The Amazing Race 23: Episode 7 Power Rankings
By Daron Aldridge
November 10, 2013
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Speaking of unsurprising things, let's scope out my rankings this week:
1. Travis & Nicole: Mr. & Mrs. Dr.. And with another strong leg and still with an ace up their sleeve, the doctors top my rankings. Please, someone try to tell me this isn't justified. They are consistent on the right end of things...the front of the pack. Last week, the side trip to the Fast Forward put them back a little bit and the other teams should've capitalized on the opportunity to unseat them. As the most competent singer at the Roadblock, Travis secured their lead and first place again. I just hope any level of confidence in themselves doesn't morph into arrogance and mistakes, like an unused Express Pass. This is their race to lose and I really hope they don't accept that as a challenge. Stay focused and keep on doing what you're doing, good doctors.
2. Nicky & Kim: MLB Wives. I have refrained from making baseball metaphors and puns for this team (for the most part) but the ladies once again showed that they just might be ready to make a run for the pennant. My thoughts on this team have risen and fallen over the season as much as my fruitless expectations of the Texas Rangers. I think they will be a strong team before it starts, then they both have emotional fits on three separate legs, then they blow past the Pose as Neptune Detour and them last week they benefited from the charitable Roadblock completion for Nicky's subpar singing. I can only think that the choirmaster didn't want to sit through another audio assault. So at least right now they are on the upswing of expectations so I think they may have the manic fits out of their system.
3. Tim & Marie: Bitter Exes.. Because nice guys finish last and evil sometimes wins. That's about all I can think to justify Marie's success here and the failure of the Okies. It's just a reality that I must accept as a fan/student of the Race there will always be a team I dislike that makes it to the end: from the recent Brendan & Rachel to the early days of Zach & Flo. It's a hard pill for me to swallow, but they so seem to do well enough to stay ahead of others and that's good for third this season in my mind. Moves of questionable ethics but within the rules of the Race are Marie's MO, but god forbid someone ignores her "stay in the order we arrived" mandate.
4. Jason & Amy: Daring New Englanders. Last week's unpleasantness with the exes is the primary reason for this. It got ugly with the yelling on the mat and Phil, which highlighted Marie's overall inability to rationalize that she is ever wrong. Jason should've just washed his hands of it and not engaged her in the fight. Now I am afraid the New Englanders will be too consumed with "just beat Tim & Marie" to stay focused on the long game. Yes, you want to and have the ability to beat them when it counts but don't be blinded by rage. I hope I am wrong but I fear I am not. When these two are in sync, they race smoothly but when they focus on the wrong thing (like just claiming first place on a leg), they falter. Also, the glee on Jamal's face at the prospect of them being eliminated after missing the Fast Forward shows they are likely targets for other teams.
5. Leo & Jamal: Cousins/Afghanimals. Yeah, I know that the cousins had a decent showing last leg but that doesn't change their inability to instill confidence in me. Last week's Masquerade Detour wasn't a struggle for anyone so I can't really praise anyone for doing well on it. The Roadblock was well-executed by Jamal and I think his theatricality contributed to his success. Of the pair, Jamal seems to be the more capable at tasks but also the more prone to anger. Sadly, when he berates teammate or questions his decision-making, Leo just takes it and lets Jamal steamroll him. Or at least that's what the editing shows. I was surprised in an interview when the newly departed Tim & Danny said they viewed the Afghanimals as one of the bigger threats. But I can't justify putting that much stock in guys who didn't fully grasp the nuances of the Race. So I keep the cousins at the back of the pack but slightly ahead of...
6. Ally & Ashley: Ice Crew Girls. Coming full circle back to the talk of consistency, we have Ally & Ashley. As far as Pitstop finishes are concerned, the girls are the antithesis of Travis & Nicole with yet another Pitstop that narrowly avoided elimination. I can't pinpoint why they can't perform better in the Race. They are physically capable and have shown decent judgment on tasks; so it must be the alliance they made with Leo & Jamal. Pinning your Race hopes so closely on another team like these two have done just isn't a recipe for winning. Or at least it's not when one or both of the teams is not that good at racing. The doctors and New Englanders have both shown they are very good at the Race, which illustrates how a close alliance can succeed. The girls here and the cousins are not them. The silver lining for Ally & Ashley is that we haven't had a proper non-elimination leg yet, so it is bound to be coming up with only six teams left and the show usually including two such legs in a season. Cross your fingers, ladies.
We shall all find out this evening following the virtually guaranteed NFL-delayed start.