# The Amazing Race 8/17 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 17, 2004, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-8-17/260237 "2004-08-17T14:00:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NotWithoutRage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NotWithoutRage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotWithoutRage)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-8-17/260237/1 "2004-08-17T14:00:43Z")
Thank goodness for Saturday night catch-ups! “This one is the bad one” STILL makes me giggle! That being said, New Yorkers, we’re at 7 again. Second-to-last elimination leg before the finale. ---
**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:** [August 17, 2004, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-8-17/260237/2 "2004-08-17T15:54:58Z")
Why was that in a spoiler? Anyway: Has there been a rule change? The final leg should have three teams. There are still six teams left. You do the math. ---
**Author:** ![NotWithoutRage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NotWithoutRage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotWithoutRage)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-8-17/260237/3 "2004-08-17T15:59:53Z")
> [@Terminus Est](#): > > Why was that in a spoiler? Anyway: > > Has there been a rule change? The final leg should have three teams. There are still six teams left. You do the math. I’m just going by the Leaderboard, which may or may not be misleading. It has six episodes left. Tonight, episode 7, taking us to five, next week, episode 8 down to four, and episodes 9-12 with three teams? ---
**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:** [August 17, 2004, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-8-17/260237/4 "2004-08-17T16:06:53Z")
Still have _three_ elimination legs, though. ---
**Author:** ![jeevmon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@jeevmon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeevmon)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-8-17/260237/5 "2004-08-17T16:08:14Z")
So, today’s Chicago Tribune has an article about TAR and its growing popularity. It breaks down the racers and describes Charla & Whiny Sow as the “team to beat” and Colin & Christie as “the team most likely to implode.” Um, have they been watching the same show? Charla & Whiny routinely get lost, and Colin & Christie have, IIRC, finished in at least the top 3 every step of the way. ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-8-17/260237/6 "2004-08-17T16:10:44Z")
Wishful thinking? I’d say the Twins are most likely to implode _and_ get lost. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-8-17/260237/7 "2004-08-17T16:14:02Z")
Boy, no kidding, **jeevmon**. I think the ‘Team to Beat’ is Chip and Kim. I can see Colin and Christie imploding, though. There is a bit of dysfunction at work with them. They bicker _a lot._ Charla and Mirna seem to implode each week. Well. Mirna does, at least. I’d love to see the Twins implode. ---
**Author:** ![rockle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@rockle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockle)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-8-17/260237/8 "2004-08-17T16:49:30Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > I’d love to see the Twins implode. I wish they would implode, before they make my head explode. Anyway, I wouldn’t trust the Leaderboard graphic, as I’m pretty sure it’s changed more than once. ---
**Author:** ![jeevmon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@jeevmon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeevmon)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-8-17/260237/9 "2004-08-17T16:49:49Z")
> [@Judith Prietht](#): > > Wishful thinking? I’d say the Twins are most likely to implode _and_ get lost. Perhaps, though they’ve had a better record of going where they needed to than Charla & Mirna. I kind of want the twins to stick around for a while, mainly 'cause I think they’re purty. ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-8-17/260237/10 "2004-08-17T17:00:08Z")
> [@jeevmon](#): > > Perhaps, though they’ve had a better record of going where they needed to than Charla & Mirna. > > I kind of want the twins to stick around for a while, mainly 'cause I think they’re purty. Well, with the help of Chip and Kim at the pyramids. They keep saying “We’re clueless,” and I keep hoping it’ll be a self-fulfilling prophecy. But my irrational dislike of certain teams is all part of enjoying the Race. I want to see some serious race fatigue tonight and next week; this is where I think we’ll see some nasty team implosions and physical problems resulting from the stress of the race. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-8-17/260237/11 "2004-08-17T17:03:11Z")
I definitely think Chip and Kim are the team to beat, with Colin and Christie right behind them. They may not be as placid and cooperative as C&K, but I get the feeling they are one of those couples that thrives on bickering. I’m not sure if there will be any imploding on their part. And am I wrong for kinda hoping that Christie punches Mirna right in the face tonight? I know that would disqualify her, but I think if every AR fan who hates Mirna sent Christie a dollar for performing the great service of bitchslapping the whack job, she and Colin wouldn’t _need_ the prize money, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![rockle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@rockle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockle)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-8-17/260237/12 "2004-08-17T17:09:59Z")
> [@Draelin](#): > > And am I wrong for kinda hoping that Christie punches Mirna right in the face tonight? I know that would disqualify her, but I think if every AR fan who hates Mirna sent Christie a dollar for performing the great service of bitchslapping the whack job, she and Colin wouldn’t _need_ the prize money, anyway. Am I wrong for hoping that Christie punches _Colin_? I’d send her a dollar for _that_. God, he skeeves me out. ---
**Author:** ![zut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zut/32/2875_2.png) [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-8-17/260237/13 "2004-08-17T17:14:26Z")
> [@NotWithoutRage](#): > > I’m just going by the Leaderboard, which may or may not be misleading. It has six episodes left. Tonight, episode 7, taking us to five, next week, episode 8 down to four, and episodes 9-12 with three teams? At the beginning of the season, the leaderboard indicated _all_ non-elimination legs were bunched at the end of the season, but obviously we had one two weeks ago, so I conclude that the current leaderboard structure is intentionally misleading. I assume the last two non-elims are episodes 11 and 12, and the next one is probably _not_ episode 10, so it’s this week, next, or the following. I, too, can see Colin and Christie imploding. I don’t think they’ve ever really been in danger of elimination before, so I wonder how they’d react if they _knew_ they were trailing – Colin seems like he’d be difficult in a crisis. However, they’ve been racing really, really well, so it seems like that scenario is less probable than, say, Charla and Mirna getting lost, or the Twins doing something clueless, or the Moms having some more bad luck. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ad7895/32.png) [@Just\_Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-8-17/260237/14 "2004-08-17T17:58:15Z")
I’ve been waiting for Colin and Christie to collapse inward on themselves, but I don’t see them as dropping out of the top three. As much as I’d enjoy watching some bad luck screw them and then Colin going off the deep end I don’t hold out hope for that. Bowling Moms are clearly hanging by a thread; exhaustion has kicked in for them and even with some luck finally on their side I can’t see them holding out. The Twins are doomed because they’re only barely beating the Moms. Once the Moms have fallen the Twins will follow. The last drop out is harder to place, but I’m betting on Charla and Mirna. They’ve been playing smarter lately but at the same time Mirna is a lead weight just waiting to drag the team down. Brandon and Nichole (the other team who I could see collapsing) seem to be holding together better which I think will give them the edge. And barring a disaster of monstrous proportions I don’t see Chip and Kim dropping before the final three. They’re racing well now, they’re clearly holding up well, unless something really bad happens (and on this show it could), they’re going to make it to the last three. ---
**Author:** ![rockle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@rockle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockle)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-8-17/260237/15 "2004-08-17T19:22:21Z")
> [@Just Some Guy](#): > > I’ve been waiting for Colin and Christie to collapse inward on themselves, but I don’t see them as dropping out of the top three. As much as I’d enjoy watching some bad luck screw them and then Colin going off the deep end I don’t hold out hope for that. As much as I hate Colin - HATE! - I actually do sort of halfway hope they stick around until the end, only to lose the last leg to Chip and Kim. I would gladly pay everything in my wallet (right now, about 43 cents) to be at the finish line to watch the smoke come out of Colin’s ears. ---
**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:** [August 17, 2004, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-8-17/260237/16 "2004-08-17T20:05:39Z")
> [@zut](#): > > At the beginning of the season, the leaderboard indicated _all_ non-elimination legs were bunched at the end of the season, but obviously we had one two weeks ago, so I conclude that the current leaderboard structure is intentionally misleading. I assume the last two non-elims are episodes 11 and 12, and the next one is probably _not_ episode 10, so it’s this week, next, or the following. If one were to believe the leaderboard, then _two_ teams will be eliminated this leg of the race. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-8-17/260237/17 "2004-08-18T03:39:55Z")
No, it will just have a red 6 by the losing team in the Ep 7 column. And we have 3 non elimination rounds in the next 4 shows (although I was hoping no team would be eliminated tonight). Man, I was really hoping that 4 teams would end up going to Zurich, 'cos that would have been fricking hilarious! Especially with C&M shutting all the blinds in the Gulf Air booth (which I’m guessing they only peeped through after the other four teams showed up). She should have backed up her request with a hefty bribe! I also laughed my ass off at the guy in the Calgary shirt and the Canada cap screwing over the Twins and Blue Lagoon for the bus ride. Those teams have _no clue_ how to negotiate anything, so I really want to know how much they ended up paying for a $3 bus ride. And that whole ‘ran out of gas’ thing-- when 4 guys run off to buy one small can worth of fuel that they had to pay $20 for. The only thing funnier was the nasty looks the egg chef was giving the teams when they finished gagging their food down. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-8-17/260237/18 "2004-08-18T04:00:15Z")
> [@](#): > > The only thing funnier was the nasty looks the egg chef was giving the teams when they finished gagging their food down. I kinda thought it a bit insensitive when they had them gorging on food while in full view of the public in an area of the world with food problems. But oh well a least the episode had a happy ending. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-8-17/260237/19 "2004-08-18T04:02:56Z")
This leg made me very happy. I’m very happy to see that team go. I’d say at this point, Colin and Christie are my pick. I know it’s an unpopular position but I like that team. I suppose it doesn’t help that we both hate the same team…any enemy of Mirnas (the tall one?) is a friend of mine type thing I guess. The bickering colin and christie do is never serious so that really won’t impact them. I just think Chip and Kim are just a touch too easy going. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2004, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-8-17/260237/20 "2004-08-18T04:05:47Z")
> [@](#): > > _originally posted by wolfman_ > I kinda thought it a bit insensitive when they had them gorging on food while in full view of the public in an area of the world with food problems Forget about the fact that they wasted at least two eggs because Colin and Christie kept spilling them. I actually thought the exact same thing as you. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-8-17/260237.md?page=2)