This might be Bates and Anthony Battaglia's biggest score yet.
The hockey-playing brothers,who hail from Raleigh, N.C., were named the winners of The Amazing Race at the end of Sunday's two-hour season 22 finale.The finish wasn't even close as Bates, 36, and Anthony, 33, dominated the final leg to easily take home the $1 million prize in a season that took them to 10 countries on five continents and more than 30,000 miles traveled.
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In a lively interview Monday -- where only about half their answers were serious -- the two jokesters talked to The Hollywood Reporter about what the plan to do with the money and what's next for the duo.
The Hollywood Reporter: You clearly were the frontrunners in the final leg, but did it seem that way to you as you were in the middle of it?
Anthony: It always felt like [the other teams] were right on our heels. We were so scared [another team] was going to catch up. It didn't feel like we were ahead of everybody.
Bates: Early on, as soon as we started, I thought, "Man, we have a good chance at winning this thing." Then it was a lot tougher than it looked. About halfway through, we were like, this is pretty tough.
THR: How did the experience compare to anything you've done in the hockey rink? [Bates previously played for the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, Washington Capitals and Toronto Maple Leafs, while Anthony currently plays for the Huntsville Havoc.]
Anthony: We got to use a lot of our muscles.
Bates: A lot more than muscles -- also our good looks.
THR: How does the win rank among your sports accomplishments? [With the Hurricanes, Bates made it to the Stanley Cup final.]
Bates:It's a lot tougher than it looks. I played in the finals, but that something where you know what you're up against. But in the race, you have no idea what's coming up.
Anthony: For me, this was like my Stanley Cup.
THR: How do you plan to spent the $1 million?
Bates: I'm going to try to buy Anthony some new teeth.
Anthony: But man, I'm so cute in those teeth. No complaints so far.
Bates: He's saving a lot on dental floss.
Anthony: I'm just using rope.
THR: Did the teeth give you any issues while you were on the race?
Anthony: Those teeth made it all the way around the world. I got new ones, a new flipper, and I look even more amazing than usual.
Bates: After we won, we became very modest.
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THR: You had a close alliance with [fourth-place finishers] Caroline Cutbirth and Jennifer Kuhle. Are you still in touch with them?
Anthony: We're still friends with Caroline and Jen -- they're our "race girlfriends." We're still friends, but we had to move on. They just wouldn't give it up, you know? We needed a little more than a kiss on the cheek.
THR: What was the hardest thing about being on the race?
Anthony: The unpredictability of the show. You don't know what's coming up next. As hockey players, you know what's coming up -- there are set practices, meals and everything. But [on the race], you never knew what was coming up next.
THR: Was there any memorable or funny moment in the final leg that viewers didn’t get to see?
Bates: The two of us, no joke, were the funniest people on the show.
Anthony: That's ever been on the show. We should have our own show: hashtag "hockeybrothersdoamerica.com."
THR: This has been a pretty entertaining interview. Have you seriously thought about pitching the idea for another show?
Anthony [joking]: It's out there. I think [Amazing Race executive producer] Jerry Bruckheimer is going to pick it up: hashtag "moneymaker."
Read on to see what the rest of the final four teams had to say about their time on The Amazing Race.
