‘The Biggest Loser’ recap: Brains versus brawn

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Has the red team forgotten that this is ‘The Biggest Loser’? I can’t believe they didn’t choose Arthur.

The red team had the ability to send a black team member home if only they’d chosen wisely at the weigh in. They chose Irene as the pick for the person whose weight would not count this week. And although there’s something to be said for that choice -- she puts up impressive numbers week after week -- the smarter choice would have been Arthur.

And not only because he went on to post a 20-pound weight loss that helped deliver the black team to victory.

First off, it’s difficult to predict who is going to have a good or great week. Choosing Arthur would have been the safer bet: For one, Arthur’s weight loss to date has been under-appreciated. Yes, he should be posting bigger numbers, but he’s lost almost 100 pounds so far at the ranch and doesn’t seem to be getting credit for that. (Don’t forget that his sheer size makes it difficult for him to maneuver through the workouts like the smaller players.)

Also, he was due for a big week, in part because everyone has been nagging him about his numbers. But even if he posted a disappointing number, it would have created a further divide among the other members of the black team. They were mighty irritated with Arthur because of his temptation-game play a week earlier, when he saved his own butt by sending Jay and Jen over to the red team.

If Arthur posted a small number, and the black team lost, there’s a good chance he would have been further isolated from the team and that they might even have ditched him as revenge.

Instead, Arthur is now the team king (and mascot), and everyone is rallying behind him. The red team might have awakened a sleeping giant.

Marci portrayed the teams as brains versus brawn. How right she was.

Random observations:

--Did you catch Jillian leaping into Bob’s arms? He looked shocked. He probably would have dropped her if she wasn’t hanging on like a baby monkey.

--I was surprised at how Rulon dissed Cara, after posing as her bulldog protector not long ago. To her credit, she ignored it and executed ‘Mission: Rulon.’ He seems to be getting it: ‘I just stepped away and checked out for six years,’ he said of his weight gain. Hr also vowed: ‘I’m not going to gain my weight back.’ Time will tell!

--Jay, we are sad to see you go, but you seem to be well on your journey, and your teammates will take care of Jen in your stead. Looking forward to seeing even less of you at the finale.

-- Rene Lynch
Twitter / renelynch