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.