I wish I was 1% as awesome as Jeff Probst.

It makes them ******ed, but it doesn't mean he's any less smart. Also, I know people are fellating him over finding two IIs with no clues, but that's far from the only thing he's done. You can just tell he understands the game more than your average idiot, or even your average All-Star. He's simply on a whole different level strategically than anyone else out there. Does that mean he'll win? No...in fact, now that it's obvious how smart he is, it'll probably hurt him. He will go very deep, though, and he'll continue to prove his greatness.

You're reaching, man. You're already ripping on him for not getting to the endgame? He might win this bitch. He was GONE this week until he found that idol, and now, he's potentially a purple rock away from being the leader of the majority 5-4 alliance just three weeks after being down 8-4 and at the top of the Galu hit list. That is ridiculous.

By calling out his ego, I feel like you've fallen into the editing trap. Think back on this entire season, and name one time where he's gloated, talked ****, or so much as badmouthed someone to their face. It's all been to the camera in confessionals. It's easy to go, "Wow, he's evil," but that's because we're seeing 15 minutes of his confessionals every single week. Think about it from Dave's PoV. All he's seen from Russell is him finding two idols, him saving himself when he was a goner, and him leading his alliance to a miracle recovery. Dave hasn't seen any of Russell's evil side, and neither has anyone else. Hell, he reeled in Shambo after two camp visits, and she "trusts him more than anyone else in the game." Give the man his credit imo.

this alone is two fold proof that russell doesn't deserve too much love.

first, he put himself at a disadvantage by self sabotage.

second, being able to win challenges has to at least factor into being the G(S)OAT. even post merge, Foa Foa has yet to win anything (even the reward this past episode when they appeared to be the clear favorite...or at least Natalie thought so)

That was so priceless, one of the best moments in survivor history for me at least.

He might be flying under the radar being that he hasnt pissed anyone off and has been loyal to whom he said he would be but I dont know if he is a good player. He was the one that totally dismissed the possibility that Russell could have the idol again when the 4 galu members where talking on the beach.

Also, did anyone notice Shambo's reactions during tribal when Russell pulled out the hii? She is so bad at faking it is insane...i couldnt stop laughing at her.

Why? Like IIs, challenges are merely a way to save your ass and change up the game. I understand that 95% of jury members weigh competitions in their votes, but I've never understood why. The show isn't a track meet, it's a social strategy game. If you need to win immunity every week to get to the end, your game probably sucked. Immunity is supposed to stop pagoning and add depth to the strategy, not replace it. Are we not supposed to consider Cirie a great player because she was fat, and should we count out Todd because he was the size of a ten year old Chinese girl?

Deuce,
"That doesn't make him a genius; it makes them ******ed!"

You can't be serious. Finding 2 HII without clues is probably the greatest accomplishments in survivor history. It will likely change the way the game is played from here on out.

From previews of next week that episode looks really good to. Everyone chasing Russell around the jungle trying to make sure he doesnt find another HII?!?!?! Lol thats respect where respect is due right there, cant wait for next weeks episode.

doesn't this statement in and of itself prove he isn't as great as you all claim him to be. leaving tribal he was next to go in the majority's mind but he found the idol. did he know erik had one and therefore both were eliminated at last week's TC? i ask this because if the HII from Galu's camp was still in play, did he know for sure another would be placed at camp? cuz they went from 2 HIIs to 1 so if the 1 was still in play would there have been a replacement still? my point is despite Russell deserving props for finging it sans clue, he had his back against the wall and no guarantee he'd have that new HII so to put yourself at such risk while other survivor greats have waltzed along never being such a target says something.

granted editing is a huge factor we simply cannot fully account for. i'll admit he keeps his comments to himself, but i'm more alluding to the ego of erik where he has to be the one involved. if erik let any of the other galu guys tell foa foa to vote for monica, maybe that goes down last week. but he wanted to be the guy in charge. along those lines, russell has approached almost everybody left in the game (except brett, dave) and that is his ego taking over his gameplay and thinking he can manipulate the likes of laura/monica by showing them the old HII. (yes i realize he was sort of scrambling being down, but he overdid it pre merge aka first episode as well)

he's smarter than some galu people for alienating erik at TC last night to his face, but his ego is still a problem.

Honestly, I don't see any difference between finding an II and winning an immunity challenge (though finding an II is obviously more impressive, harder to do, and more important since you get to choose who gets booted). Would you rip on him had he won immunity and handed the idol to Natalie?

His ego is non-existent unless he's in front of the camera. He doesn't "have to be involved," as we saw last week when Natalie was the one who put the plan into place. How is him approaching everyone an ego thing? Isn't it a strategic thing, what with his Babe Ruth comment and all?

i realize u can get by without winning immunity, but if you're telling me the ability to go on an III run with 6 left to ensure a spot in the final vote isn't of value, that's a lie.

and you are talking about how much praise Russell deserves for getting close to pulling off the #s flip from minority to majority, but if he could have helped his team win challenges (totally possible without drawing too much attention) he could have had a #s edge and not be in the position he is in. just sayin.

so yes, immunity isn't the #1 factor for being the best survivor, but it sure can help.

also watch shambo's reaction when Russell idols up..... actually a pretty good acting job of being surprised..... I guess it's kinda easier for her cause everyone considers her kinda backwards and clueless and all.

kos,

he put a target on his back by going to everybody and showing them the idol while saying i am only showing this to you. maybe ego isn't the best word or even the right word at all...but it's gonna end up hurting him down the road. in some ways it already has.

swing til u miss might work at a bar with drunk girls so long as u get your d-ck wet, but in survivor, it's not.

i dont even know what we're arguing about with HII v III. i agree HII are good. having immunity every episode would be nice too...

I'm almost certain Russell was searching for Erik's idol and not the third one, since as far as I know he had no way of knowing Erik had found it.

Thats pretty funny bc I just said it was a bad acting job but you bring up a good point. She is considered so dense that maybe her acting job looked genuine bc to Galu members she is a complete dope and looks dumb all the time.

My point is you're sort of punishing people for something they can't control. This isn't basketball where taller, stronger people are better by definition. In a social strategy game, anyone can win if they're savvy enough to figure out a good path and make strong relationships. You can't honestly criticize Russell for not single-handedly winning challenges for his tribe...that's stupid. Also, your point about "he could have had the majority" makes no sense because the game would flip at some point. In the same way Galu whacked one of their own IN THE FIRST VOTE, Foa Foa would have done the same had they been up 8-4. The tribal lines crap is over with; people will make decisions based on how they can get the furthest in the game, not based on what random tribe they were assigned three weeks before.

Someone going on an immunity run isn't a strategy. If you can go on that immunity run and still provide evidence of strategic gameplay (remember that you still have to play the game even when you have immunity!), that's fine. If you're like Ozzy, and you get to the end as the challenge master, you don't deserve to win. If immunities mattered, the winner would be decided via some massive challenge, not through a vote for the best player. Sure, people will incorrectly vote for challenge masters, but they're usually zero-level thinkers who vote based on emotion and think good people should win and crap like that.

It totally fits her personality...... from anyone else it's bad acting, from her it was 99% believable.

I guess we'll see how much it hurts him, but you're already bashing him for screwing up his game when we have no idea how far he gets. At least wait for him to be booted before you go with that argument.

I'm kind of hoping Russell hasn't put himself exactly in the position of having to win or find immunity every week from here on out to get to the end. Could be a rough road, but he's earned enough cred that I can't count him out.

disagree a little here, thought she overacted with the omg googly eyes, the only people who feign surprise like that are eight-year-olds and pepe le pew. I'm worried that shambo's tactical clumsiness is going to be what burns russell in the end. (Not that he had any choice.)

My other big worry is that, after such a sparkling season, the final episode is going to be a relative dud. Any F3 without Russell is going to feel hollow; I'm not looking forward to watching Jaison/Mick/Monica argue over why they deserve the million. And I will not be operating heavy machinery if it's John/Brett/Monica.

the final that we deserve is Russell/Natalie/Shambo...not because it will be an anointment, but because of the potential for excitement/moral outrage if a sour grapes alliance in the jury rallies behind Laura and gives the million to Natalie. Just thinking about the rationalizations that would be flying around the fire makes my face curdle.

Next week is critical. If Foa Foa+Shambo get over that hurdle intact, Russell should be ok for a couple episodes. If a Foa Foa gets voted off next, I doubt Russell can make it to the end, nobody's that good.

Anyone think there might have been some merit for Foa foa blindsiding another Galu guy instead of Kelly? The guys seem to think ahead, and they wouldn't want to just knock out Foa Foa and get eliminated by the girls. This might lead to some realignment and give some hope to Foa Foa. I mean right now, they are investing 100% of their life into Shambo officially switching sides.

so you go from giving him the highest praise for his "ridiculous" ability to go from a minority to majority alliance to saying flips are inevitable...which also means if he's gonna be the majority soon isn't that a bad thing cuz the next flip is inevitable as well?

yes i realize russell can't win a challenge all by himself for his tribe...but it's not completely out of his control...or anybody's. obviously the most important thing in the game is making the best of the situation at any given time, but when somebody is in a less than desireable spot and has gone on record as being willing to self sabotage, he sure as hell better get out of that pickle unscathed.

that being said, the only thing i wholeheartedly agree with that you are saying is i am punishing him for things that haven't happened. and while i won't come running back to 2+2 to rub it in if he loses, the fact that he is still alive is proof enough that he is doing something right. so i'll let it play out and then either eat my words or give myself a self-five.

or scrunch it up and give yourself a self-fisting, either way