# Amazing Race 11/21/10

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-11-21-10/561504>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [November 22, 2010, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-11-21-10/561504 "2010-11-22T03:01:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 17\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![howye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9adbd/32.png) [@howye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/howye)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-11-21-10/561504/21 "2010-11-22T15:18:46Z")

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> [@jsc1953](#):
>
> Is there _any_ strategic reason to use the U-turn when you’re in the lead by 7 hours? You’re basically influencing the outcome of who loses the leg…but somebody’s going to lose anyway, and it sure as hell isn’t going to be you.

There is no reason for _that_ leg, but as they said, the point was to get rid of a strong competitor. This is something that previous racers miss completely and whine about constantly. If you have a chance to get rid off somebody who you know will be competition in the final three, you do it.

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**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-11-21-10/561504/22 "2010-11-22T15:24:03Z")

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> [@StGermain](#):
>
> I didn’t see anything untoward about Kat and Nat’s behaviour at the u-turn. I was happily surprised that neither of the teams that were u-turned saw it as anthing but strategy. In past seasons, some teams have made the use of things like the u-turn a moral failing.
> 
> StG

Well, Brook did say that Thomas must have a “tiny _censored_” right before they left the Uturn mat.

> [@Quimby](#):
>
> The double U Turn is a great idea. U Turning one team basically writes them off. U Turning two makes it still a race. If they have to have U Turns (a concept I am not completely sold on), I hope they are all double ones from now on.

Notice that both tasks were just simple carry & deliver? No mental challenge beyond finding them. Last season, Joe & Heidi got eliminated because they absolutely could not do the Morse code challenge, and the drum challenge on the other U-turn could have easily been a teamkiller as well.

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**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-11-21-10/561504/23 "2010-11-22T15:28:46Z")

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> [@Skammer](#):
>
> I was glad to see Chad & Steph go, but they took it well. Although the trash-talking at the Roadblock was a little childish.

Why? It’s a race. It didn’t sound mean spirited; it was just a little trash talk to throw them off their game. Totally within the bounds of acceptability. He had a smile on his face while he was saying it, so I don’t think there was any real emotion behind it. Just like saying “Noonan!” when your buddy’s trying to putt for par (obligatory Caddyshack reference).

He’s been douchey in the past, but I didn’t see anything wrong with the trash talk.

Now, Nick- _he’s_ a dick.

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**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-11-21-10/561504/24 "2010-11-22T15:52:31Z")

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Oh, taunting is not against the rules or anything and it’s fair play, I just thought it was kind of immature. His breath is better served encouraging his teammate (which, to be fair, he did also) and ignoring the other teams. It just made him look like a tool, especially when he confused a PhD with an MD.

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**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-11-21-10/561504/25 "2010-11-22T15:58:01Z")

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> [@Quimby](#):
>
> The double U Turn is a great idea.

Which I guess makes it a W-Turn.

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**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-11-21-10/561504/26 "2010-11-22T17:37:15Z")

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If it hadn’t already been used, could the u-turned team have used the other u-turn to u-turn the other lagging team? Or would such an option only be available after first completing the u-turn?

Them getting that earlier flight must have been annoying for the prodcuers who probably expected everybody to be on the noon flight (and I’m curious where that extra flight came from since multiple sources had given noon as the earliest arrival).

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**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-11-21-10/561504/27 "2010-11-22T18:26:19Z")

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I figured it was a case of a cancellation opening up seats on a previously ‘full’ flight.

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**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-11-21-10/561504/28 "2010-11-22T18:46:22Z")

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I’m not sure if I thought it was gutsy or foolhardy for the doctors just to have blindly flown out of Bangladesh hoping to pick up a flight when they arrived. That could’ve seriously bit them in the butt.

StG

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**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-11-21-10/561504/29 "2010-11-22T18:48:33Z")

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I was also confused about how they’d have time to book a flight to Dubai but not to book something all the way through.

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**Author:** ![McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McDeath_the_Mad)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-11-21-10/561504/30 "2010-11-22T19:01:15Z")

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> [@howye](#):
>
> There is no reason for _that_ leg, but as they said, the point was to get rid of a strong competitor. This is something that previous racers miss completely and whine about constantly. If you have a chance to get rid off somebody who you know will be competition in the final three, you do it.

This is what my wife and I were discussing last night. Yes it’s great you’re 6 hours ahead of everyone else, but on the next leg there will probably be a bunch ppoint at an airport and everybody will be on the same schedule.

So in our opinion it makes perfect sens to U-Turn a strong team even when you have a huge lead, because if that team happens to get eliminated it’s one less strong team to compete against for the REST of the race.

And again I can’t stand when racers take these U-Turn’s so personal. It’s a RACE! For a large CASH purse! What do you expect? It’s like contestants freaking out on Big Brother and Survivor when other people lie and aren’t honest. What kind of a bubble do these people live in?

MtM

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**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-11-21-10/561504/31 "2010-11-22T21:19:34Z")

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I just read that Chad and Stephanie are now married and expecting a child in the spring.

I guess that Stephanie (who could be a bit unpleasant in her own right when things were not going her way) didn’t find Chad’s behavior as obnoxious as it seemed to me when watching him on the Race.

I wouldn’t be buying any Golden Anniversary gifts in advance for these two…

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**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-11-21-10/561504/32 "2010-11-22T21:36:51Z")

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Yeah, flying to a major hub and hoping to get a good flight from there is seriously risky. I remember two guys in … Season three? … who were in F3 but followed that strategy in the final leg, and fell a day behind the other two teams. They didn’t even get to cross the finish line because they were still in Hawaii.

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**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-11-21-10/561504/33 "2010-11-23T01:35:33Z")

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> [@Fenris](#):
>
> She-Tatootard went up about 50 points in my estimation for trying the sugar juice even though she didn’t have to. I like seeing people enjoying new cultural experiences.

We just finished watching it, and I’m pretty sure that was Jill. I thought it was cool, too.

In fact, despite the fact that she’s not well educated and therefore said some laughable things, Jill impressed me. Sure, it’s easier to keep your cool when you’re 7 hours ahead, but given she didn’t even know the word “bolts” she was incredibly methodical and efficient on that rickshaw task.

I vote for a team jumble: Nick and Chad can go be giant douches at Elimination Station while Stephanie and Vicki continue racing. The contempt both men have shown for their “loves” is despicable. Shortly after they had a huge coup and got engaged, Chad was berating Stephanie again. And in the last ep, Nick was such an asshole, much of it under his breath so Vicki was unaware, but everyone watching got to see he still thinks she’s an idiot. GRRRR.

On the other hand, Thomas and Jill looked like they’d be similar at the beginning, but I think they were overplaying how much conflict they have. Granted we missed one show, but I don’t recall him doing much worse than the grousing Brook and Claire did this time around. I’m rooting for one of the all female teams, but I wouldn’t hate it if these two won.

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**Author:** ![jacquilynne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/67e7ee/32.png) [@jacquilynne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacquilynne)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-11-21-10/561504/34 "2010-11-23T05:05:04Z")

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> [@Fenris](#):
>
> She-Tatootard went up about 50 points in my estimation for trying the sugar juice even though she didn’t have to. I like seeing people enjoying new cultural experiences.

I was totally baffled by all the people who were worried about the sugar juice or didn’t want to drink it.

It’s SUGAR juice, people. It tastes like sweet water. It’s not icky. It’s even vegan!

I’m frankly kind of surprised they’d never had it before – it’s for sale at the farmer’s market a mile for my house and I live in suburban Canada, so this ain’t exactly an exotic local.

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**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-11-21-10/561504/35 "2010-11-23T05:32:48Z")

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> [@jacquilynne](#):
>
> I was totally baffled by all the people who were worried about the sugar juice or didn’t want to drink it.

I was sure the doctors would at least mention the blonde one having diabetes so the brunette would drink it, but it never came up and now I can’t even remember which one of them drank it.

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**Author:** ![adhemar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@adhemar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhemar)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-11-21-10/561504/36 "2010-11-24T13:11:40Z")

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> [@EllisDee](#):
>
> I was sure the doctors would at least mention the blonde one having diabetes so the brunette would drink it, but it never came up and now I can’t even remember which one of them drank it.

I was surprised that the diabetic chick drank the sugar water. She has spoken several times that keeping her blood sugar in check while racing has been challenging so I couldn’t believe she would drink that when her racemate could have done it.

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**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-race-11-21-10/561504/37 "2010-11-24T13:52:02Z")

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I believe Kat (dark hair, normal pancreas) was the one who drank the sugar cane water.

BTW, I remember which is which like this: black cat -\> Kat is the one with dark hair.

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