The Amazing Race 8 Insider, Finale: Thank You, Jesus!

Well, someone was smiling pretty on me Tuesday night. Yay! Great job, Linzes! I was thrilled to see them win. Of course, from the instant I saw the geography puzzle, I figured the Weavers were out of the race. If they could put Florida in the right place, I’d be shocked.

Sweet Cab Drivers: The Bransens at the Stade Olympique after they found their clue talk about how they figured this wouldn’t be too hard of a task, then it took forever! They are quick to state it was tiring, but no one got discouraged (unlike the Weavers’ Whinefest). They think another hour or two might have made it worse, but they took a food break and got revitalized (smart move). They sing the praises of “Big Ben,” their cab driver, who stuck with them and even volunteered to hang around after they told him to go ahead and go. They call him sweet. Apparently, he knew the city really well and did not get them lost at all. Indeed, he caught them up to the Linzes, as they remind us.

Wet Blankets: The Linzes, also post-Stade, state that the Weavers let things happen to them that interfere with their ability to enjoy and experience the race. Can I get an amen? That is so true. The Linzes are very nice about it; you can tell they feel bad someone isn’t getting everything out of it they should. However, it is the Weavers’ own damn fault. They tell us they catch themselves being brought down by the Weavers’ attitude sometimes, but they don’t let it last. They try to make the best of situations and enjoy them to the fullest. By the way, did anyone just totally love how Megan just couldn’t get the correct pronunciation of “stade” down? She kept trying and her brothers kept laughing and correcting, and I kept chortling.

Guinea Pig: The Weavers are driving about, and Rebecca states that Rolly contributes a lot more than most people on the race (yes, because you all are pathetic). She says he is not so good at mapping (she and the mom are good at that, I’ll concede that point). He is like their little—as she pauses, Rolly pipes in with “slave?” I snarfle a bit. I do think Rolly might be savable if we could get him out of that family. Rebecca says she thought it might be a disadvantage to have a younger person on the team, but it hasn’t been. He is definitely a major part of the team, the women all agree.

Memories: The Weavers attempt to remember things they enjoyed along the way, while they are driving about. They mention the hot air balloon ride, being run over by a carriage, and talking themselves out of a ticket. Rachel informs us that they had more contact and spent more time with the people they met along the way then fellow racers. Hmm, yet you whined the whole time about everyone ignoring you! Ya think that might be because you thumbed your nose at them and went and spoke with whatever local you were blindsiding at the time? They call these people “fun and normal,” thus implying the other racers were not. Rolly mentions they had friends in the race earlier on, just not now. Linda proclaims they met a lot of neat people who gave them neat stuff. And the truth wins out. People GAVE them things, so they were good. Right. Anyway, I am at least glad to see them trying to think of things they enjoyed.

Nothing To Prove: At the Stade, Rebecca Weaver snottily informs us that this task was not the “end all be all” because she has nothing to prove. She rambles about how it was nice to find, but disdainfully dismisses its importance in the race. She instead takes the odd tack of mentioning how she proves things to people in her real life all the time, and finding a clue box in a stadium proves nothing. Well, duh! I don’t think anyone ever said it proved much of anything, but it certainly would help you win a million dollars.

Did you notice that when a task goes their way or Rolly can do it, it’s great and God’s will for them to trounce everyone, but when it requires all of them and it doesn’t go well, it’s stupid and unfair? Idiots.

Cash Flow: The Bransens are driving towards Niagara Falls and are hoping that they do not have to spend any money. Apparently, Mr. Big Ben the nice guy was also Mr. Big Spender, as he cost them a couple hundred bucks plus a huge tip. They hope this is the finish line coming up since they were told to bring passports, etc. They explain that early on, they were so frugal with money, they always had stuff left over. This leg, they weren’t so frugal, and now they are hurting and will have to beg if anything else costs money. That’s okay, I liked watching Wally pimp his daughters out at the casino earlier. That was amusing!

Hindsight Is 20/20: The Linzes are having fun at poor Boner’s expense. Apparently he claimed he saw a flag and a box from the Tour CN, but he was mistaken. They tease him mercilessly, so he comes back with how his brothers couldn’t find orange balls. I perk up, then I remember it’s the golf task. Then I snarfle a bit, because I wish they had used blue balls. Nothing would have been more fun then to hear someone named Boner say on national television, “you couldn’t even find some blue balls!”