11/18 TAR 21 Show Discussion **West Coast Spoilers**

[jadewarlock]

They were working with the American Embassy to get emergency passports and filing with the Russian police to try to find their original passports. I was surprised that they just then reported the missing passports to the Embassy. Of course, with the way the show is edited, it's possible that they applied for the emergency passports last week and we just saw the footage this week or that by the time they got to the pit stop, it was too late to call the Embassy so they had to wait until the following day.

I feel bad for the Rockers but I agree that the mishap was their fault and they should take the consequences.

From my understanding from a mother/son duo who was eliminated from the race (there've now been four - an all girl pair that I didn't know about, the mother/son duo, Zev and Justin and the Rockers) it'd taken a few days to get even emergency passports. While YES some of the rest stops have been longer than 12 hours, given the time between the duo and the last team to finish that leg it would've been impossible to catch up regardless. In the case of the mother/son duo they actually GOT their passports back but by then the other teams were out of the country so far ahead it wouldn't have mattered.

I feel for the Rockers, but honestly this is the ONE thing you should always keep on you. I know many people don't like the twins or team University of Texas (they do not represent all Texans, and these two are attending UT), but there are ways to work around the money issue on rides (that are legal in the contest, as you are not penalized if the driver chooses to give you a free ride), but they didn't forget this basic concept.

Given I've recently lost my Dad, I look at this and think to begin with "why didn't the team consider dropping out?" The reason I say this is because a. their minds and hearts weren't quite into the race post this announcement and b. they lost some precious time with the one member's dad. It's probably why I've NEVER - even before recently, faulted Jenna Morasca from dropping out of "Survivor" when she felt something was wrong with her mom.

[Babbred]

From my understanding from a mother/son duo who was eliminated from the race (there've now been four - an all girl pair that I didn't know about, the mother/son duo, Zev and Justin and the Rockers) it'd taken a few days to get even emergency passports. While YES some of the rest stops have been longer than 12 hours, given the time between the duo and the last team to finish that leg it would've been impossible to catch up regardless. In the case of the mother/son duo they actually GOT their passports back but by then the other teams were out of the country so far ahead it wouldn't have mattered.

Wow. How said for the mother/son. A couple of seasons ago, in the very first episode no less, this girl/girl duo left their stuff behind when they stopped at gas station on the way to the airport. A stranger found their stuff, and using social media, was able to figure that the woman in the passport was part of AR and therefore at the airport. He was able to track her down and get her passport back to her before their flight left. If I remember correctly, they were eliminated just a couple of legs later, anyway.

I feel for the Rockers, but honestly this is the ONE thing you should always keep on you. I know many people don't like the twins or team University of Texas (they do not represent all Texans, and these two are attending UT), but there are ways to work around the money issue on rides (that are legal in the contest, as you are not penalized if the driver chooses to give you a free ride), but they didn't forget this basic concept.

As somebody from northern Texas, all I can say is *cough, cough* *snicker, snicker*.

Given I've recently lost my Dad, I look at this and think to begin with "why didn't the team consider dropping out?" The reason I say this is because a. their minds and hearts weren't quite into the race post this announcement and b. they lost some precious time with the one member's dad. It's probably why I've NEVER - even before recently, faulted Jenna Morasca from dropping out of "Survivor" when she felt something was wrong with her mom.

That's what I thought, too. I know they said their family urged them on, but for Pete's sake. I would far rather spend that precious time with my parent than trying to win money. Even if they had somehow won, what satisfaction would that have brought? All the money in the world can't bring back your loved one.

[jadewarlock]

Wow. How said for the mother/son. A couple of seasons ago, in the very first episode no less, this girl/girl duo left their stuff behind when they stopped at gas station on the way to the airport. A stranger found their stuff, and using social media, was able to figure that the woman in the passport was part of AR and therefore at the airport. He was able to track her down and get her passport back to her before their flight left. If I remember correctly, they were eliminated just a couple of legs later, anyway.

Oh yeah, now I remember them. Too bad the Rockers didn't get that luck though.

As somebody from northern Texas, all I can say is *cough, cough* *snicker, snicker*.

As someone who is stuck in a town that is heavily UT/A&M fanatical... I can say I say the same thing. I have people tell me too "Go Aggies" when I tell them I went to WEST Texas A&M (different school - mascot is buffaloes and is ONLY A&M due to being bought out).

That's what I thought, too. I know they said their family urged them on, but for Pete's sake. I would far rather spend that precious time with my parent than trying to win money. Even if they had somehow won, what satisfaction would that have brought? All the money in the world can't bring back your loved one.

Only good it'd do is to help pay for funeral expenses. I hate saying that but it's the only thing I can think as to WHY continue.

Does make you think though that maybe the producers need to be ready for that circumstance - do they allow the most recently eliminated team to return or do they do an extra NEL but penalize them another way (i.e. they MUST do a U-Turn style speedbump)?

[pikachu]

Everyone has their own reasons for doing things so I'm not going to condemn the Rockers for continuing the race after learning of the one dad's cancer.

I think my grandpa would have felt the same way as the Rocker's dad. He hated being the center of attention on his deathbed when he was dying of prostate cancer and encouraged our family to keep pursuing our dreams. It gave him peace of mind and something else to focus on besides his own health to see our achievements. Maybe the dad who has cancer has been watching The Amazing Race and is proud to tell those around him "That's my son!" as he points him out on the screen. If the Rockers had waited until after he passed to participate in the race, he wouldn't have been able to see them.

I don't see it as any reflection on the Rocker's priorities or on his relationship with his dad that he chose to stay in the race. And sorry I'm not mentioning names. I don't know which guy's dad is sick, James or Abba.

[Shoepie]

James dad has cancer. It is very possible that the caller told him that his dad wanted him to continue and he has time left. Or it could have been his dad! My mother was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and lived 6 months. We did not see the real phone call. It was staged and much shorter, clearly.

[Longhornfan]

I am really curious just how far ahead Jaymes & James, Team Texas, and the Twins are at this point in the race. I think that it is a significant amount of time, though, perhaps even 12 hours or more. I just feel like Abbie & Ryan and the Goat Farmers are way behind at this point. But I guess we will see if Phil tells us next week what time it is when all of the remaining teams depart for the next leg of the race. I thought that it was odd that Phil did not do that for Team Texas on the last leg too.

[Newsboi]

On a radio interview today, Abba said that he got a new passport within a day (it was a national holiday in Russia) but that it took six days to get a visa -- you need both. So they had "a six day holiday in Russia" before they could come home. The reason that he put his passport in his backpack instead of keeping it on him is that he was wet from the swimming (no towels) and he wanted to keep it dry. He said that he had never put it there before and that they had never not taken their backpacks with them, but that the clue stand was so close that they just jumped out without thinking. He also said that he is still in two leg casts. It wasn't bad knees slowing him down, but two broken bones (one in each leg) that he was racing on. They both said that if there is an All-stars they would do it again in a heartbeat. Great guys!

[pikachu]

Thanks for the info, Newsboi! I hope James and Abba are asked to return for an All-Stars season.

[sweetpea]

Thanks for the explanation...wow, I wonder how he broke a bone in each leg? That could not have been fun!! There's no way he would have been able to do the russian dancing challenge, that's for sure.

I hope future racers think to bring along little ziplock baggies to put their passports in, if this type of situation arises again... but why don't they have the fanny packs we usually see?? That would have kept the passport dry, no?

[holly71]

On a radio interview today, Abba said that he got a new passport within a day (it was a national holiday in Russia) but that it took six days to get a visa -- you need both. So they had "a six day holiday in Russia" before they could come home. The reason that he put his passport in his backpack instead of keeping it on him is that he was wet from the swimming (no towels) and he wanted to keep it dry. He said that he had never put it there before and that they had never not taken their backpacks with them, but that the clue stand was so close that they just jumped out without thinking. He also said that he is still in two leg casts. It wasn't bad knees slowing him down, but two broken bones (one in each leg) that he was racing on. They both said that if there is an All-stars they would do it again in a heartbeat. Great guys!

Thanks for sharing this!

I get so sick of returning players, like on BB & Survivor, but this is one case that I really would like to see a team return. Even my hubby, who is very anti-returning player, wants to see them get a second chance!