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

RIVALS II - What's The Big News?

By DC Cueva

Well, after what happened tonight with yet another example of how backstabbing can be so cruel on The Challenge and seeing one of my favorite teams - and probably the most gorgeous pair on this cast in Jonna & Nany - get eliminated very close to the Final, I have some big news to share with you that relates to Rivals II. And in a way, this relates to me as well, and I can definitely take great pride in it too.

It's always a big deal when artists get asked by MTV to contribute music to their shows - ask Natasha Bedingfield, Hilary Duff, 3OH3 and a few others about that. Even Lady Gaga and LMFAO guest-appeared on MTV shows just before they became breakout stars. And a group from right here in the Bay and right from where I live here in the Silicon Valley, featuring two of my friends from junior high at Thomas Russell Middle School & then across the street at Milpitas High School, have been asked to contribute one of the tracks to my favorite show (at least for right now until Real World Back to San Francisco premieres in a few months). Those two friends are guitarist OJ Montevirgin and drummer Kyle Freeze, they've been playing in bands together since they were at MHS - playing in our school's talent show during my senior year, and OJ was one of my classmates in one of my P.E. classes. 

Both are in the band Northern Son, and they were recently asked by the show's production company Bunim-Murray Productions to contribute their song "Simple" to next week's episode. There, we'll see the competition in Thailand reach into the late stages as the penultimate mission before the final challenge takes place. And of course, the tension in the house will reach a fever pitch, perhaps someone's emotions will elevate too. The last men's jungle elimination will determine who, amongst the remaining four guys' pairs - CT/Wes, Johnny/Frank, Preston/Knight & team rookies Jordan/Marlon, will be in the final three in the quest for that lion's share of the $350,000 pay day. And the girls teams - Paula/Emily, Aneesa/Diem, Camila/Jemmye & Cooke/Cara Maria - will play for positioning before the last pre-final challenge, where in the last four seasons, the winners of the very last elimination eventually carried their momentum into the Challenge winners circle & claiming the jackpot.

So next week, when I watch the competition intensify with two weeks left until the enduring test that is a final on The Challenge, I'm not only gonna be watching with great interest as I usually do for a show & franchise that's I love so much starring all those people I'm friends with on SM, but also listen to the soundtrack as well, knowing that people who I got to go to school with is starting to make the big time. So, OJ and Kyle... Congrats guys. Me, the class of 2001 and fellow Trojans are proud of you fellas. Good luck, you've made it.

- @DC408DXTR

For more on Northern Son, check out: 

- www.northern-son.com

- Facebook.northern-son.com

- Twitter @NorthernSonSon

- YouTube: www.youtube.com/thenorthernson

DC Vegas: What Are The Odds?

By DC Cueva

And finally, more a month after, here's my first DC Blog post on my trip to Las Vegas from July. And with football season upon us here in the states, and "football" season, aka soccer season, underway in much of the world, and baseball's division races in full swing, this first post related to the highlight of my summer - my trip to Vegas - will look at one of the most popular activities in Sin City. And, we'll also give you a look at the odds in a number of major sports as it was when I traveled there the weekend of July 20th.

RIVALS II - Memories, Memories, Memories

By DC Cueva

We are five episodes deep into what's already been a great season so far of The Challenge: Rivals II. From the drama that's taken place inside the house in Thailand to the great competition with both fan favorites & new faces, plus the twists that have made people ponder - including what happened in these last two episodes, and of course a lot in between, I've definitely enjoying what I'm seeing so far. With all due respect to my first go at this, and aside from a couple things, it's definitely so much better than the last Challenge - it blows Battle of the Seasons II right out of the water by a mile. And we've almost at the season's halfway point, there's so much more action & drama still to come and still ahead of us. But for this edition of the DC Blog and as my coverage of this season continues, let's take an opportunity for some reflection and recollection. And as we begin, hope you got that name tag dusted off.

   Being the great purveyor of history that I am as a longtime loyal fanatic of The Real World going all the way back to when I was in high school, as well as being a relative newcomer to The Challenge, I have very good memories with each & every single person on Rivals II, and of most not on this season but have interacted with. Much of these memories come from when most of this cast took their first MTV baby steps as one of those strangers picked to live in that RW house, while others come from outside of the one show that I love most. This includes the two relatively recent Challenge seasons I've gotten to watch in their entirety: the one that reintroduced me to this thing - the aforementioned BOTS, and the original Rivals of two years ago which I got to watch for the first time just before this season began. Some of the memories are good, some are bad, but everyone in not only this cast but every person in this 200+ person family who've appeared on Real World, The Challenge and/or the erstwhile Road Rules are remembered for one thing. And of course, this revolutionary, long-standing franchise, now 21 years & counting, has produced indelible moments and amazing people.

   If you're a loyal fan like me who's watched this franchise as long & consistently as me, this'll bring back some good memories. And for those new to this world & wanna know more about these people you're seeing for the first time, get ready to jot down some notes. Here we go on a trip down memory lane, and it's gonna be a long one, folks...every single member of this Rivals II cast will be covered here. And we start things off with the man who is, after all, the very heart & soul of The Challenge.

RIVALS II - Who Are These Newbies?

By DC Cueva

After two fantastic opening episodes of The Challenge: Rivals II, and after the strong viewership that tuned to the drama-filled premiere on July 10, as well as the great social media interaction of cast & fans - 83,000+ social interactions related to the show & resulting in my busiest day on twitter since Super Bowl Sunday earlier this year, we are already experiencing a fast start to this exciting season.

For those avid Challenge fans who didn't catch BOTS because, for most, was simply their favorite veteran wasn't on (it's a bit corny if you ask me), or for those only watch The Challenge & don't watch The Real World the same way I do, Rivals II represents your first opportunity to see this new generation in action. These are the same people who I became familiar with in Turkey and on their original RW season (I didn't watch Challenges much before last fall). Of course, these fans will be in the blue of what these rookies have in store for them. And for fans, it'll be easy for them to go for the veterans, but there are some rookies who might hang with the vets in competition in Thailand, enough for them perhaps to win over these fans too.

   The basis of this post is to help you, the avid Challenge fan who knows more about the vets than these rookies, get some insight into these new people: background from their RW bios, what happened with them on their RW season, and with the exception of a handful making their debut in this Challenge, provide a recap of how they did last year when they competed for the first time in Turkey. This will help you understand these people the same way you know the big name veterans and the same way that I do having followed them first in that other show that I love even more.

Lets get it started, beginning with the group that finally made their Challenge debut last year, and now on their second go at it:

DC SocialPulse - RIVALS II Premiere

*** Reader Advisory: The Following Post Contains

Adult Language. Viewer Discretion is Advised. ***

By DC Cueva

Well, the busy guy who loves sports, entertainment & social media has become even busier: welcome to the first edition of The DC SocialPulse. Being that I've become such an avid tweeter & social media junkie over the last year, I have been addicted to all this all over again, reliving those days of being on MySpace much of the time (I'm still on there btw). And social media has also played a big role in being able to even greatly follow the things I'm most interested in, including my favorite shows.

   The frenzied premiere of MTV's The Challenge: Rivals II on Wednesday night accounted, for me, the busiest day of tweeting (and retweeting) that I've had on twitter since the Super Bowl back in February - over 250 total tweets. I was so busy in doing all of that & flooding the timelines (and sorry once again to my followers), that two times I was sent to twitter jail for over-tweeting during an hours period. But then again, there are few things that get me going in the twitter world: the biggest sports events, music, entertainment events, and of course, The Real World & The Challenge.

   What I've decided to do, in addition to doing a recap of every episode As DC Sees It, is to do my best to highlight the tweets from the RW & Challenge family from these episodes. The MTV Remote Control blog does highlight tweets from certain cast members of both shows, but is usually spread out among other shows. What I will do is to focus in on just Real World & Challenges.

   First, some background & thoughts: last year when I joined twitter, I immediately became part of an online community that's now an essential part of our media landscape. Television has been a communal experience for as long as it has been around. From loyal viewers watching a favorite primetime show, to a country coming to a standstill for the Super Bowl or big cultural event, to even families watching a personal home movie, this medium has always created an enjoyable experience that brings families, friends & fans together. And the advent of technologies over the past decade have further enhanced the viewing experience: DVR, HDTV, VOD, and most recently social media. 

   For me, there was that agonizingly long hiatus from late March to early May when 30 twitter accounts were frozen for the entire time while they were in Thailand, plus for a brief time, two ladies from the Real World Portland cast just as their very own season was starting to air back home (they would eventually have their social media freeze lifted later just for them, similar to what the St. Thomas cast had with the last Challenge taking place near to their season premiering). For those 8-9 weeks while I was engaged greatly in RWPDX & other things along the way, I was also longing for the very day when they would all return, and it was a welcome relief when that embargo was lifted on the rest of the group on that RW Wednesday, it almost felt a bit like homecoming. Well, it was because of Rivals II that they were gone, and it has been a month or so since they ended taping. And I knew during RWPDX that while we wouldn't have the kind of strong social interaction during that season when everyone is overseas (including a couple other PDX cast members too), this would eventually be worth it because when this Challenge season premieres later on, everyone will be on social media, getting the great spontaneous interaction that makes it so much more enjoyable for them & viewers alike.

   Obviously, the cast of Rivals II knows what to expect & what has happened since they got to film this earlier this spring, but there's nothing like being able to interact with each other and to be able to share & experience this with the rest of America. Last season's Challenge was not only the first one I've watched in a long time (and the first I've ever watched with a great deal of interest in), but it also the first time that I became enthralled by the power of television, its unique communal viewing experience and the interactivity & spontaneity of social media all coming together to create an experience that those TV pioneers could never have imagined. And it has allowed me to engage myself even more around the franchise I have followed for over a decade & a half, adding another dimension to this great, long relationship between me & the RW/Challenge world.

   So, after that prelude, it's now gonna be a requirement for fans to not only have their sets tuned to MTV on Wednesday nights at 10PM, but also have an Internet device handy to follow the other big show on at the same time: the spontaneous interaction among cast, fans and all of us. And the following are the actual tweets of the cast & fellow alumni as they, fans and America got to see the premiere of The Challenge: Rivals II.  Just before we begin, please note there is also explicit language in some of the tweets below, but I am keeping it uncensored in order to retain the heat of the moment. So, please read with discretion if you are mature enough. :-)

   So without further ado, lets get it started... 

Real World Portland: As They Saw It - Reunion Revealed

* Views expressed in Fan's View are only those of the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of DC Cueva or DCBLOG.

By DC Cueva, with Kevin Gonzalez & Kaitlyn Macisco

> @dc408dxtr, @KevinGonzalez_, @Kmacisco

With a couple days left until The Challenge: Rivals II premieres, yesterday's posting of a picture with the entire cast on a layover at an airport in Tokyo & en route to Thailand by cast members signals the anticipation towards this crazy season; in fact I just changed the iPad home screen to that pic as well. But with about 48 hours until the new season of the so-called 5th major sport kicks off, lets go back a month to another crazy affair - the latest season for my favorite show - The Real World Portland.

For me, The Real World and The Challenge have played a big role on my twitter over the last year - not surprising for the franchise that I follow most, going back a long way over a decade. And a tradition at the end of every season of these two shows - and certain other MTV shows as well - has been the reunion: an hour to discuss and look back on everything that went on throughout the entire season. And at these reunions, it's almost certain that there's gonna be some or more so the same drama that we saw during the episodes that preceded it. But the process of taping the reunion is longer than the 43 minutes sans commercials that you see on TV - it's way longer than that. And of course, there are some things that you didn't see or hear unless you were one of the lucky people who get to sit in that MTV Times Square studio & have a front row seat to all the fireworks.

That's why for this edition of As DC Sees It...or shall we say, "As Kevin & Kaitlyn Saw It," we'll uncover the wraps to give you a firsthand perspective of what it's like to be in the audience, to watch the drama unfold among the casts, and even get some valuable scoop on everything you want to know about all this, most especially unseen gossip. And in this edition: a look at the reunion for Real World Portland, starring its dynamic cast of Anastasia, Averey, Jessica, Jordan, Joi, Johnny, Marlon, Nia & house dog Daisy...and hosted by RW legend/Queen B (& fellow Bay Arean) Coral. From a fight unprecedented in Real World history to the behavior & life backgrounds of most of the cast, romances in & outside the Pearl District to yes, a Hurricane, it was one of those RW seasons that really stood out to me. Plus, there was the added incentive that I became very good social media friends with all of them throughout the season, having followed them well before we got to see them on TV; I gave a few castmates a follow just after filming ended last November. (Seems that's been so long, doesn't it?)

Because of these shows, I've become good twitter friends with total strangers who I've never met in person but share a passion for this franchise, and one of them is Kevin Gonzalez (@KevinGonzalez_). This guy from New York, who was the lucky 25,000th follower to Bunim-Murray's twitter account @BunimMurray, has been to the last three reunions: Real World St. Thomas, Challenge BOTSeasons and this Real World Portland one. Joining him to give us the scoop is Kaitlyn Macisco (@Kmacisco), who was also in the audience braving the six hours of taping in that studio. This will add additional perspective to a post from a blogger who I followed during the season who was also in the audience, more on that at the end of this post. For now, here's what you've been waiting for, let's dive into the scoop, starting with the general atmosphere before the storm began...

Rivals II Countdown: Real World NOLA Inspires

By DC Cueva

With The Challenge: Rivals II premiering next week - 5 days from now to be exact, the anticipation is only building for the wildest season yet for the so-called 5th major sport, which, along with a trip I'll be taking to Las Vegas two weeks from tomorrow, highlights this summer for me, the 2nd in twitter world. As the trailer & all the promos have shown us these last few weeks, it sure promises to be an exciting Challenge, starring an all-star cast and T.J. Lavin, who's billing this as "the best season ever." But while we continue to count the hours down to the season premiere July 10th at 10 PM on MTV, let's take a moment to think about something other than the upcoming action & drama in Thailand and learn more about a feel-good story involving a trio on this cast and the impact they & their fellow castmates had on one of my followers on Twitter.

For me being a huge Real World fan, I have a lot of memories with virtually all of the Rivals II cast from watching them take their first MTV steps on the show I love most. And one of my favorite parts of every season is when the show takes the opportunity to depart from the usual hook-ups, conflict & fun of today's Real World for a touch of yesteryear and showcase social issues that were prevalent early on & are those the MTV audience can relate to & are passionate about. From equality and war, to casting unique people outside of the usual stereotype of good looking young adults and those single & ready to mingle, the show hasn't let go of this one aspect that was groundbreaking when it started & remains the single thing that separates it from the other reality shows it helped spawn in the last two decades.

Just as their predecessors did back in 2000, The Back to New Orleans cast of three years ago had the opportunity to ride a float, throw beads & have lots of fun during the madness known as Mardi Gras. Plus, they sampled crawfish, Cajun cuisine & jazz, rode the buggy on the Bayou and got to celebrate right down on Bourbon Street when the Saints won the Super Bowl. And there was a romance that blossomed between a hockey player & a southern girl, an encounter with the cops over a toothbrush, and a basketball player who eventually became a radio host (and current girlfriend of a Rivals II competitor). But the memory that sticks out to me of that season was one whose impact was felt on one of my twitter followers last year, just before the NOLA cast made their long-overdue debut on The Challenge, when Jemmye, Knight, Preston & McKenzie competed on Battle of the Seasons in Turkey.

And that would be of the cast taking a break from having fun in this 24/7 party city to help in the rebirth of New Orleans, just five years after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city. Among the things they did included taking a first-hand tour of the devastation in where the damage was the greatest - in the Lower 9th Ward, teaming with Habitat for Humanity to help rebuild a house for a family affected by the tragedy, and volunteering time to help out at a soup kitchen in the New Orleans Mission where homeless people displaced by Katrina went - and some still go - to this day. Even the house's resident hairstylist & drama starter Ryan got to learn more firsthand from one of those people about the harsh reality of post-Katrina life that many still face in the greater NOLA area. And towards the end of their experience, the cast even slept for one night in the cold homeless to put themselves in the shoes of those less fortunate.

One person who was watching that season was a young teenage lady & basketball fan from Canada's Maritimes provinces named Alison Cassidy. Here's her letter to the cast from last July, just after filming of that Challenge wrapped up:

TWEET from @AlisonCassidy from Canada:
@AlisonCassidy: @JustJem24 @OfficialSahar @Knight_MTV @PrestoMagic24 @MckenzieCoburn @TheEricPatrick @AshleeFeldman I hope you guys can read this note from me. 

"Hi I'm Alison. I'm 17.

I know you guys don't know me but I wanted to say thank you. A lot of people might talk crap about the Real World (and any other reality show for that matter) But what I didn't know when I started watching your season, is that it would actually change my life.

What I really loved about your season, was the work you did at the soup kitchen and with the house building. Your time in New Orleans made me inspired to go there myself some day. Well that day is coming a whole lot sooner than I thought. Saturday I'm leaving my small town in Eastern Canada, headed to New Orleans. I'll be volunteering for a week at various places. Even though it's only a week, this is a huge deal for me. I've had extremely bad anxiety since I was 8 years old and have recently dealt with depression after my grandmother died last year. I spent an entire 3 weeks barely leaving my room. Although New Orleans will be the scariest thing I've ever done, I can hope that it will be a life changing experience. It will push me to start overcoming a lot of things I've been scared of for a very long time. 

I really don't know who else to thank besides those of you from RW:NOLA. I wanted you all to know that I am so thankful for each of you, though we've never even met. Although many other people have been involved with putting this trip together, you guys are the ultimate reason behind it. 

I can't thank you enough.

-Alison"

Upon reading that letter, Preston & fellow roommate Ashlee replied to Alison:

- @PrestoMagic24: "@AlisonCassidy you're the sweetest person ever I'm so very happy we could help you on your journey, we appreciate your kind words! <3 RWNOLA"

- @AshleeFeldman: "@AlisonCassidy that is beautiful and I am so happy the show could do that for you. Enjoy new Orleans (smiley face w/ tears)"
- @AlisonCassidy: "@PrestoMagic24  Thank u again for being on RW. My week volunteering in NOLA was the BEST. RWNOLA changed my entire life, oddly enough :)"

After writing that heartfelt note, just a few days later Alison flew down to New Orleans to follow in their footsteps and do her part in the city's rebirth. While there, she volunteered for a week in various places in the Crescent City, and even saw the same Mission where the RW NOLA cast worked at. To say the least, it was indeed a life-changing experience for her, and she grew to have the same type of enormous love for the city as the cast had back in 2010, one that lingers just a year after that trip to the Gulf Coast.

So, when Knight, Jemmye & Preston represent Team New Orleans once again, part of an all-star cast coming together for The Challenge: Rivals II starting Wednesday on MTV, then also think about Alison and the impact that they & the rest of the RW Back to NOLA cast had on her & others who were touched by them. And for every voyeuristic or crazy moment we see on every RW season, there is always the feel-good story of those who were moved and/or inspired by the show & the cast, and Alison's is one of them.

With a week left until that Challenge, I will be all over it here on DC Blog & @dc408dxtr on Twitter. From tweeting with the cast & fellow fans to doing recaps & more on here, I'll be following the drama & action on the playing field, in the house and throughout Thailand, As DC Sees It. Can't wait for Wednesday, it will be crazy. Until then, thanks for reading, enjoy Rivals II and have a fun & safe rest of this holiday weekend.

- DC

@DC408dxtr

For more on the New Orleans Mission, visit http://www.neworleansmission.org.