Surfers go first, Alabamians last, as pool is set

Geneseo, Feb. 23, 2013. All the selections have been made. Well, last season's winners, Team WalkWorth, didn't really choose, as Chuck and Wynona, the mullet man and his spouse, were the only racers left. 

But take heart, Julia, Louise and Will, the Mullets didn't have that bad a first leg, finishing seventh.

And, remember, under the new financial terms of the pool, the first pool entrant eliminated gets $20 and the right to pick first next season. Sweet.

So here's the lineup, poolsters and their teams:

Allison                          Jessica and John (dating surfers)

Emily and Drew             Anthony and Bates (hockey players)

Team Bushnell              Max and Katie        (newly married Buffalonians)

Team Showers              Joey and Meghan    (YouTube sensations)

Team Beltway               Mona and Beth        (roller derby moms)

Dennis Doell                  Idries and Jamil      (twin OB/GYNs)

Team Boston                David and Connor    (father and son)

Bob/Sandy Wilcox         Pamela and Winnie (best friends)

Cindy and Jim               Caroline and Jen     (country singers)

Team WalkWorth          Chuck and Wynona (married Alabamians)

Veteran Race watchers might argue that the steal of the selection round was made by Team Boston, the father-son-duo of David and Connor having finished third in the first episode. It makes no sense that they went seventh in our pool. 

A case might also be made for the Wilcoxian choice of Pamela and Winnie, who finished fourth first time out. Why they went eighth, no one knows, not even Bob Wilcox, who seemed to have little idea as to who they were when he selected them.

So forget your Oscar pool and swim in the Amazing Race pool. 

Best,

Jim