dolphinboy

I've only skimmed some of the thread, but I am surprised if anyone isn't claiming Russell was bold to do what he did, but he had to have known a LOT more than they showed us to have gone for that. He had to be just about as certain as you can be on Survivor that Tyson was going to not go along with the plan. Still, when anything can happen, that was the boldest move I recall on Survivor.

But I can hardly mock Rob for being too certain. That's going down as maybe the dumbest move ever, so no one other than Tyson can take the blame.

The heroes are a joke and I'd be surprised if anyone from that group survives to the final 2 or 3. With Steph and Tom still there, both beyond stupid choices to be voted out, maybe they'd still be able to get back into things.

Russell can be discussed as one of the best, but it means nothing if he doesn't win. Russell is good at the challenges, but not great. He's not good at the social game other than the manipulation, and he's one of the best strategists ever to play the game-maybe the best. You have to balance all 3 to be a winner.

I know people still think he got robbed last season, but I've been coming to this thread since I joined and it's always eventually been accepted that no one wins by accident. If you get the jury to vote for you, you're the best player that season-even if the majority of fans think you didn't do enough to deserve the win.

We all judge the game differently. I personally love the physically dominant players or those who can start fire quicker or figure out a puzzle to HELP and LEAD their team. So, I'm a big Boston Rob fan because I like his style of play, but that hardly assures a player like that a win any longer against a "weaker" opponent. Getting the jury votes is all that counts in the end.

And props to Candice for battling Rob to the very end. I know she's not popular and I barely even remember her, but there have been so many women cast on this show over the last few seasons that basically just fall down after 2 minutes of a tough challenge and that was an impressive feat not just because she won against her tribe, but she gave Rob a real run for his money.

outcastja

I guess you can barely remember her name too, it was Candice.

Cardsfan111

I missed this season. That clip is painful to watch with all the ladies/jury laughing at the guy as he runs off into the darkness.

dolphinboy

I was editing at the exact time you "corrected" me. Check the edit time and your post time.

Considering I admitted in my post, I barely remembered her and have actually mentioned it in a few other threads this season, I'm glad your contribution to the thread was to try and call me out on something I called myself out on.

These Survivor threads used to be so much better back in the das monkey days.

Maxflier

I think I have asked before but I can't remember. What happened to das monkey?

outcastja

I thought it was funny that's all, didn't think to myself woo hoo I'm going call you out on something. Anyway, I do agree with you that I miss the das monkey days. I loved reading his posts and thoughts on various shows. Especially that one thread where he posted his top 50 episodes of the year.

dolphinboy

I get you. It just seems like there's so much more attacking in the tv threads, so I assumed you were being sarcastic about my post.

As much as I don't like using the emoticons, I try and throw in the wink as often as I can if I think my post could be misinterpreted.

It always was that way here, even I got heated a couple times, but it seems much more commonplace.

I try and never post in the Lost thread. It's insane in there with all the complaining.

Patman

I miss his postings here too. At least I get to see him at Dragon*Con once a year.

Ravenous

That was probably the worst finals ever. I wish I would have missed it. I wonder how those harpies feel when the poor bastard killed himself 2 years later.

NiCK Crush

I came in to post pretty much the exact same thing. He is the best to ever play this game. There have been some greats, of course. But Russell just owns this.

Howie2000

A great player would not have been on the outs and on the bottom 2 of the tribes totem pole to begin with.

Jim

A lot of that initial sorting out is just based on people's first impressions based on looks, similar interests, etc. Much of it doesn't have anything to do with playing the game. That he is able to overcome that is what makes him so good.

Sirgey

I can't find any info on this, were you just joking?

Goldberg74

"I think that is what you call a life lesson." - Jeff

Maxflier

I've been scratching my head over that comment too.

Chrisedge

I have missed the last 3-4 seasons, but was a hard core survivor nut back in the day. This season has been great! I am rooting for Rob, but having Russell there is great. He is a smart player and while I don't like him as much as Rob, if he can stay in it longer, he deserves it.

Bill Needle

Everyone who refused to admit this last season can apologize now. That was masterful. Russell is never better than when he's 3 votes down. You plot against Russell, you gotta go!

mwbmis

I have a hard time calling someone who has needed an immunity idol multiple times to save himself masterful. A true master never needs to play an immunity idol b/c he or she is set up in the game. There have been players who have used their wits and not an idol to change votes and influence outcomes. Hell, Rob did it with one quick line in All-Stars. If you take Tyson at his word, no matter what the editing of the show seem to indicate, Russell talking to him had nothing to do with him changing his vote.

I'm not saying Russell hasn't made intelligent moves in the past. That would be stupid; Russell is a good strategic player, but his interpersonal skills seem to be lacking in some key area (no matter what all the Russell fanatics think, he's not the reigning Survivor champion for a reason), and his entire strategy seems to always be immunity idol based. On a personal note, I'm so tired of his BS that he's ruining for the show for me. I almost don't want to watch anymore, and there are some contestants this year that I really like (not that they ever get any air time). I've found myself fast forwarding through most of the Russell segments (and there are ALWAYS Russell segments) the last few weeks.

Who's the best player in Survivor history? In my mind, it's not Russell; it's Brian Heidik. He pulled off the impossible game (make final 2 alliances with three different people...have none of them figure it out...dump two of them...keep the weakest...and have the other two still be the deciding votes for him to win).

davidh777

Tyson

No, Tyson didn't give up his immunity in his original season, but he was still hugely blindsided, making him the winner in getting voted out twice in awesome fashion

the big train

Well yeah, Brian had someone just as detestable as Russell to go against. Clay was actually somewhat funny, though.

The impressive thing about Brian winning is that he's probably worse than Russell (and Clay) as a person, but he could fake his emotions enough to make people think he was a fun and caring guy.

mwbmis

That's why he was smart to pick Clay. By that point, Helen and Ted would have beaten him, but half the tribe HATED Clay.

Brian came off as a pretty repugnant human being in his confessionals, but he certainly managed to snow over pretty much everyone in the game until almost the very end, but by that point there wasn't anyone left in the game who could touch him in the challenges.

He pulled the Survivor trifecta...social game, physical game, and strategic game better than anyone in Survivor history. In terms of trifecta only Tom Westman and maybe JT come close, but both of them had strategic partners; Brian did it all on his own. No one knew what he was truly up to.

outcastja

Props to you remembering those past seasons. I had to look up Brian, and I still don't remember him at all. Since you seem to remember most of the seasons, which players would crack your top ten list?

Howie2000

Certainly a player can be harmed by first impressions or just being on a tribe where the demographics work against them however in Russells case he has of his own free will chosen to allocate what should be a players most precious resource his time flirting and buddying up to Parvati .

Howie2000

To be the best in an individual game you gotta win.

He is still not better then any of the 19 other players to win this game and a case can easily be made among non winners that Fairplay or Cirie are better at the game on all levels.

Bill Needle

Boston Rob was easily the best strategic/manipulative player the game has seen (who also did not win in his two seasons, though he hand selected the final in All-Stars), but Russell knocked him down a peg. He hasn't made it past Rob yet, but if Russell somehow pulls this off he will assume the throne (likewise, if Rob takes out Russel barring something completely unforeseen his crown is safe). No player has done so much with so little. Every week it looks like the guy should go, the votes are against him, everyone hates him, blah blah blah, and he still has yet to be voted out. He has ousted more players with fewer votes than anyone in Survivor history. And HIIs are part of the game for all players, not just him. Anyone else could do what he does with them, but yet time and time again they don't and he does. Either they are dumb or he is smart, take your pick. Either they are lazy or he works hard, take your pick. At this point no sane person can possibly claim it is luck.

And to all of the "Jeff's blog is biased" nonsense, his opinions are after seeing him play. Russell is not related to Jeff, Jeff was not paid by Russell, nor is there any other reason I know of that Jeff needed to single out Russell other than he just watched him kick some ass for two seasons, one against some of the best of all time to play the game. Russell was not pre-selected for these edits and comments, he was post-selected. Think about it.