The Teams - My Initial Thoughts

Bilal and Sa'eed

• Our first Muslim team on the race! They've traveled a lot. They were both in the military for a number of years. Both of these bode well for them. But what doesn't bode well is that one has a fear of heights. I'm glad that the race is pushing diversity in a positive and uncontroversial way this year unlike that other show, but let's think about the sense of putting two men who follow the Islamic dress code (at least it looks that way to me) on a show where you are on PLANES EVERY DAY. I fear that what will do these two in is not a lack of athleticism (from the pictures they don't look like they would win a foot race), but getting held up in airport security. If one of them starts singing "Cleveland Muslims in New Zealand" or something, I will be very very happy and want them to go a long, long way.

David and Mary

• Oh, the joys of a Kentucky coal miner and his McDonald's working wife. I can hear the soundtrack that the Amazing Music Editors are putting together already in my head. What worries me most about these two (well, there are lots of things, actually) is that they are Big Brother fans, which means that they can be totally entertained by watching sixteen people stuck in the same house together for three months. I need a little more panache with my reality TV, thank you very much. The quasi-matching t-shirts (daddy's little devils, mommy's little angles, each with the same picture of their three kids on it) really have to go. They have no travel experience which would be fine, except that in their video Mary goes on and on about how they want to enjoy everything that they're seeing, and something to the effect of "I mean just think--we might get to see the Eiffel tower!". If that's as far as her travel imagination can take her, I'm not sure she's ready for, oh, let's say, a train in India? I don't have high hopes, but if they can pull out an "I concur" and prove me wrong, well, I'll be on the love coalmine train.
  

Duke and Lauren

• Please enter team competitive contention. Even though they are father / daughter (and, I might add, the first out gay woman we have had on this show in all ten seasons, which is kinda cool), the overwhelming vibe I get is akin to Ray and Deana. Is that icky and wrong? A little bit. They need to bond. They're trying to work on their relationship. No international travel, very competitive, treat each leg as the last leg (which means pouting in second place--ugh). I want to like them more, but I just can't. So, Rhode Islanders? Prove me wrong, please!

Dustin and Kandice

• I never thought I would say this, but my favorite pre-show team is a pair of beauty queens. But they don't seem to be like the beauty queens of yore, they seem awesome. First, in their video, they must have asked them how they did at the Miss America pageant and their answer was, "pretty good--we were in the top 50!" which I thought was really funny. And then they won me over even more when they started quoting from the big-ass release form you have to sign when you get far enough into the interview process for the show (although no one besides me reading probably knew that's what they were doing, but there is actually a line in the liability section that says "CBS is not responsible nor can be held liable for injuries or death resulting from political situations, war, transportation, challenge equipment, contestant choices, acts of god..."). They're like a funny Double D, a non-bimbo Heave, and I'm guessing they won't go looking for the mountains of Argentina on the Chilean coastline. Sassy, smart, strong, big fans of the show...I hate to keep going on about them because I'm afraid it will jinx them. So I am now done with my Dustin and Kandice lovefest.

Erwin and Godwin

• Ah, the competitive brothers team. But as opposed to the competitive brothers of previous seasons, it seems like these two are more concerned with competing against each other? No that could be fun to watch, or get old really quickly. Not sure which way it will go. A couple quick observations: 1) they both have win in their name. 2) the one who feels the pressure to live up to his brother also has God in his name. I find that funny. Despite their muscles and brainpower (I'm assuming by the UC Berkely--or is it UCLA?--shirt), these two are little chickenshits! My favorite line of their video was that they'd make decisions on roadblocks about who had more absorbant underwear. Oh, that's a good one. I'd like to see these two go far, but I have a feeling they will be more of the Shola and Doyin rather than the original Double D team.
  

Kellie and Jamie

• Fame seeking cheerleaders. We'll see these two on the next "Battle of the Network Reality Stars". I really don't have too much else to say about them, other than one little comment. As a former teacher, it kind of pains me to hear someone say, "Well, I took Spanish all throughout high school so I can say 'Hola', but that's about it." Dude, I have never taken Spanish, and I can say Hola. I've never taken Welsh either, but I can say Ca arall bîr blesio like a native. I have a feeling Kellie and Jamie will say φιλώ εμένα to get what they want at least once on the race. Bring it On, girls.

Lyn and Karlyn

• I'm going to just call this team Bowling Moms part deux (unless that title should go to BJ and Tyler?). Even their first names are kind of the same! Hopefully they won't screech as much. And that's really all I have to say about them.

Peter and Sarah

• With these two, I made a mistake by watching their video before reading their short bio, so I was totally confused and a bit put off when Peter was the one talking about how hard it is to travel with an artificial limb. I was like, "um, dude, you have both your legs, at least until she burns it off with the stare she was giving you, dope. Then I realized that he actually is a clinical prosthetist, so I guess it makes a bit of sense, except for the whole she's staring you down with her eyes and you so don't notice bit. I like her. She isn't all "oh my god, look at me because I'm different and I'm really out to prove something" (yes, I'm looking at you Charla. And Reichen), but is more like, "yeah, this happened, but it doesn't stop me. And you know how I know that? I'm this kickass triathalon grrrrrrrrrrrl!" (I don't usually spell "girl" like that. I'm all about proper spelling, punctuation, and grammar. However, I think she might just qualify as a grrrrrrrrrrrrrl). I'm still getting a creepy vibe from him. Like a Colin vibe, I think. They are either going to go away quick, or be a team to watch. I'm just not sure which one yet.

Rob and Kimberly

• Blah. That's really the only impression I have. Or maybe it's just because I've been working on this post for quite sometime and I really hadn't written anything interesting about them before. Oh, except that they are going to try not to fight, because teams that fight or work together as a team don't win. They obviously didn't see season three.

Tom and Terry
Tyler and James

• Oh, the alpha males that reconnected in rehab? This is awesome. But I do have a little bit of an issue when the production team could possibly design challenges that they couldn't take part in, even if it is a detour or something. There will be no vodka shots off swords for these two. Other than that? The usual fun lovin' good lookin' twenty something guys. They'll have fun with Kellie and Jamie, I'm guessing.
  

Vipul and Arti

• You know, I'm beginning to think race is the new gay in the world of reality tv. I'm not sure what that means, but I think it's true. And I'm sure I wil pontificate upon this more in future recaps. I like the look of these two. Vipul's got on the silly tshirt, they are fans, they look like they get along really well. I have to say, though, Arti looks absolutley shell-shocked by the cameras, the whole Kami and Karli in the headlights look. Hopefully she'll be able to get through this stage.

Some Final Thoughts

First off, I LOVE the new videosite that they're using on cbs.com, innertube. It works perfectly for me, it's easy to create a playlist, and it's fast and clear. Although, that could be my cable modem that I've got here at the house.

Second, I think I kind of love this cast. There is only one out of twenty four that gives me immediate ick vibes (Peter, I'm giving you the same stare Sarah was), but the rest seem excellent. I'd rather see smart, good racers than drama any day. I know drama garners ratings, but so does Emmys. And this show's already won three and possibly a fourth on Sunday. Time will tell, and keep your fingers crossed.