Author |
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Karen
Member
09-07-2004
| Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 11:46 am
Oh, give me a break. All this talk about Rob and his smarmy 'manipulations' ruining future races by showing racers that they can be smart about what they're doing, think 'outside the box' and get the other teams off their game... come on, people. Did we forget that this is a reality show? It's not a "LA-LA-LA-LA-lets-all-twenty-of-us-travel-together-around-the-world-and-lets-just-see-who-shows-up-first- -Isn't-this-fun-we're-all-so-happy...'. It's a competition, people... for a million bucks! A lot of the game is luck -- best flights, good cab drivers, etc. -- but a lot of what it takes to come in first can't be credited to luck alone - you've got to be thinking, too. And now we're all crying foul because Rob's taken the time to study the rules, and take the game to the next level? I'm sorry, but this is the kind of race that I've been waiting to see. The past couple of seasons the racers have gotten comfortable with the lack of competition from other teams (and by 'lack of competition', I mean mental competition, in that they only had to worry about what they were doing, and maybe worry about being yielded by another team.) Let me ask this: If it had been a different team - perhaps the brothers, or team POW/WOW - who masterminded the 'take a penalty', or who had bribed the bus driver to only open the front doors, or anything else that Rob is taking flak for, would we still all be up in arms? Or is it simply because we don't like to see Rob being this smart? Sorry, but count me as (one of the few, obviously) one who is enjoying this new dynamic on the race. (And yes, I've seen every episode of every season of TAR, and all three seasons of Romber on Survivor)
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Kitt
Member
09-06-2000
| Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 11:49 am
The four hour delay has been mentioned before, remember the keys challenge last season where they had to find the lock that matched their key out of hundreds? (I think that's what Landi was getting at, above.) Aaron and Hayden decided to quit knowing there would be a four hour penalty, and then the frizzy haired girl with the horned boyfriend found their lock, so it backfired. The penalty then was definitely four hours, but there was no mention of waiting until the next team got to the task - that part definitely seemed new to this challenge. I do think AR had to have some contingency plan, there was a good chance that some of them couldn't finish that task. I bet they didn't think it would go down quite the way it did though! I love Rob. I have to admit it. I'm sure Simon Cowell would say his "confidence does NOT exceed his ability"!
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Twiggyish
Member
08-14-2000
| Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 11:56 am
Rob hasn't broken any rules. He's not afraid to try things. I am enjoying him on the show. I wouldn't have eaten that meat, either!
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Sunshyne4u
Member
06-17-2003
| Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 11:58 am
Azriel has an excellent point What I don't understand is that this 'penalty' was more like a yield. Every other time someone was penalized the penalty was time added to the time that they actually showed up at the pit stop. Why didn't that happen here? Rob was able to hang around and manipulate other people. It just doesn't make sense to me. Wilson also made a great point as all we have is the ability to GUESS. It seems that There are no rules that are being carried around by the teams. If the rules are solid why is there not a link for us viewers to read them? If these rules were clear and obvious why would that poor girl turn over bails for EIGHT hours last season?? I just dont believe that the rules are clear and nonmovable. Thx for the info about Haley. I truly dont remember a thing about them getting a four hour penalty. As there were no more teams coming after Haley (both teams were there together doing the keys) so how could the four hours start when the next team arrives?? I remember a mention of a penalty last season but it wasnt like what was 'developed' for Rob and Amber (in my deranged opinion LOL). Once again, if it was clearly in the rules WHY did none of the other teams know about it?? Well, because Rob and Amber asked, on the spot, what would be the penalty. Remember, no other team knew.
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Guinevere
Member
03-15-2001
| Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 12:05 pm
>Contestants will no longer try to simply race well, it will all be about who can bend the rules the furthest< I really don't see how Rob's actions last night (I assume that's what you're referring to?) constituted "bend(ing) the rules". Am I missing something? The rule was there and had been there in previous incarnations of TAR. Rob just used it strategically in a way that other teams haven't in the past. >the big reason this worked, is that rob convinced other people it was in their best interest to also quit the challenge.< Well, even if the other two teams hadn't quit, Rob and Amber would've still come out ahead of Susan and Patrick and Debbie and Bianca. Certainly, once they quit, R&A knew that they were safer, but really it didn't matter (though of course it will help that they have a start time for the next leg more in the middle of the pack rather than potentially next to last, but that'll probably be wiped out by bunching pretty quickly anyway).
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Mocha
Member
08-12-2001
| Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 12:07 pm
I like how Rob's playing also but I've always liked him, it's just Amber that I don't like lol. Now if he had teamed up with Sean then I'd really enjoy this season lol.
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Ladytex
Member
09-27-2001
| Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 12:08 pm
I'm enjoying watching Rob and Amber this season, and I'm getting a kick out of people getting their panties all in a wad about him. He hasn't broken any rules. He was smart enough to study the rules and to know what he could get away with. He's entertaining and that's why I'm enjoying it.
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Hippyt
Member
06-15-2001
| Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 12:22 pm
I dunno,Mocha,after seeing Sean on that donkey,lol!
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Hootyhoot
Member
12-18-2001
| Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 12:23 pm
First of all, I think Rob really studied every rule in the book. I bet there is a lot of fine print. Of course he would verify his reading of the rule with whoever was judging this event ... and also, his idea would work best when all or many of the teams are at the same place at the same time. It gave him a chance to see how many were struggling ... and to see that if he dropped out, others might too. A great move on his part, not so great a move for the other teams ... but as it turned out it did work for all of them.
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Sassynegal
Member
01-21-2005
| Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 12:35 pm
Again, I don't think it would be such an issue if Say Debbie and Bianca had taken the penalty. It's just people don't like Rob. I find it amusing that people say they wouldn't lie or do whatever it takes to win because you don't really know what you'd do until you are in the position! Team Guido lied and pushed people, Debbie and Bianca told teams to go dig in the wrong piles, Other teams in past TAR have lied, etc Boston Rob hasn't changed the game. What about the abusive guy 2 races ago that wouldn't pay his taxi and then was screaming at the police, etc, would we rather watch that or Jon and Victoria over Boston Rob outsmarting the others??? And I go back to the part where they accused Rob of lying - He never denied talking to the guard- he bribed him of that yes he is guilty but when they confronted him he suddenly was a liar even though he admitted talking to the guard. He was accused of lying before he ever told a lie - he outsmarted them and that made them mad.
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Native_texan
Member
08-24-2004
| Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 12:50 pm
I don't know if anyone has mentioned it above but I know there's been a lot of discussion about when the time penalty starts. Last night the penalty started when the next team arrived. Last season when Hayden and Aaron used it, they were the last team so, therefore, their penalty had to be served on the next leg. I think one of the reasons people don't like Rob is because he has this uncanny ability to manipulate people to his will. But you can also turn it around and say those people did not have the ability to think for themselves and needed to be led. I realize now it wasn't so much that I couldn't stand Rob in Survivor, it was that I couldn't stand the way everyone else did whatever he wanted and then got mad when they were voted out.
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Katbry
Member
10-27-2004
| Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 12:57 pm
I am also tired of Lynn & Alex whining @ Rob & Amber all the time...I think it may be their demise if they keep worrying @ that and lose focus on the game. I am also still irritated at their "ugly American" behaviour on last week's episode when their fish was too light when shopping. Some people really need to learn you get a lot further by saying please and at least trying to speak the language of the country you are in. 
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Brenda1966
Member
07-03-2002
| Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 1:03 pm
I am love, love, loving Rob's play! Very clever. And like everyone else said, even if he hadn't convinced the other teams to quit, he still would have beat the last 2 teams. The mom/son team were there eating for over 4 hours! I loved seeing Rob, Amber, and Phil cracking up at the finish line. We can all guess about whether Rob knew what the penalty was or just asked about it (seemed Amber didn't know). Either way, he did the math and figured it was worth the gamble and it paid off. I agree that if anyone else had done it they wouldn't get so bashed about it. Go ROMBER! Forgot to mention how great Rob reads people. He said to the camera he thought the last girl would eat all the meat once she realized she had a chance and he was right.
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Maris
Member
03-28-2002
| Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 1:09 pm
What I like about Rob and Amber, and I know many dont see what Amber provides to the mix, is that Amber seems to be a very calming and supportive influence. As she said last week or the week before her job is to basically let Rob call the shots but to be there. Witness last nights show, before Rob even started talking about the penalty option he said to Amber, I dont know if I can do this. He said it after he had started eating. She didnt panic, she had this well ok and accepted the fact that he may not be able to eat the food. She encouraged him, by telling him not to look or listen to the two whiners. Now go over to Susan and Patrick and at the first mention by Patrick that he didnt know if he could do it, Mom went ballistic. She was down right nasty and unsupportive. Rob and Amber are a team, in good and bad times. Cant say that about Susan and Patrick or even Meredith and Gretchen. Dont forget how Gretchen was towards meredith last week and then last night telling him to slow down in the car. Imagine a couple of hours in a car listening to a nauseous Gretchen.
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Native_texan
Member
08-24-2004
| Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 1:31 pm
Amber let Rob call the shots on Survivor and look what it got her - $1,000,000. I'm not so sure that Rob is the smartest one on their team.
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Maris
Member
03-28-2002
| Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 1:51 pm
I don't know, he got the girl who got the million. Good Cop Bad Cop worked on Survivor why not do it again here. Their honeymoon is already paid for with the trip they won last week.
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Calamity
Member
10-18-2001
| Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 2:19 pm
Maris, that is a good point about Amber's calmness and how it helps her team. Actually, nearly all the sideline players seemed a little more sensitive to their partners during that eating task than some have been in the past. However, I have to ask where all this understanding for "thinking outside the box" was back when (some) teams used to pay other people to either help or flat out complete their tasks for them during past seasons? I don't remember so many posters expressing such awe or admiration for that tactic - even though at the time it may have been well within the race rules. Nor do I recall such praise for other teams that declined to finish certain tasks. Oh, wait a minute...when Boston Rob & Amber do it, then it's brilliant strategy. Anyone else and it's just cheating or wimping out. Okay, now I get it. If that sounds like a baseless generalization, keep in mind that it's just the flipside of the "people are complaining only because it's Rob & Amber" argument. I don't think either accusation is fair. Btw, I also have no illusions about past Races having been true-blue examples of the honor system & good sportsmanship. I'd simply rather watch contestants actually race instead of debating the benefits of quitting a task and/or trying to trip up their opponents. And I'd prefer TAR remain more of a race than turn into a "find the legal loophole" show. Like Azriel, I was confused why the quitter teams remained at the Roadblock. I seem to remember that penalities used to be tacked onto the teams' arrival times at the Pitstop. *Shrug* I have no idea how Debbie & Bianca could go so wrong with their map reading. Congratulations to Lynn & Alex. My favorite team this leg was Uchenna & Joyce. Bleh to the TAR producers for yet another boring and sick eating challenge and also to those teams who didn't complete the Roadblock. Talk about choking.
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Spear
Member
08-06-2001
| Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 2:20 pm
Wilsonatmd, someone on Usenet directed me to this post from Mirna (TAR5) that clarifies the 24-hour vs. 4-hour penalty: http://www.tarflies.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=21920#21920
quote:Most roadblocks and detours are designed to be able to be completed by average-strength people between 5 minutes to 1 hour, with few exceptions like the horse-back ride in Eqypt that took 1 and 1/2 hrs. In season 5, the penalty for not completing any task was 24 hours. That's why people didn't even consider quitting, not even Nicki who was curled on the floor and nearly ready to go to the hospital during the caviar challenge. The only people who did quit were eliminated as it should be. It looks to me like this new 4 hour penalty popped up for the first time in season 6 in accordance with the frequent planned bunching in order to keep everyone close and costs down.
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Calamity
Member
10-18-2001
| Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 2:53 pm
Thanks for the info. *Sigh* Is this going to be yet another example of them dumbing down TAR? They've already eliminated most of the FFs (which I had speculated was a cost-cutting move) and introduced the Yield. And now by shortening the time penalty they've made it more likely teams will consider quitting tough tasks. Guess only time will tell.
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Mocha
Member
08-12-2001
| Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 2:54 pm
Calamity I think the same people who are applauding the 'thinking outside the box' are the same ones who've applauded it in previous seasons.
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Fruitbat
Member
08-07-2000
| Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 3:07 pm
I have noticed that about Rob and Amber too, Maris. They are a steady, easy going team. It is as if they are sitting on the same park bench viewing this game with detached acuity. Amber accepts this is Robs arena and is there to support his intuition. They are very respectful to each other and united in their goal of working this race step by step. It is a refreshing change to the tension and fury we often see. They compliment each other beautifully. Yes, Mocha, that is true in my case. I always hunger to see contestants playing this as a game, not just a race. I will add that Rob is pleasant with his sneaky stuff. You don't hear him spewing venom about teams behind their backs. He has a smile on his face and a wink for the camera. It is just a game of wits, strength and endurance to him, as it should be.
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Landi
Member
07-29-2002
| Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 3:16 pm
actually i don't think it is a "dumbing down TAR" kind of thing. as i said before, due to the bunching up, these teams are getting closer and closer, it really does make it so much of a race. as you saw. all of the teams were at that roadblock within 4 hours. rob took a gamble by not doing the challenge. if the other teams had decided to still eat, he and amber could very well have been out on their tushies. the reason for the cost cutting (bunching up the teams) comes back from the team that ended up an entire day behind and got a message that the race was already won, and they weren't even on USA soil yet. those production crews, sound guys, producers, etc, cost a lot of money.
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 3:21 pm
quote: >>I will add that Rob is pleasant with his sneaky stuff. You don't hear him spewing venom about teams behind their backs. He has a smile on his face and a wink for the camera. It is just a game of wits, strength and endurance to him, as it should be. << I do very much agree with that. The only thing I don't like about Rob is that he kept denying that he lied. If he came clean about it, then I would respect him more. But there are many more legs left. It will be interesting to see how I (and everyone) feels about him as the game progresses...
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Calamity
Member
10-18-2001
| Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 3:36 pm
Maybe, Mocha. I just remember lots of negative posts in the past. Of course, I am in a very ticked off mood today (N&V has why) and as such am not feeling too sympathetic towards scheming and underhanded dealing right now. So sorry for my grouching!
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Gina8642
Member
06-01-2001
| Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 3:40 pm
I can't say I'm sorry to see Bianca and friend go, but I thought they were better racers than that. They were the only team we saw take the time to check maps in the down time while waiting for the garage with their cars to open - and they still couldn't get on the right highway. There is NO excuse for driving 2 1/2 hours on the wrong road when it is a major and well marked highway. Top it off that they spoke fluent spanish. I was amazed that they were eliminated this way. I'm not sad to see them go because they exposed themselves as such hypocrites. They lied to fellow racers and then bitched and moaned about Rob doing the same thing. Kettle, Pot, the color black and all that.
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