Thought I would just like to share this. Hope it hasn't already been posted!
http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2009/05/phil-keoghan--1.htmlPhil Keoghan blogs 'The Amazing Race' finale: episode 12 May 11, 2009, 02:58 PM | by Phil Keoghan
Another season in the can. I think season 14 was definitely one of the best we've ever done. Ranks right up there with some of my other personal favorites - seasons 1, 3, 5, and 7 to name a few. We had an extraordinary final three heading into Sunday night. We had a feisty all-female team in Cara and Jaime and who had what it took to potentially claim the first victory for the women; we had the Team that you may call this season's “underdogs;” and lastly Tammy and Victor, who may just have a bit more practical skills than I ever gave them credit for.
I was at the finale party in NY last night and Victor actually called my bluff and wanted to challenge me to a tire changing contest. However, he did admit that they struggled driving a stick shift and that he had bruises all over his legs from being a bit uncoordinated – if you think back, the propeller Roadblock wasn’t exactly a whirling success.
In addition to the season 14 cast, we also had some past familiar faces at the party last night including former Racers Tom and Terry, Sarah and Terence, Kelly and Christy, Nate and Jennifer, and even Drew from Season 1 showed up. Really fantastic to see all those guys coming out to show their support for this group of globe trotters.
Seeing as this is my last blog entry for this season, I thought I would review some of my favorite moments from Season 14:
· Cannonball Cheese Wheels: If you ever hear the line "Watch out for the cheese," you know you have a great season on your hands.
· Big Brother Doesn't Always Know Best: While in Romania, Victor insisted they were going in the right direction. He was wrong. Turned out to be a game changer for the winners as Victor learned it’s a Team sport and not a dictatorship.
· Mat Meltdown: Who was to blame? Even several weeks following the infamous meltdown, we're still debating who was in the wrong.
· Most expensive potty break ever: Kisha and Jen work so hard as a team to battle back through a challenging leg and with a spot in the final three on the line, Jen makes a quick bathroom Pitstop.
· Last night’s Roadblock: Love the moment when all three teams are running neck-and-neck. Great finale episode last night.
As I’ve stated before, I really love when teams' relationships grow on the Race and I honestly feel like Tammy and Victor's matured right in front of us. They learned to feed off of each other, communicate with one another, and most importantly listen to each other. And I believe they’re probably walking away from the Race with a better relationship than when we started. I have a lot of respect for those guys.
As far as their strength in the game, they were like the NY Giants two season’s ago…they got hot down the stretch and everything started clicking for them. They ran one heck of a race in the final couple of legs. Don't get me wrong, we knew they were a strong team when we first saw them, but I think most of us thought their relationship may trip them up along the way.
Luke and Margie were definitely one of my favorite Teams we've ever had on the show. Their relationship is truly compelling and whether or not they were your favorites, you have to give both of them a ton of credit. Not sure they were on anyone's final three lists at the start of the season. Margie – or as I call her, “Bionic Woman” – is as competitive and strong willed a human being as I've ever been around. And Luke, who was probably the biggest Race fan ever, never let any obstacle get in his way and clearly never will.
Cara and Jaime definitely played a strong game. When we first saw this team we knew they were strong enough physically and mentally to make a serious run at the million dollars. They were also relentless in their pursuit of becoming the first all-female team to win the Race but came up just a bit short. I’m sure Cara was a great cheerleader on the field, but she is definitely an all-star off the field. She always maintained her cool throughout a very hectic race and was always supportive of her friend and teammate.
Just want to say thanks to everyone for tuning in this season and for coming out to support me on my Ride Across America. It’s been a crazy couple of months. I am going home now (via airplane) in a much wider and more comfortable seat to gear up for season 15.