And so there Wil stood, finally defeated, while the victory podium held the last two people he wanted to see on it. It was like Dale Earnhardt at the Daytona 500, staying near the front of the pack for nearly the entire race and leading near the end, only to run out of gas on the 499th lap. But wheras Earnhardt would have many more chances, the man whom an entire TV-viewing nation came to know as “idiot” knew that he’d never come this way again. To have sacrificed everything, including his sanity, in pursuit of the million, only to walk away with a mere $100,000, assuming that The Amazing Race has the same prize structure as Survivor, and I have no reason to believe that it doesn’t…to go along with the cruel irony of winning a vacation with what has become the least desired woman in his life. In a sense, his final statement said it all: “Well, second place isn’t too bad.” No, Wil, compared to the irreparable damage you’ve done to your relationship, second isn’t bad at all.
So in the end, it was Chris and Alex who won not only because they wanted it more, but because they didn’t waste tons of energy bickering and had more than enough steam to pull ahead in the final stretch. And, in all honestly, did any team deserve it more than the two Boston buddies who stuck together through thick and thin and never let their resolve or relationship falter?
Certainly not Peggy and Claire, the erstwhile “Gutsy Grannies”, who made it as far as Iguacu Falls via smoke and mirrors, than promply vanished off the face of the earth.
Not Cyndi & Russell, the sheltered pastors hampered from day 1 by a strict moral code; in retrospect, it’s pretty impressive that neither one got fainting spells.
Not Gary & Dave, the bumbling duo who willed themselves as far as humanly possible before reality caught up to them.
Not Dierdre and Hillary, because they didn’t make it past the first dang leg, and I missed that episode anyway.
And not Tara & Will, the couple that seemingly could do nothing but fight, and subsided on miracles at the end, only to have the last one run out of steam at the worst possible time. Indeed, perhaps it was poetic justice that, after both parties said that they’d quit about 10 hijillion times duruing the last three legs alone, it finally happened on the proverbial lap 499.
So where does that leave Blake and Paige? While history will remember them has honorable bronze medallists, that only tells part of the whole story…one of resourcefulness, daring, and the courage to look a raving lunatic in the eye and tell him, in no uncertain terms, to just shove the hell off. And continue to do so in crunch time, where every second was critical. If they were callow children before, they’ve certainly transcended that humble state now. Money never lasts long enough, but the experiences, the sights, the knowledge they gained on this incredible whilrwind trip…and the satisfaction of staring down the beast and winning…will last a lifetime.
And that, perhaps, is the true meaning of this great reality TV, although that term’s getting pretty dated, phenomenon known as The Amazing Race. It’s not simply a dash for cash, but one of discovery. Of testing the limits, expanding one’s horizons, and taking on tasks one would never even consider before. No matter what happens, you are not the same person at the end as at the beginning.
And if you’re Tara or Wil, what you experience…and what you become…and how it will affect you for the rest of your life…
…well, that’s at least another 80,000 headaches right there, my friends.
Just three months removed from the Super Bowl, Beantown has another incredible victory to celebrate. Good night, everybody.