Amazing Race -- The Cowboy Way

This season's Amazing Race is shaping up to be a fun season.

I'm becoming a big fan of the "cowboy" team of Jet & Cord. Going in, I didn't expect to have them on my "favorites" radar, figuring they'd be annoying, but their easygoing style (contrasting with the at-each-others-throats conflict we always seem to see from teams every year) and sense of humor, even poking fun at themselves, has won me over. The fact that they're running one hell of a good race is gravy. Sure, the Gsucho roping roadblock played to their strengths (after all, they are rodeo guys), but on the previous leg, the creative solution to the bus problem, getting a jump on those who stuck to the more "direct" routes, showed some smarts. I think these guys could win... they've got the strength to deal with the physical challenges and have shown they're not just "dumb hicks". 


Another favorite team is "Team Big Brother"... Jeff & Jordan. As a Big Brother fan, I already had an affinity for them as likable and fun-loving people. They've proven to be pretty good competitors, too, but a disturbing habit of not always reading the clues carefully could prove to be their downfall if they do it at a time when it could cause them a major delay, or even a time penalty. I hope they stick around a while, because they're fun to watch with their kidding banter, but I expect that they'll be long gone by the time it gets down to the final 3 teams sprinting for the finish line.


Another team that I've taken a bit of a liking to that I didn't expect to like is Brent & Caite. That they're billed as "dating models" was the kind of red flag that usually puts me off on a team right off the bat. But they've taken on a bit of the "underdog" edit, starting with other teams, upon realizing that she's a former Miss Teenage South Carolina (yes... THAT Miss Teenage South Carolina...) started mocking her among themselves and to other teams. Jeebus, people! OK... the girl had a televised "Deer in the headlights" moment that's become a viral internet classic. That was two frigging years ago! Let it go... get over it.
This past episode when their start got delayed 3 hours when they woke up sick and puking their guts up in the hotel due to food poisoning or something (Dammit! I told you not to drink the damned water!). They looked like they were going to be doomed right from the start, but after getting treatment at the local emergency room, and being dehydrated from the morning's expulsion of inner liquids, they battled back and wound up reaching the pit stop in 7th place. That's a bit more grit than I'm used to seeing from "model" teams.

I think I'm going to enjoy this season as it plays out.