Going into Wednesday night’s Challenge episode, I thought I had it figured out. I was all set to write up something on how Abram is actually one of the all time greats, and how we never really knew it because of how he spread out his appearances on the series. He clearly was the leader on his team for this Challenge, and anytime someone can immediately step and take charge, and the rest of the team is fine with this, that signifies that that player is an elite. Or at least, viewed by the rest of the players as an elite. Because after Wednesday night’s episode, I honestly don’t know what to make of Abram.
Abram did all the things that someone may think a leader should do like volunteering to sit out and let the team show what they can do and also yelling a cheerleading the rest of the team. But true leaders recognize their qualities that make them the elite and make sure they are in the battle leading by example. Abram is the best player the grey team has. Regardless of his noble intentions, if he was a true leader, he would have done the challenge instead of trying to motivate others. Would Michael Jordan ever sit out a competition? Would he ever delegate to others to be “the man.” This became the whole crux of the debate with Lebron James’ decision to take his talents to Dwayne Wade’s team. He said he was putting the team before himself and being a true leader. But in that instance, just like with Abram, that was not being a true leader.
Predictably, the decision by Abram to sit out and cheerlead his team to victory failed tremendously. Abram further dumbfounded us by volunteering to go into the Gulag (still can’t get over that they named the elimination round the Gulag). You’re the best player on your team and you are volunteering yourself to go home? What happens if you do lose the Gulag? By trying to be a leader and step up, Abram potentially did way more harm than good. Now, clearly Abram is a good guy who wants to be noble and valiant. But this isn’t what his team needs. They need someone who is, and my sincere apologies for what I’m about to say, more cutthroat. Now I get the show!
But the complete reevaluation of Abram has also made me rethink the entire way I value competitors on this show. As I’ve alluded to a few times, I’m trying to formulate a list of the best competitors in the history of the show. Everything from number of final Challenge victories, appearances, times booted off the show, and record in elimination challenges are being considered. But I’m seeing that there are really two, maybe even three, different types of Challenges that benefit players differently.
The two main types of challenges are the team-based (where it’s good guys vs. bad asses or men vs. women) and the individual challenge (often where you have a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place guy and girl. You could argue that the teams of two challenge is also separate, but for now let’s lump them with individual challenges. Obviously, it is much easier to win a challenge when you are part of a team. As long as your team keeps winning, you don’t have to worry about strategy too much or your own flaws being exposed. That’s why we often see 8 people win a final challenge. Guys like Abram and Johnny “Domestic Violence” do well in those types of competitions. But isn’t the individual challenge really the more accurate assessment of the best competitor? It forces them to make alliances and hope it sustains them to the end. There have been challenges where the final 3 never had to go into an elimination round until the final one. Once you make it to the final challenge, it’s all about you first two other competitors. Then all the strategy and scheming goes out the window. The strongest, smartest, and toughest survive.
Let’s apply this argument to the real world. Or, the real world as far as reality t.v. competitions go. In my analysis, I saw that Adam (RW Paris) successfully made it to a final challenge. However, he was with at least 8 other people (Gauntlet 3). Barely anyone from his team even had to go into an elimination round since they were so much better than the other team. So can we really say that his appearance was based on his skills as an athlete and strategist? I say no. Let’s compare that to Brad. Brad has never won a Challenge, and the conventional thought is he just sucks at them. But hold on a second. Besides making it to a couple of team final challenges, Brad also placed second individually in the Duel 2, losing to Evan and besting Mark. Brad has fewer wins on the show than Tonya, but obviously they aren’t equally valued.
Now we can simply just say that the best people are the ones who won individual challenges, and to a large extent that is true. But the fact is that the vast majority of these seasons are based on the team format. So we are forced to judge the level of greatness on these seasons, as well. And that’s why we see Abram as an elite competitor. He won two challenges, made 3 final challenges, and likely would have won another on the Island had he not asked to leave the show. But now we see that he is on a team of only 10 players. He must step up and show himself to be elite instead of relying on other people to share the load of greatness. And so far, I don’t think he is. There is a lot of season left, but so far it does not look like Abram is on the level of guys like Evan, Kenny, and Mark.
Finally, this whole issue of different types of challenges is stupid. Every other reality competition has it where there is one winner. Because this is such an athletically-based competition, it is justifiable to have a male and female winner. But the team competitions tend to not be so interesting. There is something about seeing 10 people declare themselves winners and wind up getting only $10,000 after taxes that just doesn’t do it for me. I would love to see this go to individualized challenges. With the egos in place, could you imagine how competitive it would be with Johnny, Evan, Derrick, CT, and Kenny battling it out year after year to see who is really the best? Or Evelyn, Laurel, and Sarah (Brooklyn) seeing who is alpha-female? I’d love it. The only problem is this type of game dissuades some marginal players and just awful players (Katie, Casey) from considering to play. These are surely entertaining personalities and we want them to be a part of it. But something in my gut tells me that offering these social rejects a month in a luxurious location and all the booze and Subway they can consume probably takes care of the incentive issue.
Now, I’m not complaining. I still thoroughly enjoy the show the way it is now. But for the sports nut in me who loves to compare athletes, I would definitely enjoy a switch in format.
I think Brad wins it this year. Mark it down.
P.S. After I finished this blog, I learned that TJ Lavin, the greatest host the Challenge has ever had, injured himself during a BMX competition and was put into a medically-induced coma. My thoughts are with him and his family. The prognosis looks hopeful, and let’s all just hope he fully recovers and is back to TJ Lavining it in no time.
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