(S16E03) "Run like scalded dogs?" Well, that's a new one on me. It was said by one of the cowboys on 'The Amazing Race' tonight and is just about as pleasant as the "don't throw the baby out with the bathwater" saying. Who comes up with such evil sayings? What twisted minds create such horrid images? Probably some of the same minds who create challenges on reality television competition shows.

The teams left Chile tonight, but not before an announcement from Phil Keoghan regarding the recent earthquake. It's getting a bit mind-boggling the amount of countries I've experienced on this show and 'Survivor' that have had natural catastrophes over the past few years. I find it hits closer to home after watching some of the people of the countries and taking in the scenery through the shows.

Anyway ... onto the show. I can just hear all the fans who think the show is rigged for one team or another in an outcry right now. In the past, it was languages -- one team could speak a particular language and, lo and behold, the teams went to countries where that language was spoken. Tonight's issue would be the cowboy-related tasks when the cowboy team won first place in the last leg.

Now, they went to Argentina, not Texas. But the tasks, including the roadblock and detour choices, all had a western edge to them. From playing five card stud against a gnome in a bar where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid hid out, to lassoing a set of steer horns attached to a bale of hay, to digging up money with clues from a gunslinger and delivery to the lead bandit, to riding horses in a polo game. Um. Okay, the last had its own little twist -- they were wooden ponies, far from the real deal.

Yet all of the tasks did have the feel of Wild West about them. Was this to keep the cowboys in the lead? From what I know how the show works, I have to say no. I knew the producer who developed the challenges through the fifth season. They're thought out, as well as the route, long ahead of the actual casting. They also had nothing to do with the casting process. Casting isn't really aware of the challenges, either. I'm sure some will still cry foul, but I think it's the luck of the draw whether a team has an advantage for a leg or two due to their backgrounds.

That said, the most important part of the race is following the clues! Once again, this week we saw a team probably place much later than need be just because they didn't thoroughly read the clue. Oh, Jeff and Jordan, my 'BB' sweethearts ... read the damn clue! They kept delivering the bag of money back to the gunslinger when they were supposed to give it to the lead bandit! Jeff couldn't blame Jordan's ditziness on this one. He was the one reading the clue.

Other teams had their own trials and tribulations. The cowboys wanted to ride real horses. Brent and Caite were ill enough to go to the local hospital and lose three hours of time. Brandy and Carol snipped and sniped at each other through the whole leg. The brothers team of Jordan and Dan had more stickshift woes. The lawyer moms, Shawne and Monique, got stuck on the lasso task and never were able to make up for lost time. In their favor, they didn't bicker and they didn't give up. They just came in hours after the last team at the pit stop. They left with class. I would have felt the need to sing "Don't cry for me, Argentina ..." But that's just me.

The pit stop order
1. Jet and Cord -- won a trip to Patagonia
2. Steve and Allie
3. Carol and Brandy
4. Joe and Heidi
5. Jeff and Jordan
6. Dan and Jordan
7. Brent and Caite
8. Louie and Michael
9. Shawne and Monique -- Philiminated

It's been three legs now, two in Chile and one in Argentina. How do I feel the teams are shaping up? Results don't lie -- Jet and Cord, first place two times in a row, are a strong team. But they've been in a bit of their comfort zone. Let's see how they do in Germany. I think Steve and Allie might be dark horses. It's as if they sneaked their way into second place this week. Where did they come from? When not ill, I think Brent and Caite are a strong team, even though I wanted to not like the models team just because!

Joe and Heidi are almost non-entities. Who are these people and what are they doing on the race? As for Carol and Brandy, I'm getting irked with their arguing. They could leave next week and I wouldn't shed a tear. I so wanted to like Louie and Michael, but they're more like Keystone Cops in vaudeville than astute detectives. Dan and Jordan are boys playing at an adult game. Jordan and Jeff, lovable as I find them, aren't a real strong team -- she's ditzy and he doesn't read clues well. Your thoughts on the teams?



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