Survivor 11/8/07 (Spoilers)

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I wasn't upset about Tina or Sandra; Tina just seemed like a genuine, nice, likeable person, and Sandra certainly expressed herself durring the show; I mean, I felt like they both were participating. With Vecepia I was upset, because it seemed like she wasn't even there.

 

I shouldn't say I was "upset" about Tina. I agree that she seemed nice and genuine. I just remember thinking she didn't really "earn" the win, which is what I thought about Vecepia and Sandra as well.

 

Exactly. Survivor isn't about who could survive the best in the wilderness. It's about who can best survive the scrutiny of their fellow contestants.

 

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I realize that, and I recognize them as valid winners. I'm simply pointing out the fact that they weren't the best players, IMO, and simply got there by default.

 

The best player is the one that wins. Everyone else is 2nd rate at best.

 

I think I would disagree with you on a couple of winners:

2. Tina Wesson - coasted

I think Tina did a good job of working within an alliance (Colby). Granted she won because Colby made the dumbest move in Survivor history, but I don't feel she coasted to the Final 2. To me she would be a Hybrid at worst and, possibly, a controlled.

9. Chris Daugherty - controlled

Chris' win has always grated on me. I felt he got WAY more credit for the win than he deserved. He was the lucky recipient of a tribe of women that turned on itself one Tribal Council too early. He was smart enough to realize that the women were going to implode and stayed out their way, but I don't feel he ever Controlled the game. At best he is Hybrid.

 

1 - Richard Hatch - true - he figured it out 4 days into the game and it's generally accepted that he "wrote" the book on how to play the game.

2 - Tina Wesson - not entirely accurate. It's somewhat well known that she was heavily involved in strategy with Colby, none of it, however, made it onto the show's air.

3 - Ethan - false. Ethan didn't control anything. Lex ran that game and in the end, Ethan was more involved than whatshername and therefore was the "lesser of two evils".

4 - Vecepia Towery - very true - she was the absolute definition of "under the radar player" and made absolutely zero game-play moves when she had the opportunity. More luck that she ended up in the final two than anything. Also, this almost killed Survivor - Africa (3) was horrible compared to the 1 & 2, and to follow up Africa with Marquesas was pretty bad.

5 - Brian Heidik - straight out of Richard Hatch's playbook, this guy wrote another chapter - he had "final two" alliances with every one on his tribe up to and even into the merge. Skillfully played everyone to prevent them from talking with each other for any extended periods of time.

6 - Jenna Morasca - she was coasting in the beginning, but brought it on in the end. She was also the first (and to date only) person to give up her immunity necklace for her buddy Heidi. It could be said that Rob "the self-proclaimed greatest player to never win" Cesternino could have won had he not let his feelings get in the way of his strategic designs.

7 - Sandra Diaz-Twine - brilliant strategy of "I'll vote for whoever you want me to vote for so long as it's not be going home tonight" Also, relied less on luck than even Vecepia did, so she's a step above.

8 - Amber Brkich - Everybody remembered how Rob played the game in Marquesas, and she manipulated him just enough to allow herself to be as devious as he (perhaps moreso) while letting him appear to be "the bad guy". She was the one controlling the strings during All-Stars, not Rob.

9 - Chris Daugherty - He didn't necessarily control anything, but he was able to sow seeds of doubt and paranoia in the female tribe allowing him to get one step closer each tribal. He was on borrowed time, knew it, and while he won, he was never in control at any time. Great at manipulating his situation, but he didn't control the strings at all...

10 - Tom Westman - This guy was large and in charge from the beginning and let everyone know it. Needed a little luck, but was able to bring it when he needed to make it count.

11 - Danni Boatwright - Danni played from behind in the beginning, and allowed Stephanie to appear larger than she actually was. Once the tribes had merged, she led the Quartet and was in no danger of letting the hippy bad-perm'd Rafe and the diminutive Lydia get anywhere near the decisions.

12 - Aras Baskausaks - Aras was in control, but was unable to dominate during the challenges when needed so he was luckier than some of the other puppet-masters on the list... Terry was the dominator this season, and an argument could be made that he and Aras were co-conspirators

13 - Yul Kwon - He wasn't really the solo individual in charge - his partner Becky and he were always involved together. Ozzie was a better physical player, but Yul was the better strategist. Becky got the short end of the stick during Tribal, but Yul attempted to straighten things out during the reunion show (to no avail)

14 - Earl Cole - very controlling - almost Brian-like without all the sub-alliances.

15 - ??? - Who knows who's going to win this round, but Amanda appears to be the one that's got the strategic manipulation down. Todd may make this list, but it'll be because of Amanda's steadfastness rather than his flakyness.

 

I disagree about Chris. I may be remembering incorrectly, but I thought he won quite a few immunity challenges down the stretch, which prevented them from voting him out. I know they had the opportunity to vote him out at one point, but it seems like once they passed on that chance, they never had another one. I'd consider it to be pretty controlling if you win your way into the finals without an alliance of any kind.

 

Chris effectively manipulated the women for 4 Tribal Councils to vote someone other than him before winning his first individual immunity at the 5th Tribal Council. He had to outmaneuver - which is completely different from being in control. He only "controlled" the vote once leading up to the final 3 where, by winning immunity again, he "controlled" who he went up against.

Yes, I am a very sick person for knowing this...

 

I'm totally smitten by her. She's not only beautiful, but she seems to be playing with a head on her shoulders and isn't crazy or annoying!

 

I think Hatch, Brian, and Tom were the only ones that I would agree were truly "controlling, strategizing" players...everone else either flew under the radar then lucked out with immunity when it got down to final 5 or 4. Yul (in my opinion) only won because he found hidden immunity and convinced others never to vote him out because their vote would be wasted. With the new rule changes regarding hidden immunity (you must play it before the votes are read) this is no longer a viable strategy. It seems if you know player X has the hidden idol, you need to convince him that he is going to get voted out next council and therefore he needs to play it (whether true or not). Earl definitely rode on coattails.

I think the days of overt strong strategizing are gone. Hatch could never win now. (Remember when he just took his hand off the pole becuase he figured his alliance would hold no matter what?).

I'll re-post my ultimate Survivor strategy seperately.