5/9 Finale Show Discussion **Spoilers**

[dantrb]

I doubt it. In this many seasons this is the first time someone's actually managed to sweet-talk their way into the premium cabin, and Jordan implied in his interview that everybody always asks.

Would it have been cheating if they had paid $200 to some people in the bulkhead to swap with them? Or if the gate agents had assigned them the first row in coach? Where's the line? I think TAR rules are fine on this: you can only pay for coach and the rest is up to your resourcefulness as a traveler and a person participating in a race.

That's actually a very good tip for future runners

[jadewarlock]

I doubt it. In this many seasons this is the first time someone's actually managed to sweet-talk their way into the premium cabin, and Jordan implied in his interview that everybody always asks.

Would it have been cheating if they had paid $200 to some people in the bulkhead to swap with them? Or if the gate agents had assigned them the first row in coach? Where's the line? I think TAR rules are fine on this: you can only pay for coach and the rest is up to your resourcefulness as a traveler and a person participating in a race.

First row in coach doesn't matter - it's still in COACH.

$200 for some people to swap with them... no, that would also have to be considered illegal in the contest because they're still flying first class.

No matter what the result is, I do think it's an issue that needs to be looked into because as I said... Dan and Jordan's resourcefulness will be now picked up by new racers and can lead to a huge incident if we get another set of Brent and Caite/Carol and Brandy teams.

And... this can happen: After Charla and Mirna got resourceful and brought a whistle to flag down taxis, EVERYONE brought one. I fully expect now that people will bring a pitch counter in case there's a counting contest. (They're not that expensive to buy ).

[tarfan77]

I totally agree. That last task that only the cops had to perform was ridiculously easy. It only took a few minutes and consisted of tossing coins through a hole.

But remember they were (initially) over two hours behind Dan and Jordan in a leg with no equalizer.

[Bearcata]

Going into this episode I really thought I would be fine with either of the male teams winning, but I was wrong. Jordan was such a nasty little twit, not so much in making the move but the attitude with which he made the move to break in line. That showed me a little too much of what lies deep within the skin.

Thank you another person who can see right through the Cheater.

[Minney]

[INDENT]We are mad because D&J are jerks and we didn't want them to win. I don't remember all the up in the arms when Rob and Amber's last flight was returned to the gate so Uchenna & Joyce could hop in.

I recall the boards being crazy with negatives after the plane returned to the gate so U/J could board. Another tainted finale. Unfortunately, there will always be loopholes and cheats on TAR. I'm not sure winning at all costs would ever be worth it to many people, but to some, like the brothers it is. I think the airlines was at fault for moving the team to First Class. The whole season came down to that one flight attendants decision...

[ElizabethG]

And... this can happen: After Charla and Mirna got resourceful and brought a whistle to flag down taxis, EVERYONE brought one. I fully expect now that people will bring a pitch counter in case there's a counting contest. (They're not that expensive to buy ).

Whistle, counter, duct tape, disposable undies, interchangeable clothing, what else would/could you take?

[jadewarlock]

Whistle, counter, duct tape, disposable undies, interchangeable clothing, what else would/could you take?

Paper and pen pretty much. Most of the other stuff would be extra clothing or luxuries. I mean - Steve and Allie really did have a huge advantage with no more backpacks. Had Allie not decided to switch roadblocks with the flags, we may have seen them in the finale over the brothers. Then I'd had two teams I'd love to see win and one - Brent and Caite - I wouldn't have been as upset with winning.

[jsciv]

I recall the boards being crazy with negatives after the plane returned to the gate so U/J could board. Another tainted finale. Unfortunately, there will always be loopholes and cheats on TAR. I'm not sure winning at all costs would ever be worth it to many people, but to some, like the brothers it is. I think the airlines was at fault for moving the team to First Class. The whole season came down to that one flight attendants decision...

The result of that leg probably did come down to that one flight attendant's decision, but it's hyperbole to say that the whole season did. Both U-Turns were used on teams that were eliminated by those obstacles, many racers made stupid mistakes on tasks that caused them to be lower in the ranks, and of course the teams themselves sometimes helped their friends.

But there's no "fault" involved. That's kind of a loaded term, and it implies that the brothers winning was bad. I don't think that there's any reason to think the brothers cheated for doing what all teams do: try to get a seat closer to the front of the plane. I still don't see it as wrong for them to have asked.

[jsciv]

First row in coach doesn't matter - it's still in COACH.

$200 for some people to swap with them... no, that would also have to be considered illegal in the contest because they're still flying first class.

On multi-class international aircraft, the exit is often at the front of the coach cabin, between that and the premium cabin. So first row in coach DOES matter. I don't think the restriction against paying premium is in the TAR rules because there's supposed to be some inherent fairness about it: it's just there so that the teams aren't spending too much of CBS' money. If they really wanted airline trips to be "fair" they'd just book the seats in advance and assign team #1 to the row closest to the exit and so on as the teams got to the airport. TAR has chosen to leave some small flexibility in the travel, and as long as that's part of the game, then it's part of the game.

Look, the airlines are protective of premium cabins: it's something that they want people to PAY for. There are some operational upgrades for weight/oversell reasons, but in general the only way you get up there is if you pay or if you have some sort of relationship with a flight attendant or if you are in the airline industry yourself. It's not going to happen the vast majority of the time. Dan hit it off with a FA and made it happen. That's not a loophole, that's using whatever advantage you as a team member have brought with you to the team to get ahead in the race.

No matter what the result is, I do think it's an issue that needs to be looked into because as I said... Dan and Jordan's resourcefulness will be now picked up by new racers and can lead to a huge incident if we get another set of Brent and Caite/Carol and Brandy teams.

Have you ever tried to squeeze something out of a flight attendant? If they don't like you they can make your experience miserable. And they really don't like passengers who act like they're entitled to upgrades when they're not.

If you're unruly enough before the plane takes off, they can even (with pilot approval) eject you from the plane. And if there's an incident in the air, there will usually be police waiting for you at landing. That will end your race right then and there.

I just don't see this as a problem.