10/25 Show Discussion *Spoilers*

[Wind Dancer]

Ericka annoys me. Her marrying up comment was particularly annoying. I can guess what she meant by saying that.

IMO many of her comments that are taken seriously are actually her very dry humor coming out.

That's what I like about this couple--they do a ruinning commentary on the race and the events--and on each other. But neither of them takes it seriously because it is how they handle things.

Even these days their kind of marriage can't always be easy in terms of how other people perceive them.

A good sense of humor would definitely be a valid coping mechanism.

IMO anyway.

[Wind Dancer]

I wonder why they didn't just walk over to one of the open briefcases left by the other teams and look at the numbers on their locks.

I was wondering the very same thing about the hookahs--whyt not just look at the ones that were scored as being done right?

I wonder if there is some rule against such overt looking at the work of the otehr contestants?

[JavaJo]

. Going on this race with all the chances for her to fail bigtime could have been just such a last-ditch effort on their part.


And in case they want to "forget" it ever happened--it is all very painfully on videotape.

He's a song writer and she's an aspiring country singer.....I don't think their relationship had anything to do with them going on the show....it was for press...to get their names out there.

[Wind Dancer]

JavaJo--hi. Thanks for your thoughts on that.

This is from the FORT thread on them and i agree that it exaplians a lot--

"Mika Combs (22); Canaan Smith (26)
Hometown: Nashville, Tenn.
Occupation: Aspiring Singer/Professional Songwriter
Relationship: Newly Dating

These southern sweethearts will charm you with their fresh faces and wide-eyed enthusiasm for life. They have only been dating for a few months, but admit to spending every waking hour together since they fell in love.



Neither one of them has traveled extensively outside of Canaan's mission trip to Mexico with his church, but they have no doubt that their love will take them to the finish line and the $1 million prize. "


I think what I've highlighted explains a lot about Canaan's behavior towards her.

She should run as fast as she can in the opposite direction.

If this is how he reacts to stressful situations--getting physically and verbally abusive--then he needs counselling to figure out what is wrong with him.

[Endit]

JavaJo--hi. Thanks for your thoughts on that.

This is from the FORT thread on them and i agree that it exaplians a lot--

"Mika Combs (22); Canaan Smith (26)
Hometown: Nashville, Tenn.
Occupation: Aspiring Singer/Professional Songwriter
Relationship: Newly Dating

These southern sweethearts will charm you with their fresh faces and wide-eyed enthusiasm for life. They have only been dating for a few months, but admit to spending every waking hour together since they fell in love.



Neither one of them has traveled extensively outside of Canaan's mission trip to Mexico with his church, but they have no doubt that their love will take them to the finish line and the $1 million prize. "


I think what I've highlighted explains a lot about Canaan's behavior towards her.

She should run as fast as she can in the opposite direction.

If this is how he reacts to stressful situations--getting physically and verbally abusive--then he needs counselling to figure out what is wrong with him.

Exactly what was physically or verbally abusive? He couldn't even get her to sit down! Honestly though they were totally incompatible - he was like "OMG, you have to do this... and now!" while she was like "I can't do it , I can't do it." She was onto something when she wanted to calm down, but I think that he really got in her way. If everything had been silent and she into that "I can really do this" mindset for a second she would have. But he was putting a lot of extra stress on her by saying repeating what was at stake. If I was him, I'd be like "Sit down on the floor first", that way she can do into the water faster and then shut up or tell her that she could do it.

Totally unimpressed with Erica too - she did practicly nothing! Looks good in a swimsuit though.

[JavaJo]

Exactly what was physically or verbally abusive?

Beats me. He was yelling, sure, but what couple doesn't yell at each other from time to time? He wasn't calling her names. As for trying to push her down the slide, he didn't try that hard, for one, and for two, when she freaked out, he laid off. He didn't hit her, call her names or anything extreme. I've been abused in the past, and I didn't see any of that with these two.

[prhoshay]

"Physically abusive" was when he put his hands on her to try to force her down the slide. You don't touch people who say 'no'....people who are trying to force you to do what THEY want you to do.

"Verbally abusive" was him trying to shame her into going down the slide.

I didn't feel sorry for her, nor for him since he's the one who picked her. To abuse is to mistreat. Messing with somebody's mind is as bad, if not worse, than hitting them. It's not a good thing to allow to get started.

We teach people how to treat us.

[chompstick]

Ericka annoys me. Her marrying up comment was particularly annoying. I can guess what she meant by saying that.

I agree with Wind Dancer that this is just her humor. It's her way of complimenting Brian's intelligence by being self-depricating, saying something like, "I'm not smart enough to do this so I'm glad I married up, and married someone really smart who can do this since I can't."

[spockwhat]

Very well put.

I don't feel sorry for her because she chose to go on this race... she also chose to take on this jerk of a boyfriend who obviously is too aggressive. Grabbing hold of her and trying to force her was the first ploy he tried. His natural instinct is force? SCARY.

And for those who belittle her fears, she was doubly scared because a stronger, dominant male who is supposed to care for her just grabbed her and showed his dominance, she was freaked he was going to make her do something she was terrified to do. If what she had was a true phobia that runs deep, no one should be belittling that. If what she was doing was trying to get off the show, well, if I was stuck with Canaan, I would be trying to make an escape too.

Belittling a person with a phobia is like telling a depressed person to lighten up. You don't just decide to not have a mental problem. It is what it is. She should have never been on the show in the first place.

"Physically abusive" was when he put his hands on her to try to force her down the slide. You don't touch people who say 'no'....people who are trying to force you to do what THEY want you to do.

"Verbally abusive" was him trying to shame her into going down the slide.

I didn't feel sorry for her, nor for him since he's the one who picked her. To abuse is to mistreat. Messing with somebody's mind is as bad, if not worse, than hitting them. It's not a good thing to allow to get started.

We teach people how to treat us.

[Trista]

And I kind of like her dry humour. Sure, she was being a little annoying in this episode, but she's also quite funny.

It was definitely smart for the brothers to bring the calculator, but also for Tiffany/Maria to use it to figure it out, because they were able to work together that way to get the task done. I used to be a math whiz, but long division is not my strongest suit so a calculator would be key.

Love the Globetrotters, and the overuse of Sweet Georgia Brown. I get flashbacks to the Roast of Larry the Cable Guy when Gary Busey made a joke about it.

I also loved the comments from the dad/son re: the hookahs.

I was not sorry to see Mika/Canaan go. He was being a jerk, and she was being so whiney. I have the same fear as her, but for a million dollars I would have gone down that slide after seeing him go, because I'd want to see that he was safe (I'm a safety junkie). I have no problem with what the Globetrotters did-it's a race.