The Amazing Race to the Mat

I don't remember ever seeing a three-team race to the mat ever, let alone one that was as close as what we saw last night. And that was quite a race! But before commenting on the end, a few thoughts.

1.) MoJo have become my least-favorite team on this Race, by far. And I'm sure the majority of America agrees with me. Monica has been whiny throughout this Race, but I have written it off as the results of sleep-deprivation and stress. But this week was just unbearable. I don't think Monica has ever heard the adage "people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones." After working with Eric and Jeremy to cancel Ray and Yolanda and BJ and Tyler's cabs, she whines when she is yielded? Saying that the hippies weren't playing fair? How was the cab cancellation fair? I know it wasn't clear how involved MoJo was in the cancellation, but at the very least they sat by and laughed as it happened and didn't say a word to the other teams about it.

2.) Why does every team that gets yielded complain that the yielding team didn't play fair? It's a part of the game. It's a built-in rule! Sure, be as angry as you want with the other team. But not playing fair? I don't think so.

3.) Karma really is a bitch. I thought Eric and Jeremy's plan to cancel the cabs was pretty genius, but it was great to see them as the last to actually get a cab themselves. I'm glad they realized they deserved it.

4.) As Laura Holt pointed out, in addition to being annoyingly whiny, Monica didn't even bother to look at the aborigine with the didgerido once. Not once! And by the way, when I was in college, I knew someone who played the didgerido.

And now for the finish--


Good for Ray and Yolanda for finally pulling ahead and landing in first place. Monica and Joseph really caught up nicely. They definitely chose the better detour. I couldn't help but note how dumb MoJo was when they realized they were racing to the mat against the frats and the hippies, asking where Ray and Yolanda were. Ummm...you let Ray and Yolanda pass you a half hour ago as you were going to the roadblock and they were leaving it.

I was really surprised that Monica beat BJ to the mat, although it looked like BJ tried to take a shortcut through some water, and ended up stumbling. And he wasn't wearing shoes. It was great how close it was, because none of the teams had time to put on any clothes in case it was a non-elimination leg (as evidenced by this photo--look at Jeremy in his little shorts). I am excited to see what BJ and Tyler manage to do about getting BJ some shoes. There are no more yields to threaten the other teams with.

I was glad it was a non-elimination, though, and the hippies live on to race another day. They started off so strong, but lately have really been struggling. Not a good time to lose your...mojo.

Results from the pool over the past two weeks--Red is closing in on Bailey, and Diane and Holt are almost in a dead heat:
Bailey: 81 (first eight legs of the race) + 6 (last week) + 2 (this week) = 89
Red: 63 + 14 (go me last week!!) + 5 (this week) = 82
Diane: 69 + 1 + 5 = 75
Laura H.: 57 + 12 + 5 = 74
Laura I.W.: 51 + 6 + 2 = 59