Well, I’m sure he’s blown someone’s hydraulics, anyway. Can’t imagine there was much repeat business…
Astonishing. The two teams that I thought were a lock for the final three finished in the last two spots this week. I guess that shows you never can tell. Or maybe it shows I’m an idiot. Whatever.
Taxi Assessment
Stuck in the Desert and Officially Detained - or, Philiminated with extreme prejudice.
Bilal & Sa’eed and Vipul & Arti and Kellie & Jamie and Duke & Lauren and Tom & Terry - Not a chance of winning.
Peter & Sarah - (down from “Passing Lane”) - Wow. Just…wow. How big is Kuwait, anyway? I mean, I can see getting lost, even badly lost, but for hours and hours and hours? How hard is it to stop and ask directions? Multiple times, if necessary? I expected this team to go out with a bang (as in, Sarah’s running foot lodged in Peter’s rectum), but instead it’s just a fruitless whimper.
Flat Tire - or, not likely to get anywhere soon.
David & Mary - (holding steady) - First place; yay! That means a minimum-stress leg this episode and early starting time next episode, both items that bode well for David & Mary. However, this team had better celebrate now, because this is the only first place they’ll see. A little more luck might carry them farther, but they’re going to need it: they’re still by far the weakest team.
Stopping for Gas - or, not broken-down, exactly, but not a good sign.
Lyn & Karlyn - (up from “Flat Tire”) - I’m bumping this team up this week because they had a solid leg with no mistakes. And, I should point out, they haven’t been making too many mistakes (comparatively) for some time. I still don’t think they have what it takes to win–the Race is more easily won by younger, fitter teams–but a couple bad moves by a couple higher-ranked teams and Lyn & Karlyn could wind up final three.
"Rapido! Por Favor?" - or, making meaningless ineffectual comments from the back seat, but in no immediate danger.
Rob & Kimberly - (holding steady) - An OK finish in this episode, but Kimberly seemed to have quite a problem with the puzzle pieces, and Dustin & Kandice easily passed them after Rob & Kimberly got lost on the way to the Pit Stop. Not huge blunders, but not great Racing either.
Erwin & Godwin - (down from “Passing”) - I don’t know what I think of this team’s strategy of helping David & Mary. On the one hand, this is a Raaace. On the other, it might have been a good play: David & Mary would almost certainly have taken the FF anyway, making it a race to the FF with only a 50/50 chance of success. Erwin & Godwin probably figured their overall odds were better staying with the pack, even though they wound up last out of the gate. In any case, having an “alliance” with two weaker teams is not exactly a winning strategy (for any team–witness that the three “alliance” teams were last to Kuwaiti Towers because they were travelling in a pack).
In the Passing Lane - or, ahead of the pack, but not quite comfortably.
Dustin & Kandice - (up from “Rapido”) - Second place, two weeks in a row. A minor fumble with the feed sacks, but a good leg nonetheless. Now that Peter & Sarah are out, Dustin & Kandice seem like they have a pretty good shot at final three.
Tyler & James - (holding steady) - Two weeks in a row this team founders, but two weeks in a row another team founders worse. I still think this team is the team to beat, but they’re showing everyone else that beating them might not be that hard. I’m keeping them ranked on the top, but a poor showing next week and all bets are off.
Cruisin’ with Earl - or, drivin’ on the shoulder, takin’ shortcuts, and generally kickin’ butt.
No one this week.
Next week: Tension!
[sub]Props to Mullinator and his Raj Ratings.[/sub]
I was also touched by an earlier interview in which David said that the money would get him out of the coal mine.
My reaction to David reminded me of one of the most powerful reality TV moments I have witnessed to date. It was during the first run of “The Contender” on NBC. It was the final bout for the million dollar prize. I forget the winners name at this point, but he was from Mexico and apparently his family was very poor. After a very hard fought contest, he was declared the winner. He ran to the ropes and made eye contact with his mother…at which point he shouted “We’re gonna live in a HOUSE!”.
Emotion ensued.
Wouldn’t make me proud. As I mentioned… it’s a RACE! And I disagree that what they did was the “right thing.” They’re not clothing the naked or healing the sick here, they’re helping someone they like on a TV show. If they had somehow helped every team except the Kentuckyians and made sure they were out, would we be proud of them for doing the right thing 5 times out of 6?
I think it was a good decision by the Chos. They are strong enough to beat other teams if they stop to think and RTDC, and at the halfway mark, it pays to do everything possible to keep the weaker teams in the race. Worse comes to worst, the Chos are making sure they’ve got another team around they can beat in a foot race. If 'Bama and Kentucky can finish out of last one more time, that means it’s a three-way race for the finish that includes the Cho brothers.
From the order-of-finish stats, Tyler & James have been declining for two weeks in a row. Accordingly, I wouldn’t rank them as a top team at the moment. They may rebound next week, or they may bite the dust.
The Beauty Queens have been doing very well for the past two weeks. If they do well next week, I’d argue for them to be the favorites. Or they may relapse.
Rob & Kimberly are probably the strongest team remaining. It’s such a shame that Kimberly and Sarah didn’t defect and re-team with each other, they might’ve won!
I’m considering Team *Win as the contenders for the sportsmanship award. As in, “You didn’t win, so as a consolation prize we appreciate your nice / good treatment of the other competitors.”
My guess for the Final Three: *Win, Beauty Queens, and Rob & Kimberly. Team *Win doesn’t take the top prize, though.
On another note: The previous Pit Stop was for an odd amount of time. Peter & Sarah arrived first, in full daylight, and left at about 1PM; Team Kentucky arrived last, in darkness, and left at about 5PM, in daylight. This is the first time that I recall a Pit Stop not lasting an integral multiple of 12 hours.
They’ve had 18 hour (or so) pit stops in other seasons. It’s typically done after one really really long leg though.