The Amazing Race Season 13 - Discussion

[Tick-Tock]

Yes, that has happened before. In an early season I clearly remember Phil going out in the dark to some beach in South American, I think, while a team was still out there digging in the sand for something that would get them the next clue. It might have happened a couple of other times too.

Wasn't that in Egypt? They were looking for a scarab, if I remember correctly.

[NotaGeek]

I work with college students for a living and the frat boys are the reason why so many people have a bad image of Greek life.

I was in a Fraternity, and none of my brothers were like the frat boys ... and to be honest they seemed a lot more like nerdy tech guys to me ... no offense to any nerdy tech guys that happen to be on INTERCOT.

Coincidentally, the guys were members of Alpha Epsilon Pi which is a national Jewish Fraternity -- which is a bit different than the all-jock booze drinking college fraternity that many think of when you hear the term "frat boy".

[Ian]

Wow, that is amazing. Glad that they now have those "catch-up" places so that no team get that far behind again.

See and I have the opposite opinion. I always find the "catch-ups" to be manufactured ways to keep underperforming teams in the race. IMO, it should be completely sink or swim. If you fall that far back, then so be it. TAR shouldn't manipulate the stages of the race to keep you in it, if you ask me.

I was in a Fraternity, and none of my brothers were like the frat boys ... and to be honest they seemed a lot more like nerdy tech guys to me ... no offense to any nerdy tech guys that happen to be on INTERCOT.

I thought the same thing. They struck me more like computer nerds than they did "beer-guzzling frat boys."

[pixiesmimi]

See and I have the opposite opinion. I always find the "catch-ups" to be manufactured ways to keep underperforming teams in the race. IMO, it should be completely sink or swim. If you fall that far back, then so be it. TAR shouldn't manipulate the stages of the race to keep you in it, if you ask me.

I thought the same thing. They struck me more like computer nerds than they did "beer-guzzling frat boys."

I thought that, too. I don't like it when a team is way out in the lead and then they let them all catch up at the airport or somewhere. That isn't fair to the lead team. I really liked the earlier seasons better than I do now because I feel like they are manipulating the race more now.

When the frat guys said last night, "I feel we really represented the Fraternities well and they are proud of us." I said "I know a lot of fraternity guys that would take offense to that!" They really didn't deserve to be in the final three no matter how it happened because Dallas and Toni and others ran a better race and except for that accident would have beaten them out for third and the frat guys should have been eliminated when they came in last on that other leg. But it is done and they did run the last part better than any of the other legs.

I think Tina was counting that million long before the finish. That is a big difference between $1M and $25,000. I didn't realize that all of the teams or most seem to get something. That is interesting.

[NotaGeek]

They really didn't deserve to be in the final three no matter how it happened because Dallas and Toni and others ran a better race and except for that accident would have beaten them out for third and the frat guys should have been eliminated when they came in last on that other leg. But it is done and they did run the last part better than any of the other legs.

Well, technically the frat guys did deserve to be in the final 3 since they beat Dallas and Toni ... like Phil says, "the last team might be eliminated" ... and Dallas and Toni made the biggest mistake of any team in the history of the race, they lost their passport and money which ultimately would be ANY travelers demise on a trip. Whether it be luck, skill or what have you, the LAST team deserves to be eliminated.

[Mousefever]

I'm happy for Nick and Star! They ran a great race.

I think it would be cool if they had all the winners past race against each other. They could pay the players a certain amount, but have them mostly play for a charity of their choosing.

The Frat guys actually remind me of that Superbad movie.

On my college campus there were a few different fraternities. At the beginning of the year the fraternities would have parties for the freshman girls, based on the "pig book". (We found this out later.) The "pig book" had pictures of all the incoming freshmen. It was lovely being leered at.

[Ian]

Yeah, I agree with Michael. While some groups may be more or less deserving than others of a win, that mistake by Dallas was just huge and based on that alone it was right that the frat boys finished ahead of them.

As bumbling as they were, they always managed to somehow overcome their failings.

[dolphinmickey9170]

See the above post about the real circumstances of why they weren't there, but I agree, I wonder how long it took them to get new passports and what happened. I wish they could have put off the ending until Dallas and Toni could be there. That was sad! I am very delighted in the end though! DH asked if second or third place got any money. Anyone know the answer?

Thank you, Pixiesmimi, I missed that post!

[pixiesmimi]

Well, technically the frat guys did deserve to be in the final 3 since they beat Dallas and Toni ... like Phil says, "the last team might be eliminated" ... and Dallas and Toni made the biggest mistake of any team in the history of the race, they lost their passport and money which ultimately would be ANY travelers demise on a trip. Whether it be luck, skill or what have you, the LAST team deserves to be eliminated.

I agree on the one hand but what I disagree about is that they made the biggest mistake. If it wasn't for the crew getting him out of the taxi to replace the battery in his mike and taking his bag off, he probably wouldn't have left it behind. So I have to say that it was also the crew's fault and just think they should have given them some sort of concession for this because it wasn't all his fault. It made for good editing though since there wasn't a lot of drama in this leg. What is done is done, but I just feel bad for them when it wasn't totally his fault. But I guess you can equate it to one of the cars breaking down or running out of gas or something. Just bad circumstances that they couldn't overcome.

[NotaGeek]

I agree on the one hand but what I disagree about is that they made the biggest mistake. If it wasn't for the crew getting him out of the taxi to replace the battery in his mike and taking his bag off, he probably wouldn't have left it behind. So I have to say that it was also the crew's fault and just think they should have given them some sort of concession for this because it wasn't all his fault. It made for good editing though since there wasn't a lot of drama in this leg. What is done is done, but I just feel bad for them when it wasn't totally his fault. But I guess you can equate it to one of the cars breaking down or running out of gas or something. Just bad circumstances that they couldn't overcome.

Well, to be honest, here is NO circumstance in the WORLD that would ever make me not have control of my passport. I have traveled the WORLD with all kinds of distractions, but have never lost my passport.

Regardless of what Dallas says happened, what it boils down to is that he was in the last leg before the final race and he lost his passport and money. Of course he is going to blame the production crew for taking his pack off and setting it down ... but he knew they took it off to replace his battery, he said that in this interview ... it's not like he just set down a watch and walked away ... it's the pack with is passport and all his money! It's kind of an important detail when you are racing around the world for a $1,000,000.00 prize.

[Ian]

I completely agree with Michael. Your passport is basically your life in the Amazing Race. I wouldn't move a muscle without first being sure it was glued to my body. Ditto for my cash.

It was a huge mistake, regardless of the impetus for it. Ultimately, he's responsible for keeping track of his documentation and cash. Losing it was a disasterous move that rightly cost them the race.

[MNNHFLTX]

My thoughts exactly. I can't imagine being separated from my passport when traveling in a foreign country (unless it is locked up in a hotel safe). It would even be more crucial than money in the race, IMO. Just think--even if Dallas and Toni had just lost their passports (and not their money) and managed to not come in last, they would still be out of the race due to the time it would take to get a new passport.

[NotaGeek]

My thoughts exactly. I can't imagine being separated from my passport when traveling in a foreign country (unless it is locked up in a hotel safe). It would even be more crucial than money in the race, IMO. Just think--even if Dallas and Toni had just lost their passports (and not their money) and managed to not come in last, they would still be out of the race due to the time it would take to get a new passport.

Absolutely!

[JanetMegan]

You know I guess I always thought second place got $100,000 like on Survivor...guess I was wrong I just watched this the other day and missed the episode last week so I felt a little lost but glad for the winners.

[brownie]

Well, technically the frat guys did deserve to be in the final 3 since they beat Dallas and Toni ... like Phil says, "the last team might be eliminated" ... and Dallas and Toni made the biggest mistake of any team in the history of the race, they lost their passport and money which ultimately would be ANY travelers demise on a trip. Whether it be luck, skill or what have you, the LAST team deserves to be eliminated.

I read an interview that Dallas and Toni gave. It wasn't completely his fault. The production crew needed to change a microphone battery and undid his fanny pack while they made the change. The fanny pack didn't end up getting redone. The whole thing also involved three different cabs according to Dallas.

[tinkwest]

It amuses me that there is more discussion on this topic after the show has ended than there was during the race.

The bottom line is that whether the viewer likes or dislikes a team the whole name of the game is to NOT COME IN LAST during each leg of the race and TO COME IN FIRST during the final leg. And whoever can do that is the winner. It is up to each team to accomplish this through things they have no control over (traffic jams and stupid cab drivers) and things they do have control over (unsuccessfully attempting Fast Forwards and keeping track of all their "stuff"). Each team "deserves" the position they earn.

[NotaGeek]

I read an interview that Dallas and Toni gave. It wasn't completely his fault. The production crew needed to change a microphone battery and undid his fanny pack while they made the change. The fanny pack didn't end up getting redone. The whole thing also involved three different cabs according to Dallas.

Yeah, scroll up a few posts, that article is posted. Unfortunately we will never know what really happened, except that Dallas, by whatever forces, lost his passport and money and came in last, and the team was eliminated.