# The Amazing Race 12/12/14 - "Hooping It Up" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 13, 2014, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-12-14-hooping-it-up/707114 "2014-12-13T13:24:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [December 15, 2014, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-12-14-hooping-it-up/707114/21 "2014-12-15T20:29:59Z")
This whole season there have been remarkably few meltdowns, besides the mother/daughter team. Tim and TeJay had some bickering. Brooke is whiny, but Robbie takes it in stride. No one else seems to be really getting on each others’ nerves. StG ---
**Author:** ![tavalla](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tavalla/32/89_2.png) [@tavalla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tavalla)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-12-14-hooping-it-up/707114/22 "2014-12-16T10:14:46Z")
I’m digging the lack of dramatics, actually. Brooke does whine some, but it’s a relief to not have, say, a Rachel. ---
**Author:** ![Cayuga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Cayuga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cayuga)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-12-14-hooping-it-up/707114/23 "2014-12-16T17:51:09Z")
Isn’t there a rule that you have to hang on to all your clues? If the surfers had actually lost the clue, wouldn’t they have been assessed a penalty at the mat? I seem to remember more than one team spending lots of time and energy trying to find the clue they’d dropped, and not because they didn’t remember what it said. And yet it wasn’t mentioned this time. Regarding not seeing the delivery sheet on the side of the truck: I get it. Several of the racers missed it at first. But if you have no idea where you’re supposed to go, why the hell do you run off in a random direction saying, “I don’t know where I’m going,” over and over? There’s a 50-50 chance you’re heading in exactly the wrong direction. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-12-14-hooping-it-up/707114/24 "2014-12-16T17:57:56Z")
I was wondering the same thing about the clues. I thought you had to have all your clues from that leg, plus passports etc. with you when you hit the mat. And on the previous leg for much the same reason, I wondered why the wrestlers’ dropping their backpacks in the footrace to the mat wasn’t also against the rules. Although I guess if you have what you need in your fanny pack you can dump the backpack… ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-12-14-hooping-it-up/707114/25 "2014-12-16T18:24:08Z")
I’m no expert, having missed the last seven seasons (I’m catching up) but don’t they drop their packs when they’re within sight of Phil? That seems okay. ---
**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:** [December 16, 2014, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-12-14-hooping-it-up/707114/26 "2014-12-16T18:56:35Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > I’m no expert, having missed the last seven seasons (I’m catching up) but don’t they drop their packs when they’re within sight of Phil? That seems okay. That’s my understanding as well. Once you get within line of sight of Phil, your stuff is close enough and can be dropped. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-12-14-hooping-it-up/707114/27 "2014-12-16T19:05:07Z")
Yep, on the Annoying Scale of 1-10 where Rachel is a 10, Brooke is about 3. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-12-14-hooping-it-up/707114/28 "2014-12-16T19:09:15Z")
I just want to tell Amy to stand up straight. Poor girl’s got some bad posture that’s going to cause her problems as she gets older. ---
**Author:** ![Hopeful\_Crow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/da6949/32.png) [@Hopeful\_Crow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hopeful_Crow)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-12-14-hooping-it-up/707114/29 "2014-12-16T20:50:03Z")
Toward the end of the last show, a thought occurred to me–What if Phil’s plane is delayed and he can’t make it to the next Pit Stop in time? Do they have someone who can stand in for him at the mat? I’ve missed the last five or six years and don’t know if this has ever come up. Thanks for your answers. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-12-14-hooping-it-up/707114/30 "2014-12-16T21:11:16Z")
Beats me, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Phil had access to private jets if need be. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-12-14-hooping-it-up/707114/31 "2014-12-16T23:16:15Z")
> [@Hopeful\_Crow](#): > > Toward the end of the last show, a thought occurred to me–What if Phil’s plane is delayed and he can’t make it to the next Pit Stop in time? Do they have someone who can stand in for him at the mat? I’ve missed the last five or six years and don’t know if this has ever come up. Thanks for your answers. I presume the pit stop time gap is actively managed to allow Phil and the production team that doesn’t accompany the teams to reach the next city. If Phil runs into a travel snafu, they add on X number of hours to the pit stop. In the earliest days of the show, the pit stop was 12 hours from the end of the last leg (I think). Now the “pit stop” length is (presumably) purposefully left undefined, and I’m guessing that might be one reason why. Of course, in a “double leg” situation, where extensive travel is involved, like going into this coming week’s episode, they have to gamble somewhat that Phil can get from Singapore to LA just as fast/faster as the teams. Still, if the teams are limited to “certain flights” instead of “any available”, that may allow Phil and crew time to jump ahead in this situation. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-12-14-hooping-it-up/707114/32 "2014-12-16T23:19:35Z")
I’d like to see a special episode dedicated to Phil & the crews. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-12-14-hooping-it-up/707114/33 "2014-12-16T23:28:07Z")
I do seem to remember that the first ever “double leg” was an on the fly decision because of a production snafu, but I don’t think it was due to Phil not being available for mat duty. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-12-14-hooping-it-up/707114/34 "2014-12-16T23:44:27Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > Yep, on the Annoying Scale of 1-10 where Rachel is a 10, Brooke is about 3. Where would Flo from Season 3 rank on this scale? 13? 15? 20? ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-12-14-hooping-it-up/707114/35 "2014-12-17T01:18:18Z")
> [@fiddlesticks](#): > > I do seem to remember that the first ever “double leg” was an on the fly decision because of a production snafu, but I don’t think it was due to Phil not being available for mat duty. IIRC some sort of crisis made the next planned country unavailable at the last minute. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-12-14-hooping-it-up/707114/36 "2014-12-17T01:25:27Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Beats me, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Phil had access to private jets if need be. Not according to him and his livetweeting. It is often a race for him to get where he needs to be when he needs to be there and also do the various remotes that need to be done. Sometimes he’s on the same plane as the players. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-12-14-hooping-it-up/707114/37 "2014-12-17T01:30:05Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > Where would Flo from Season 3 rank on this scale? 13? 15? 20? Flo was more tolerable than Rachel, IMO. Maybe because she didn’t wear green sequined shorts with tights. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-12-14-hooping-it-up/707114/38 "2014-12-17T01:36:32Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > Where would Flo from Season 3 rank on this scale? 13? 15? 20? I didn’t start watching TAR until after the Flo Season so I cannot answer. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-12-14-hooping-it-up/707114/39 "2014-12-17T04:28:24Z")
> [@fiddlesticks](#): > > I do seem to remember that the first ever “double leg” was an on the fly decision because of a production snafu, but I don’t think it was due to Phil not being available for mat duty. Looked it up on Wikipedia… > [@Wikipedia](#): > > Leg six [in season 6] in Hungary was originally planned to be two legs, with a non-elimination point between the legs which would have stripped the last team of their money and not given them any at the start of the next leg. **Producers discovered during the race that begging is illegal in Hungary** , which would have made it nearly impossible for the last place team to acquire the money needed for the upcoming leg, and quickly devised the extended leg to mimic the effects of a non-elimination leg (keeping the same number of teams in the race), and using a simple video message clue to provide teams the goal for the first task of the second half of the leg. ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-12-14-hooping-it-up/707114/40 "2014-12-18T08:07:57Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Beats me, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Phil had access to private jets if need be. I saw him at Schipol (Amsterdam) business class lounge in 2011… Don’t know if he was “working” or not . [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-12-14-hooping-it-up/707114.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-12-12-14-hooping-it-up/707114.md?page=3)