Barstool vs America Episode One Recap: Is Mush Smart?

 

“SHE'S IS TOO WEAK, SHE IS TOO DUMB, SHE COULDN'T DO THE PUZZLE!"

Barstool vs America season two is off and running! After an awesome first season filled with betrayal, laughs, and nooners, Jeff D Lowe and the team are back for season two in what is sure to be the most dramatic Barstool reality show yet. Right off the bat upon the cast list announcement I was stoked for this season, eight great contestants with a lot of Barstool reality show experience between them, and the promise of the most ambitious season of reality competition content from Barstool yet. In this blog I am gonna recap the first episode with my thoughts on some of the key moments from the gangs time in Florida, where I think things stand after one episode, and what to look forward to in episode two.

So, to kick things off the three pairs of dynamic duos (plus Alex and Keegs) were split up in two teams with Pat, Dana, Alex and Nick on the Blue team and KB, Joey, Keegs, and Mush on the Yellow team. Now, I know a lot of people will dislike the fact that by splitting up the duos you're basically guaranteeing that the losing team will be invited to the beach house no matter who wins, and while that is probably true, the cash prize is obviously the real prize, and with the winning team being able to either kick someone out of the prize share or take someone from the other side to join them in their prize share, I think that splitting up the friendships is gonna lead to some great content specifically near the end of the competition. I wouldn't be surprised to see captains kicking off their own teammates purely based upon what alliances they could have on the other side.

Now with that being said let's talk about the key points of the episode. The first core difference between the yellow and blue teams came right away with the 1k note that Nick and Marty both found. Nick chose to share the note with his team, while Marty kept it to himself. Now I don't blame Marty for not sharing the prize money as there is a sizable difference between 250 and 1,000 dollars, and Marty is a degenerate gambler, having some experience in that realm myself I can tell you that not telling the team is pretty much the same as adding an extra leg to your can't lose parlay. Sure you probably will come out on top if you take less money, but if you believe in your strategy, why not roll the dice on that extra leg for the big payout? That's what Marty did and so far it seems to be working out just fine. On the other hand, I think Nick's move is a real testament to how he is gonna attack this season, and similarly, how he came a Trysta Krick vote away from winning Surviving Barstool. Much like Aliza Jane was with the Phoenix Suns, Nick is very much for the team. By sharing the prize money Nick gained favor with his team before the game even started. This strategy of coming off as the laid back friendly guy while still making calculated social moves worked really well for Nick in Surviving Barstool and I feel like it should work well again here.

At the captain's challenge, Dana guaranteed a win despite the scientific laws of resistance and gravity being heavily against his favor, and it ended up being Pat and Marty winning captainship for their teams. Now although I disagreed with Marty's strategic choice to keep the money for himself, he actually did a great job covering for himself after the challenge with the fake note and adapting to find it in front of Joey when he had to do something on the spot. Incredibly smart for a guy who got famous by having a similar intellect to his pet bird when watching the fourth quarter of mid-major basketball games.

The team challenge was the real highlight of the episode, talk about a shitshow. Both teams struggled, Keegs couldn't read a map, Joey broke Florida's public indecency laws on multiple occasions, and Dana nearly died of heat exhaustion, but at the end after much back and forth Nick came in clutch for the Blue team and bodied the puzzle to secure the win. Jeff then told the crew that Nick would now be tasked with kicking one of the remaining contestant out of the game, an almost impossible decision to make yet Nick handled it perfectly kicking off the one person who wouldn't hold it against him, KB. Absolute strategic masterclass and just a hilarious bit by Nick to kick off his best friend right away and keep his hands clean of any bad blood. We then saw Glenny would be joining the yellow team to replace KB and the teams are heading off to Nashville.

Here are my takeaways from episode one:

1. Villain Pat is in full swing.

I definitely expected Pat to come out swinging early and boy was i not disappointed. From openly stirring up drama with the yellow team on the bus about who found the note, to already planning to cut Dana Beers out, to just eviscerating Kelly with an all-time quote "She's too weak...she's too dumb...she can't do the puzzle!" Pat is already taking the cake for villain of the season just one episode in and I'm loving it.

2. Keegs On The Chopping Block?

I am a big fan of Kelly Keegs. I said when I covered Surviving Barstool that I wish she was my cool older cousin who bought me beer and told me which of my aunts was going to rehab for abusing pain killers, but fact of the matter is Keegs is in a shitty position right now. She let her team down in the challenge hardcore, is a known social deviant (and wiccan), and almost gave Joey a heat stroke because she was reading a map upside down for a comically long time. You gotta think that after that episode Keegs is probably next in line to go home, maybe from her own teammates if given the chance. Now, Kelly is really good at the social game so maybe she can work her way out of this, but as of now I think Keegs is in a tough position.

3. Marty Is Smart?

Flabbergasted by Mush being able to get away with that fake note move. Everything about it was a little sketch from the beginning, yet Marty adapted at every turn to make it work. Just wild stuff coming from his brain.

4. Joey Camasta: Very Funny

I don't know who needs to hear this, but Joey is arguably Barstool's funniest new hire. Just steals the show on everything he does.

5. Dana Beers Is A Baller

Sure he broke the bed in the RV and caught a little flack for being the husky guy of the group. But let me tell you, Dana B is a BALLER. Battling through heat stroke in a way that only someone who averaged a double double in MIAA high school ball could do, definitely should gain him respect of his peers down the line and dare I say, bring him a step closer to being back?

6. Nick Looks Like Someone Who Would Be Good At Puzzles

No further comment

7. Alex Was Lowkey, Is That A Good Thing

Alex didn't do too much in episode one, but that isn't a bad thing. The goal is to survive and one could argue that just not fucking up will do that. Plus her and Kelly not being as tight as some of the other duos actually could work in her favor as she won't be seen as a threat to make the prize split five ways by the other team. 

8. Jeff D Lowe Is The Man

Has anyones stock risen so mediorically since the Dunkin awards? Jeff D Lowe and the D is for Does not ever miss. Between this, the dozen, the bracket, and lights camera I probably would even watch a Darren Rovell podcast if Jeff D Lowe was his co-anchor.

Anyway that was my way too long recap of episode one. Episode two coming soon!