Post by freechoice on Feb 22, 2014 23:56:16 GMT
AMAZING RACE ABRIDGED (PREVIEW)
by Jason Vitteri-Lewis
It’s that time of year again! THE AMAZING RACE is back on February 23, 2014 for a second round of All-Stars! Technically though, this is the third All-Stars installment as Cycle 18, subtitled “Unfinished Business,” also featured returning players back to race again. As usual 11 teams are competing against each other for the ONE MILLION dollar prize! Those teams and how I predict/hope each will fare are as follows:
MARGIE & LUKE (S14 &18): This is the Mother/Son duo’s third shot at The Race. Luke is TAR’s first deaf racer and he never ceases to impress me. (Compounded with the fact that I’ve a huge crush on Luke- Don’t Tell My Hubby!) They communicate well and are always SO supportive of one another. I have high hopes for this duo, even though their finishing place has declined with every race. ODDS TO WIN: 10-1
RACHEL & BRENDON aka “BRENCHEL” (S20): The Big Brother Power-Couple came in 3rd their first time racing. Rachel’s right in saying they always do things better the second time around. (She herself won Big Brother on the duo’s second try.) If Rachel can stop being her worst ‘Race’ enemy, they have a great shot at repeating at least a Final 3 placement. They’ll have to do it themselves, because with a reputation preceding them, no one’s helping these two out. ODDS TO WIN: EVEN
NATALIE & NADIYA aka “TWINNIES” (S21): Although many TAR fans found the twins to be loud, obnoxious and annoying, they all but dominated their season, just barely missing out on squeaking into the Top 3. It was heart-breaking to watch because they worked SO hard and I was sure if they made the finals they would have won the whole thing! This time, I think they’ll complete all legs of the race, provided they can team up with someone who can tolerate them screaming ‘TWINNIE’ 24/7. ODDS TO WIN: 2-1
JOEY & MEGHAN (S22): Personally, I’d like to see our YouTubers be Unsubscribed from by the End of Leg 1. This is how annoying I found this team and I wasn’t alone. Their fellow All-Stars are more likely to help Brenchel than Joey & Meghan. True, they placed respectably in their original season, but this is the cream-of-the-crop, not counting our next pair of racers… ODDS TO WIN: 20-1
JOHN & JESSICA (S22): Also from Cycle 22 is perhaps one of the most notorious pair of racers TAR has ever seen! Not for their placement (9th) have you, but for the simple fact they allowed themselves to be eliminated while possessing an EXPRESS PASS! True they won the 1st leg, but that kind of mishap leads me to believe they’ll have an equally early exit from All-Stars where ANY mistake sends you home. WHY on EARTH they are in an All-Stars edition and not ‘Unfinished Business-Part 2’ is beyond my comprehension! ODDS TO WIN: 100-1
CORD & JET aka “COWBOYS” (S16 & 18): This was the All-Stars team I was most excited to see return! My personal pick to win it all without looking up any spoilers beforehand is hands-down the Cowboy Brothers. The duo has come in second and in sixth, respectively, in their original season and in ‘Unfinished Business.’ Out of all the teams, I feel they have the heart and endurance to go the distance and will have learned the most from their past short-comings. ODDS TO WIN: 3-2.
JEN & CAROLINE aka “COUNTRY SINGERS” (S22): These Nashville gals are from my hometown, so you’d think I’d be rooting for them, but you’d be wrong. They wouldn’t have placed so high if not for their showmance with their original season’s winners, Bates & Anthony. Without some coattails to ride, I predict the girls’ time on the race to be a brief one! ODDS TO WIN: 25-1
FLIGHT TIME & BIG EASY aka “GLOBETROTTERS” (S15 & 18): I’m least excited to see this pair return, even though they have placed well in both their prior outings. I find it a challenge to root for celebrities and didn’t ever find them that enthralling or entertaining. Just…meh. I’d secretly love to see them exit early to give another team a real shot, but for now I predict they’ll finish in the top half. ODDS TO WIN: 3-1
DAVID & CONNOR (S22): This is another team I felt should have been held back for another ‘Unfinished Business’ cycle. Like another duo from their original run, John & Jessica, they were forced to depart early before properly earning an All-Stars status, albeit from injury and not stupidity. They could surprise me, but I don’t think they’ll fare much better than their original outing. Their selection was merely for the ‘Aww’ factor. Oh come on…We’re ALL thinking it! ODDS TO WIN: 50-1
LEO & JAMAL aka “AFGHANIMALS” (S23): I really hope that fate doesn’t stick these cousins in 4th place again, but I could just see it happening because there’s always one team who seems to never be able to break into the Top 3 no matter how much you want them there. True, they will have had the most recent race experience to run on, but I don’t think this will be enough to overcome the curse of Fourth Place. I am holding out hope though much like I am with the Twinnies!
ODDS TO WIN: 4-1
MARK & MALLORY (S20 & S17/18): As Phil states so ominously in the promo for the first episode of Season 24, one team won’t make it to the Starting Line! This is in reference to BOPPER’s early exit due to a reported family emergency, and his replacement with two-time veteran and fellow Bluegrass State resident, MALLORY, who previously raced with father GARY. I’m unsure how well two ‘Twitter Friends’ will fare on the race, but with Mal’s experience, anything is possible!
ODDS TO WIN: 20-1
Would LOVE to hear your thoughts about my predictions!
NO SPOILERS PLEASE!!!
TWITTER: @bigbroabridged
Subscribe to www.youtube.com/DisastropheFilms
for my weekly strategy vlog,
”SURVIVOR ABRIDGED.”
by Jason Vitteri-Lewis
It’s that time of year again! THE AMAZING RACE is back on February 23, 2014 for a second round of All-Stars! Technically though, this is the third All-Stars installment as Cycle 18, subtitled “Unfinished Business,” also featured returning players back to race again. As usual 11 teams are competing against each other for the ONE MILLION dollar prize! Those teams and how I predict/hope each will fare are as follows:
MARGIE & LUKE (S14 &18): This is the Mother/Son duo’s third shot at The Race. Luke is TAR’s first deaf racer and he never ceases to impress me. (Compounded with the fact that I’ve a huge crush on Luke- Don’t Tell My Hubby!) They communicate well and are always SO supportive of one another. I have high hopes for this duo, even though their finishing place has declined with every race. ODDS TO WIN: 10-1
RACHEL & BRENDON aka “BRENCHEL” (S20): The Big Brother Power-Couple came in 3rd their first time racing. Rachel’s right in saying they always do things better the second time around. (She herself won Big Brother on the duo’s second try.) If Rachel can stop being her worst ‘Race’ enemy, they have a great shot at repeating at least a Final 3 placement. They’ll have to do it themselves, because with a reputation preceding them, no one’s helping these two out. ODDS TO WIN: EVEN
NATALIE & NADIYA aka “TWINNIES” (S21): Although many TAR fans found the twins to be loud, obnoxious and annoying, they all but dominated their season, just barely missing out on squeaking into the Top 3. It was heart-breaking to watch because they worked SO hard and I was sure if they made the finals they would have won the whole thing! This time, I think they’ll complete all legs of the race, provided they can team up with someone who can tolerate them screaming ‘TWINNIE’ 24/7. ODDS TO WIN: 2-1
JOEY & MEGHAN (S22): Personally, I’d like to see our YouTubers be Unsubscribed from by the End of Leg 1. This is how annoying I found this team and I wasn’t alone. Their fellow All-Stars are more likely to help Brenchel than Joey & Meghan. True, they placed respectably in their original season, but this is the cream-of-the-crop, not counting our next pair of racers… ODDS TO WIN: 20-1
JOHN & JESSICA (S22): Also from Cycle 22 is perhaps one of the most notorious pair of racers TAR has ever seen! Not for their placement (9th) have you, but for the simple fact they allowed themselves to be eliminated while possessing an EXPRESS PASS! True they won the 1st leg, but that kind of mishap leads me to believe they’ll have an equally early exit from All-Stars where ANY mistake sends you home. WHY on EARTH they are in an All-Stars edition and not ‘Unfinished Business-Part 2’ is beyond my comprehension! ODDS TO WIN: 100-1
CORD & JET aka “COWBOYS” (S16 & 18): This was the All-Stars team I was most excited to see return! My personal pick to win it all without looking up any spoilers beforehand is hands-down the Cowboy Brothers. The duo has come in second and in sixth, respectively, in their original season and in ‘Unfinished Business.’ Out of all the teams, I feel they have the heart and endurance to go the distance and will have learned the most from their past short-comings. ODDS TO WIN: 3-2.
JEN & CAROLINE aka “COUNTRY SINGERS” (S22): These Nashville gals are from my hometown, so you’d think I’d be rooting for them, but you’d be wrong. They wouldn’t have placed so high if not for their showmance with their original season’s winners, Bates & Anthony. Without some coattails to ride, I predict the girls’ time on the race to be a brief one! ODDS TO WIN: 25-1
FLIGHT TIME & BIG EASY aka “GLOBETROTTERS” (S15 & 18): I’m least excited to see this pair return, even though they have placed well in both their prior outings. I find it a challenge to root for celebrities and didn’t ever find them that enthralling or entertaining. Just…meh. I’d secretly love to see them exit early to give another team a real shot, but for now I predict they’ll finish in the top half. ODDS TO WIN: 3-1
DAVID & CONNOR (S22): This is another team I felt should have been held back for another ‘Unfinished Business’ cycle. Like another duo from their original run, John & Jessica, they were forced to depart early before properly earning an All-Stars status, albeit from injury and not stupidity. They could surprise me, but I don’t think they’ll fare much better than their original outing. Their selection was merely for the ‘Aww’ factor. Oh come on…We’re ALL thinking it! ODDS TO WIN: 50-1
LEO & JAMAL aka “AFGHANIMALS” (S23): I really hope that fate doesn’t stick these cousins in 4th place again, but I could just see it happening because there’s always one team who seems to never be able to break into the Top 3 no matter how much you want them there. True, they will have had the most recent race experience to run on, but I don’t think this will be enough to overcome the curse of Fourth Place. I am holding out hope though much like I am with the Twinnies!
ODDS TO WIN: 4-1
MARK & MALLORY (S20 & S17/18): As Phil states so ominously in the promo for the first episode of Season 24, one team won’t make it to the Starting Line! This is in reference to BOPPER’s early exit due to a reported family emergency, and his replacement with two-time veteran and fellow Bluegrass State resident, MALLORY, who previously raced with father GARY. I’m unsure how well two ‘Twitter Friends’ will fare on the race, but with Mal’s experience, anything is possible!
ODDS TO WIN: 20-1
Would LOVE to hear your thoughts about my predictions!
NO SPOILERS PLEASE!!!
TWITTER: @bigbroabridged
Subscribe to www.youtube.com/DisastropheFilms
for my weekly strategy vlog,
”SURVIVOR ABRIDGED.”