Author Topic: TAR 20: Dave Brown Jr and Rachel Brown *Army Couple*  (Read 78722 times)

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Offline starrynight

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Re: TAR 20: Dave Brown Jr and Rachel Brown *Army Couple*
« Reply #150 on: May 08, 2012, 05:55:19 PM »

During the race itself, you don't get to co-mingle with the other teammates, because they want everything to be on camera, so that being said, you're somewhat sequestered back to your room after each leg.


I think the producers have got it wrong here, and it never used to be like that.

Offline Best Loser

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Re: TAR 20: Dave Brown Jr and Rachel Brown *Army Couple*
« Reply #151 on: May 08, 2012, 06:37:00 PM »

During the race itself, you don't get to co-mingle with the other teammates, because they want everything to be on camera, so that being said, you're somewhat sequestered back to your room after each leg.


I think the producers have got it wrong here, and it never used to be like that.

They started doing that in Season 14, and I think it's pretty much anonymous unanimous from viewers that "eat, sleep, and mingle" is much better.


Offline Mug Costanza

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Re: TAR 20: Dave Brown Jr and Rachel Brown *Army Couple*
« Reply #152 on: May 08, 2012, 07:07:54 PM »

During the race itself, you don't get to co-mingle with the other teammates, because they want everything to be on camera, so that being said, you're somewhat sequestered back to your room after each leg.


I think the producers have got it wrong here, and it never used to be like that.

They started doing that in Season 14, and I think it's pretty much anonymous unanimous from viewers that "eat, sleep, and mingle" is much better.

I believe they still allow the teams to "eat, sleep, and mingle" on rare occasions (like the first Pit Stop in Tanzania this season, when teams had to set up their own camp), but for the most part, it has been eliminated.
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Re: TAR 20: Dave Brown Jr and Rachel Brown *Army Couple*
« Reply #153 on: May 08, 2012, 08:00:10 PM »
Wasn't there a lot of that sort of thing at the Azerbaijan camp out?
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Offline Mug Costanza

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Re: TAR 20: Dave Brown Jr and Rachel Brown *Army Couple*
« Reply #154 on: May 08, 2012, 08:22:41 PM »
Wasn't there a lot of that sort of thing at the Azerbaijan camp out?

I'm sure there was -- that was when Art & JJ got suspicious of Nary & Jamie not actually being teachers -- but that wasn't a Pit Stop. I think Dave was explicitly referring to Pit Stops.
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Offline bc922

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Re: TAR 20: Dave Brown Jr and Rachel Brown *Army Couple*
« Reply #155 on: May 08, 2012, 11:06:47 PM »
http://social.entertainment.msn.com/tv/blogs/reality-tv-blogpost.aspx?post=ed734289-afc6-43b7-8d0a-ac945be3f433

'The Amazing Race' Exit Interview: Rachel and Dave
The show's most successful team ever on how they won the prize, even with all the fighting
By Diane Vadino

Rachel and Dave Brown, a combat pilot and Army wife, destroyed the competition on this season's "Amazing Race, " ultimately winning a record-setting eight legs as well as a million-dollar prize. They were, in fact, so dominant that not even skipping a task -- and having to backtrack to finish it in an "Amazing Race" finale first -- kept them from the prize.

We spoke to them about bickering their way through the race (they say it just motivates them to be better), Rachel's domination on the sled challenge, and picking up clues just like Katniss.

When did you first realize that something was wrong when you hit the mat the first time last night? 

Rachel: We had no clue [something was wrong] until Phil said, "However … "

Dave: The other racers were just as astonished as we were. But then there was the "However," and Phil's eyebrow raised.

What went through your mind when you heard that?

Rachel: My first thought was, "He's just kidding."

Dave: I was absolutely baffled. I had no idea what had happened. Phil alluded to the fact that Roadblock had not been completed, so we left the mat and just thought about it briefly. Strangely enough, we're on the main thoroughfare and there's a woman having a cigarette, and we asked her if she recognized [the place in the clue] and she said, "Yeah, it's about a quarter mile down the road." We ran the whole way, and then saw a mud road with a small "Amazing Race" banner. Then we followed it and I spotted fresh footprints.

That was kind of an amazing moment when you knew you were on the right path because of the print. It was like something out of "The Hunger Games."

Dave: We just knew there had been teams running around with their crews.

When you got to the sled challenge, what place did you think you were in?

Rachel: We thought [Rachel and Brendon] were definitely ahead of us. They had been right behind us at ice shaving.

Dave: I was talking to J.J., and he mentioned that Big Brother hadn't arrived yet, and that's when I realized we were contending for first place again. When we left, though, I noticed that there were ATV tracks, and I thought maybe J.J. threw us off. Your mind is just completely racing at this point. That's why, when we were crossing the pond again, I was, like, "I'm proud of you either way" because we really didn't know.

Every team comes off the "Race" saying that communication is the most important element. But it seemed like you guys actually didn't communicate very well. What were you doing right that we couldn't see from at home?

Rachel: We can have little spats, but we let them go. It's not something that holds us back.

Dave: Believe me, they incorporated every argument Rachel and I had. We are both very competitive people and very controlling. Rachel pushes my buttons, and that motivates me. And I push her buttons, and that motivates her. I think what most people would perceive as bickering or arguing, we used it to motivate each other. But ultimately, above and beyond [what we did right was] our attention to detail, and our detailed analysis of the Detours and Roadblocks. We really took time to assess which would be better for us.

Rachel: I think it's something you saw in the last episode, with the sumo wrestlers or the sushi. We said, sushi sounds like it's something out of our control, and we don't want things to be left to chance. We'd rather be able to drive our own success.

Dave, what do you think was Rachel's best moment on the race?

Dave: The sled. Art and J.J. are both very competitive, and they were attempting it like 50 times. She was actually able to complete it within two attempts.

How'd you do it, Rachel?

Rachel: It was a complete balance thing. I just squeezed my core and tried to stay on for my life. The first time I went down, it felt like I had rug burn all over my body. The second time, I was just not going to have to do it again.

What will you guys use the money for?

Dave: Rachel and I are both very sensible, frugal people, and we're going to use this money to pay off our mortgage and provide financial stability, and we'll invest quite a bit of it.
 
Rachel: And I think I'm just going to really splurge and buy something [small] in one of those Skymall magazines we saw all the time.

Offline bc922

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Re: TAR 20: Dave Brown Jr and Rachel Brown *Army Couple*
« Reply #156 on: May 08, 2012, 11:17:47 PM »
http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/exclusive-rachel-brown-and-dave-brown-talk-amazing-race-%28pt2%29--13448.php

Exclusive: Rachel Brown and Dave Brown talk 'Amazing Race' (Pt. 2)
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

Rachel Brown and Dave Brown were crowned the champions of The Amazing Race's twentieth season during Sunday night's two-hour finale broadcast of the CBS reality competition.

The "Married Couple" beat out "Border Patrol Agents and Friends" Art Velez and J.J. Carrell -- who came in second place overall -- and third-place finishers, "Engaged Couple" and former Big Brother houseguests Brendon Villegas and Rachel Reilly. "Dating Divorcees" Vanessa Macias and Ralph Kelley finished in fourth place mid-episode, and therefore, were ineligible to compete in the final twelfth leg of the Race with the Final 3.

Rachel and Dave not only managed to win The Amazing Race, but they also broke the show's record of having the most wins in a particular season. On Monday, the pair talked to Reality TV World about their The Amazing Race experience -- including who they believed got "too emotionally invested" in the Race and then lost focus as a result, which task they had the greatest time together attempting to complete and why they thought Nary Ebeid and Jamie Graetz's "kindergarten teacher" cover-up story made absolutely no sense.

Below is the concluding portion of our exclusive interview with Rachel and Dave. Click here to read the first half.

Reality TV World: During the eleventh leg, you guys chose to do the "Photo Cut-Out" Detour task, while everyone else chose to do the sushi one. You guys seemed to breeze through that Detour task, so is that accurate? How long do you think it took you, and after watching last night's episode, do you think you would've struggled with the sushi task?

Rachel Brown: Yeah, we're so glad that we did the sumo wrestling. It probably took us about, I'd say, 15 minutes -- at first.

Dave Brown: Fifteen minutes? The entire task?

Rachel Brown: Well once we got there. We had to haul this thing with the big sumo wrestlers all over the city on foot. So I'm sure the people in Japan thought that we were insane.

Dave Brown: I would definitely say it took close to an hour, but it truly was -- that was probably the greatest task that we had experienced together, because we had the opportunity to kind of break away from the Race and speak to the locals.

Surprisingly enough, when we first elected it, I was under the impression that -- I know that Rachel's hyper social and I'm very social as well -- but that she would be the one actively pursuing people and bringing them in.

Strangely enough, that was actually me bringing the people in and Rachel was the photog. So it worked; It was awesome. You could detach yourself from the Race a bit and you were kind of integrated into the locals.

Reality TV World: Earlier in the season you made a pact with Art and J.J. to U-Turn Rachel and Brendon if you got to the Double U-Turn board before the two guys, however, you ended up deciding not to U-Turn anybody. Could you talk a little bit more about what went into your decision there, was there anyone you were considering U-Turning for any reason?

Dave Brown: No it was again, just completely -- it was a logical decision versus an emotional decision. And for whatever reason, J.J. especially, became very emotionally invested in every other team, and they lost focus. I think in some respects, that benefited Rachel and I.

I think at one point, we still had an alliance with Art and J.J., but I could see their over-confidence and arrogance bleeding into their team cohesiveness and leading into their demise. And that was the opportunity when Rachel and I became more cohesive as a team, and I think that's kind of what distinguished Rachel and I and made us more successful towards the later phases of the Race.

Rachel Brown: It was weird. We thought the explanation of, "Oh well the teachers were so far behind that it didn't make sense to use it" would be enough. We didn't realize that J.J. would be so mad at us.

Reality TV World: Yes, they did seem extremely mad at you guys to the point where they felt like you guys had betrayed them. So did you two and Art and J.J. ever solve your issues or talk things out after that U-Turn moment or did they continue to have hard feelings towards you after that?

Dave Brown: Actually the first opportunity, and I attempted to speak to J.J. a few times -- and Art too -- but if you noticed in last night's episode, I think that's the first time when I extended my hand for a handshake and it was the first time they actually reciprocated any conversation.

And so, Art was pretty amicable and we spoke at the Bollywood challenge, but again, you would assume that -- especially if you are these federal agents and law enforcement agents or border patrol -- that they would appreciate logic over emotion. But for some reason, that emotional investment, it just skewed their perception.

Reality TV World: Art and J.J. said Rachel and Brendon didn't deserve to be in the Race because they were just followers and had no real racing skills. What did you think about that team being in the finale? Did you think they deserved to be there and what were your thoughts on the team as a whole? Because they were involved in a lot of drama throughout the season.

Rachel Brown: (Laughs) Yes they were. They were actually great people. We got to talk to them a lot at the airports, and when we saw the show, we didn't realize that Rachel had cried so much and been so emotional.

So it was a little bit of a surprise to us that she was like that. So yeah, we got along with them really well, especially after Art and J.J. got so mad at us, because then Rachel and Brendon really wanted to befriend us for not U-Turning them.

Reality TV World: In past The Amazing Race seasons, most teams normally prepared for a task in the finale that would test their knowledge and memory of the prior legs. How much studying had you two done before that final leg or throughout the Race in general, and were you surprised you didn't end up getting a task like that? 

Dave Brown: Yeah, actually Rachel and I were expecting it to such an extent where we would track every stage of the Race. We had everything written down in a small notebook we would carry in the "manny-pack" as we would refer to it, because I would have to wear it. (Laughs)

So yeah, we were completely expecting a memory-based challenge that kind of reflected back on your experiences in the Race, but it didn't happen. But we were definitely prepared for it.

Reality TV World: Art and J.J. suspected that Nary and Jamie weren't actually kindergarten teachers and they proved to be right in the end. What were your thoughts on that when you found out their real professions and do you think it made sense for them to pull off that cover story or do you think had you known what they actually did for a living, it wouldn't have made a difference and you wouldn't have been any more intimidated by them?

Rachel Brown: Yeah, we thought it was strange that they had lied. I mean, if they would have come in first or been one of the top teams, then maybe it would have made more sense because they would've seemed like a bigger threat as federal agents. But since they weren't the head of the pack, it didn't really make any sense at all. (Laughs)

Dave Brown: It would take a pretty impressive profession to intimidate me and Rachel and I are both results, production-oriented people, and they didn't produce. You could have legitimately been a kindergarten teacher and if you're producing results and you're winning legs, then yeah, we're going to perceive you as a threat. But it was never produced.

Reality TV World: Would you two ever consider doing an all-stars edition of the Race if given the opportunity?

Rachel Brown: Oh, that would be awesome! I would love to do that. Some people last night were talking about that -- having all the teams who had won the show -- and yeah, I think that would be the ultimate challenge.

Reality TV World: How were you cast on The Amazing Race and was it your first time applying for the show?

Dave Brown: Yeah, it was our first time applying. I was actually in Iraq at the time and Rachel and I have been avid fans of the show for quite some time, and we met in Sydney Australia of all places for my R & R [leave] from Iraq.

And she brought out two printed applications. We actually bought a bottle of wine and I probably had some vodka and we filled them out and submitted it, and then they contacted us shortly thereafter.

Reality TV World: Obviously you two ended up winning the show, but while you racing, who did you consider to be your biggest competition and why?

Rachel Brown: In the very beginning, we thought that Art and J.J. were definitely our biggest competition. They just seemed really smart, put together, they had some good experience in their background.

Dave Brown: Well, I think actually that Rachel and I had the opportunity throughout the application/interview process in L.A. -- they were part of our initial interviews, Art and J.J. -- and from the start, I knew that they would definitely possibly pose as a threat to Rachel and I, because they didn't seem to be there for any other reason.

They were there to win. They were focused and determined, as Rachel and I were, and they didn't have any ulterior motives. I assumed they weren't drama-oriented, but as we've all seen, that's not necessarily the case. (Laughs)

Reality TV World: You started off very strong in the beginning of the Race during the first couple of legs, but then you kind of hit a bump in the next few legs -- finishing sixth, second and fifth in the third, fourth and fifth legs respectively -- I believe. So did you two make some adjustments after those few legs and maybe that's why you finished almost every leg afterwards in first place, or do you think you just kind of hit a patch of bad luck in the middle there?

Rachel Brown: I think the biggest thing is that we made impulsive decisions, so we didn't even read through the entire clue when it said, "harps or watermelon." We kind of just said, "Okay let's do watermelons!"

And after that, we said, "Alright, we are going to take the extra minute to actually read very-detailed through each one of the clues and make sure that we choose the right option and the right person for the Roadblock."

Reality TV World: For winning eight of the season's legs, you guys clearly won a lot of trips and some cash prizes and stuff. So what are your plans for the near future? When do you plan on taking advantage of all these trips and is there an expiration date or anything like that on any of them?

Rachel Brown: I hope not! We don't know! We don't get anything until this week, so yeah, we're hoping there's not expiration dates on any of them because we both have to build up our vacation for taking so much vacation for being on the show. (Laughs)

Offline Declive

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Re: TAR 20: Dave Brown Jr and Rachel Brown *Army Couple*
« Reply #157 on: May 10, 2012, 05:25:52 PM »
Incredible how they mantained the calm when Phil told them they had skipped the Roadblock . If it happened with Rachel BB  , she would throw herself in the water  :lol:
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Offline starrynight

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Re: TAR 20: Dave Brown Jr and Rachel Brown *Army Couple*
« Reply #158 on: May 12, 2012, 07:43:07 AM »
I expect the reaction would have been a certain amount of shock whoever received that message.

But one of the things that stopped this season being classic I think is that the producers wanted to focus too much on the arguments.  They didn't have to show nearly every argument and I'm sure they haven't in some other seasons.

Offline Prophet

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Re: TAR 20: Dave Brown Jr and Rachel Brown *Army Couple*
« Reply #159 on: May 14, 2012, 07:18:24 PM »
CBS put up some pictures of their arrival back in Wisconsin :)

http://www.cbs.com/shows/amazing_race/photos/111216/rachel-and-dave-s-hometown-welcome/
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Offline ZouLy

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Re: TAR 20: Dave Brown Jr and Rachel Brown *Army Couple*
« Reply #160 on: May 18, 2012, 05:54:20 AM »
CBS put up some pictures of their arrival back in Wisconsin :)

http://www.cbs.com/shows/amazing_race/photos/111216/rachel-and-dave-s-hometown-welcome/

There's more of their pictures in this guy photoalbum... maybe he's the one who took those shots?

'Amazing Race' champions return to Wisconsin
TAR Aus Season 5 | Tough As Nails Season 2

Offline Prophet

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Re: TAR 20: Dave Brown Jr and Rachel Brown *Army Couple*
« Reply #161 on: May 23, 2012, 08:03:11 AM »
Thanks to supah3ro for finding this:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/DlG4TCmaxDY" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/DlG4TCmaxDY</a>
Physics alone is not enough.

Those who forget history are sure to repeat it.

Offline supah

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Re: TAR 20: Dave Brown Jr and Rachel Brown *Army Couple*
« Reply #162 on: May 24, 2012, 12:58:12 AM »
Thanks to supah3ro for finding this:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/DlG4TCmaxDY" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/DlG4TCmaxDY</a>

i love Davechel!!!!!!!!  :hearts:

Offline David

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Re: TAR 20: Dave Brown Jr and Rachel Brown *Army Couple*
« Reply #163 on: May 24, 2012, 11:30:33 AM »
I've started to be "meh" with them. It's not that hate I used to have... I obviously wanted BB to win, but that's not been possible. I think that Davechel are really competitive and such. I find them somehow arrogant thinking they have no rivals, and that they can win whatever they want (we want a 8-win record, you know...), but they are TAR fans and that is to be considered.

BUT! Rachel >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Dave.

Offline Jobby

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Re: TAR 20: Dave Brown Jr and Rachel Brown *Army Couple*
« Reply #164 on: May 24, 2012, 03:39:11 PM »
I haven't watch the finale but this would be the team I want to win (since the beginning I like them but across the season they went a little down for me)... but they are definitely one of my favourite teams this season.

I would take their win over teams like Rachel and Brendon and Art and JJ. If either of these two win, I might have killed myself or murdered someone. LOL. :gaah:

Offline Best Loser

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Re: TAR 20: Dave Brown Jr and Rachel Brown *Army Couple*
« Reply #165 on: May 26, 2012, 10:13:10 AM »
Apparently there was an interview with them in a recent issue of Army Times, but I guess my dad threw it away before I could read it. He said they talked about doing AARs after every leg and talked about editing/arguing.

Offline georgiapeach

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Re: TAR 20: Dave Brown Jr and Rachel Brown *Army Couple*
« Reply #166 on: May 26, 2012, 10:24:38 AM »
What is an AAR?
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Offline TexasLady

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Re: TAR 20: Dave Brown Jr and Rachel Brown *Army Couple*
« Reply #167 on: May 26, 2012, 10:58:18 AM »
After action reviews? Didn't they say something about this in one of their confessionals?
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Offline Jobby

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Re: TAR 20: Dave Brown Jr and Rachel Brown *Army Couple*
« Reply #168 on: June 03, 2012, 01:19:01 AM »
I still can't believe they won 8/12 legs. -_-

Thank goodness Bopper and Mark won Leg 8.

Awesome team Dave and Rachel is awesome team. :lol:

Offline Jobby

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Re: TAR 20: Dave Brown Jr and Rachel Brown *Army Couple*
« Reply #169 on: June 03, 2012, 01:20:55 AM »
They better not dominate :cmas28

 :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

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Offline Declive

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Re: TAR 20: Dave Brown Jr and Rachel Brown *Army Couple*
« Reply #170 on: May 14, 2016, 12:54:10 AM »
Can't believe they split up.
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Offline georgiapeach

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Re: TAR 20: Dave Brown Jr and Rachel Brown *Army Couple*
« Reply #171 on: May 14, 2016, 04:12:05 AM »
YEARS ago!!
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Offline maxen

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Re: TAR 20: Dave Brown Jr and Rachel Brown *Army Couple*
« Reply #172 on: May 14, 2016, 08:42:34 PM »
I didn't know that  :o