RIVALS II - The Finals Are Here

By DC Cueva

Okay, here we are, or at least, we're just about there. Back on July 10th in the heat of the summer, we kicked off MTV's The Challenge: Rivals II with 32 great people all paired up with their nemesis, most of whom I've been lucky enough to interact with here in the social media world. And now, with summer in the books, school in session, autumn in the air and nine teams already flown home from Thailand, we've just about reached the starting gate of the final mission, which takes place tonight. And as always, the final in every Challenge always produces great drama with endurance, stamina, patience and stirring all kinds of emotions, all determining who will come out on top. But first comes the final jungle, and the question of who joins Paula & Emily and Cooke & Cara Maria in the final when Diem & Aneesa and Camila & Jemmye contest it right at the top of tonight's episode, which will then be followed by the beginning of the final. Expect the Clip Show to follow that, with the second part of the final to air the next week followed by the Reunion, which this time will be a live affair.

The seven remaining teams that are still in Thailand - five already assured of $15,000 - all have made their case throughout the season to be the one, and all of them have been deserving to be in the final. They have each won a mission, and four of them have won a jungle. The three pairs that equalled Leroy & Mike's feat on Rivals I of going to the final jungle-free include five of The Challenge's biggest names, which speaks to the respect everyone has for the veterans, though one of them got in just barely.

   Back when this season began, though I didn't write a predictions post as my Vegas trip loomed at the same time as the premiere, I had a handful of teams who could either win, contend, or sneak in. On the girls' side, I had Paula & Emily to win, Diem & Aneesa as choice #2, and Sarah & Trishelle and Camila & Jemmye as wild cards. For the guys, I had five teams in the running, considering their much deeper talent well: CT & Wes as 1st choice, Johnny & Frank as 2nd choice, Zach & Trey as choice #3, and my wild cards were Leroy & Ty and Jordan & Marlon. I have succeeded on the ladies' top pick, plus the top 2 on the men's side.

Here's DCBlog's team-by-team look at the seven remaining, starting with the final field that's already set in the men's draw.

- CT/WES: They are the only guys' pair where both members are veterans, having done countless number of challenges between them, but only one win to show for it (Wes, Duel 1). Like most other teams in these two Rivals seasons, CT & Wes' campaign on this season began inauspiciously and they didn't perform well in the first few weeks - take one of the missions for example. But as time has flown by in Thailand, it did take time for them to gel and overcome the historical tension these two have had, starting on that first Duel and peaking with that hours-long argument on Rivals I. After getting some help in that 1st mission win in week 5, they definitely earned the last two guys' mission wins, becoming the only guys pair to win three this season. While it isn't possible for the last jungle winners to win the final this time around--as has been the case with recent Challenges, this is a game of momentum and it began to come together for both of them towards the stretch run. And the bond was reinforced with the fight that they had with Johnny and both having a hatred for Bananas. If they're able to do well coming up in this final, and both overcome the haunting memories of them struggling & losing the last time they competed in the last challenge (which was featured in flashbacks during that fight), then my prediction for CT & Wes to win will be realized. They're the favorites to get this thing done and follow in what Evelyn & Paula did on Rivals 1: a team with a big-name veteran who's not won a Challenge finally winning their first final. And this will no doubt certify them as Challenge legends if they get this victory.

- JOHNNY/FRANK: It has been a mixed affair for this pair, after all they had never appeared on a Challenge together and they were paired only by a mere twitter beef, which left many fans shaking their heads. Yes, they won two missions and they, like CT/Wes, got into the final without a jungle visit. But seeing a big flaw on this season of Johnny being exhausted & throwing up at the end of the last guys' mission Rampage, and also not being entirely fit for Rivals II as he has been in previous challenges, will play a factor in the final. While Johnny has done well with the politics, Frank did well competitively but had his politics questioned yet again by sending a friend in & eventually sending Jonna home, just as he did with Marie on BOTS, though they got over that after the season. Both Johnny & Frank know how to carry momentum into the winners circle by winning the last elimination and then the final, but they will come into this final in just about the same position as the rookies: underdogs. Should they not do well in this upcoming test, there's a greater chance they could finish in that uncomfortable position of last in the final behind the vets & rookies, but then again unlike the first Rivals, they already have $15,000 just for getting here. So, they must be able to step up and do reasonably well so they don't finish with a bronze, and do their absolute best to have a reasonable shot at Johnny's 5th and Frank's 2nd straight Challenge win. But from hearing from the fans, I can get a sense that this is the duo that fans would prefer to not win and would like them to finish last.

- MARLON/JORDAN: If you saw Jordan & Marlon on Real World Portland and then had them in the final 3, you're very lucky. In a deeply stacked field full of big names & newcomers, Team Rookies have definitely made a name for themselves with what has to be the best rookie performance ever on the Challenge. Like what we saw with Leroy & Mike on Rivals I, these two first-timers flew to Thailand with their RW not on TV yet and everyone else in the blue of what they have in store competitively. The combination of the All-Big XII experience Marlon had at Texas Tech and Jordan being versatile in a number of sports despite having only one full hand has made their rookie campaign all the more impressive. Something the Vegas bromance didn't do in Costa Rica was that the Portlanders went into elimination not once, but twice. And not only did they win both of them, they also took out a contender - Leroy & Ty - in stunning fashion in their very first jungle. And they were also brave enough to handle the politics very well, even sacrificing an alliance they had with Theresa just to keep themselves in the game, the only drama that they were involved in aside from the hookups they had with a few in the house. They definitely earned their way into the final and deserve all the respect they're receiving, from competitors to fans, to even Mr. Beautiful, Kenny. And thanks to Johnny not being entirely fit for this season, Team Rookies have a better shot of finishing ahead of Johnny & Frank and if they can dig deep, they can challenge CT & Wes too. Don't be surprised if they shock the world in the final.

Now for the ladies, starting with the two teams who've already punched their ticket to the final...

- PAULA/EMILY: When you pair someone with CrossFit experience who's already become a big name in 3 Challenges with a true veteran who's been able to handle the endurance aspect of these shows, you get a super team on this season. And from the opening horn, it would be a sure thing that Paula & Emily would eventually win Rivals II. And the last duel competition week, the one before last week, was the one that cemented Paula & Emily as the overwhelming favorites for the ladies. They've gotta be one of the most dominating teams that we've seen on The Challenge with six mission wins of the ten, including the first four. And they're the only ladies pair to make it into the final without going into the jungle, though they came very close in that last deliberation after not winning True Colors and getting that automatic ticket to the final. From watching them this season, they have communicated very well in competition and they have handled the politics well too, not being involved in much drama. With the combination that they have, it will be hard to think that they won't win the final, and with the final always having endurance and stamina on the offering, it will look to be a done deal and don't be surprised if they win this comfortably and finish ahead of one or more of the three guys' teams. The question that will enter this is who will be the team that will challenge them and eventually push these two harder to get this one done. For now, they are the team to beat, it's gonna be a battle for 2nd.

- COOKE/CARA MARIA: Coming into this season, most people, including me, didn't have Cooke & Naomi as those who could possibly contend to be in the final 3 (i.e. Naomi on Exes). But when Naomi made the wise decision to fly home to her ailing dad and Cara Maria coming in to replace her, the game has dramatically changed and Cooke's odds have gone up, and have made them contenders in the snap of a finger. Her experience of being a soccer player her whole life & being able to handle the rigors of playing a full match of 90 minutes (plus stoppage time & w/o halftime) and running 6 miles' worth on the pitch will play a key role in this final. And while Team Portland has grabbed new fans with their stellar rookie showing, Cooke has also had a very good debut too, performing well in most of the missions. For Cara Maria, this is her sixth straight Challenge, and Rivals II will be her 3rd trip to the final in four seasons, and the first without her Rival-turned-BFF Laurel. The redhead has been through this experience before, cashing in both Cutthroat & Rivals and that will obviously help them this time around. Before True Colors, I had them at 50-50 in their chances to go either to the final or to the jungle. But now that they won last week in stellar fashion, as well as notching two jungle wins just as Marlon & Jordan, they have a legitimate shot of upsetting Paula & Emily. But in the end, they will be the ones will eventually push Paulmily to victory. They should be able to finish 2nd and pocket $35K.

- DIEM/ANEESA: At the start of this season, Diem & Aneesa were my second choice to win this season. After all, they have the most combined experience of not just the final ladies foursome, but all the female teams at 16 combined Challenges. Yes, they did win a mission - back in week 7 & gave Diem a reason to do a victory dance, but as we saw in the last episode, this team can be a bit stubborn when it comes to drama in the house. Back in week 3, Aneesa got in a fight with Trishelle (featuring what my buddy Andrew Kirk @CSUAKirk called "the people's elbow") that eventually saw the Vegas vet pack her bags and partner Sarah was screwed over yet again. In the last episode, we saw a whole different side to Diem after getting into words with some of the ladies after getting voted in. And of course, there's that distraction known as CT. Competition wise, they have done well, not only the win in Blind Leading the Blind, but also competing every week to get to that top position, coming close on a few occasions. But there has also been some questionable things too, such as voting for certain guys' teams in voting, breaking a couple alliances in the process. Nonetheless, they are in the last elimination and if there is a sentimental favorite in all this, it's the one who has overcome ovarian cancer not once, but twice and would be very deserving of the final if they progress out of tonight's jungle.

- CAMILA/JEMMYE: Team Subtitles were one of my two wild card picks to possibly sneak into this final, and Camila & Jemmye have proven worthy to be that team going goes in to that last three. Like Cooke & Cara Maria, Subtitles have won both a jungle - knocked off Jasmine & Theresa in week 6 - and won a mission - they won Swingers in week 8 and avoided the next-to-last girls jungle. Like the three other teams, they've performed reasonably well throughout this season, and they killed it in their mission win, spotting a flaw in Emily & Paula. And they also got involved in drama too: Camila in episode 8 with her going after Johnny in yet another Challenge meltdown, and Jemmye in a rather lighthearted manner in EP4, trying to avoid the wrath of Knight's ketchup bottle. Like Johnny/Frank on the men's side, this team is a mixture of one who's done many challenges & won a final in the process in the Brazilian, and another on her 2nd go after debuting in Turkey, with Jem more than building upon her experience that debut on BOTS. After what happened in the last episode with Johnny voting in his Exes winning partner and then getting into words with Diem, don't be surprised if they prove everyone wrong and win tonight's jungle, go back to the house and go to the final with some momentum, maybe not go all the way but perhaps challenge Cooke/Cara for the $35K.

Now, my predictions. For the field that's already set, it's a carbon copy of the Rivals 1 guys' final three: one team has Johnny Bananas, another team has Wes, and a third team comprised entirely of Rookies. In this season's instance, it's one pair with multiple challenges under both of their resumes (CT/Wes), another pair of veteran & rookie who were put together by just a twitter beef (Johnny/Frank), and a pair of rookies on their first Challenge but have made a name for themselves (Jordan/Marlon). Experience will still make a difference and I predict that CT & Wes will get this finally done. But after watching Rampage and Johnny not being fit for this, along with Jordan & Marlon winning their 2nd jungle easily, I believe that Team Rookies should cap off this fantastic campaign by beating Johnny & Frank to claim the 35K. And this will likely force you to watch RWPDX during this RWSFO lead up.

- GUYS  > 1st: CT & Wes  > 2nd: Jordan & Marlon  > 3rd: Johnny & Frank

And for the ladies, depending upon who wins the last jungle, it's gonna be a matter of who could join them and whether Paulmily's run to the jackpot will get a little more uphill. If Diem & Aneesa win, it's gonna be much the same scenario as the guys: veteran teams, big names, and a rookie, and it'll be a little bit more evenly matched. If Camila & Jemmye win their 2nd jungle, things will be different: one full veteran team, and two veteran/rookie mixed pairs, and we pretty much know which team will likely win, and don't be surprised if Paulmily run away with this. One team has been in the jungle before and won, the other is in their first and they have the experience. As for the final, while I still believe that the vets will win, I predict that Cooke's endurance and Cara Maria's experience will enable them to do well and push Paula & Emily to win. If it's Diem/Aneesa, they should be able to contend with the super team. If it's Subtitles, then expect a good battle for 2nd with Cooke/CM. So, my prediction is...

- GIRLS  > 1st: Paula & Emily  > 2nd: Cooke & Cara Maria  > 3rd: Diem & Aneesa  > Cut: Camila & Jemmye

So, after all that, nothing much more to say than, get that popcorn ready. Should be a barn burner. And also happy that I get to relive this again on DVD coming soon.

   With the finals now here, DC Blog & Twitter @dc408dxtr, will follow the quest for the cash from Thailand. Tonight, I'll live tweet the episode - both as the cast sees it out East and as I see it on the West Coast, plus I'll be in the chat room for chats with the cast. Later, I'll be writing a wrap up of key moments from this season as the cast saw it on twitter, and highlight those one-liners.

   If any of my followers go to next week's live reunion, expect me to give them the scoop from Times Square here, just as I did for RWPDX with Kevin & Kaitlyn. And when the reunion wraps, I'm begin building towards Real World Back to San Francisco taking place right here in my Bay Area backyard. Elsewhere, check out my Instagram for pics from my travels & other things: Instagram.com/dc408dxtr with more to come at www.youtube.com/user/dc408dxtr and www.flickr.com/photos/dccueva.

If you haven't had the chance, check out my previous DC BLOG articles relating to Rivals II:

- More on my HS friends' music as heard in last EP: http://dc408dxtr.blogspot.com/2013/08/rivals-ii-what-big-news.html

- Memories of all of the Rivals II cast: http://dc408dxtr.blogspot.com/2013/08/rivals-ii-memories-memories-memories.html

- SocialPulse of Episode 1 (adult language): http://dc408dxtr.blogspot.com/2013/07/rivals-ii-countdown-real-world-nola.html

- Who Are These Newbies?: http://dc408dxtr.blogspot.com/2013/07/rivals-ii-who-are-these-newbies.html

- 11:11, Inspired by Trey: http://dc408dxtr.blogspot.com/2013/07/dc-blog-1111.html

- NOLA Inspires: http://dc408dxtr.blogspot.com/2013/07/rivals-ii-countdown-real-world-nola.html

- PDX Reunion Revealed: http://dc408dxtr.blogspot.com/2013/07/real-world-portland-as-they-saw-it.html

For now, thanks for reading, have fun, and enjoy Rivals II.

And to all the teams, good luck. I have your support, always.

- DC

RIVALS II - One Week to Finals

By DC Cueva

So, we're getting down to the nitty gritty in Thailand on Rivals II. And this is where typically the best stuff and most exciting moments of any season of The Challenge takes place. And of course, the tension inside the jungle house will be increasing, just as the number of people in the house have dwindled from 32 at the start to now just 14, with 12 taking their talents into the final start line, and the question of who that dozen will be set to go when TJ Lavin's final opening horn of the season will be answered tomorrow night.

   We now know who will be going at it for the cash on the men's side after Knight & Preston met their inevitable demise in the last jungle to a group of rookies who have definitely earned their way into the final. Plus, there was another fight in the house, this involving two of The Challenge's biggest names all ahead of a Rivals rematch from two years ago. And all that's left now before that punishing test known as a final challenge is the last regular mission and the last pre-final jungle, where one of the four remaining ladies teams will be eliminated and not be one of those three going for $350,000.

Back in my previous Rivals II post, I had for my favorite mission the very first one, the long jump. It was succeeded in the last episode, combining elements of the game that's closest to my heart, the physicality that defined my signature moment of this season, the cardio & stamina that will be prevalent very soon in the final, and a few things from where TJ's action sports world. Rampage saw competitors have 3 minutes to score as many baskets as they can while trying to run up a ramp wearing football gear and a crossover field where colliding into competitors is always prevalent. For those who watched the first Rivals two years ago, this was the same exact game that determined the men's final three in the last pre-final jungle, where in a rematch of the famous Cutthroat gulag, Johnny & Tyler beat CT & Adam, and eventually carried that momentum into the winners circle.

   In this mission, the strengths and weaknesses of the last eight teams were both shown & exposed. CT & Wes did very well and got the maximum total of 20 balls, while Cooke continued her very good showing as a rookie. On the other side, we saw both Camila & Jemmye and Aneesa/Diem struggle to get up to the platform, while Knight also struggled in the last minute. But the biggest surprise? The last time this very event was contested on the Challenge stage on Rivals I, Johnny got his revenge on CT. What he did in 2011 now just seems like a distant memory. After seeing him struggle and leading Paula to call him "Papa," it looked in all the world that Johnny looked out of shape and very exhausted at the end of that mission that he threw up right afterwards.

   While the vets would eventually dominate and his team would ultimately finish last, the one with the most impressive performance of anyone this week was also the one who came into these last two Challenges as the most unlikely newcomer. When we found that Preston was part of Team NOLA last season in Turkey, many of us thought why he was chosen over Eric and Ryan as the 2nd guy to join Knight, Jemmye & McKenzie for their debut Challenge. Well, after underperforming on BOTS and playing 2nd fiddle to his more well-known partner from Wisconsin in Asia, in this challenge Preston really performed well and was able to have the cardio endurance that was JB's undoing. And the guy who sometimes gets mistaken for Rajon Rondo also received a complement from Knight as well.

   For the ladies, this week was the one that cemented Paula & Emily as the overwhelming favorites to win this season. With a sixth mission win out of the nine, it will be hard to think that they won't win the final, and this is one of the most dominating teams we've seen on The Challenge. And the men, as my dad would say "now they're cooking", as CT & Wes became the first guys team to win 3 missions and may become slight favorites to win this challenge depending upon what happens tomorrow. But after the fight that they had with Johnny on several things, and the animosity that's been built between Wes & Johnny, this has certainly brought the red head and the Bostonian closer. Not to mention, CT has the continuing storyline of him & Diem that we saw in this episode too, where she made out with him & then passed out.

In the jungle, we saw the same game that saw the heartbreaking early exit by Zach & Trey when Thor had the emotions get the best of him and then, through Trey's camera when he knocked that glass when he wasn't supposed to, had that victory slip away from him. So for this second contesting of Breaking On Through, both Marlon/Jordan and Knight/Preston had to be extra cautious in not reliving the ordeal of that shocking result that took out one of the contenders early. Team Portland were the overwhelming favorites and also had the inspiration of being the team that was voted in to face Team NOLA. And Jordan came with something very cleaver: when they broke the glass going down into the 2nd floor, they decided to be efficient & speedy when it came to cutting that chain. But Knight & Preston cutting that chain slowly but surely proved to be their downfall, while Marlon & Jordan would work well together to win this jungle handily, earn their ticket to the final and assuring themselves of, at worst, a $15,000 paycheck flying home.

   For Knight and Preston, another Challenge, another elimination exit, but not before a jungle win and just missing out on the finals. For Knight, he did just about everything I had on the bucket list I had for him: improve on his competitive performance from Turkey, get in a fight or two (with Marlon), and make us laugh (those one-liners). While you might not like how he plays in these shows, he does bring comic relief & a sense of humor to both the house and his interviews. And for Preston, he really came into his own in that mission and proved why he deserved to be that 2nd guy representing NOLA on these two Challenges. Don't be surprised if either or both get called back. Only question: will Preston handle living in the same house as Knight once again?

If you were, like I did, one of those who got to know and watch Jordan & Marlon during Real World Portland this spring and then had them as one of those who could contend to be in the top 3 going into the final, consider yourself amongst the luckiest people on earth now. In a deeply stacked field full of some of the big names & fellow newcomers, Team Rookies have definitely made a name for themselves with what has to be the best rookie performance ever on the Challenge, far exceeding San Diego's easy road last year. Like what we saw with Leroy & Mike on Rivals I, these two first-timers flew to this Challenge (along with Jessica & Anastasia) with their RW having not aired yet and everyone else in the blue of what they have in store competitively. The combination of the All-Big XII experience Marlon had on the gridiron in Lubbock and Jordan being versatile in a number of sports despite having only one full hand has made their rookie campaign all the more impressive. Something the bromance didn't do in Costa Rica was that the Portlanders went into elimination not once, but twice. And not only did they win both, they also took out a contender - Leroy & Ty - in stunning fashion in their very first jungle. And they were also brave enough to handle the politics very well, even sacrificing an alliance they had with Theresa just to keep themselves in the game. They definitely earned their way into the final and deserve all the respect they're receiving.

For the girls, they will have the final say in who the final six overall pairs will be going into the final when the last jungle determines who the three finalists for the girls will be tomorrow. What's certain is that there's no way the guys will vote for Paula & Emily into the jungle should they not win the last mission, and they should be able to either place 1st or 2nd in that. And the streak that started in Prague of players who won the last pre-final elimination and then won the final challenge should come to an end. What's uncertain is who will join them in the final, which should be a bit of a toss-up of three scenario.

   Should Diem & Aneesa step up after not doing well last week, setting aside the distraction of CT and be among those two teams joining them in the final, then Paula & Emily's run to the winners circle will be a little bit harder since both of them have the experience. But I believe that while they might not win should they go to the final, they'll be able to push the favorites harder to get the job done.

   If Diem & Aneesa aren't in the final and Cooke/Cara Maria & Camila/Jemmye join Paula/Emily, those two teams will just play for $35,000 & $15,000 - it's practically game over and it's gonna be a cakewalk for Paula/Emily. Both those two teams don't have the combination of endurance & CrossFit experience both Paula/Emily have and the super team should easily run away with the cash.

For the guys, it's much more competitive than what could possibly happen in the girls draw. And it's déjà vu all over again: we'll have just about the same scenario that we saw back in Argentina: two teams with veterans in both - with a couple key players from the first Rivals, and a third team of rookies making their debut & earning their finals ticket the hard way in hanging with the vets. We have Johnny on one team with Frank; Wes in another with CT, and team rookies Jordan & Marlon. But going into what's certain to be another epic final and clearly the most competitive of the two fields, what happens in this last mission will determine where these teams will be ranked going to next week. 

- Seeing the flaw on full display of Johnny being exhausted & throwing up at the end of Rampage, and also not being entirely fit for this season as he has been in previous challenges, will play a factor in the homestretch. Should he & Frank not do well in this last mission, and finish behind both CT/Wes & Jordan/Marlon, they'll be where the rookies are, underdogs going into the final. So, they must be able to step up in order to have a shot these next two weeks in Johnny's drive for five & a three-peat and Frank's quest for back-to-back challenge wins.

- For CT & Wes, they became the first guys pair to win three missions this season, and after getting some help in that 1st win, they earned two straight mission wins. While it might be impossible for the last jungle winners to win the final this time around, this is a game of momentum and it's all starting to come together for both of them. If they're able to do well in this last mission and then in the final, and both overcome the haunting memories of them struggling & losing the last time they competed in a final (which was featured in flashbacks during that fight with Johnny), then my prediction for CT & Wes to win this season will be realized.

- For Team Portland, as it was for Leroy & Mike two years ago, Marlon & Jordan have nothing to lose, especially knowing they have cashed $15,000. They weren't involved in the veterans' drama (or much drama aside from the Theresa vote & hookups), and they as expected beat Team NOLA to get to the final. Depending upon what happens this week, they will have an outside shot of shocking the veterans in the final, and if they can put up a good performance this week, they'll have a better shot of finishing ahead of one of the veterans & turn $15K into $35K.

So, my predictions for this week are:

> GIRLS - Win: Paula & Emily / Place: Cooke & Cara Maria / Show or Cut: tie - Camila & Jemmye or Diem & Aneesa

> GUYS (order for their mission) - 1st: CT & Wes / 2nd: Marlon & Jordan / 3rd: Johnny & Frank

> JUNGLE: Pick 'em between Camila & Jemmye and Diem & Aneesa

So, lets wait it all out and grab that popcorn, should be a good one tomorrow. And lastly, wanna send much love & respect to the band Northern Son, and fellow Milpitas Trojans OJ & Kyle, whose music was featured on last week's episode. OJ sent me a message on FB to thank me for the shoutout...Juice, you're welcome bud.

My social media platforms, DC Blog & Twitter @dc408dxtr, will follow the quest for the cash from Thailand to its conclusion: from my As DC Sees It live tweets to taking part in cast chats, plus these blogs. I'll write a wrap up of the two halves of this season as well as the season finale in the coming days, which will cover the cast's one-liners & tweets and my analysis. Should any of my followers go to the live reunion, expect me to give them the scoop from Times Square right here. And I'm just starting to begin the buildup to the upcoming Real World taking place right here in my Bay Area backyard. Elsewhere, check out my Instagram for pics from my travels & other things: Instagram.com/dc408dxtr with more to come at www.youtube.com/user/dc408dxtr and www.flickr.com/photos/dccueva.

If you haven't had the chance, check out my previous DC BLOG articles relating to Rivals II:

- More on my HS friends' music as heard in last EP: http://dc408dxtr.blogspot.com/2013/08/rivals-ii-what-big-news.html

- Memories of all of the Rivals II cast: http://dc408dxtr.blogspot.com/2013/08/rivals-ii-memories-memories-memories.html

- SocialPulse of Episode 1 (adult language): http://dc408dxtr.blogspot.com/2013/07/rivals-ii-countdown-real-world-nola.html

- Who Are These Newbies?: http://dc408dxtr.blogspot.com/2013/07/rivals-ii-who-are-these-newbies.html

- 11:11, Inspired by Trey: http://dc408dxtr.blogspot.com/2013/07/dc-blog-1111.html

- NOLA Inspires: http://dc408dxtr.blogspot.com/2013/07/rivals-ii-countdown-real-world-nola.html

- PDX Reunion Revealed: http://dc408dxtr.blogspot.com/2013/07/real-world-portland-as-they-saw-it.html

Until then, thanks for reading, have fun, and enjoy Rivals II. And happy back to football, too.

- DC

RIVALS II - Down to the Wire...

By DC Cueva

So, September is here and not only is it the unofficial end of summer with Labor Day weekend taking place, it's also the beginning of the football season. College action has just started, the high school season into its 2nd week in many communities across the country, and of course, the NFL season to kick off this Thursday. But as that begins, we are also approaching the homestretch of the latest season of that so-called 5th major sport, otherwise known as The Challenge: Rivals II. Four teams on both the men's and women's sides are left after Jonna & Nany bowed out to Cooke & Cara Maria in this week's jungle elimination. And since only three will contest that test of endurance, stamina and patience that is a final challenge, it means that the tension in the Thailand house will only build up to when those final six leave for that last mission with money on the line.

Before my review and give my predictions, my evaluation on this season is that it is totally exceeding my expectations I had for Rivals II. I expected this to be a very good season, maybe to match the excitement of the first Rivals challenge from two years ago which I saw just before this season, and for it to exceed what I saw last year in Turkey, and it is doing exactly that. As I've told many of my twitter friends many times, Battle of the Seasons was just a reintroduction for me to Challenges after having not watched them previously, I only intended on giving it a trial run after both becoming twitter friends with the RW/Challenge family & watching London 2012 last summer. Compared with last fall, and with all due respect to that great arena battle with Zach & CJ, the big house fight and people who I was more familiar with than others, it is certainly a much different story, and I'm definitely liking Rivals II so much more than BOTS. There's that veteran presence that was lacking in Turkey with more of the show's big names returning from their one-season hiatus, and it appears that they continue to rule the roost as if they never left. There's a bit more maturity in this cast than last season with only 5 rookies (the entire Portland contingent and Cooke) taking the trip to Thailand compared with 15 on BOTS, and it's the right mix of both experience and new faces that's been able to satisfy both the passionate fan and relative newcomers like me (and I only had to write a post here just to introduce the rookies to those fans as a courtesy). And if what we saw with Johnny & Wes leading the cast toasts, there's a spirit of fun and energy among this cast that we didn't see much of last year.

After eight episodes and with at least two left before the finale & ensuing reunion (which will appear to be a live affair rather than taped in advance), I've definitely enjoyed everything on Rivals II. The competition is much more intense with the missions testing the brawn and brains of the teams, and testing the patience of everyone in trying to get over those tensions of being partnered up with their enemies to try and win. Maybe with the exception of the last one that saw two of my favorite people in Nany and Robb lose, I'm liking the jungle eliminations as much as the arenas I saw last year, though there's slightly more variety in it with an additional game being added to the rotation. And there's been a lot more drama in the house, with plenty of fighting among the cast, flirtations between both the veterans & rookies, and backstabbing aplenty that has left fans shaking their heads. And while some of my favorite people have gotten eliminated earlier than I thought (with the exception of Ana & Jess, most expected them to get cut first as the new rookies, with all due respect since I enjoyed them & both follow me on TW), there's also some other favorites who have won missions too, so I'm getting the best of both worlds being a true fan with great respect to everyone. No wonder why this so-called dysfunctional family really looks to me as a great fan of this franchise.

As for my favorite moments from this season, there's a few episodes left but there's been plenty of them, but a few stand out. 

- My favorite mission of the eight that's been contested to this point has to be the first one from the premiere, when all of the competitors had to jump into their partners' arms. There's nothing like that first mission where everyone competes and where the tension is as most intense, aside from the final of course.

- My funniest moment is a tie: the 3X Games with the competitors had to do weird stuff like holding onto one another upside down and causing two teams to quit & get penalized, and of Knight chasing around Jemmye with a bottle of ketchup in his hand, which is a bit weird but, after all, it is my favorite condiment & I wonder why Jem doesn't like having ketchup on her fries.

- My most-surprising moment was also the most heartbreaking too. There's no worse feeling than when you think you had won something, but you in the end lose on something that happened during it. That's what happened when Zach & Trey were disqualified in the EP5 jungle on Thor breaking the rules by smashing the window when it Trey was supposed to do it, after Zach threw his helmet to the other competitors after apparently thinking they won and giving the win by default to Leroy & Ty on that technicality. After my did my live tweet of that jungle the night that happened, Trey responded, "it was really hard to relive it again." As I stated in one of my posts, no doubt Trey will use this as motivation to turn this agonizing loss into perhaps future Challenge success, just as JB used his gulag loss to CT to win his last two Challenges.

- My favorite non-competition moment has nothing to do with the drama in the house, but of something very positive: Diem dancing at the club at the end of EP4. As I stated in my post on my cast memories, it was so touching to see Diem be herself on the dance floor, knowing she had overcome cancer twice, including just before going to Thailand, and having the most twitter support in over 135,000 followers, as well as that of the casual viewer drawn to this season by her remarkable story of recovery.

And my favorite moment going into the stretch? It has to be the jungle between Leroy & Ty and Marlon & Jordan. For those who watched it last year, it brought me back to watching the EP8 Arena on BOTS, which was my favorite moment from Turkey. There is nothing better in The Challenge than an epic elimination battle between great competitors, and when it's a physical one where players go literally head-to-head, it makes for even greater television. And in the cases of both, it pitted a team of established veterans versus upstart rookies. In Turkey, it was Zach & Sam vs. CJ & Jasmine and it was the guys that stole the show with a close, epic battle that lasted two rounds (tiebreaker included after both teams split first two) & five heats that Zach eventually won and helped propelled him & Team SD to victory. In Thailand, it was a veteran pair that had each gone to a final & barely returned from the last men's jungle after Zach & Trey's DQ, against a pair from RW Portland who had just been voted into their first elimination but with experience donning that football gear.

   As it was with the Zach/CJ arena, both Leroy & Ty and Jordan & Marlon split the first two heats of the best-of-3, setting up a golden tiebreaker that in TV time was just a few minutes, but per AfterBuzz, actually lasted 10 minutes. In one of the most exciting things many have seen on a Challenge, Ty was only a few feet away from ringing the bell & sending Team Rookies home, but Jordan made a miraculous twist escape to run through the tunnel to his end of the court, ring the bell crashing into the wall and pulled off the stunning upset. Marlon was articulate in summing up this classic battle: "going into our first elimination round & winning is just--were on cloud nine, yo. We competed, and we won. That's the best feeling ever. The target is still on our back more than ever. So just one week at a time. We're fighting for survival." Leroy was very classy in congratulating them, "The rookies won, flat out. There's nothing else I can say. They won, they deserve to be here. Hats off to them & good luck in the future."

   And for a big name who hasn't been on a Challenge since the first Rivals and watching it as an armchair analyst in the Screening Room wrap, Kenny summed this epic arena up this way: "This is what the challenge is all about. This is why it's a great game. This is why I go back, every chance I can because of moments like this. That was a huge win for (Jordan & Marlon), definitely put them up there, it gave them legitimacy as a team. Beating a great team like Leroy & Ty puts them up there right with everybody else. You know, a lot of times, people look at the rookie teams as expendable...I'm thinking these guys just gave themselves some stars. They got some stars on their shirt now."

Before the start of this season, while I didn't write a post on my predictions as I had Vegas on my mind at the same time as the premiere, I looked over the list of teams and thought of those who could factor in on being favored to win, who could possibly contend, and who could be a wild card sneaking into the final three. On the girls' side, I had Paula & Emily winning it - probably the most-predictable result because both are undoubtedly the strongest competitors amongst the ladies, followed by Diem & Aneesa, and my wild cards had Sarah & Trishelle and Camila & Jemmye. For the guys, I had five teams who could either win, contend or sneak in, considering the much deeper talent well in their half of the draw. I had CT & Wes to win, Johnny & Frank as my 2nd choice, Zach & Trey as choice #3, and my wild cards were Leroy & Ty and, in a sort of surprise for them being rookies, Jordan & Marlon.

At this point, with one jungle remaining on both the men's and women's sides, some things have changed - four different winners of the last four girls missions & five different guys' mission winners overall, but some have remained the same. For the ladies, after winning the five of the first six weeks, I still have Paula & Emily down to win this Challenge, and perhaps run away with it when the final comes a calling. But after winning the 7th mission and continuing to contend for that top spot, Diem & Aneesa have the experience of being able to hang with everyone else and still have an outside shot to overtake Paula & Emily. Thanks to getting a new partner in the process when Naomi left, Cooke & Cara Maria have emerged as a legitimate pair to contend, having won both their jungles but yet to win a mission. And after winning both last week's mission & a jungle, Camila & Jemmye have also put themselves in consideration to sneak into the final. After seeing Paula & Emily struggle in the water with their swimming, I believe it's just an flash in the pan, and both the combination of endurance & CrossFit experience will still see them win. It's just a matter of who will contend and who, among the last two, could be lucky to either win the last pre-final mission and jungle to join them in the run at the cash.

> MY GIRLS CHOICES: Win: Paula & Emily / Place: Diem & Aneesa / Show or Cut: a dead heat with Camila & Jemmye and Cooke & Cara Maria

And for the guys? Well, my top two choices are still the same: CT & Wes as 1st choice and Johnny & Frank as 2nd choice. The stunning jungle losses that the two teams I had as contenders, Zach & Trey and Leroy & Ty, have opened up the wild card race considerably and you might say that Knight & Preston are lucky to still be here. But, I have to also give it up to Marlon & Jordan. With respect to last year, it's remarkable what the guys' half of Team Rookies are doing, being able to hang with the big names, winning a mission, being able to work/communicate very well & complement each other, and gaining the appreciation of one Mr. Beautiful thanks to a jungle win. Of the four left in the men's draw: it's a mix: one has the most experience - CT & Wes - having done countless Challenges, but have had only one final win between them (Wes winning Duel 1). Another has a mixed pair of one that's done a lot of these & on a 2nd show but know how to carry momentum into the winners circle: Johnny & Frank won both their last eliminations & carried them to a season win. The third are each on their first Challenge and have already made their mark: Jordan & Marlon winning a mission & earned respect in beating an established veteran team. And the last is a pair from NOLA who, aside from some house drama, haven't been a factor in a mission, but Knight & Preston have been able to hang on, winning a jungle too. But experience will make the difference in the homestretch. That fourth choice will inevitably suffer that final defeat to set up the final 3, and just as it was with Evelyn giving Paula her long-awaited Challenge win on the first Rivals, Wes & CT will get the victory, the legion of fans who have followed New England's most-renowned MTV'er will finally be able to sleep well after seeing him his first Challenge, and a region that suffered heartbreak in every sense of the word while this season was filmed & during the past several months will get a much-needed morale boost.

> MY GUYS CHOICES: Win: CT & Wes / Place: Johnny & Frank / Show: Marlon & Jordan / Cut: Knight & Preston

So, with about 75% of this spectacular season of The Challenge in our rear view mirror, both the last jungles for both the men & women coming up, and of course the big-bad final mission still to come, along with a first-ever live Challenge reunion show as well, this season has been getting better and better every week since this began in the heat of the summer. Now, with autumn in the air, just as in baseball when the competition heats up in the sun & ends when the weather cools off, this fantastic season of Rivals II is about to reach its inevitable and exciting climax.

   And not only that, I can also take pride in one of my friends from high school where I live, OJ, and his band Northern Son contributing one of their songs to this upcoming episode where, no doubt, tension in Thailand will rise on the playing field with the penultimate mission & last guys' jungle, and most especially in the house. Perhaps could there be another confrontation in the works as things wind down? Gotta stock up on that popcorn.

My social media platforms, DC Blog & Twitter @dc408dxtr, will follow the quest for the cash from Thailand to its conclusion: from my As DC Sees It live tweets to taking part in cast chats, plus these blogs. I will be providing a wrap up of the two halves of this season as well as the season finale, which will cover the cast's one-liners & tweets and my analysis. Should any of my followers go to the live reunion show, expect me to give you the scoop from Times Square. And shortly, I'll start to begin the buildup to the upcoming Real World taking place right here in my Bay Area backyard. And during this weekend, I'll be posting pictures from my trip on my Instagram, the first part of showcasing my recent trip to Las Vegas, check it out at Instagram.com/dc408dxtr. And more to come at www.youtube.com/user/dc408dxtr and www.flickr.com/photos/dccueva.

If you haven't had the chance, check out my previous DC BLOG articles relating to Rivals II:

- The big news of one of my high school friend's music being featured in this week's upcoming episode: http://dc408dxtr.blogspot.com/2013/08/rivals-ii-what-big-news.html

- Memories of all of the Rivals II cast: http://dc408dxtr.blogspot.com/2013/08/rivals-ii-memories-memories-memories.html

- SocialPulse of Episode 1 (contains adult language): http://dc408dxtr.blogspot.com/2013/07/rivals-ii-countdown-real-world-nola.html

- Who Are These Newbies?: http://dc408dxtr.blogspot.com/2013/07/rivals-ii-who-are-these-newbies.html

- 11:11, Inspired by Trey: http://dc408dxtr.blogspot.com/2013/07/dc-blog-1111.html

- NOLA Inspires: http://dc408dxtr.blogspot.com/2013/07/rivals-ii-countdown-real-world-nola.html

- PDX Reunion Revealed: http://dc408dxtr.blogspot.com/2013/07/real-world-portland-as-they-saw-it.html

Until then, thanks for reading, have fun, and enjoy Rivals II. And have a safe and happy Labor Day weekend.

- DC