The Challenge: Battle of the Exes - Love is a Battlefield

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suPlYwJ3YvM]Jordin Sparks - Battlefield - YouTube[/url] I figured the song would fit the theme for the episode tonight! I am so excited for tonight

I'm kind of glad the Lakers have been so depressing lately so I don't feel as bad about missing the first half hour.

Thought it over the other day and came up with some power rankings. This is how I see it before the first episode. My ratings: I will break down each team in four ratings. These are my initial feelings on how good they will be in four departments as a team. Elimination rating: How good they will be in an elimination Challenge rating: How good they will be in the daily challenges Political rating: How good their combined political game will be Finals rating: How well they will do in a typical challenge final [B]1. Johnny & Camila: [/B]This is my top team. Why? Because Johnny is a crafty, talented mother trucker. He is the only guy I know who can **** people off to such an enormous degree yet still make alliances and politic his way to the top. On top of that he is pretty damn good at everything. Multiple cast mates have remarked on his all around skill and Tyler even said he was like a challenge McGuyver. From everything I have seen, Camila is a strong competitor. She has confidence and she is physically powerful. I don't see her breaking. Biggest problems they have to worry about are Johnny making too many enemies and Camila getting drunk and acting a fool, thus making enemies. Elimination rating: B+ Challenge rating: A Political rating: A Finals rating: B [B]2. CT & Diem:[/B] We all know CT is a complete specimen. Anything physical and it's done deal. Diem though has proven to be very strong. Even though she isn't the most skilled and has made her fair share of mistakes, she is a strong woman and he has lived through a lot. Being a cancer survivor aint nothing to sniff at. Their chemistry may be out of whack however and that could cause problems. Also, CT may have a target on his back but I doubt it. Sounds like he may have Johnny backing him this time and that will be a powerful ally. As long as CT keeps his cool, this should be a powerful team. Elimination rating: A Challenge rating: A Political rating: C Finals rating: A [B]3. Wes & Mandi:[/B]Wes had a terrible final showing last challenge and his endurance has been extremely questionable since Fresh Meat II. With that said he still has a stellar track record during eliminations and he is one challenger who is very used to adversity. Mandi has been solid, she seems to have tremendous endurance and people genuinely get along with her. One major factor why I think this is a strong team however is that Wes and Madi get along very Well. The chemistry will be high and another major bonus, they and Sarah and Vinny are the only teams that have worked together before. They were partners on Fresh Meat II. They may have the most chemistry out of any team. Elimination rating: A Challenge rating: B+ Political rating: C+ Finals rating: B+ [B]4. Abram & Cara Maria: [/B]Their tumultuous relationship can lead to good or bad. Both have shown themselves to be good competitors. Cara has been getting mentally tougher and she has a decent all around game. Abe is just really good at challenges for whatever reason and he is nuts. Judging by previews and what I have seen on their relationship however, this could get very rough. This team is kind of a wild card. Abe has huge mood swings and I wouldn't be surprised if he walked off the show. He has been now to walk away from situations he has no taste for and he has claimed the challenges are tasteless TV. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt here and thinking they can work together but they could wind up being a mess. Elimination rating: B Challenge ratings: B+ Political rating: C- Finals rating: C+ [B]5. Dustin & Heather: [/B] A bit of a stretch for a rookie team but I think they will be surprisingly good. Dustin is crazy competitive and he will want to prove himself more than anybody. Heather has played sports much of her life and she likens herself to an athlete. I think their chemistry will be great and I think some people will like them. With the other Vegas kids backing them, they could do well. Elimination rating: B Challenge Rating: C+ Political rating: C+ Final rating: B [B]6. Rachel & Aneesa: [/B]As long as their aren't many head to head situations where one of the girls will get rolled over by a guy I think this team will be pretty good. Rachel is a beast of a woman and Anessa is a strong competitor and fiery. Their biggest challenge is Anessa's conditioning, she has little endurance and she does poorly in challenges but I think they will be strong politically and I think they could be a tough team to eliminate. Elimination rating: B+ Challenge rating: C Political rating: A- Final rating: D [B]7. Vinny & Sarah: [/B]I don't know too much about Vinny but he has been mediocre at everything I have seen. Sarah however has been a champ and she always goes deep in challenges. In her first challenge she almost single handily beat the champion team but Kelly Anne held her back. If Vinny can put it together they could be good. Also CT has once before said that if he and Vinny were ever on the same challenge, they would run it together so that's a big boon. Like Wes and Mandi, they also have experience as a team from Fresh Meat II. Elimination rating: C+ Challenge rating: B- Political rating: B+ Final rating: C [B]8. Ty & Emily: [/B]Emily is one of the best females in the game. Her Cutthroat performance was great and she never seemed tired or out of power. She is tall, lanky, and strong. Certainly belongs in the discussion for top females currently in the game. Ty has been a huge disappointment. Looks like Tarzan but plays like Jane. Still in Rivals he was okay, I think he and Emily will have a lot of issues but they may be able to pull it together. If Ty can step his game up, this team will shoot up the list. Elimination rating: C+ Challenge rating: B Political rating: C+ Final rating C+ [B]9.Dunbar & Paula:[/B] Paula has proven to be a nice competitor but Dunbar is terrible. As bad as he is, he is strong and for some reason he seems to get pretty deep in the game. They will probably have a lot of issues but Paula will get with an alliance and Dunbar will be somebody's lackey, probably Johnny's. Paila also has crazy endurance. I expect them to be around for a while. Elimination rating: C Challenge rating: C Political rating: B+ Final rating: B [B]10. Mark & Robin: [/B]Robin has a bad track record. She isn't particularly strong, strong willed, or athletic. She also isn't a strong political player. She has a lot of holes in her game but people like her. Mark on the other hand is good everywhere. I don't think being 40 is going to hamper him too much physically. He is also the godfather of challenges so I expect his status to get him very far. No one ever votes against him so he should be around for a long long time. When this team is challenged however, they are in trouble. Elimination rating: C Challenge rating: C+ Political rating: A Final rating: C [B]11. Tyrie & Jasmine: [/B] Tyrie is always the first guy to go. He really has done terribly in the past and always gets voted in and gets sent home. For this challenge though, Tyrie has slimmed down and gotten into some of the best shape of his life. He is looking for redemption and I never count someone out that has something to prove. Jasmine showed that she was tough in Rivals. She wont back down and she will give it her all. She may be the smallest girl in the house but she has one of he biggest hears and against other girls, that's often all you need. Elimination rating: C- Challenge rating: C- Political rating: D Final rating: C- [B]12. Leroy & Naomi: [/B]Leroy did the impossible on Rivals. He made it to a final as a rookie. He also did it with a partner who was not that great athletically. That is a most impressive feat and Leroy looked good but there is more to that. Johnny, Kenny, and Evan have gone on to say that Mike and Leroy were somewhat politically protected throughout. They didn't take the scrutiny that most rookie teams get. We also never really got a great look at Leroy's skills individual. Naomi however from everything I have heard is terrible. She doesn't have an athletic bone in her body and she isn't known for being crafty. This being her first challenge will be a big shocker to her system as well. They should have good chemistry but I get the feeling that feelings will be hurt and things may fall apart. Leroy will have to do some political magic to stay alive. Elimination rating: C Challenge rating: C- Political rating: B+ Final rating: D [B] 13. Nate & Priscilla:[/B] Unless these two are damn good they are dead. They are the new kids, they know nobody and Priscilla does not strike me as athletically inclined. Nate also may be lacking in that area. I think people will like them but I think they will be an early target. Unless they fall under someones wing I don't see them staying. They may stick a round for a few weeks because some like Tyrie may get thrown to the wolves early. I think they will both get drunk and go down in flames though. Elimination rating: C- Challenge rating: D+ Political rating: F Final rating: D+

[QUOTE=Calinks;294296] [B]5. Dustin & Heather: [/B] A bit of a stretch for a rookie team but I think they will be surprisingly good. Dustin is crazy competitive and [B]he will want to probe himself more than anybody[/B]. Heather has played sports much of her life and she likens herself to an athlete. I think their chemistry will be great and I think some people will like them. With the other Vegas kids backing them, they could do well. [/QUOTE] I hate calling out anyone on typos because I make them all the time...but I found this Freudian slip hilarious.

Oh crap, lol. The man has suffered enough and then I pull that. Haha, that's what I get for typing hastily. Anyway, for this challenge, I am really hoping we get some great head to head match ups and I want far fewer water challenges, I really really have grown to dislike them over the years. I want more simple challenges that cater to intelligence or athletic skills. Want more victories that are hard earned and fewer fluke like situations.

[QUOTE=Calinks;294298]Oh crap, lol. The man has suffered enough and then I pull that. Haha, that's what I get for typing hastily. Anyway, for this challenge, I am really hoping we get some great head to head match ups and I want far fewer water challenges, I really really have grown to dislike them over the years. I want more simple challenges that cater to intelligence or athletic skills. Want more victories that are hard earned and fewer fluke like situations.[/QUOTE] I agree, those water challanges are getting annoying,

I am just going to say it, because everyone knows its true. No disrespect to Jordin Sparks, but I am such a better singer!! But so pumped for this challenge, want to see CT fright train someone this season.

[QUOTE=TDMEL52;294301]I am just going to say it, because everyone knows its true. No disrespect to Jordin Sparks, but I am such a better singer!! But so pumped for this challenge, [b]want to see CT fright train someone[/b] this season.[/QUOTE] I dunno, he's not that scary.

[QUOTE=molds13;294302]I dunno, he's not that scary.[/QUOTE] CT was pretty terrifying on The Duel 2.

[QUOTE=molds13;294302]I dunno, he's not that scary.[/QUOTE] I mean that when he demonlished Tyler last season, something like that.

Let the blood bath start

[QUOTE=TDMEL52;294304]I mean that when he demonlished Tyler last season, something like that.[/QUOTE] Oh, like a freight train.

I saw snow! I know people are here didn't like the idea but I have really been wanting to see some action in a snowy setting. Wish they had some actual challenges there, people getting tossed off of snowy hills or having to snowboard or something would be hilarious. You can wipe out and walk away unscathed not as safe as water but way funnier.

Jasmine scares me!!!

I am excited to see Mark!

Can someone explain to how having the lesbian couple in this fair, when they are the only one.

I think I would have preferred TJ to say "OK guys, go stand next to the person you hooked up with". Mandi's the only one who's hooked up with more than one person here, right?

[QUOTE=TDMEL52;294311]Can someone explain to how having the lesbian couple in this fair, when they are the only one.[/QUOTE] It's not really, but they can really do whatever they want.

I wish they would have shown clips from the past. It'd be confusing for someone who didn't watch a challenge or Real World before and then just started this episode.

Vinny showing his teeth to the camera made me back away from my television for fear he would jump through it and eat me.

[QUOTE=LaneV95;294314]i wish they would have shown clips from the past. It'd be confusing for someone who didn't watch a challenge or Real World before and then just started this episode.[/QUOTE] I don't really think there are many of those people. And that's probably why they put the cast videos in. I didn't watch them, but I'm assuming they had past footage. That would have wasted so much time in the episode.

[QUOTE=TDMEL52;294311]Can someone explain to how having the lesbian couple in this fair, when they are the only one.[/QUOTE] No, there's Sarah and that butch lesbian.

TJ looks great man. He has really been rehabbing hard since Rivals it seems. That's really great to see.

I feel like Robin is the only person on this challenge this season and Diem are the only ones who would do good with the winning prize. Diem for her foundation and Robin for her son.

Non-Hashtagged Battle of the exes is trending on Twitter right now.

"This is my partners best day of my life." -Leroy while looking at a picture of he and Naomi kissing.

Hey look a Duel Flashblack

Mark is probably the same age as Priscilla father, he is that old and she is that young.