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Knowing that there is a likely elimination at stake for the last team and a chance at a million dollars, as well as an emotionally unstable wild card in your way, what does Big Easy do? He pipes with such encouraging words as "It's high. It's a long way up here," "If you're scared, then don't do it, Mika," "Don't hurt yourself, baby," and "If you're scared, then c'mon back and we will walk back down with you."

Canaan finally tries the sweeter approach to offset the little devil of Big Easy sitting on Mika's shoulder. It's too little, too late, literally, as the two minutes expire and they have to let the Globetrotters go.

Flight Time, who was silent during the heckling but supported Big Easy's play, goes first and then as Easy is about to go, Canaan tells him that he thought was decent but "he is a piece of crap." In their interview, Easy sums up his decision to play that way, "I didn't like seeing her cry but it's a race. We are here for the race." They grab the clue and bolt for Phil. Big Easy and Flight Time are team six.

Mika is still not going and says that she wishes that she was in Nashville. Well, unless Phil pulls a non-elimination round out of his bag, you will be getting that wish very soon. Canaan finally sums up Mika's issue perfectly. "She's saying she can't do it but I know she can. Here you psych yourself out." The fact that she let her fear rule her is exactly what separates her from the other racers who actually faced their fears. Mika and Canaan shuffle dejectedly to the mat and Phil only has bad news for them as they are out of the race.

Let's step back a second. This dramatic conclusion is an interesting situation because I find myself conflicted about the way Big Easy played here. It seems like an unnecessary tactic because as a viewer, I was convinced there wasn't anything short of physically making her slide that would end with Mika doing the task. But from a game perspective, Easy and Flight didn't know where her head was at, so he just pulled out the big psychological guns and destroyed her. It makes me sad because Mika just missed an ideal opportunity to face two debilitating fears. But I tend to agree with Easy because this is the Amazing Race and not the Amazing Therapy Session.

The bigger quandary is that I think I should be more disgusted by the game play by Easy. If it had been Lance or Tiffany and Maria or Garrett that had pulled that trick, I would be throwing out exaggerated labels like ‘Satan,' ‘pure evil,' and ‘a-hole.' But the Globetrotters are my favorite team this season and I was not a fan of Mika and Canaan, so I become an apologist for their behavior. Besides, in their normal life, they are paid to humiliate the weaker team on the court (don't worry, Washington Generals, your day is coming...maybe). Does it bump them down in my mind? Maybe a little but I will likely be driving the Globetrotter bandwagon again next week.

Speaking of which, the previews hint at another breakdown but this time by Ericka. We can only hope that she delivers on the high drama like Mika did.

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