Amazing Race

Want to bet on "The Amazing Race" this season? Avoid putting money on Rex Ryan at all costs -- so says his former co-worker, John Harbaugh, who told reporters Thursday he thinks the ex-Jets & Bills head man has no shot of winning!

"I think he'll get lost," the Ravens head coach said with a smile in a meeting with media members. "Right out of the gates."

Harbaugh appeared to be at least partially kidding -- after all, he and Ryan have been good friends for years after coaching together at a couple stops in their coaching careers, and have no doubt poked fun at each other a few times in their meetups.

But, John made it clear he doesn't have too much hope for Ryan on the famous travel challenge show regardless.

"It depends on his partner, actually," said Harbaugh, who admitted he watches the show with his family often. "It depends if Rex wants to listen or not."

"You can't blitz your way out of the airport," he said with a chuckle, "or something like that."

Rex Ryan is putting his beloved feet to the test -- the ex-NFL coach is slated to compete on the newest season of "The Amazing Race" ... in hopes of winning a million bucks.

The former Bills and Jets coach will be teaming up with his partner, Tim Mann ... and the duo will be traveling around the world and competing in several challenges.

If you haven't seen the show, it's been on the air for 33 seasons ... so it might be too late to bring you up to speed. It's basically a scavenger hunt on steroids.

59-year-old Rex coached in the NFL for decades -- he won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens as a defensive line coach ... and led the New York Jets to back-to-back AFC championship games.

He most recently had an analyst job with ESPN ... appearing on "Sunday NFL Countdown."

40-year-old Mann is Ryan's friend of 6 years/golf buddy ... and is a probation officer.

Die-hard "Big Brother" fans might not be happy about this -- "The Amazing Race" just made some huge last-minute cuts to its upcoming all-BB edition ... including winners and fan favorites.

Our 'TAR' sources tell us ... America's Favorite Houseguest on Season 17, James Huling, and Season 18's Corey Brooks will no longer be partnering up on 'TAR' because CBS called them Thursday night to inform them they've been axed.

Caleb Reynolds, aka Beast Mode Cowboy, was also told he's no longer wanted for the upcoming season, and perhaps most shockingly ... former enemies turned friends -- Josh Martinez and Paul Abrahamian -- also got dropped from the cast.

We're told the news came as a huge surprise to the 'BB' alums because they'd all gone through the interview process and thought they were set ... but production just told them they are moving in a different direction.

On the bright side ... we've learned BB14 winner Ian Terry's been added to the cast, Rachel Reilly's still in and will team up with her sister Elissa, and past stars Da'Vonne Rogers and Bridgette Dunning will be a duo.

The latest duo to join the new season of "The Amazing Race" once viciously competed against each other on "Big Brother," and now they'll be battling for $1 million.

TMZ has learned ... Josh Martinez and Paul Abrahamian are teaming up for the "Big Brother" mash-up season of 'Race.' They were on season 19 of 'BB,' which Josh ended up winning the $500k grand prize ... and Paul came in second.

Despite the fact Paul bitch slapped Josh while they were in the 'BB' house -- we're told they actually became good friends afterward. We'll see if that holds up though, while they race around the world.

The competition on the 'Amazing Race' and "Big Brother" mash-up is gonna be fierce, because it's stocked with a lot of previous winners and fan favorites hauling ass around the world.

Sources tell us James Huling, who won America's Favorite Houseguest on season 17 of "Big Brother," will be partnering with Corey Brooks, who appeared on season 18. James also appeared on season 18, but didn't win.

As we previously reported ... "Big Brother" alums Caleb Reynolds and Rachel Reilly are also in the race. Rachel won season 13 of 'BB' and Caleb's got experience from being on two seasons of "Survivor" too.

"Big Brother" alums Caleb Reynolds and Rachel Reillyare taking their backstabbing and bitching to the road ... TMZ has learned they're among the former houseguests who've signed on for the new season of "The Amazing Race."

As we previously reported, the show got some inspo from last season's winners -- Cody Nickson and Jessica Graf -- who previously met and became a couple on "Big Brother," so production decided to pool contestants from past seasons of "Big Brother" for the new season.

Caleb, who's also known as Beast Mode Cowboy, appeared on season 16 of "Big Brother". He was also on Seasons 32 and 34 of "Survivor," so he's got some good experience for the around-the-world trek.

As for Rachel ... she's one to watch, too, after appearing on Season 12 of "Big Brother", and then winning Season 13 during which she met now-husband Brendon Villegas. Brenchel then went on to come in third place on 'Amazing Race 20' and 'All-Stars.'

"The Amazing Race" winners Cody Nickson and Jessica Graf -- who met and became a couple on "Big Brother" -- have another bright idea for CBS ... invite "Big Brother's" most polarizing contestants ever to the race.

Cody and Jessica -- who tell us they will NOT return to 'Amazing Race' next season -- tell TMZ ... if there's one guy they'd like to see on the all "Big Brother," 'Amazing Race' cast ... it's Dick "Evel Dick" Donato, the 'BB' season 8 winner and season 13 houseguest. Donato was famous on 'BB' for, shall we say, being a jerk. But an entertaining jerk, for sure.

"The Amazing Race" winners Cody Nickson and Jessica Graf -- who previously met and became a couple on "Big Brother" -- may have led CBS to strike while the iron's hot ... and feature an all-'BB' cast for an upcoming season.

Sources close to production of 'Amazing Race' tell TMZ ... the show reached out to several past "Big Brother" houseguests and has locked down its list of competitors for the new season, which will begin filming soon.

We're told the all-"Big Brother" edition of 'Amazing Race' will feature at least one past 'BB' winner, but several other popular winners declined for family or career reasons. Still, we're told CBS is happy with the final cast ... and they're ready to race around the world.

Our sources say the idea for the "Big Brother"-themed season of 'Amazing Race' came from the success of season 30, which saw former 'BB' stars Cody and Jessica dominate.

'Amazing Race' couple Cody Nickson and Jessica Graf have been through a lot together -- in the public eye -- and now they can add getting engaged to the list.

We got this video of Cody proposing to Jessica at the top of Runyon Canyon Park's hiking trail in L.A. Tuesday ... and there were no shortage of tears flowing when she said yes.

We're told Cody ran ahead of her to make it a surprise, and told the group of people in the area his plan ... which is how he had a nice cheering section. Quality move.

You may recall ... Cody and Jessica met on last season of "Big Brother" and became one of its showmances, but not without controversy. Cody was portrayed as a villain on the show, and Jessica was slammed for unwanted butt-poking of other houseguests.

The 2 always stuck together, though ... and now it appears that's their goal for life.

Getting traded can be tough ... but don't feel bad for MLB star Evan Longoria -- 'cause his smokin' hot, Playboy model wife is coming with him to San Francisco!

Meet Jaime Edmondson ... January 2010 Playmate of the Month and better half of the other famous Longoria, a 3-time All-Star with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Jaime's resumé might be even more impressive -- she's also a 2-time "The Amazing Race" competitor, former Miami Dolphins cheerleader and police officer AND current full-time mom to 4-year-old Elle ... her and Longo's first kid.

The Giants just got a lot better -- and so did their WAGs club.

One of the smoking hot models on "Amazing Race" knew she needed to toughen up for the show -- so she got in the ring with boxing champ Victor Ortiz!

Jenn Lee (see bikini pics below) says she hooked up with Ortiz back in June to work on her strength and conditioning for the race around the world ... and it paid off in a big way.

In fact, she's STILL training with the guy even though the show's in the can ... because, as it turns out, boxing training is great training for bikini season.

Not that she really needed the help ...

Season 4 'Amazing Race' winner Reichen Lehmkuhl can't stand his last name because it's too hard to pronounce ... which raises the question -- why can he stand his first name?

Reichen, who once dated Lance Bass, filed a name change petition with the L.A. County Superior Court ... asking to chop his last name in half ... from Lehmkuhl to Kuhl.

Reichen explained in his legal docs, "I don't like my last name. It is too hard for people to spell or pronounce."

It begs the question ... why not get a 2 for 1 special and mess with his first name? Reichen is pronounced rye-hen ... kinda like the German version of Ryan.

TNA wrestler Robbie E might take the wind-relieving pose a little too literally ... 'cause even though yoga helped him prepare for the "Amazing Race" ... it turned him into a human gasbag.

Robbie and his GF Brooke Tessmacher teamed up for the CBS reality show -- which has already been shot and premieres in September -- and Robbie tells TMZ the yoga helped him get mentally and physically ready for the grueling challenges on the road.

In fact, Robbie got some support from fellow wrestlers DJ Z and Jessie Godderz who teamed up for some "broga" sessions before and after the "Race" ... where Robbie fessed up to the pose that turns him into Captain Flatulation!

Meantime, Brooke used other methods to prepare -- mainly something we like to call, "Puttin' In Twerk." Miley Cyrus would be proud ...

Jason Aldean's been dragged into another drunken controversy ... because ex-"Amazing Race" finalist Vanessa Macias told cops she boozed up at the country singer's concert before her DWI arrest last week.

According to the San Antonio police report, obtained by TMZ, 32-year-old Macias admitted to cops she drank three vodka sodas at the Aldean concert on Thursday ... then hit up a local strip club with a friend.

We did the research -- the strip club in question features FEMALE dancers ... just in case you were wondering.

As we reported, Macias was arrested around 2 AM Friday morning after police pulled her over and say they detected a strong odor of alcohol on her breath.

According to the report, cops say Macias was driving erratically on a highway and failed to make a turning signal, so cops initiated the traffic stop. She was arrested soon after on suspicion of DWI.

Vanessa Macias -- part of the Dating Divorcees team on last season's "Amazing Race" -- was arrested in Texas early Friday morning for driving while intoxicated ... TMZ has learned.

32-year-old Macias -- who came in 4th place on "Race" -- was pulled over by the San Antonio Police Department around 2 AM on October 26. During the stop, officers claim they detected the presence of alcohol.

Macias was arrested and hauled to a nearby station where she was booked for misdemeanor DWI -- and posed for an extremely wide-eyed mug shot.

Macias was released a few hours later after posting $1,000 bond.

A rep for Vanessa tells TMZ ... the former reality star feels extremely remorseful over the arrest.