Survivor: Nicaragua Episode 7 Thoughts

When Jimmy Johnson was voted out, I accused Marty of thinking way too far ahead in the game. After these past two episodes, I'd like to apologize to Marty, as he wasn't thinking too far ahead. Brenda and Sash, OTOH, somehow can't see the forest from the trees.

What I missed initially with Marty was that choosing Dan over Jimmy Johnson had two benefits - First, it kept an alliance mate in the game. The longer Jimmy Johnson was around, the more likely it was that his team would rally around him. Marty wanted to be the pivot point of the tribe, and that would have been impossible with Jimmy Johnson still around. Marty understood the value of being the "irreplacable one" and he wanted to take that role. Second, keeping Dan gave Marty a cushion; an easy target to be voted out by their tribe. If it came to that, he could offer up Dan as a vote if only to buy himeself an extra week. It's the strategy that Sandra basically used to win Survivor twice: anybody but me.

The brillance of how Marty has played can not be overstated. Last week, he caught on to the fact that the young players in his tribe wanted to get rid of Kelly B, so he chose to not play his immunity idol. This week, he knew there was very little that he could do beyond playing the immunity idol this week and hoping for the best. But when Sash came along with proposal to save Marty from the vote this week and give back the idol next, Marty decided to take that chance. The risk was a bit extreme for him: if he was wrong, he would be voted out this week. But if he survived, he would have the advantage of (a) getting the idol back if he survived one vote or (b) being able to lay the groundwork for Sash being duplicitous and a threat to his alliance members.

As it turns out, Sash did that for him at Tribal Council with a slip of the tongue - saying he'd worry about what to do with the idol when he could no longer trust his alliance mates. After admitting that he had the idol (which came as a shock to most everybody else at tribal council), Sash is in a position where he's either going to have to use the idol, or somehow tap dance his way out. With the merge coming up, that might be more difficult than Sash thinks it will be.

Sometimes, words fail me

Rob Leifeld, creator of Cable and Deadpool, has a new webcomic: Zombie Jesus. The premise? Zombies walked the Earth in the two days between Jesus's crucifixion and ressurrection.

(I might have to review this when it becomes available.)

Your awesome video for today

Shaq comes out of rap retirement to freestyle a version of Oh Canada

Survivor Nicaruaga Episode 5 Thoughts

Jeff Probst called tonight's vote the "first blindside" of the season. I don't know that I can agree.

Realistically, any of the Old Tribe (sorry, Espada) could claim to have been blindsided, since they all felt as though Dan was the target, and was going to be the one voted out. On La Flor, I am pretty positive that Shannon did not believe he was the target, nor was he going to be voted out.

So why did Probst single this out as the first blindside? I think he just missed saying it.

***

With the Young and Old split shaking out as we expected (the old tribe end up getting decimated), the producers decide to shake things up with a tribe switch. And once Holly ended up as one of the captains left to choose tribes, I knew NaOnka was destined to be on that tribe. Crazy seems to attract crazy. Otherwise, it was interesting that Brenda chose Jill and Marty. It's a reflection of how Jill and Marty are seen as the competent ones, and how their alliance was at least hidden from the younger tribe.

Of course, Marty's desire to be the smartest one in the crowd begins to hurt him when he shows off the immunity idol. I understand that he thinks that it's cutting Jane's narrative off at the legs, but it still came off as pretty arrogant and did not help him at all. Luckily, he moved to La Flor, which should just be called the winning tribe. Naturally, this would make Espada the losing tribe.

Tyrone sealed his own fate by taking a leadership role with a group of players who did not want to be lead. When tribes merge, it's important to figure out what the personalities are of your new tribemates. If Tyrone spent the time doing that, he might have taken a step back and let things happen organically and still be in the game.

I do think that everybody needs to start to worry about Dan. He's by far the weakest, but once he makes the merge, his weakness becomes a strength. If you get rid of him now, you not only strengthen your tribe, but you remove a threat to win the whole game. So why doesn't anybody else pick up on this?

Monday Musings - October 11, 2010

So, no real list for this week's Monday Musings because there's only one thing I think you should be reading:

Favre situation makes us confront sexism by Jason Whitlock is the take on the Brett Favre sexting drama.

(Okay, I'll throw in Alphonso Smith's fantastic touchdown dance):

Why I Attend UFC Events

Julie, Ryan and I were having a discussion on Twitter on the upcoming UFC event at Montreal. Ryan and I are waiting until Thursday when the tickets go on pre-sale, but Julie isn't going to go. Of course, that lead me to wonder why exactly I wanted to go.

The main thought that went into my head was similiar to my thought from my trip to Montreal in May:

The atmosphere in the Bell Centre was incredible. A tonne of energy, and the crowd was hyped for the entire 5 hour card.

Indeed, that's the main reason why I enjoy going to UFC events - the crowd atmosphere makes the show more of an event. All of the cheers and boos, highs and lows, ups and downs give a totally different experience than at home. You feel as though you are a part of something special, and you can definitely feel differently about the card than those at home. When it comes to the UFC in December, the reaction of the Montreal crowd to GSP will be insane, and something that you will have to be there to truly experience.

But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it was not just the atmosphere, but it was that I linked the UFC events with hanging out with great friends, and the associated shenanigans that went with it. Assuming I get tickets for Montreal, the same will hold true - I currently have to put an order in for 5, with the possibility of more to join, and there's many more who plan on attending. It shapes up to be a fantastic weekend of a lot of fun.

Watching UFC events with friends is fun; spending a weekend hanging out with friends and going to a live UFC show is a recipe for a bunch of stories and memories to be made.

Note

There was an unfinished post here which was posted automatically. I've deleted it because I'm not sure that the point I was going to make was really worth arguing, or if it is that strong of a point to write about. So if you saw it, that's where it went.

Survivor Nicaruaga Episode 4 Livish Blog

Starting 15 minutes late but all we've missed is a flash flood by the old tribe, Jimmy T acting crazy, and NaOnka hates Kelly B, the sequel.

Back from commercial, and Jimmy T now hates Marty. In other news, Jimmy T has graduated to complete psycho from just crazy.

Treemail implies there's a blindfold based immunity challenge coming up, so the old tribe starts practicing. Jimmy T just repeats what everybody else says, and "coaches" by repating obvious stuff.

Marty says that Jimmy T suffers from paranoia and delusions of grandeur and then STANDS UP FOR JIMMY JOHNSON by saying anybody "who calls out Jimmy Johnson and says that Jimmy Johnson might be insecure because of Jimmy T's leadership capabilitieshas got some issues going on."

The young tribe is shocked that Jimmy Johnson is voted out.

The challenge is reward/immunity. They are all going to be blindfolded, except for a caller. Have to get 10 items to their mat. Oh, and it's basically just product placement.

The young tribe uses their medallion of power to get 2 items on their mat.

Chaos has ensued. The younger tribe is dominating the challenge, and we aren't getting too many good falling down moments.

Apparently there's something about unlocking a chest as well. It doesn't matter, the young tribe wins again.

Jimmy T is trying to show his value to the tribe, but Tyrone is having nothing of it.

Meanwhile, the young tribegets their stuff, and Chase finds the hidden immunity idol clue. He tells Brenda (WHY?), and then she eventually tells Chase that NaOnka has the immunity idol. (I forgot to mention that before - part of NaOnka hating Kelly B was that she pushed the one-legged girl down to get ahead.)

Back to the old tribe and they're eating terrible stuff. Jimmy T is not pleased that Marty ate some of that terrible stuff, which leads Marty to (a) want Jimmy T to go and (b) make a bit of an awkward reference to Jimmy T figuratively blowing his brains out.

Jill does the "whatever" routine again when Marty wants Jimmy T voted out. Tyrone (?!) is willing to vote Dan out over Jimmy T. Marty starts trying to wear down Tyrone.

Meanwhile, Jimmy T and whatshername have a tete a tete where Jimmy T just wants a chance

5 seconds into Tribal Council and Jeff is already mocking the survivors. "That challenge went well?"

Talk moves to Jimmy T wanting a shot. Marty is not happy about this, but the rest of the tribe seems willing to make him the leader. Then Jimmy T cries and says he'll be a good worker bee.

At the vote, Dan can't separate two pieces of paper to show his vote of Jimmy T.

The vote has us at a 3-3 split, then it's 4-3 Jimmy T, and finally 5-3 Jimmy T. Jimmy T walks through the graveyard, and Marty looks incredibly smug. Jeff states the obvious, and we're done.

Jimmy T blames himself for blowing his own game, which is good introspection.

Next week, Marty's looking to the future comes to bite him in he butt. This is a lot sooner than I expected, but we'll see how it works out.

Things I couldn't say better

Tao of Stieb waxes poetically about Roy Halladay's first postseason start...before this happened.