Challenge Retrospective: Exes 2 Awards
While we have the objective history of the Challenge in the wikias, and the show intact to look back on to see how great the olden days were, we are missing some big things: AWARDS. As a major basketball fan, my friends and I spend hours on discussing who the league MVP is, who the rookie of the year is, and who are the top players per position are. I began with Fresh Meat 1, and now done the Duel 1,Inferno 3, Gauntlet 3, the Island, the Duel 2, the Ruins, Fresh Meat 2, Cutthroat, Rivals 1, Exes 1, Battle of the Seasons, Rivals 2, Free Agents, and now Exes 2 If you want links to them, they’ll be at the bottom of this article.
Exes 2 is a season of politics, social game, and awesome eliminations. There was an incredible amount of creativity used to make the elimination on Exes 2. The better the eliminations, the better the week to week excitement. It was an incredible season, and one of the last recent ones with a complete superstar cast.
The Rules: I will be giving out an MVP award for both male and female competitors on the season. MVP does not just go out to the pair that won the season, but the individual competitor who brought the most to the show: physically, socially, mentally, entertainment wise, hook ups, arguments, circumstances, etc. I will be naming First Team All Challenge, and Second Team All Challenge. These will be 5 person lineups consisting of the best/most important competitors from that season using the MVP criteria, and it can be 5 guys and 0 girls, or 5 girls and 0 guys, or just 3 guys and 2 girls. It will consist of 5 competitors regardless of gender.
Rookie of the Year awards will be given to both genders, and I will also be giving awards out for Most Disappointing Players of the Season(both genders), Top Physical Competitors, and Underdog of the Season. Here we go:
MVPs
Male: Wes Bergmann Female: Sarah Rice
The game Wes played on Exes 2 was pure brilliance, best season politically ever done a microscopic level. One of the other top 5 political seasons, and possibly the second best was by Sarah Rice on Exes 2.
From the get-go, Sarah was dead-set on winning. This was Sarah’s 8th Challenge, and after making three finals past, she needed to finally win, especially after an early exit on Rivals 2 due to a partner quitting on her for the second time! She had been gifted with an incredible physical partner in Jordan. Sarah told him to shut up and listen to her. They played the game knowing that the Wes-Bananas rivalry would split the house down the middle, and that they were likable enough to play the middle. The best part was that Sarah told Bananas that if worst comes to worst between him and Wes and she has to decided their fate, “that he already knows what she will do”. Sarah told Wes the same thing.
They played a good game, winning 3 daily missions, the most important final two, winning an elimination, and ultimately throwing Bananas into the final elimination, which clinched her the win on the season. After a long wait, she finally became a Champion.
Rookie of the Year
Male: Adam Kuhn Female: Averey Tressler
We were blessed with two beautiful rookies on Exes 2. Adam Kuhn was one of the first players to have ever come from AYTO, and he did not disappoint. Adam won 3 eliminations, finally losing on the fourth to Reilly. The wins were not against impressive opponents, however, they were impressive considering his partner, Brittany, brought nothing to the table. In Exile, Adam had a good match with Bananas in Pole Wrestle. He also did well in swimming missions.
Averey and Reilly originally declined Exes 2, as their breakup was really dirty and the open wounds were still there. After begging from producers, they were finally able to get the two of them, they showed up, realizing the bad blood and emotions was in fact still there. The two obviously loved each other, way different from most Exes couples. Had they been able to work together, I think this team would have been the 3rd best.
She won 2 eliminations, and performed well in every mission that was only physical, not requiring teamwork. During the swimming missions she was behind Theresa and Sarah, which is crazy impressive. In the elimination she lost against Nia, she spent an hour going up against a girl twice her size.
First Team All Challenge
Wes Bergmann, Sarah Rice, LeRoy Garrett, Johnny Bananas, Theresa Gonzalez
While Wes had an incredible political season, LeRoy had one of the craziest physical seasons ever. Nia was bad at daily missions, LeRoy was bad at swimming, leading to them seeing four eliminations, two of which due to last place finishes. He went on to destroy the game in the dome. LeRoy won four eliminations, beating Bananas, Reilly, Wes, and Bananas again. To add to that, he played the most physical eliminations a person can play in Pole Wrestle and Hall Brawl. Add in a second place finish in the final to put the cherry on top. He was a straight up assassin.
Bananas won a daily mission, performing decently throughout the season. Although the exiles were pretty bogus, Bananas still went on to win four of them in order to get back into the game. Theresa makes it for being the best female athletically, killing endurance missions, killing puzzles, killing swimming missions, and winning 3 daily missions. Her elimination against Nia was admirable. Nia had 10–20 lbs on her, along with a running start in Hall Brawl due to Wes being on the floor, waiting for LeRoy to pass him.
Second Team All Challenge
Nia Moore, Jordan Wiseley, Nany Gonzalez
In memory of: Diem Brown and Ryan Knight
This was the last Challenge for Diem and Knight, each lost their lives after filming this season for different reasons. Regardless, these were the two memorable people.
Diem is the most courageous person in Challenge history, the way she battled cancer and came on these shows was incredibly admirable. Knight came on the Real World as a recovering drug addict who had become addicted on pain killers after two shoulder tears that ruined his hockey career (he was a college hockey player). He lost his life due to an overdose.
Nia won 3 eliminations and a daily mission. I do not condone sexual harassment and she deserved to be removed before the final. However, she called Nany a “cum guzzling slut”, which is so fucked up, but I can’t believe that was said on a reality show. That had me standing up in shock.
Jordan won the season. Quiet season for him despite winning. Most of his drama was with Sarah, that Sarah made up out of nowhere. Nany was a major reason why her and Bananas won 4 exiles. She dominated all the other eliminated females.
Best Physical Players
Male: Jordan Wiseley Female: Theresa Gonzalez
LeRoy as a raw physical beast was the best, Wes was winning the most missions, while Jordan was a good mix of it all. He was a killer athlete who demolished the final of Exes 2. Even the strongest competitors show weakness in the final, Jordan kept pushing.
Theresa won in all sorts of missions, and had the mentality of Jordan during the final. LeRoy put them so behind in the water. Theresa ran the whole time throughout the final, hellbent on catching Sarah.
Most Disappointing Players
Male: Zach Nichols Female: Nany Gonzalez
The way that Zach acted with Jonna was atrocious. He called women, “Swamp Donkeys”, and verbally abused Jonna to the point that she was terrified to attempt anything without confirmation from Zach. The crazy thing is that Jonna performed pretty well on the season, if Zach wanted better, then he should have done better himself.
After a second place finish on Free Agents, Nany looked like she should have made the final again with an open field of no champions. No Laurel, no Emily, no Evelyn, no Paula, and heck, no Camila even. Instead, even with Bananas as her partner, they only won 1 daily mission all season. Ironically, it was the sex mission.
