The Amazing Race: Who Really 'Deserves' the Million Dollars?

When you’re done reading this article, make sure to check out its companion article written by Beth Blakely: Why I Wanted Margarita to Win.

After the victory of lawyers Rob and Brennan in The Amazing Race, a popular opinion on Internet message boards has been that their opponents Frank and Margarita deserved to win the money more. Why? Because they have a young daughter to support and thus have a better use for the prize.

Now, certainly, the million dollars could have come in handy for college tuition and the general cost of raising a child. However, isn't it safe to assume that Brennan and Rob will most likely be having children of their own to raise in the next few years? Even if they don’t, being childless shouldn't make one less deserving of winning a competition. The only criteria for which team deserved to win should be which team played the game the best.

Some people have also mentioned that, as lawyers, Rob and Brennan don't need the money as much as Frank and Margarita do. Why should the fact that they have successful careers be held against them? They undoubtedly worked hard to get through law school to get where they are today. They shouldn't have to apologize for their prosperity (and who says they don't have huge student loans to pay off?). Frank and Margarita both have solid careers as well and, for all we know, make more than Rob and Brennan.

Rob and Brennan won the race fair and square. They displayed the best teamwork of all the pairs, with very little (if any) fighting amongst themselves. They made it to the finish line first by working hard and working together. If Frank and Margarita had beaten them, then they would be most deserving of the money, but the fact that they are parents shouldn't be a factor.

In the final two episodes, Frank and Margarita displayed a disappointing lack of sportsmanship and were far too cocky about their chances to win. They gleefully gloated about having the competition locked up in New York City and said they couldn't wait to see Rob and Brennan’s faces when they (Frank and Margarita) won. A far cry from the classy winners that Rob and Brennan turned out to be.

It is truly rewarding to see a reality show that, with no jury selecting the winner, was mostly free of backstabbing and ass-kissing and in which the best players actually won. For once, the nice guys finished first.

The reader may also be interested in an earlier article on a similar topic, Deserving the Prize, which talks about several recent instances of people worrying about who “deserved” the prize because of outside monetary issues.

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