survivor - heroes vs. villains

The best players are rarely the most entertaining/popular players. I barely remember Sandra when she was on her first season. I barely remember Vecepia on Marquesas.

Earl won one of the most boring seasons. Chris Daugherty played a pretty damn good game too, but that was another season that was barely watchable. I thought Yul had it too easy and even then I was surprised he beat Ozzie, another season that was pretty uneventful.

 

As far as recent seasons, you have to give a lot of credit to Bob from the Gabon season.
He was an underdog, a good strategist, a good competitor and a likeable character.
He was similar to Yau Man, but he won.

Earl was good, but he took a backseat to Yau in their alliance. Obviously, that was by design and was a smart approach, but as far as audience perception you're not seen as dynamic a player.
The actual players would have much different idea of who is the best than the audience. We appreciate different things from different vantage points.

 

Agreed, which is why after listening to several former players talk about Sandra and Russell, I have newly found respect for Sandra's game and less respect for Russell. They all talk that the great players are strong in challenges, good strategists and they play a good social game. Well, Russell had no social game. Granted, Sandra was only 2 of 3 as well, but at least she was good at the portion that got her $1,000,000 two separate times.

 

Russell was weak at challenges, too. Not as weak as Sandra, but that's not saying much.

 

I remember him winning his share of challenges. He wasn't like Boston Rob or Fireman Tom, but I would guess he won 1-2 immunity challenges each season, which isn't bad on any level.

 

I don't have any bona fide information, but I don't recall him being a good contributor during team challenges. However, losing team challenges has been part of his strategy because he likes to cull the herd by starting with his own team, so maybe that's not a good indicator.
As for individual immunity, I don't think he ever won it his first season, and he only got it once during this past season.
That's just based on recollection, though. I could be way off.

 

Russell has won three individual immunity challenges in all, one at the end of Samoa, two in HvV. I think the most interesting thing is two the challenges he's won have been the final immunity challenges before the final tribal council.

Dude has no social game but he is decent at the challenges and amazing on the surviving aspect of play.

 

Great player, but unable to win the one thing that matters.

 

Three inidivdual immunities? That's better than I thought.
His inability to grasp the jury aspect of the game, however, is a huge weakness. His pathetic plea for a fan vote was ridiculous. He can't seem to grasp that the jury is a crucial part of the game. You can't ignore that, and if you took that aspect away it wouldn't be the same game.

 

Just like Bahstan Wob.

 

How's Boston Rob's professional poker career going?

 

According to something I read, that was done just for the cameras, although he does play in a few celebrity tournaments. Apparently, Fox Reality thought the show would be more interesting if it was shot in Vegas instead of Pensacola.

I also read that he and Amber cleared $2 mil last year. Not bad for a reality star whose popularity peaked in 2004.