I just got off the blower with Top Shot contestant Paul Marinaccio, eliminated from the competition in Tuesday’s episode. As I suspected, the NJ Detective’s chances of taking the Top Shot title came a cropper thanks (in part) to the Corner Shot’s video screen. “The glare was so bad [that] I didn’t know I’d hit the target until Colby called it out . . . Jake [above] was wearing a hat that shaded his eyes so he could see the screen. But in any case he slammed it.” When TTAG asked the critical question—are Colby’s teeth really that white?—Marinaccio laughed for a good fifteen seconds. And proceeded to change the subject. Needless to say, I wasn’t going to let it go that easily . . .
“No seriously. Are they really that white?”
“Yes.”
“Are they the whitest teeth you’ve ever seen?”
“Let’s just say there was a lot of off-camera discussion about Colby’s dental hygiene.”
“So is that a yes?”
“I couldn’t say.”
“How would you describe them?”
“They’re brilliant white.”
“Does Colby ever take his hands off his hips?”
“Yes. But a number of people on set imitated his stance.”
Marinaccio had more important matters to discuss (once I let him). Specifically, he defended Sara Ahrens’ piss-poor performance in her elimination contest. The Rockford, Illinois SWAT team member famously declared that she failed to get rounds on target because “I’m not used to shooting next to people.”
“She misquoted herself,” Marinaccio insisted. Huh? “She’s a soldier, police officer and SWAT team member; it’s impossible that she’s hasn’t shot next to someone.” And the truth is . . .
“Sara had an officer-involved shooting that had a fatal ending for the suspect. The competition had friend and foe targets. She was afraid that if she hit a friend target on national TV and [then] had an on-duty shooting again they’d use it against her.”
Involved how? “Sara pulled the trigger.” Which is not to say that Ahrens threw the match to avoid legal liability. She was frazzled by the prospect. Wait; a SWAT team member who gets frazzled?
Marinaccio takes the point that perhaps Ahrens should have been able to shoot under pressure, anyway. He quickly leapfrogged to a larger point: the general inadequacy of police firearms training.
“We don’t put our officers under enough pressure when they train,” the cop and firearms instructor revealed. “The State’s more concerned about political correctness than they are about an officer’s ability to handle stress in an actual shooting situation. We’re still using FBI Q targets with bowling balls.”
Sounds like the foundation of a Top Shot challenge to me. Anyway, you’ll be pleased to know that Marinaccio supports Garden State citizens’ Second Amendment rights “absolutely. One hundred percent.” In fact, “everybody she be able to carry a gun if [they’re] qualified to do so.”
Ah yes, qualified. “I don’t think people should be able to walk into a gun store and walk out with a gun in their waistband.” Of course not. They should put it in a proper holster.
At this point in the convo the Schnauzers went wild, testing my ability to interview under high decibel stress. Let’s just say I was eliminated even more quickly than Marinaccio. But after talking to Top Shot’s most recent reject (sorry Paul), I can’t wait to do it next week with the next eliminatee.
[Click here for Top Shot Fantasy Game: The Gauntlet]
“The glare was so bad [that] I didn’t know I’d hit the target until Colby called it out.”
quoting nutnfancy, “excuse alert”
maybe it was because the blue team a majority decided to go against the rules of elimination, selecting people based on performance, this is not a popularity content and the Christan camp (guy pompously stated that he “doubted jake’s marksmanship skills”) has he EVER been in danger or shot at before? i seriously doubt it. Their little scheme blew up in their face.
The ginger on the red team also has the audacity to state that he could beat Jake in a fight, an interesting joke.
Soap opera for men.
maybe it was because the blue team a majority decided to go against the rules of elimination, selecting people based on performance,
There are no rules for who gets put up for elimination. And if a person is a detriment to the team, up they should go. See Kelly in a previous season. He got a lot of crap for being non military but who came back time and time again from elimination? Kelly did. He didn’t end up winning but it was obvious he was a pretty good shooter.
this is not a popularity contest …..has he EVER been in danger or shot at before? i seriously doubt it.
Sour grapes? Need a popsickle? 🙂 Who says this isn’t also about how contestants interact with their teammates? Perhaps you missed the memo, but a lot about life is team driven. Perhaps you’re looking for a self centered egomaniac who can’t admit he isn’t perfect. Personally I think that’s exactly what’s wrong with many people in this country.
BTW – if you recall in the 1st episode Jake couldn’t get his AK to function under stress. And he hasn’t done a stellar in subsequent events. Regardless of his resume, he’s an average shooter in my opinion. And you’d think he’d grasp the concept of being a good team member so everyone rises each occasion. Don’t they teach ‘team’ concepts in seal training? He’s forgotten. Instead Jake’s a sore loser, sleeping outside, and all but ensuring his team has a harder time performing on the next show. Sorry, that’s not ‘winning’ behavior. Everyone loses on occasion. Be graceful, deal with adversity, get back on the horse, work with others, and increase your chances that the next time around so the OTHER team takes a hit. That’s what winning adults do.
The ginger on the red team also has the audacity to state that he could beat Jake in a fight, an interesting joke.
Agree here. Mike isn’t exactly fantastic either. An expert in shotgun who can hardly hit any targets. Lol. Ideally I’d like to see Jake and Mike face off if they both make it past the team elimination stages.
“if you recall in the 1st episode Jake couldn’t get his AK to function under stress”
dude he was the only one who ran the course 2x’s. Do you really think peoplae are not familiarized with the “main bad guy gun” at BUD’S? i’m not a die hard jake fan, but there was an obvious cabal to get jake kicked off, the man is a football coach, he def knows about being on a team. its not a democratic process. people listen and follow orders from the NCO’s and officers, not argue like this past episode’s blue team practice session, i honestly felt bad for Ian.
the christian guy sold himself like he was so holy, then devolved into a whiny little girl, i would love to see someone slap him.
“Ideally I’d like to see Jake and Mike face off if they both make it past the team elimination stages.”
totally, man that would be awesome.
“I’m not a gun nut, not a gun guy and I never will be” Jake Zweig.
I hope his arrogant ass he gets eliminated ASAP!
Jake’s problem is that he thinks he’s the leader by default, but this isn’t a high school football team where he was hired to lead.
It never ceases to amaze me how the more qualified (SWAT, National Champions, Ninja etc) the contestants appear the worse they shoot; and how much better the good old boy, retired military do. It’s almost like the shooting competitions are set up to win the competitions rather than actually shoot well outside their very arbitrary rules.
The producers really do need to find ladies that can that can shoot well in practice rather than theory. Perhaps a good start is to find none Ninja SWAT National Champions as most of the ladies to date are really letting their side down.
It’s almost like the shooting competitions are set up to win the competitions rather than actually shoot well outside their very arbitrary rules.
Three of the top four US snipers of all time — Carlos Hathcock, Eric England and Bert Waldron — were Camp Perry winners and national match champions. When competition shooting is combined with military training, the combination is deadly.
“It never ceases to amaze me how the more qualified (SWAT, National Champions, Ninja etc) the contestants appear the worse they shoot; and how much better the good old boy, retired military do.”
hahaha what??
“The producers really do need to find ladies that can that can shoot well in practice rather than theory.” They have.
But the ladies haven’t been multi-discipline. Take Athena Lee (season 2) for example. She’s a word champion pistoleer. Went out pretty quick though. No good with a submachinegun.
The challenge really is finding competetors with the right pedigree (three-gunners with military/police and/or international competition experience). I’d love to see someone like Julie Golob on Top Shot to see how she stacks up to the boys. She’s a former AMU soldier, champion pistoleer, three-gunner, avid outdoorsman, etc.. She might have the right experience to be competitive.
They had one lady on last season that was pretty good. I can’t remember how she got eliminated but I’ve seen her at some televised 3 gun events.
I think the good ol’boy hunters tend to do well because they get used to shooting with that adreneline surge. Your heart always ramps up more when you target a deer or whatever then when you target a plate.
She didn’t get eliminated, she chose to leave the competition because her father was dying of cancer and basically had days to live.
Ah, Tara Walsh Poremba (season 1). She was doing alright, wasn’t she? But she isn’t multi-discipline. She probably would have been eliminated sooner rather than later.
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/44272_424906944238_816339238_4667419_6943280_n.jpg
(This photo is of Kelly showing Tara how to shoot a target rifle. Tara wasn’t particularly comfortable with target rifles or “tactical” rifles. She was fantastic with a pistol, but not as strong with long guns.)
There are so many great women shooters in this country, that it shouldn’t be that hard to get a few of them on the show.
why do cops on TS season 3 like Marinaccio, Aherns, and Marelli ALL talk smack after they loose? is this a part o the cop officer psyche? “make excuses even after getting beat?” thank god they can’t use “officer safety” as an excuse alert on this show.
“general inadequacy of police firearms training”
i think he’s on to something. Aherns was so bad on this show i felt sorry for her.She got destroyed with her own duty weapon in the elimination challenge in the 2nd episode of the season. I wonder what her hit rate on the perp she ventilated? %15-10?
I think the Corner Shot is a great way for combatants to learn the difference between cover and concealment – the hard way.
Jake is a total asshole. Can’t see how anyone likes him at all. There’s a teaser of him in big mikes face next week kind of hope he gets his ass kicked. I think it was George last season who said “I kind of wish I was on the ultimate fighter right now”
+1
+ 2
JAKE NEEDS TO BE THE TARGET !
Only Jake fan?
I feel the show is set up wrong. It should just take a large group of people group them together and have the worst two performers face off. Hence “Top Shot”. Oh but I don’t shoot that weapon excuse= then gtfo of the show. As it is it appears each season a team will turn into popularity. Gang up on Kelly, gang up on Jay, gang up on Jake?. The issue with Jake is possibly in part due to him fearing this gang up scenario. After all, Billy failed his portion MISERABLY but was not nominated. You can’t even argue that popularity has no role. I personally hope Jake kicks most of the blue team’s asses. I don’t mind Dustin all that much yet but still.
Oh and I can’t bring myself to leave out the 9/9 on the corner shot in about 45 seconds FTFW.
Given how he acts like an immature crybaby, I have a hard time imagining that Jake was really a SEAL.
Going by what I’ve seen, I’d say he was a twist.
Why does the one guy who should have the least to prove seem to have the largest chip on his shoulder. The guy is a SEAL, he already should have the respect of the nation. I served in the Army special warfare community until retirement and only have good things to say about almost every other opetator I worked with.
Jake, you are making the community look bad, and yourself like a headcase times two. Take a step back, breath and then finish this wirh pride and the 100k.
I think Jake has suffered a lot of rejection in his life. I don’t think he was well liked in High School because somebody shot him and somehow he had a pinky finger chopped off on the school-bus. He was almost rejected by Annapolis because he was a poor reader (this comes from the interview that he gave), but he was allowed to enter Annapolis’s remedial program. He was rejected from BUD/S training straight out of Annapolis because of some kind of “trouble” he got into at the academy – but was eventually accepted two years later. He was an active duty SEAL for only three years before resigning because of: “racism and prejudice”. He went into an MBA program but apparently dropped out, he then went to law school and dropped out. He then became an assistant football coach but has coached at five different schools in about five years…
Jake hasn’t figured out that it is his attitude that alienates people. When the “TopShot” competitors sent him to the elimination challenge it really fed in to his feelings of rejection. Instead of taking a look at himself he immediately assumed that he was being scape-goated because of his race.
That’s why he ended up in the back yard sitting on a stack of picnic tables with a towel on his head and comparing himself to Attila the Hun.
Jake probably won’t become Attila the Hun – but he may well become Theodore Kazinsky (The Unibomber).
Ha! Exactly. Jake is the epitome of a narcissistic a-hole. He is the exact OPPOSITE of a team player which is incredible giving his present and past professions.
I too, have trouble believing Jake was a SEAL. His lack of teamwork and communication skills seem like a definite disqualifier for such an elite organization. It is amazing that on shows like this and One Man Army, just how many people are “ex-SEALs.” It is all to easy to claim that, as the only way to confirm or deny the truth is through another SEAL. You can’t exactly Google the SEAL rosters. While it’s obvious that he’s in great shape, I seriously hope he gets eliminated soon.
Yes folks, evidently Jake really was a Navy Lieutenant (O-3, same rank as Captain in the Army or Marine Corps) when the SEALS finally had enough of him and ended his apparently rather tumultuous 3-year “career.” Gee, I wonder who caused the tumult! Obviously he has the skills or they wouldn’t have let him in. But would anyone out there who has seen Top Shop this year want to follow a guy with that attitude into battle, or in a covert operation? Trust him with your life, to have your back? Of course not! The Navy values team players, and bullies like Jake are obviously not capable of that. To pout and be offended to be sent to elimination? He deserved it!! And calling other people out for “running your mouth” when he was the ONE running his mouth. . . . Hey Jake, you should be ashamed of yourself; a Naval officer is (usually) a man of character, and especially a SEAL LT, should be the Leader in the house, not the problem child. Watching Top Shot this week gave me the only moment of my life that I have ever been embarrased to say I am retired from the Navy (a full 20 years, not a mere 3 years like Jake)–thanks to your immature behavior, combative negative attitude, and what you represent yourself to be. You are not even close to the high caliber of the quality officers and sailors I worked with. Your own bio on LinkedIn also claims you went to the Navy Academy. Really? Then you should know better!! Clearly none of the superb training and expensive education you were given was able to instill a sense of the deep Honor and true Integrity that is so integral to the US Naval officer corps, or any of the SEALs I had the privilege of meeting during my 20 years on Active Duty. Grow up Jake! And please, until you do, stop telling people you were in the Navy. You’re an embarrassment. I hope you are eliminated from Top Shot immediately; you don’t deserve it no matter how well you can shoot. Character matters in all things.
Jake is a crafty competitor who has a plan to win. Just look at how he aced the corner gun elimination and the arrow competition. People underestimate him at their own peril.
Hi, this is a great post! Thanks..
Jake is an asshat, an embarrassment to the seals, and is best suited to being a lawn jockey in Alabama.
Jake is a bully. You earn respect by giving respect. The hissy fit he threw and then took all his stuff to sleep outside, really? Grow up! My nine year old is more mature.
Jake is an embarrassment to the navy seals and I sure wouldn’t want my kids to train under him.. He blames everyone else, then quits and walks off.. No sense of sportsmanship at all, let alone the qualities that make the navy seals the most respected of our armed forces… A complete crybaby
I absolutely agree !!!! I was watching tonight hoping to see Jake kicked off but just like his outstanding shooting I was pleasantly surprised to see how he embarrassed himself this time. SHUT UP AND SHOOT !!! Then Jake’s hissy fit gift wraps a second chance for Mike … HA HA HA JAKE IS A LOOSER AND I HOPE HE NEVER TEACHES ANYBODY ANYTHING AGAIN
Walking out of Top Shot because he lost a challenge? Poor Jake. He needs to grow up, though I’m afraid it may be too late for him. I hope not; he has the power to change the reason people react to him as they do. He needs to accept the fact that it has absolutely nothing to do with the color of his skin, and everything to do with the color of his attitude. When the series airs, I hope he watches himself closely, recognizes his own misbehavior, will be mature enough to use the opportunity to take a good hard look at himself, and make some deep character changes. However, it will be the most difficult thing he’s ever tried to do. Ever. For his sake, I hope he tries and is successful. Easier to shoot unmoving targets, though. You know, one kind of feels sorry for a person like him, who alienates everyone he meets and can’t take responsibility for his own words and actions: must be lonely.
Jake is not a Navy Seal, he is more like a Baby Seal.
Yes Jake was a SEAL for a few years….BUDS 1997
I think Jake had the right idea of taking the best out when possible but obviously lost sight of the mission objective, it’s OK to retreat to fight another day but he didn’t have one.
To paraphrase a saying: ‘ you’re not defeated when you lose a battle but you are when you quit battling ‘.
Please don’t perceive Jake as even an average Navy warrior.
He quit?!? His is such a disgrace! I did not like his sportsmanship and now he just up and quit after all the big talk, that is so infantile.
After this I do not see him as a Navy warrior nor that of any service.
I have known many SEALS…Jake = pansy ass looser…Have some dignity and loose with honor.
Watched last night’s episode at a standing room only Top Shot watch party. Overall crowd reaction to Jake’s preemptive surrender (after the cheering stopped): How will this guy ever be able to look football players in the eye and say: “Don’t give up! Dig deep and give me all you’ve got!” The man has refuted his own life message.
News Flash for Jake: Preemptive surrender is neither black nor white but appears to be an unflattering shade of yellow.
I’ve worked with Navy Seals while involved with diving research at Bethesda and while in the Reserves at Ft. Story, Va. I am embarrassed that this person claims to be a Navy Seal because I’ve never met one who would have acted this way and certainly would never have quit! Jake, you are a disgrace to all Navy servicemen and women. Man up Jake and grow a pair. It’s scary that you allegedly help at risk youth.
Jake is a sore loser and is a discredit to the Navy Seals! As a 21.5 year veteran of the USAF Special Operations world, I worked with seals all the time. I bet he was asked to resign his commission if he actually was an officer or even a seal. He has shown nothing but poor sportsmanship from day 1! Thousands of people applied and a loser like you walked away when the competition got hot. To me and many others you will only be remembered as a true COWARD!
I’m pleased to read that the current and ex-military commenters here think Jake’s behavior was a disgrace. It validates my estimation of the guy. Frankly, I worry for this guy’s wife when this sore loser gets home.
I am embarrassed to say I’m in the Navy after watching last nights show! What a loser! There is no way Jake is or ever was a seal! I would like to see his credintials on that! I’ve been to Iraq twice and have never seen anyone let alone a seal act like he has!
EN1 USNR
karma kicks ass, doesn’t it?
I’m glad he is not teaching my football age son how to be unsportsmanlike like himself. What a crybaby. A Navy Seal, where teamwork is instilled!!!! To just up and quit ???? I dont know what college he is a football coach at, but I hope his contract is about up
I have enjoyed this show for 3 seasons and never seen such UN-professionalism from anyone especially former military serviceman let alone a so called ex-Navy Seal. And he coaches kids in sports? He broke the Cardinal rule in all of coaching, never QUIT! If we truly was an ex-Seal the Alumni should stricken his service from the records because he has not only disgraced himself but he fellow brethren.
the show just got 100 x better now that Jake is gone. It was a struggle for me to watch that show with him on it. Thank god I can now watch with ease, now that classless Jake is gone.
Jake is a control freak who turned all shy when it came time to evaluate his performances for being sent to the elimination rounds. Other than Mike Mirelli (Ironic they were foes), every one else was a man about it and volunteered themselves.
Colby’s teeth look so white in part because of his ‘display.’ This is a dental term that suggests how a person’s teeth are positioned in relation to their lips. If the teeth are low in the ‘window’ they’ll have a gummy smile. If they’re high, you’ll only see the lower teeth because the lip covers much of the upper teeth. If the teeth are back away from the lips, the shadow will make them look darker or yellower. Colby’s teeth are very far forward, and his lips are relatively thin, and his display is wide, and big top to bottom, so you see a lot of teeth which makes them look very, very white. All of this contributes to his enviable dazzling smile that makes him a particularly watchable host. (Not to mention the shades and the hands on the hips.)
There is no way that little bitch loser coward Jake is a SEAL. I feel for his families shame.
As a former Seal, I am ashamed of your behavior. It even calls into question your Navy
experience. Had you been in active warfare, I feel you would have been dispatched by one or two of your team.
After seeing the way Jake quit the show.
I am amazed he made it through BUDS training… I have done a lil but of web searching on him and he was only briefly a seal and retired from the Navy in 2002 shortly after 911 happened and deployments and started… then startedd badmouthing the Navy and how he was not treated fairly as a Black man…. I am betting he made it in on a quota not his performance
His persona and attitude is unlike any of the 10+ Navy Seals or 30+ Rangers I met in my life in and out of the military
BUDS has no “quotas” so you whiny “I didn’t get hired because of Affirmative Action” losers need to vent elsewhere. Zweig made it thru BUDS despite morons “like you”…
Jake is a sore loser
Not only that he has a nasty personality, he also has the problem of worshipping the villain Genghis khan who committed genocide and atrocities on tens of millions of people in countries around him.
It is pathetic that this sore loser tried to make himself into a martyr of racism when in fact he is a scumbag racist who is shameless enough to admit on TV that he worships Genghis khan- one of the most evil racists in the world.
The heading of this article is so misleading.
Top Shot’s Paul Marinaccio only claim that a factor that helped Jake to beat him in the corner shot challenge was that “Jake was wearing a hat that shaded his eyes so he could see the screen”.
Paul Marinaccio has never said “Hats off to Jake Zweig”as a sign of respect, not before nor after Jake quitted as a sore loser.
Jake’s ability to fire accurate shots with the help of a hi-tech gear with a screen can earn no more respect from me than Obama’s ability to make mesmerizing speeches with the help of script appearing on the screen of a teleprompter.
While Jake expressed admiration for the genocidal manic Genghis Khan in Top Shot, Obama compared himself to vengeful Moses, who wanted Egypt destroyed and the first born children of his adoptive mother’s race to be slaughtered, while making a speech purported to be for improving race relationship in the US! What a farce!
I see so many similarities between these two racists.
In the episode where ‘the quitter’, (sorry, but he doesn’t even deserve that I refer to him by his actual name) obviously tries to get Mike Hughes disqualified by trying to verbally push him the point of him maybe taking a swing, Dustin says ‘the quitter’ is a coward if I remember correctly. Sure turned out to be the truth. Dustin later also say’s “he’s (the quitter), afraid of losing and would rather quit than stick it out…” (paraphrased).Man was I glad he was finally off that show ‘ cause he was puttin’ a hurt on my eyeballs with that butt-ugly face that only a mother could love’ and that whiney-ass voice was just grating on my ears. That whole combination got on my nerves so much I’d have to fast-forward past any parts where he’d be on camera talking. I only wish he would have been taken off the show by one of the finalists, but that quitter / loser deprived them of that by that cowardly move. Dustin proved to be a total class act as did all the 6 finalists when they brought Mike back.I agree with anyone who thinks that loser / quitter has absolutely no place coaching anything except for maybe ‘how to quit when the going gets tough’.
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