There being no (ill-intent of) physical harm done to the other team, all that’s being said and done by each team were part of their strategies (deliberate or not) for the race. So, Game On!
Putting some team on u-turn is part of the game... as much as setting up alliances, helping-out the non-threats, identifying and posturing-against/psyching-out your (immediate) competition, battle-cries, conflicts, being targets, etc. As long as they're on their bubble of the game (of its of fluid possibilities in indeterminate situations), it’s for them to play and talk it out the way they can and want it to be (to get them by towards their goal) on same shared context they’re in. But, it’s not for me to fairly define the merits of their personal being.
The name-calling in the TAR-forums bubble, however, against those in the race was quite a eye-popping clout of group think being manifested… Demanding flawlessness and wolfishly calling out the 'self-righteousness’, ‘hypocrisy’, ‘whining’, ‘game-plays’ of the racers are reeking of ironic entitled self-righteous hypocrisy in itself - tantamount to spitting with the face up towards the sky. In terms of likability/'supportability', I’d rather defer it to the racers themselves than the arm-chair flame-throwers who're not on the same context as the racers were in.
For a TV show to indulge myself in, weeding out all the dramas and the shrills, I’m all for finding productive strategies being carried out. And it’s more satisfying if it resulted in more time with the pretty - hence, Team Connor and Team Cuter Cowboy!
