They like to make champions amd create drama. Always been a TV show rather than sport. Same reason they didn’t invite Kaz for 5 years.
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Interesting. Always knew that notion was true. Kind of makes sense.
I mean if the contest was a million carry and endurance events similar to the 1990-2008 era of strongman, random polish guys stuffed on chocolate are gonna take the trophy and run with it. That’d be very unfortunate for the giants.
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Exactly. I dont really know much about the other strongmens lives but eddie hall was working 50-60 hours a week with a labour strenous job right up until he quit and got sponsored a couple of years ago.
I watched some of the US shows on CBS sports for the first time this year when they were on, and then watched the UK version of the heats and finals last week (on my computer using a VPN). The UK shows are WAY better than CBS’ ones, actually pretty enjoyable TV even for those not particularly interested in strongman.
It was much better back when it was on ESPN.
I think they (and Mario) were clearly a cut above the rest of the competitors. Nothing against the rest they are obv great just to be there.
Mario was the class then Z and now Shaw. Thor probably will take the reigns in the next few years as Shaw declines.
I will never judge an athlete for doing what they can to ensure their future. Their careers are very short and on top that most of them are not making very much and their bodies will be broken by 40.
Having said that I love Thor and dont like him somehow. I think he is hilarious in his commercials and bad ass in GoT and fun to watch in competition but when he says he is the future of strength that just rubs me the wrong way. Not a huge fan of crying about the results but I understand that you are doing what ever you can to win.
Not standing on the podium though he had better have been in the shitter, that is inexcusable.
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1 million times this. Being a good sport is easy when you win… and builds character when you fail.
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Think it was recorded a few months ago but posted a few days ago.
Anyone seen the winner’s story documentary? Just watching it now and it’s really interesting. A lot of behind the scenes stuff and interviews of Eddie going through the day. Kind of like the Fittest on Earth films but for WSM.
Intetestingly he says he thinks he’s good for a deadlift over 500kg, up to 520-530.
Is that before or after the 500 made him bleed from his eyes, ears, and nose, and go blind for a few days? He’s a beast but there have to be limits.
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Anyone notice Martins Licis? He was super light, young and seemed like he’ll be a force soon.
There’s currently a bunch of young guys who are super explosive and not 200kg.
If the weights stay how they are, they’ll have no choice but to get up there.
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definitely a regional thing. All promoters are different. I’ve never seen a barbell clean and jerk advertised for a show in Texas, Oklahoma, or Louisana, the states I generally look to compete in. And I look through a lot of events. I rarely see light max distances. The last time I did a max distance was a 285 lbs hussafel stone, as a 198 competitor. I didn’t think it was light… And I see a decent variety of weights for yoke. For the classes I’ve competed in, it’s always heavier than anything I want to touch. I’ve never see less than 525 I think for lightweight men.
I watched it on channel 5 in the UK. I’m not sure where else you’d be able to find it.
Damn. Thanks anyway man
Is that what it’s called? I can’t even see anything on Google.
I’m not sure of the exact name, it seemed to be called different things on the TV guide to the advertisements I saw for it. I think on the TV guide it was just like the last episode of World’s Strongest Man 2017.
I HATE “Last Man Standing”. So much so that I wrote to the organisers of World’s Strongest Man, as follows.
Complaint about silly “Last Man Standing” event
I am a fan of World’s Strongest Man and usually watch it every year.
But I have a complaint about this year’s competition.
So called “Last Man Standing” isn’t in my opinion a fair test of strength like normal stone lifting competitions are, because a massive disadvantage is given to those who go first who have to lift the stone may more times.
It just looks unfair and what’s the point because the positions are never going to change in that final event. If you are at the top of the leader board you will stay there. It takes all the excitement out of the final event. You might as well go and put the kettle on. Really, really stupid.
Giants Live Limited replied -
Dear Tom
In the last two years there has been almost 50 percent of heats qualifying the top two before the final event.
If you’re an athlete, you prefer to have a punchers chance, than zero chance - because the top two have already qualified after five events. this was becoming very common boring theme and there was no point watching the last 10 minutes – It really is time to go put the kettle on then – make sense?
So - last man standing was born
It must be unfair - or what was the point of second place athlete fighting in the first five events –a punchers chance is all the others fairly deserve.
Hope that makes sense and explains it
I replied to Giants Live Limited
Hi and thanks for taking the time to answer.
Consider the 50+ percent of heats where at least the second place or both first and second place qualifying positions are still very much in contention as they come to the last event - often the Atlas stones, a big favourite with the fans - I always watched the final event stones -never found it boring, even if the qualifying positions were settled - which used to be the dramatic last event before Last Man Standing ruined it.
Now the Last Man Standing event robs the competition of a fair last event for those challenging for the top or second place qualifying positions.
The person ranked second before the final event, going last in the Last Man Standing has a massive advantage that he may not have had coming into the final event - he may have been only one point ahead of 2 or 3 others after the penultimate event - but no worries because Last Man Standing is rigged for he who was 2nd and goes last in Last Man Standing.
It is also a terribly gruelling event which I think is going to risk the strongmen’s health - apart from the first place who doesn’t do it at all and the second place going into the final event who does less work.
It is also gives an unfair advantage in the final to the first place winners of the qualifying rounds who don’t do Last Man Standing and therefore go into the final having done one less event than all the second place qualifiers. 1st place qualifiers have the one extra event to rest. That makes the final rigged as well.
I’m really don’t want to know who is the luckiest puncher in the world. I want to know who the strongest man in the world is.
You’ve rigged it with Last Man Standing. You’ve ruined it with Last Man Standing.
I’m certainly going to make this point complaining on the internet. You are an idiot and I am going to make sure that the world knows it.
Tom, I think you may be taking a TV show a little too seriously.
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