh, does what she’s supposed to do. She wins it 5 92. Uh, were we in doubt for a while, Mr. Young, at any time?
John Young (01:23):
No. I mean, she’s been, other than that first event, she’s been very, very consistent the whole entire time.
Sevan Matossian (01:29):
Does anyone disagree? Was anyone in doubt?
Brian Spin (01:33):
I don’t think we were in doubt, but I think we expected some wins out of her.
Sevan Matossian (01:39):
Oh, okay. Uh, Mr. Spin’s referring to an 11th, a second, a second, a fourth, a fifth and a seventh. Um, which one? Uh, in, in,
John Young (01:47):
It’s the Justin Maderas effect. She’s not gonna win a events anymore. She’s just gonna be fifth in him. <laugh>.
Sevan Matossian (01:54):
You know, that would be cool if there wasn’t an 11th in the first event.
Brian Spin (01:58):
Uh, it was third was the first. We’re looking at two through seven right now. So she got third, 11th, second.
Sevan Matossian (02:05):
Oh, okay. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Okay. So that was the second.
Brian Spin (02:09):
Okay. Either way, I mean, she was outside the top three qualifying spots for a bit there. So,
Sevan Matossian (02:18):
Wait, I wonder which athlete did the best at workouts if you had to pick? Well, let me ask you guys this. Lemme pick Bill That ask Bill this first Bill, if you had to pick three workouts that you would want your athlete to take first place in, so you’re like, yep, this is a fucking games athlete. Uh, n n number, uh, number two is one of ’em. Right?
Bill Grundler (02:41):
I, I like that event. I mean, I, I I like what it is. I I wouldn’t say that that’s one of your main ones.
Sevan Matossian (02:47):
You wouldn’t, you wouldn’t pick that one. And then the max snatch run one. Those two.
Bill Grundler (02:52):
Uh, are you talking four or you talking five
Sevan Matossian (02:55):
Then and then six. Uh, what the, the max snatch one, the four? I’d pick two, four, and, um, six. And you get first place in all those and you gotta a CrossFit games champ.
Bill Grundler (03:06):
Well, I don’t think a game, you don’t think you have a games champ? I think do.
Sevan Matossian (03:10):
No, you do.
Bill Grundler (03:11):
No, you don’t. You have someone going into the games. What you have <laugh>,
Sevan Matossian (03:14):
Because then you have every single base covered. You have everything covered. You have the gymnastics, you have the, uh, 500 pound deadlift, uh, for reps and, uh, and you have, uh, muscle ups galore.
Bill Grundler (03:26):
Nah,
Sevan Matossian (03:27):
No.
Bill Grundler (03:28):
Nah, I think this is a,
John Young (03:29):
That’s a specialty workout test two.
Bill Grundler (03:32):
Yeah, totally. I I, if we were talking gymnastics or skills, I would take six over two
John Young (03:37):
All day.
Bill Grundler (03:38):
Yeah.
John Young (03:40):
I think five, six and seven would be the events. If you could pick 3, 5, 6, 7.
Bill Grundler (03:46):
I like five. Way better than four. I don’t need four. Four is just whatever. Um, I like five. I like six, eh, seven two. Yeah, I like that. It’ll be, it’ll for the, for a games athlete. I like one though too. N not with the stupid fabric pool, but I like, I like that. Again, it’s
John Young (04:01):
Just a little bit of a specialty too though, you know? I agree.
Bill Grundler (04:04):
But I, I like that mix though. I like the mix. Yeah. For a games, for a games level type athlete. Yeah. Yeah. So if I had to pick mine, I, I would say one. I would say one, uh, five and six.
Sevan Matossian (04:17):
Okay. I’m gonna stick. I’m gonna stick with two. You suck. I’m gonna stick with two. Uh, uh, four. And, uh, get the fuck
Bill Grundler (04:24):
Outta here. You suck. Two,
Sevan Matossian (04:24):
Four, and six. Hey, this’ll be fun. Someone can do this. This is something like Spin or, or Halpin or, um, uh, who’s the other guy? Someone will figure out for us at the end. The correlation between how you did in the semi-finals to where you placed, uh, in the games, which workout in the semi-finals was indicative to the best guys, um, at the games. Jared, do you have any thoughts on it?
JR Howell (04:46):
Yeah, I, I, for a games champion, I would say one, four and six for a games champion, because that’s
Bill Grundler (04:52):
What I’m talking about.
JR Howell (04:53):
Because I do think that there’s still, they still have to be one of the strongest, not the strongest, but one of the strongest. And I think one gives you a pretty big breadth of the grunt work and the aerobic capacity. Um, and then I think you, you have to be able to perform well on six to win the games.
Sevan Matossian (05:11):
For sure. I, I, I think you guys are choosing, I think you guys are lying to us. I think you guys are choosing one because of the machines.
Bill Grundler (05:17):
No,
Brian Spin (05:18):
The games has so many, the games has so many elements where they do have running in, involved in the middle of all these types of things and top of, you know, flipping a pig or anything that’s kind of power, super power based. I think one is a pretty good indication of that type of, uh, pathway you need.
JR Howell (05:38):
Well, you have to be able to go long and they’re gonna go long and at least one, probably two workouts. So to me, you have to pick the long test. The thing that really stood out with me talking about Ellie was when I look at the performances on these workouts compared to the field she’s in, I always start to think about what happens if the field of 40 is a lot stronger and is a lot deeper. So if you look like, look at something like test six, if you wanna pull up that leaderboard, there’s a four minute difference between first and fifth where she finished. Mm. So Droy, wow. Droy was 1130 something. She was 1530 something. So at the games, there’s no, that’s
Sevan Matossian (06:19):
The chipper workout for, by the way, for those of you who dunno, that’s the chipper workout with the rope climbs.
JR Howell (06:24):
Yeah. So there’s, there’s no way in a, in a deeper, stronger field in a games field that four minutes in a 12 minute workout is only gonna be four spots. So that’s something you really need to look at. Like
Brian Spin (06:37):
Ellie would’ve Yeah.
JR Howell (06:39):
Like what happens when a really dense, strict upper body push and pull test comes out? Is she gonna be able to manage that and finish like top 20? Or is it gonna be like a 30 to 40th?
Brian Spin (06:51):
What, what was Ellie’s exact time?
Sevan Matossian (06:54):
15, 30. 1536. It’s exactly four minutes. Four minutes and one second. Slower than Emily. I think he’s
John Young (06:59):
Gonna see where she’s at in the east or the west
Brian Spin (07:02):
Should’ve been 25th in the East
John Young (07:05):
And which is crazy. It’s the east.
JR Howell (07:09):
Well, also too though, I mean, and I mean, you know, we can, we can pick this apart, but you, you’re only gonna do what you have to do in the field that you’re in. So if sh could she have gone a minute faster and risked a little bit? Maybe like, we won’t know that. Um, but still compared to the field she was in, she knew that she didn’t have to do anything crazy to still qualify and maybe to still win.
Sevan Matossian (07:33):
She’s in the third tier. There’s, there’s, there’s a first tier of athletes there, then there’s, uh, made Madeline Stu all by herself, and then there’s Ellie Turner, uh, bend Over. Sevan could play Bill in a lifetime movie. That is not how movies work. How movies work. As you pick someone better than you to play you Bill could play me <laugh>. I could not, uh, play him. You don’t, you don’t. I need to get a man bun. I wouldn’t do that though. Uh, gr uh, Grindr Grundler app. Jim LaFave, is it Grindr or Grundler? Anyway, a an app to meet up with 50 year old, uh, Dilts. Hmm. Uh, just to mingle and talk about fitness and maybe smooch, if that’s what you’re into. <laugh>. Oh, gr Oh, a Grunder app, right? Grundler named after the handsome CrossFitter bill. Uh, retired CrossFit or, uh, bill Grundler. Bill, uh, quick hello to Justin from Salty Hive in Utah. Um, that, that’s a good point. He brings up. Can we compare it to the West yet? We haven’t do it yet. Okay. <laugh>. Thank you Justin. That sounds like something I’d say. I appreciate it. Uh, Steven Flores, uh, at the end of semis, can we take the times and placings and combine all comps and see which indie did best? I understand there is a little nuance.
John Young (08:41):
Yeah. I’m sure spin will be on top of it.
Sevan Matossian (08:43):
Yeah. Yeah. The
Brian Spin (08:44):
Problem, the problem is obviously first, the first event you, I don’t think you compare at all. Um, but some of the Lord,
Sevan Matossian (08:51):
Differences, lengths, all that.
John Young (08:53):
Yeah. I mean, event by event basis, you can, you can compare pretty solidly. Not, not like full competition. Right. Brian,
Sevan Matossian (09:01):
With the best in the
JR Howell (09:02):
World though, even a two week difference, I don’t think you should be comparing.
Sevan Matossian (09:06):
No. It, it’ll still be fun to compare. Here’s the thing. What you will be able to compare, even, even if you shouldn’t, is you’ll be able to compare. Like, Hey, how come every single person in Australia beat every single person everywhere else in the world on the sled pool? And we’ll say it’s not because they’re stronger and they’re pooling fishing nets in all day. Uh, we’ll say it’s, Hey, something must have been up with the sled or with the, um, or with the floor. And maybe, you know, for all we know, we’re gonna find out their sleds. Were a little different. Don’t rule anything out. You know what I mean? We’re gonna find out that the sleds, um, in, uh, the US were made of Canvas and that the ones in Australia were made of a different material cuz they were sourced from China. You, you don’t know any, we don’t know any of that shit. And, and that shit can always unfolds slowly.
Brian Spin (09:44):
And then in teams, you know, I posted a story that showed, uh, an athlete on the unbroken 15 pistols. Uh, she was bringing her foot to the ground each time. And what I’ve been told is that the athlete briefing for that for inventory and pro said that was okay.
John Young (10:03):
So, and you’re not supposed to
Brian Spin (10:04):
And you’re not supposed to. Obviously it’s way fast. So, uh, some, some athletes touring we’re, we’re following the same standards that were happening in North America, east and West. Others were flying through it because that’s what the athlete briefing said. So we just have so many inconsistencies that, um, you can compare, get a, a broad sense of what’s happening. But I wouldn’t get too granular it
Bill Grundler (10:28):
That’s so dumb. I, here you’re trying to standardize everything and we have different standards. What the heck?
Sevan Matossian (10:36):
It’s a tough, tough morning for the internet, huh? Uh, bill Grundler hasn’t made Bill Grundler. Am I frozen? You are frozen, but your voice is good.
Bill Grundler (10:43):
No, I don’t. I feel like I’m dancing around.
Sevan Matossian (10:45):
No. Does is he frozen for everyone? He
Bill Grundler (10:48):
Was, yeah. No, he was, was I,
Sevan Matossian (10:50):
And, and John, I have a question for you. When you go on Spins podcast with Tyler, is his connection this bad? Is he
John Young (10:56):
Tyler’s?
Sevan Matossian (10:57):
Uh, no spins. I’m just wondering. He’s trying to sabotage my podcast. Is his you one bad?
John Young (11:02):
No, it’s usually
Sevan Matossian (11:03):
Worse. Oh good. Okay. That makes me feel better. Okay, so he stepped up his game, uh, for this podcast. A CrossFit should hire Brian Spin. Yeah. After they hire me. Just kidding. For what, who knows? <laugh> shouldn’t hire for you. You, I don’t know why they should hire me. They should definitely hire you to run their fucking media department. Um, uh, Steven Flores. Uh, did Ellie suck the testosterone out of Justin? I’m still rooting for him. Hey, that’s right. Hey, here’s the thing. If, if Justin sits the bed, it’s, it’s gonna be the, the, that’s the first place I would go. If Justin, uh, has a is, uh, the first place I’ll go is, is like, Hey, the relationship got more complicated between, I mean, when it’s just him, I think that’s unfair. You, you think it’s unfair to speculate that it’s just him and Adam Nier and now all of a sudden you bring in another person?
John Young (11:54):
No, I,
Sevan Matossian (11:55):
That it would affect, I’m not suggesting that he, she took the testosterone from him. That’s just being just, uh, crass and a 14 year old boy, which I appreciate. I’m just talking about just the complications of, of the relationship and the programming and, and, and the effort that’s being put in. I mean, he’s, is he living with Ellie? You’d be crazy to think that moving in with a girl ch doesn’t change everything. Right? I mean, someone, someone this morning in the comment speculated that a Katherine coming to H W P O was what derailed mal that mal expressed concerns. And, and Fraser even expressed them that mal come that, uh, Katherine coming. There was cons, uh, stressing mal out. I
Brian Spin (12:33):
Don’t know if that’s the reason why she’s, you know, taking us the year off, but she did express those concerns,
Sevan Matossian (12:39):
Right? And it could just, it could just be one more percent. Go ahead, John.
John Young (12:42):
I get, I get what you’re saying with Ellie and it probably does have a different atmosphere or different effect, but I mean, I think that’s, if he doesn’t win the games, I think it’s unfair to say it’s because of Ellie.
Sevan Matossian (12:57):
No, no, I wouldn’t blame her. Like, Hey, it’s her fault. I’m just saying the, the, uh, the, um, his, his inability, it always comes down to the athlete taking responsibility, his inability to, to not question his inability to maybe manage a a, a a, a new complex piece to the training camp is worth considering. No. Does anyone disagree? It’s like having your parents in the training camp, right? I mean, that’s weird too for some kids,
Bill Grundler (13:22):
I think to be a high end athlete, it demands a hundred percent attention distractions. And if you want to be in a relationship that pulls even what, I mean, you could say even just a little bit, even if you, even if you separate everything out, it does pull you away a little bit. And I think it takes a, um, a mature head to be able to box each one of those things out so that they don’t affect each other. I mean, you’re not gonna have a good, you’re not gonna have a good training day if you’re in an argument. Just not,
Sevan Matossian (13:54):
I have a hiccup with my wife every single day, some sort of hiccup and, and, and,
Bill Grundler (14:01):
But that’s not, but that’s not a bad, I mean, that’s just, that’s just life. That’s just, you choose what you want to do. You know? So if you decide that you want to get into your relationship with someone, you have to be willing to accept all the things that go along with that. So I, that just kind of is what it is. Um, you know, I, is it <laugh> win wins the games or not wins the games? That that’s, that’s one thing. Making it to the games. I mean, like, I, I think he’s still gonna be fine getting in, but, um, if he, if there was to be a, an extreme, like he didn’t make it, like he didn’t end up on the right side of the cut line today. Ooh, that would be something to like, <laugh> go back and reconsider <laugh>
Sevan Matossian (14:39):
Louis, uh, Montoya. There’s
John Young (14:41):
More things going on than El if that happens.
Sevan Matossian (14:44):
Agreed. Louis Montoya. Ellie was there last year.
Brian Spin (14:47):
Yeah. You think about, um, even Katherine back in the, I mean, she would say she doesn’t have time to devote to a relationship, right? She could only focus on a couple things and CrossFit was number one priority.
Sevan Matossian (15:04):
Uh, I mean, the cra
Bill Grundler (15:05):
The crazy thing, both of them are in that same position. So you would think if anyone is gonna understand that, they would understand that
Sevan Matossian (15:11):
For sure.
Bill Grundler (15:11):
You know, are they the first? I’ll talk, I’ll talk to you
Sevan Matossian (15:13):
Next week. That’s a good point. Yep. <laugh>.
John Young (15:15):
Are they the first games, like competitive couple together?
Brian Spin (15:22):
Uh, the Chans were back in the day.
John Young (15:25):
Wow.
Sevan Matossian (15:25):
Wow. Spin. I mean, I mean that’s good. Modern, A lonely Wolfs Predator.
Bill Grundler (15:30):
Mary, high, high end, high end too. Yeah.
Sevan Matossian (15:32):
Annie, Annie,
Bill Grundler (15:33):
Fred. Oh, Annie and Fred. Yeah. Yeah, those guys.
Sevan Matossian (15:36):
And it quickly, I think, I mean from the outside it quickly became evident that Frederick was the, became the support.
John Young (15:42):
Yeah. Like that’s the thing. Like I don’t that they’re not the same in my eye. Like Fred, it did look like Frederick is all in on Annie. He wants to do good himself. But I mean, Annie is the key. If it takes, if Frederick’s gotta take the baby over, uh, so Annie can train. He’s going to, he’s, and it’ll hurt his own training. Um, like Ellie and Justin, I feel like they’re both like, it’s not the same.
Sevan Matossian (16:09):
Lonely Wolf is the predator, married Wolf is the pet. Let’s look at the boys, um, in, uh, Australia if we can. Um, it looks like, uh, and then, and then I got, uh, this guy Douglas, who qualified, who they said was crying like a baby when they announced his name. This guy is Godzilla. Yeah. This guy is something else. 531 points, 70 points below. Uh, Jay Crouch. Worst finish looks like is a 17th, although I can’t see Workout one. Uh, is, are both these guys new to the games? Bailey Martin and Jake Douglas?
John Young (16:45):
I know Jake is, yeah. Um, I believe Bailey is, but he might, he might have been. Bailey would be
Brian Spin (16:51):
A rookie also,
John Young (16:51):
I believe. Yeah.
Sevan Matossian (16:53):
Uh, Bailey Rail, Tyler Christal, another, a couple.
John Young (16:56):
I’m I’m talking high end. Tyler Christal has not made it as an individual yet. I’m like, we’re talking about the, the fittest man in the world. The champ and then 16th best in the world, not Bailey Rail and Tyler Christa Fill, sorry, Bailey and Tyler. Y’all are great. <laugh>
Bill Grundler (17:13):
<laugh>.
Brian Spin (17:15):
They don’t, they don’t even train in the same place, right? One’s in the east, one’s in the west. Dude, he’s
Bill Grundler (17:19):
A, he’s a fucking comic book hero. Look at this guy.
John Young (17:21):
Dude. He doesn’t look real.
Sevan Matossian (17:26):
He’s Australian. That’s a, that’s what Australians look like.
Bill Grundler (17:30):
That’s what that Australian looks like. <laugh>. He looks
Sevan Matossian (17:31):
Scottish. He’s all get, he looks like a movie star
Bill Grundler (17:34):
Dude. He’s massive. Massive.
Sevan Matossian (17:39):
H W P O training. Geez. Uh, Jake is getting popped. Oh. Meaning, uh, for, uh, substance abuse.
John Young (17:51):
Hi.
Sevan Matossian (17:52):
They test this guy as soon as, as soon as he, as soon as he finishes, he gets tested.
John Young (17:55):
Oh yeah,
Brian Spin (17:56):
For sure. Yeah. All the, all the individuals do.
Sevan Matossian (17:59):
Uh, he, uh, Matt c uh, he had several errors and no reps and is only a few seconds back from a much higher places. He will be okay. Damn. All right.
John Young (18:07):
And he’s been there, he’s been trying to make it, uh, it’s just his first year. He is kind of breaking through.
Sevan Matossian (18:13):
Uh, Jay Crouch and Matt Stir. Uh, now we’re getting closer. That’s pretty high level, John, that that’s
Brian Spin (18:21):
How
John Young (18:21):
You Oh, I didn’t know they were a couple.
Sevan Matossian (18:23):
Yeah, that’s pretty high level. Four times games athlete, two times games athlete. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>.
John Young (18:27):
Yeah. No, that’s a great, that’s a great window to pull. I just didn’t know
Sevan Matossian (18:33):
From an ass region. Yeah. Um, okay. Um, I just had to say that it’s not an ass region. I mean, also
John Young (18:40):
Women are pretty great.
Sevan Matossian (18:42):
I want to, uh, do a quick little, uh, just look at a little Colton Merton’s video. Let us go around. Uh, so the Instagram video, I think Teddy Williams made the video yesterday. It’s on Colton’s Instagram account. Mr. Beaver will pull it up here. Uh, here we go. Uh, quick thoughts, uh, John Young 30 seconds or so on, what, uh, what, what’s Colton need to do today? And can he do it?
John Young (19:05):
Um, he needs to be top, at least top five in event six. And then see where everybody else is around him, and then make sure he’s ahead of whatever he needs to be in event seven.
Sevan Matossian (19:17):
Uh, you can go ahead and play it too, Caleb. It’s okay. You can loop it. Uh, Mr. Gr, Mr. Grundler is, uh, Colton gonna make it today?
Bill Grundler (19:22):
Oh man, he’s gonna be so close. I just think that, uh, I think, I think Cole Sager is gonna gonna mess him up on some stuff that, that, that him and him and, uh, Cole Sager are gonna have a battle for sure.
John Young (19:37):
I mean, they, they both can get in. There’s five guys totally fighting for two spots.
Sevan Matossian (19:42):
I,
Bill Grundler (19:42):
I what I, what I feel is that they’re going to foul each other up at the line. That’s what I think is gonna happen.
Sevan Matossian (19:49):
Uh, Mr. Spin, how’s the math looking for Colton?
Brian Spin (19:53):
Uh, the math is fine. I think it’s really gonna come down to Can, can Jack Roma and Mitchell Stevenson hold off? Um, Colton Cole,
Sevan Matossian (20:03):
Uh, can we go ahead and look at the points on the leaderboard? Jr if you are Colton’s coach, if you could talk to him and you guys were, had a great relationship, you could say anything to him, uh, what would you tell him, uh, this morning?
JR Howell (20:17):
Uh, just to trust his fitness and to go for it. Like if he feels it, he needs to go. He even mentioned something if that was him in the comments last night when I was watching you guys saying, um, unbroken or Die, right? Like, I don’t think someone like Colton needs to, need, needs to go at it with any kind of, um, anything other than like some reckless abandon. I think that’s when he is at his best when he is attacking,
John Young (20:41):
And you should be amazing on, on this next event. He should do very, very well. Um, I, I think he’ll be all five of the guys he is in the running for, and then he’ll, he, you know, you can kind of play the points game. I need to be within three places of this guy to make it. It’s easier to make it that way than to be like, I have to send it and win the event to make it right. It’s much easier to manage those different scenarios.
Sevan Matossian (21:06):
Let, lemme
JR Howell (21:06):
See. And again, remember, and again, remember, like we, we won’t get to see him against Jack Mitchell and John.
John Young (21:13):
They, they said they receded it last,
Brian Spin (21:16):
Uh, they will reseed between six and seven.
JR Howell (21:18):
Okay, that’s good then on the last one. But I’m talking about,
Bill Grundler (21:22):
But the pluses, they, Colton will have Cole in right there with him though. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> and Cole will be a good, we were talking about the a he’ll be a good marker for him, right? And those guys,
Sevan Matossian (21:30):
I don’t think,
Bill Grundler (21:31):
I don’t think Rose and Stevenson, I think those guys will bump out. I think that there’ll be someone from the bottom heat that will pop in and throw a wrench into the work. I don’t think those guys will be above Colton and, and, uh, or Cole, honestly. How
John Young (21:42):
Is Mitchell with Legos rope climbs, do you know?
Bill Grundler (21:48):
Uh,
Sevan Matossian (21:49):
In, you know what they are?
JR Howell (21:51):
Mitchell’s pretty good at most, at most all skills. Like from what Brian’s told me, I think that’s one of the reasons why Brian picked him to qualify this week.
Bill Grundler (21:58):
He was 51st. He was 51st in the quarter final event out of that. And, uh, actually he beat co he beat, uh, Colton in that, in that event, that last semi event with the rope climbs or, uh, quarter final event with the rope climbs.
Sevan Matossian (22:14):
Let me, let me propose this to you guys. And, and correct me if I’m wrong, the, the nuance here that we’re dealing with, with Colton Mertons, anyone else who would be in Colton Merton’s spot right now that we were concerned about, we would be concerned because they would get stuck somewhere, right? Like, we would be concerned. Did Ellie get stuck on the ropes? Did Laura Hbe get stuck on the handstand pushups with Colton? He’s a hundred percent capable of everything. It’s just the fact that it’s gonna be slower because of his size, right? And it’s, it’s a, it’s a, it’s a weird nuance. It puts him in a totally unique category, right? He needs, we’re getting penalized by the refs. Say that again. Go ahead. Jer. Am am I off there?
JR Howell (22:48):
There’s a, in this workout though, he will be able to make some of that time, theoretically that he’ll lose on other movements. Like his overhead squat cadence will be faster for 40 reps than anyone else’s. His right, his
Bill Grundler (23:01):
20 pushups,
JR Howell (23:02):
Pushups will be faster even if someone else goes unbroken than anyone else’s. And really, I think the seated standard
John Young (23:10):
Helps
JR Howell (23:11):
Benefits him a ton. Because historically in Legos, road climb workouts, everyone gets to jump. Some people jump halfway up the road and he has to take four extra poles. He doesn’t, he doesn’t have that disadvantage here. So maybe he misses out on like six extra inches of reach to start the rep. But then after that it, it, the playing field is, is a little bit leveled on this movement
Sevan Matossian (23:34):
Back
Brian Spin (23:34):
Down. He has, he has extra inches to keep his feet from touching the ground on the way back down too.
Sevan Matossian (23:40):
But, but they’re, but normally when we’re as worried about someone as Colton, it’s because they a hole. And it’s not that this dude has a hole, meaning he hasn’t put in the work to get every skill. The hole is just that he’s fucking just not the right size to be at the best level. We’re we’re, we’re rooting for a fucking pony at the fucking Kentucky Derby.
Bill Grundler (24:00):
Yeah. I I think you’re rooting, you’re rooting for a Chris Spieler. That’s all. It’s, I mean,
Sevan Matossian (24:05):
But, but even Spieler had some shortcomings, right? And, and, and, and Colton just doesn’t, I mean, even his snatch was great. Like, we’re happy with it. We’re not like, oh, he’s small and weak. It’s not like that.
Bill Grundler (24:14):
No, no, no. He’s not small and weak. But I mean, like, you’re gonna have every athlete’s gonna have some sort of a mechanical advantage or, or disadvantage based on, on your heights. So where he is, he’s just on that end of the spectrum. So it kind of is what it is. But yeah, I mean, he’s right there. And in event six, he, with the overhead squat and the handstand pushups, he will be the best on those, on those movements. The best. How much it’s gonna be how with a, he’s gonna have a shorter reach on the, on the rope. And that granted, it’s not like you’re jumping or anything like that, but there is gonna be a little bit shorter and it’s gonna be how hard he knows he’s on that line. So does he push, if he does the unbroken and die, what is the third, what is the fourth rope climb gonna look like?
John Young (24:56):
He’s gonna touch and go those rope climb.
Sevan Matossian (24:58):
Thanks. So, and Peter, Peter, I want to, this is a great question. Why the love for Colton? He’s so solely a spoiler factor if he makes the games, is it that he’s a specialist that illustrates how some events are 90% genetics? No, you know what it is? He’s a walking, um, uh, conundrum. He’s, he’s a walking paradox. He’s basically falkowski. He’s probably one of the smartest guys out there in the field. Hundred percent. He, he maybe has the highest IQ of anyone out there. He’s fucking tiny. He’s so short in stature, and yet he’s out there competing. He’s the other end of the outlier of Falkowski. He shouldn’t a man. Crazy work ethic. Yeah. Shouldn’t be there. And yet he’s doing it with not only fitness, but with, uh, incredible intelligence. And yet he’s not, he doesn’t talk much. That’s what was so crazy about his interview. That’s the most anyone’s ever heard. He strung eight sentences together in three jokes. I mean, he, uh, you can’t get your head wrapped around the guy. He’s a, um, and kind of an enigma, right?
Bill Grundler (25:51):
He’s a very fun underdog to cheer for. He’s, he’s just, he’s
Sevan Matossian (25:55):
And a capable underdog. You’re not throwing your money away,
Bill Grundler (25:58):
Right? No, no. Not at all. He is. I mean, it is. That’s actually a really good comment. He is the exact opposite of Falkowski.
Sevan Matossian (26:05):
And that’s why flip side,
John Young (26:06):
That’s why we root for Falkowski too. This stuff. Yeah. Makowski getting fourth and the ring muscle up pistol Barbie workout is insane.
Sevan Matossian (26:13):
Massive. Because watching go over that box jump is ridiculous, right? With the rock on.
Bill Grundler (26:18):
Well, just everything, the, the range of motion he has on the pistols, the, the, the having to turn over on the, on the muscle up on all of that, that’s not a, that’s not a tall guy event until you get to that box Jump hunk.
Sevan Matossian (26:32):
Who’s this? Oh, okay. Easy. Yeah. Wow.
John Young (26:37):
Yeah. Colton’s doesn’t look like that, but, uh, <laugh>
Sevan Matossian (26:39):
God. Elijah, Elijah looked. Hey, Elijah looked like, gee, right there. Didn’t he?
John Young (26:44):
Little
Sevan Matossian (26:44):
Bit. Yeah. Just a darker version of, gee, that was crazy. Look at him. Wow. I thought that was Gee, at first. Crazy. Alright, uh, I also wanna look at Patrick Vener. What a stud. What a stud.
John Young (26:59):
He’s about to run away with this too.
Sevan Matossian (27:00):
He’s, he is gonna crush these two events. Uh, 15th, third, third, sixth, first J Why does Pat do so poorly at first events? Is it just the nature of programming that are they always put long ones in, that’s just the way CrossFit does it? Or am I making it up? He doesn’t always do poor at first events. What’s going on?
JR Howell (27:18):
No, I, I think there’s a lot of people that, that love to subs love to subscribe to that narrative, but I, I’ve been told by some people that were there that it, it looked like that may have been a little bit more of a equipment malfunction versus like, uh, lactate blowing up issue that maybe that there, there was something kind of wonky going on with the sled on the, on the very last, uh, three trips on the sled pole
Sevan Matossian (27:43):
Dump. Alright. All right. Uh, uh, at the end of the date, um, can we see that little video of Vener I got in the, in, in the, uh, Instagram? Mr. Beaver, uh, Vel Vener is gonna win this. Yeah.
John Young (27:55):
The, uh, the event. Yeah. The, the whole thing. Yeah. Yeah. He take and, and, and honestly it’s gonna be dominating fashion because everybody below him right now are, is not gonna be where he’s gonna be in event six. Uh, Maderas is the closest one, uh, who’s gonna be similar to his ability and he’s a hundred points ahead of Justin.
Sevan Matossian (28:17):
Uh, body composition, uh, in the most superficial sense, uh, uh, Vener looking as good as he is ever looked.
JR Howell (28:23):
I feel like he’s looked, he’s looked like that for years. He’s, he’s always actually been someone other than the pigmentation that I’ve like, wanted to look like
Sevan Matossian (28:30):
<laugh>
John Young (28:34):
Most compliment. I’ve
Sevan Matossian (28:36):
Never heard, I’ve never heard JR talk like that. Holy shit, I didn’t know you were so superficial. JR. Holy shit. You’ve been hiding that <laugh>.
JR Howell (28:44):
Dude, my grandmother’s from dude, my grandmother’s from <inaudible>, Colombia, so like, I’m pretty tan. So other than that, like Matt Chan really early on, I was like, man, I want that like trash trashcan, midline type look. And Pat’s had that for years and years and years. So like when I look at guys and I’m like, I wanna look like that. It’s Pat
John Young (29:03):
For sure. He’s got a, he’s very nice. Alright,
Sevan Matossian (29:05):
Hold on guys. We’ll get back to Pat in a second. The, the press conference is about to start. Let’s swing over there. Uh, that was a great, uh, great note to switch on. <laugh> dom. Thank you. Dom, can you hear us by the way?
John Young (29:20):
Yes, I can hear. Oh,
Sevan Matossian (29:21):
Okay. Thank you Dom. Great seating right up in the front. Uh, ladies and gentlemen, Don fall final
Speaker 6 (29:26):
Day of the North America West semifinal. Uh, today we’re excited that a bunch of athletes are going to punch tickets to the crossword games in Madison, and we are delighted to have crossword John, us
Sevan Matossian (29:42):
Don looking fit his shit
Speaker 6 (29:43):
For anyone in the back of the room. You’re more than welcome to join us at the crossroad activation space. First, I’d just like to welcome all the fans been here. Uh, I’d like to thank the press for, for doing your jobs and helping us promote this for
Sevan Matossian (29:57):
You’re welcome. You’re welcome to.
The above transcript is generated using AI technology and therefore may contain errors.
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