The Winner’s Circle: Rob & Brennan – The Original Amazing Racers

(If you don’t know what “The Winner’s Circle” is, be sure to read our introduction to this feature of the Reality TV Hall of Fame.)

The concept of The Amazing Race was simple: Teams of two with an existing relationship prior to the show race around the world. The winning team would split a million dollars. Well, that's the easiest way to explain it without adding in all the Detours and Roadblocks that each team would face along the way, not to mention the physical and mental fatigue every individual would face somewhere during the race. Rob & Brennan, best friends since childhood and both currently lawyers, won the first race. But how did they do it? Let's take a look.

You can't think of the first season of TAR and not think of teams like separated couple Frank & Margarita, fraternity brothers Kevin & Drew, or Team Guido – Joe & Bill. Then we have the sentimental favorite teams like mother/daughter team, Nancy & Emily, the old but spunky David & Margaretta, and one of my favorite teams, the ever-bickering Lenny & Karyn. Right in the middle of all these teams fell Rob & Brennan, the best friends/lawyers. From the beginning of the race, it was easy to see that Rob & Brennan were one the fittest teams at the starting line. However, since this is the first time viewers were watching the show, there was no way to realize that just being fit can not pull you through this race. One must have willpower, charisma, and durability as well. Rob & Brennan showed that they had these qualities and were the first team to cross the finish line, although they did have some bumps along the way.

In the first episode, Rob & Brennan were in the first group of people to board a plane to Brazil. With that being said, they still went for the Fast Forward. Most teams went for the Fast Forward when they felt they were in danger and wanted to make sure they didn't come in last place. Rob & Brennan basically wasted this option because they went for it right out of the gate – not a smart move. There were several instances later in the race when it would have come in handy, since they were on the cusp of being eliminated. This was a smart team, but often made some rookie mistakes when it came to navigating and making quick decisions. That being said, going for the Fast Forward early never turned out hurting them in the end, so I guess I can't hold that against them.

When I said that this show played a heavy toll on the competitors mentally, that's another area where Rob and Brennan succeeded. While most teams would break down and start yelling at each other, like engaged couple Paul & Aimee or dating couple Lenny & Karyn (although, most of the yelling came from Karyn), Rob & Brennan did an excellent job at keeping their cool in many situations and just thinking through the problem without getting stressed out and turning on each other. They understood the meaning of teamwork. During the final leg of the race as Frank & Margarita were acting too confident that they were going to win the race because the finish line was in their hometown, Rob and Brennan stayed calm, cool, and collected as they raced through the airport, on the subway, and around the park to make it to the finish line first. They didn't stress about not knowing where they were going, they simply asked for directions as they raced, which was the smartest thing they could have done.

As I mentioned above, physically, Rob & Brennan were miles ahead of most of the other teams. When it came to Roadblocks and Detours, it was easy for them to take the most physical task even though it was probably much harder then the easier, longer task. This is where they made up most of their time because they were able to finish tasks quickly and efficiently to be on their way to the pit stop quicker than most of the other teams.

It's easy to see why Rob and Brennan won the first edition of The Amazing Race. Their win was a combination of teamwork, efficiency, luck and a few good choices. Physical and mental prowess also aided them in their win. Rob and Brennan were a deserving team when they crossed the finish line, and showed that determination and strong will can prevail if one has the patience to use them correctly.

Phil Kural is a recent graduate from Temple University, with a degree in journalism. You can reach him at pkural@gmail.com with any feedback that you may have.

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