There were no eliminations in week six, but people still jostled for position. Who made the smart moves, who made the dumb ones? And what did the separated parents (right) do to earn a penalty?
What a race! The most tension-filled leg yet gave the teams multiple difficulties in getting to Rome. No less than four different paths were taken. However, in the end, it was just another equalizing task that negated the advantage to get to Rome first, otherwise this could have been a game-breaking leg. Or not. This leg was not an elimination destination. Everybody is still in the race.
I will have to assume the teams acted as best they could, in getting the earliest flight to the closest city they could. Milan, Florence, and Venice would have been my top choices. Still, there is one trick I might have tried if I could have pulled it off – a charter flight to anywhere near Rome. If air-fare is covered by the producers instead of the cash of the teams, I'd have tried to hire a private pilot and aircraft.
What I am surprised about is that no team went for the fast-forward. Once they found out a direct flight to Rome was not an option, teams still able to use the fast forward should have considered it as a way to bypass that problem. It could have bought them many hours.
Frank and Margarita (Separated Parents). I can't argue with the results of their strategy. I thought the flight to London was stupid, but they made up for it, so perhaps they outsmarted me. Still, they got a time penalty because they ignored the rules of the race. This is a bad sign. They are getting along again as well. That is a good sign. They have rebounded well from their previous position.
Bill and Joe (Life Partners, Team Guido to themselves, Ernie and Bert to the other teams). They are a smart team. A devious team. They are the leaders because they are a team with the skills needed. They are employing them. Still, they have no allies. Indeed, the other teams hate them, and they brought it on themselves. Trying to block Nancy at the airport to cause her to miss the flight is typical of them. Look at the situation, Kevin and Drew were willing to help Nancy and Emily and Rob and Brennan on the flights. They would NEVER have helped Team Guido. With these two, it is their way or no way. If they win, it will be on their own merits and nothing else. I'm still not discounting them to win, because they have the right skills. Still, their choice of making enemies instead of allies could cost them in the end. They got stuck with a time penalty, and I don't think anybody feels sorry for them because of it. I don't like this team, but I do respect them.
Rob and Brennan (Lawyers, Best Friends). These two tailgated on the ability of Drew and Kevin. Long term, they will weed themselves out. No fast-forward option. While this team had potential, my opinion of them has been revised. They burned the fast-forward WAY too early. Now they are relying on the others to get them places. They need to prove themselves strong or be eliminated because they are weak. It's all up to them.
Drew and Kevin (Frat Brothers). They have always been a strong team. They pulled along Nancy/Emily and Rob/Brennan this time. Was it a mistake? I am not sure. I've always thought Nancy/Emily weak, and I have revised my opinion of Rob/Brennan as well to being probably weak. If I were them, I'd have helped Lenny/Karyn instead of Rob/Brennan, because I think they are weaker. Help the others, but get ahead of them. It's a great motto for The Amazing Race.
Nancy and Emily (Mother/Daughter). My favorite team in this race benefited from their relationship with Kevin and Drew for the second time. Tickets to Lyon and then a train ride put them ahead of the final team. Still, if this was NOT an elimination point, they might have been dead ducks due to their acceptance of waiting for a taxi instead of Drew/Kevin or Rob/Brennan. They should have insisted that the teams split up, left one member each waiting for the taxi. Since Kevin/Drew got the tickets, it should have been a battle between our mother/daughter or the lawyers. Nancy, Emily, remember, this is a race. NEVER give up your position. It could ultimately cost you. Still, these ladies are performing well. They are a sleeper team who could end up surprising everybody, including Team Guido.
Lenny and Karyn (Dating Couple). I've commented before on how you have LUCK. I perhaps might bet a dollar on you winning. Why? Because you have the luck of the Devil. Despite all the mistakes you have made, you are still in the race. Despite the first to arrive in Rome, you are in last place. Eventually, this will cost you the race. You got lucky. If this was an elimination point, bye-bye.
Jeffrey Clinard has a Master's degree in marketing, a job he could not be paid enough to return to. He applies logic and strategy to the events of reality TV shows.
