29.1.07

Bonus Question: Hint One

Hot Dog!

Picture Bonus Question: Hint Two

It would be appropriate if the host of Nashville Star's picture was there instead of Gloria Estefan, but I'm glad it isn't.

25.1.07

Picture Bonus Question: Hint One

I'm so excited I could puke! Well, if I don't take my dramamine, I probably will anyways.

23.1.07

Week One: Bonus Question (to MAX out your points)










What do all of these people have in common?!

Week One: Bonus Question

While all teams are getting a second chance at running the race, this is actually the THIRD time one of the teams has appeared on the show. Which team has already made a second appearance, what season, and what did they do?

Good luck!

16.1.07

The All Stars: My Thoughts

It's ALL STARS time, baby! I don't know about everyone else, but I'm ecstatic with this lineup. Some of my favorites are back, nothing too huge on the villain front (thank God He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and Victimoria had a kid--but poor kid!), and according to the USA Today article, we are in for some curveballs according to the great BVM in the USA Today article (caution: Location Spoliers) since they had to keep the racers on their toes. As always, my breakdown on the teams. I have also included the place they could possibly come in during the race, based on leg performance average from their last outing.

Kevin and Drew
Joining us from the inaugural season are the beloved Frat Brothers, Kevin and Drew. In my opinion, they delivered the best line we've heard in all ten seasons, and it was in the very first episode on the first actual challenge: Swing you fat bastard, swing!. [not this type of swinging] Since the Race, these two went on to be on ESPN's Cold Pizza for a while and also had their own travel show on Discovery Channel. They also have an official website. While K and D were the epitome of the Ugly American in their white tennis shoes and windbreakers as they traveled through the world on the race last time, I couldn't get enough of them. In their first race, they finished fourth, finally ousted by a combination of Hours of Operations which kept them back in the previous round coupled with getting out of the taxi a bit early instead of making sure they were at the right entrance at the Temple of Heaven Park in China.



Danny and Oswald







I love this team. Season two wasn't watched by many viewers, but the highlight was definitely Team Cha cha cha, the two gay Cuban best friends from Miami. My favorite memory of them was from the Hong Kong leg, where they were beginning to fall prey to Killer Fatigue and start fighting with each other, so they eased the tension by going shopping. That's right: shopping. For Mocha Frappucinos and cologne. I shit you not. They met their demise by just falling a bit behind at a detour, and poor navigation finding the pit stop. Since the end of the race, Danny has moved to New York (where I met him at one of the finale parties) and it sounds like they had a falling out, but repaired their friendship and are closer than ever. So let's do it, boys: think of all the frappucinos you can buy with $1 million!





John Vito and Jill




Again, I totally heart this team. When I first heard their introduction, I thought "oh, blark". Jill had originally applied for the first season with her brother but they didn't make it, and then he was killed on 9/11 (his office was on the 105th floor of the WTC). John Vito was his best friend, and they started dating and wanted to run the race in his honour. Like I said, "blark". And it would have been exactly that had they not kicked frickin' ass. In the second episode of season three, the teams had to climb a pyramid in Mexico, and the image of tiny Jill racing up it like a spider in a tank top and camouflage pants will ever be ingrained in my brain. She truly is the female Rambo. These two picked quite possibly the stinkiest Fast Forward ever. While in Switzerland, they went to a cheese house (literally, a small hut full of wheels of cheese) and had to eat this HUGE wheel of swiss cheese until the clue was completely uncovered. I can't even stomach a bite of swiss cheese, and run from the stench (yet I eat Stilton with no problem. Huh.). Their elimination was due to just falling behind and navigating to the pit stop (are we noticing a trend, here? Close finishes that could have gone either way?). They lost out to a team who will be competing with them again on this race (see Teri and Ian below). Since the race ended, John Vito and Jill have broken up. This makes me incredibly sad, because I heart both of them so much. Kind of like when Ross and Rachel broke up for the first time. Except this was real. I met John Vito at the Finale party last May and he's just a fine looking in person as he is on TV. And totally a sweetheart.



Uchenna and Joyce


Uchenna and Joyce have the unique distinction of being the only previous winners to return to All-Stars. There's been talk for frickin' ages on the message boards about what constitutes and All-Star season: all winners? Fan favorites? The "best" racers that were done in by bad luck (Lena and Kristy with the haystacks, the Gaghans with the dreaded red coffee bean, etc) for a second chance (although, if they have bad luck, does this necessarily give them a second chance? I dunno. Although Carissa and Billy kicking some Romber butt would have been great---and I have no doubt that they could have done it). But, however the chips fell, these are our previous winners. The former employees of WorldCom and Enron respectively (sucks to be them), who have been trying so hard to have a child through IV procedures (sucks to be them), who were propelled into their win by Joyce shaving her head in India for a Fast Forward, and then nearly lost it by being all moral and begging strangers for cab to pay their last fare before running to the mat (am I the only one that finds employees for two of the largest corporate fraudulations who are trying to overcome fertility issues with science nearly losing due to morals a bit ironic?). But they did, and the twenty or so of us who were watching the end of season seven in Eric and Jonathan's apartment were screaming and yelling at the TV (mainly for joy) with their victory. This scene can be reenacted in your own living room if you purchase Amazing Race 7 on DVD! Anyways. I'm glad these two are back. I liked 'em.

Pool Rules

Rules will stay the same as last season. And, here they are!

Each pool participant will pick four teams. No two pool participants can have the same combination of four teams. This is to eliminate the chance of a tie.

Based on what happens in each episode, people will receive the following points:

1. Place at the Pitstop
First Place: 100 points
Second Place: 90 points
Third Place: 80 points
Fourth Place: 70 points
Fifth Place: 60 points
Sixth Place: 50 points
Seventh Place: 40 points
Eighth Place: 30 points
Ninth Place: 20 points
Tenth Place: 10 points
Eleventh Place: 5 points
LAST (ALL ELIMINATIONS): -100 points

2. Team Uses the Fast Forward: 100 points

3. Team uses their Yield: 50 points

4. Team Gets Yielded: -50 points

5. Screen shows the team "currently in first place": 10 points

6. Screen shows the team "currently in last place": -10 points

7. Only team to complete a detour option: 20 points

8. Team gives up on a detour option: -10 points

9. MONKEY points: a team says monkey, 10 points. They show a monkey on the screen, 5 points to all teams.

10. Team says the quote that is the episode title: 10 points

Active Participation Points:
Bonus Questions: Answer the weekly bonus question: 40 points
Media: send me an article to post on the blog, have been to one of the places and send me a photo to post on the blog, etc: 5 points

The ADAM rule is still in effect. In order to be eligible for media points, here are some ground rules:

  1. You must have already sent in an answer to that week's bonus question.
  2. You may earn a maximum of 100 bonus points per week (i.e. 40 bonus question, 60 media articles).

As a reminder, I am playing for real again this time. So be on your guard. I'm going to kick ass this time around.

It's time to pick your ponies!

Michelle L

  • Uchenna and Joyce
  • Rob and Amber
  • Eric and Danielle
  • Dustin and Kandice
Ben


  • David and Mary
  • Charla and Mirna
  • Teri and Ian
  • Dustin and Kandice
Willow

  • Charla and Mirna
  • Rob and Amber
  • Eric and Danielle
  • Dustin and Kandice
Mark

  • Kevin and Drew
  • Rob and Amber
  • Joe and Bill
  • Dustin and Kandice
Judy

  • John Vito and Jill
  • Rob and Amber
  • Teri and Ian
  • Dustin and Kandice
Tracy

  • Danny and Oswald
  • Uchenna and Joyce
  • Rob and Amber
  • Dustin and Kandice
Adam


  • Uchenna and Joyce
  • Rob and Amber
  • Teri and Ian
  • Eric and Danielle
Anton

  • Uchenna and Joyce
  • Rob and Amber
  • Eric and Danielle
  • Joe and Bill
Terry

  • Danny and Oswald
  • Uchenna and Joyce
  • Rob and Amber
  • Teri and Ian
Caitlin G


  • Danny and Oswald
  • Uchenna and Joyce
  • Rob and Amber
  • Eric and Danielle
Chris M


  • David and Mary
  • Eric and Danielle
  • Joe and Bill
  • Dustin and Kandice
Mary


  • Kevin and Drew
  • Uchenna and Joyce
  • Rob and Amber
  • Dustin and Kandice
Kristin


  • John Vito and Jill
  • Rob and Amber
  • Eric and Danielle
  • Dustin and Kandice
Eric


  • Charla and Mirna
  • Eric and Danielle
  • Joe and Bill
  • Dustin and Kandice
Ami


  • Uchenna and Joyce
  • Rob and Amber
  • Joe and Bill
  • Dustin and Kandice

Caitlin S.

  • Uchenna and Joyce
  • Rob and Amber
  • Teri and Ian
  • Dustin and Kandice

Peter

  • Uchenna and Joyce
  • Charla and Mirna
  • Teri and Ian
  • Dustin and Kandice

Amy

  • Kevin and Drew
  • Uchenna and Joyce
  • Eric and Danielle
  • Dustin and Kandice

Curt

  • Danny and Oswald
  • John Vito and Jill
  • Uchenna and Joyce
  • Roband Amber

Sarah

  • Uchenna and Joyce
  • David and Mary
  • Rob and Amber
  • Dustin and Kandice

Lacey

  • David and Mary
  • Rob and Amber
  • Teri and Ian
  • Dustin and Kandace
Agnes
  • Uchenna and Joyce
  • David and Mary
  • Charla and Mirna
  • Teri and Ian
Linda
  • Jon Vito and Jill
  • Uchenna and Joyce
  • David and Mary
  • Teri and Ian
Mark D
  • Uchenna and Joyce
  • Rob and Amber
  • Teri and Ian
  • Joe and Bill
Bari
  • Kevin and Drew
  • Uchenna and Joyce
  • Rob and Amber
  • Teri and Ian
Janis
  • Danny and Oswald
  • John Vito and Jill
  • Uchenna and Joyce
  • Dustin and Kandice
Courtney M.
  • John Vito and Jill
  • Uchenna and Joyce
  • Rob and Amber
  • Teri and Ian
Joanna
  • Uchenna and Joyce
  • Charla and Mirna
  • Rob and Amber
  • Eric and Danielle
Andy
  • Kevin and Drew
  • Rob and Amber
  • Eric and Danielle
  • Joe and Bill
Les
  • Danny and Oswald
  • Uchenna and Joyce
  • David and Mary
  • Charla and Mirna
Staci
  • Kevin and Drew
  • Uchenna and Joyce
  • Rob and Amber
  • Eric and Danielle
PB
  • Kevin and Drew
  • John Vito and Jill
  • Rob and Amber
  • Dustin and Kandice
Stephanie
  • Kevin and Drew
  • Uchenna and Joyce
  • David and Mary
  • Joe and Bill
Courtney W
  • John Vito and Jill
  • Rob and Amber
  • Joe and Bill
  • Dustin and Kandice
Robyn
  • Danny and Oswald
  • John Vito and Jill
  • Charla and Mirna
  • Joe and Bill
Jay
  • Uchenna and Joyce
  • David and Mary
  • Rob and Amber
  • Teri and Ian
Ty
  • Danny and Oswald
  • John Vito and Jill
  • Teri and Ian
  • Dustin and Kandice
Laura
  • Kevin and Drew
  • John Vito and Jill
  • David and Mary
  • Charla and Mirna
Chris H.
  • Uchenna and Joyce
  • Rob and Amber
  • Eric and Danielle
  • Dustin and Kandice
June
  • David and Mary
  • Charla and Mirna
  • Eric and Danielle
  • Dustin and Kandicer
Scott
  • Danny and Oswald
  • Uchenna and Joyce
  • David and Mary
  • Rob and Amber
Zoe
  • Kevin and Drew
  • Danny and Oswald
  • Charla and Mirna
  • Joe and Bill
Allegra
  • Kevin and Drew
  • Danny and Oswald
  • Charla and Mirna
  • Dustin and Kandice