SURVIVOR SOUTH PACIFIC NEWS: COACH LIKELY ONE OF THE TWO RETURNEES

Its looking very good that Coach Wade will be back for the next edition of Survivor which will take place in the South Pacific. More than one outlet is reporting that Coach is in fact one of the two who will be coming back for for the next season with the other returning player still unknown. Strong rumors for that second played have Phillip coming right back to play again. Stay tuned.

Analysis: I wrote on here about a year ago how Coach was rumored to be invited to play Survivor again and there was some confusion as to whether he was going to be on the just completed season. Obviously that turned out not to be the case but it does appear as though he will in fact be back for South Pacific. I have mixed feelings on this in that Coach had no game to speak of. He was a mouthpiece and nothing more. Same goes for Phillip who has been rumored to be the other contestant. This was reinforced by his comments on the red carpet before the finale of Redemption Island. All in all not what I wanted to see. Your thoughts?

Survivor: Redemption Island - Red Carpet Interview - Phil

SURVIVOR SOUTH PACIFIC RUMORS: PHILLIP CONFIRMING HE IS RETURNING NEXT SEASON?

Above is the red carpet interview that Phillip gave before the season finale of Survivor Redemption Island and during the segment he reveals that he will be back for a future season. Many are already saying that Phillip and Coach are the two returning players for next season and this just adds to the speculation.

Analysis: I am really hoping that Phillip and Coach dont return. As great and exciting as it was to have Rob and Russell come back, I would not feel anywhere near the same emptions if those two got back out there. Both guys had absolutely no game when it game to Survivor and so they really offer nothing but a gimmicky behavior. Lets hope this is not the case.

SURVIVOR SOUTH PACIFIC NEWS: UPDATES ON RUMORS OF RETURNING PLAYERS

All right so the last two days I discussed who I thought had a good chance of being the returning players for the next season of Survivor Redemption Island and things have started to heat up as far as rumors are concerned. First of all, its still not known if the two returning players have even been contacted yet. Be that as it may, the rumor mill has been spinning and this is what I have been hearing.

-Phillip and Coach: This is a strong rumor that I am hearing in many corners. Coach has been a name that has been mentioned as far as Burnett and Probst wanting to give another shot to and Phillip obviously is coming off a tough season where he was ridiculed pretty much the entire time out there. These two have been two of the most polarizing players ever and not in a positive sense so it could be that they area the next two based on their need for redemption.

-Phillip and Matt: Phillip again being mentioned but this time with Matt. This one makes more sense to me as far as Matt not really getting a chance to play since he was kicked to Redemption Island twice. We saw how Bobby John and Stephenie were brought back soon after Palau where their tribe was the worst performing group ever and so they never really had a chance. Matt never really had a chance in Redemption Island so this could very well be possible.

-Marty and Jane/Brenda: There seems to be a solid sentiment of the two returning players being recent ones so as to relate more to those fans who got into Survivor later on in its run and Marty and Jane has battles on par with Rob and Russell in Nicaragua. I dont want to see this because Jane doesnt have the game that the other three guys I mentioned in this paragraph. Brenda on the other hand with Marty would be good in that both had big time game and were very strategic.

-Rob C/Jenna Morasca: The two Amazon foes could be getting ready to go at it again. I always thought Rob C was overdue to come back but I cant see Jenna since she has won already. Be that as it may, both were big time players who will bring credibility so there is that possibility.

So thats what I am hearing. I will pass along more as I hear it. Let me know what you think of these groups.

SURVIVOR ISSUES: WHO ARE THE TWO RETURNING PLAYERS WOMEN'S EDITION?

The other day I looked at the men who might be brought back next seson for Survivor 23 which continues the Redemption Island theme. My best bets for the men are Rob C and Russell Swan but there very well could be two women this time around so lets take a look at who I think could be coming back.

Jenna Morasca: The last time we saw Jenna, she was voluntarily leaving All Stars due to the ongoing health struggles of her mom. She made the right choice as her mom died shortly thereafter. Yes she has already won the game but she is very close with Burnett and Probst and she would fit in a returning capacity against Rob C in a rematch from Amazon. Less likely would have her returning with boyfriend Ethan but you never know.

Brenda: I forgot to mention in the Men's edition about Marty and the thinking with that would be him coming back with Brenda who really were the only two strategic players in the terrible Nicaragua season. Brenda was a real player and those two would make perfect sense.

Cirie: She fits the moniker of a player who is great but yet who hasnt won the game. She always said she wouldnt come back unless she had a legitimate chance to win so I doubt its here but its also not out of the realm of possibility.

Sue Hawk/Kelly Wigglesworth: Would love to see this one as one of the greatest Survivor moments was seeing Hawk give it to Wigglesworth in that memorable first final TC. You know Hawk would be game to come back but Wigglesworth has been AWOL since.

Jane: Jane went at it hard against Marty in Nicaragua and that would be a fun twist having the two of them back as well. She was a very tough lady and has nothing to be shamed of in her performance there. Ultimately she didnt have the strategic aspect down pat to be a big threat to win the game.

Amanda Kimmel: She is still winless despite two trips to the final and like Rob, the quest to finally win would be a nice storyline. If you pair her with Cirie, it is looking like we could have something there.

So thats how I see it. Let me know if you think of other names.

SURVIVOR NEWS: RUSSELL HANTZ TO STAR IN NEW A & E SERIES ON HOUSE FLIPPING

He claims he is done with Survivor, but all time villain Russell Hantz is not finished with reality tv as he has signed on to star in a 7-episode series called Flipped where cameras will follow Hantz and his family as he buys Houston-area houses cheap and than tries to sell them at a profit. “There are tons of reality TV stars sitting on their couches and twiddling their thumbs because they haven’t created anything else,” Hantz says, “I expect to be one of the biggest house flippers in Houston and I am here to bring Houston’s economy back on its feet.” With the housing economy collapsing in a lot of areas of the country, it will be a challenge for Hantz to do as well here as he did in Survior.

My View: Good to see Hantz back on TV as he is no doubt a polorazing figure. His abrasive personality is always fun to watch and it will also be interesting to see his interaction with his family since we all look at him as an ogre. Should be good to watch.

SURVIVOR ISSUES: SO WHO ARE THE TWO RETURNING PLAYERS MEN'S EDITION?

At the end of the Survivor Redemption Island reunion show, like always we were introduced to the next location for the iconic program. Survivor 23 will head out to the South Pacific with 16 new contestants. The kicker was that we were also told that in addition there will be TWO more returning players looking for Redemption. Immediately there was speculation on who these two returning players were as the cast has not even been formed at this point. With that being said, I ran through all the seasons in my brain last night and came up with a list of who I thought these player could be as far as the men are concerned. Let me know what you think.

JT Thomas: This was the first name that popped into my head as JT made the biggest blunder in Survivor history when he stupidly handed a hidden immmunity idol to Russell Hantz of all people during Heroes VS. Villains. Surely he could use some major redemption from that goof but the only thing that gives me pause is the fact that he has won already.

Ethan Zohn: Ethan is also a former winner but he had to undergo a fierce battle with cancer which he successfully won. Always looking to help his charity, Zohn would make a great story of overcoming odds to get back into the game. One of the nicest guys to ever play the game, Ethan is my sentimental pick.

Russell Swan: This is the most likely pick in my book as Swan was playing great and leading a massive tribe dominance in Samoa until he had to leave for medical reasons. He literally almost died out there and the devastation on his face when he was forced to leave was tought to watch. He deserves a second chance and I honestly think he is the one.

Rob Cesternino: Was shocked that Cesternino was not on Heroes VS. Villains and the guy was given the nickname by Probst as the "best player never to have won the game." He still keeps in touch with the show through blogging on the CBS website and he is overdue for a return. I think he would get the Russell Hantz treatment and get booted out fast but at least he deserves a try.

Rupert Boneham: Cant you just see Rupert back out there? He too is always looking to raise money for charity and he is still young enough to try again. I just dont think his storyline is big enough for this.

Mike Skupin: We all know about his injury in falling into the fire during Australia and I am surprised we havent seen him since. He has become a big time religious speaker and he could use this as a platform to spread the liturgy. A longshot but he always has to be considered.

There you have it. I will post my women's list in a bit. Let me know what you think.

SURVIVOR REDEMPTION ISLAND FINALE: ROB MARIANO=THE BEST EVER

Jeff Probst said it best and its undisputable: Rob Mariano played the Perfect Game of Survivor and his performance this season will go down as the most dominating effort ever in the show illustrious history. The Survivor Redemption Island season is in the books and Boston Rob has finally won that elusive title after a ten year wait. It was a great season all around and there are a million things to get to. So without further delay, lets get to all notable moments and happenings from the great finale.

-First things first. I will concretely stand here and say to you all that Rob Mariano has proven once and for all to be the very best player in Survivor history. What he was able to accomplish this season goes beyond anything I ever could have imagined and his complete destruction of the game and the people around him will set the bar for the rest of the series' run. No one will ever approach that level of dominance in a single season ever and even the great villain Russell Hantz acknowledged the tremendous effort Rob put in by shaking his hand at the reunion show. Rob claims he is done playing and I have every reason to believe thats true since he has nothing left to prove. Here here to a Survivor legend and first ballot Hall Of Famer.
-The final of Survivor Redemption Island was a tremendous episode all the way around as it almost always is. The drama is unmatched by any reality show out there and its this episode that makes the show such a hit and is the prime reason for its longevity. The Redemption Island twist itself was not so great in my mind as it got annoying after awhile but overall, its did keep things a bit interesting as far as strategy was concerned.
-Regarding the final TC, Rob gave a great speech like I knew he would, while Natalie and Phillip dropped the ball as expected. The two of them really had no case in asking to be worthy of the million dollars and lets take a second to give a solid shout out to David who contributed quite possibly the best jury speech ever. Instead of talking to the three finalists, he went on to correctly note that Rob played the best game ever and that it wasnt even close. This was tremendous to see due to the fact that many times over the last few seasons of Survivor, we have seen bitter juries cloud their judgements on who should win the million dollars and who played the best game. This has always been the most annoying aspect of the game for me as some great players were denied the title based on sour grapes (Russell in Samoa, Rob in All Stars). It really started to look like that was going to happen again as Rob was getting reamed out by the jury which kind of shocked me. Whereas in All Stars where he acted like a jerk and was open about screwing people, this time around Rob played a cleaner game and did his dirty work behind the scenes which I thought the jury would respect. What really gets me is that these people dont seem to understand the concept of this game. Your not out there to make friends and even worse is that I can guarantee you that all of those jury members who railed at Rob for being deceitful and underhanded would have done the same things if they had gotten to the end of the game. Tough choices are a given and feelings are going to get hurt. If you dont like it than dont play. Ashley was the biggest loser of all when it came to this as she was giving Natalie the evil eye and going off on the friends and backstabbing thing. You cant win and be successful at Survivor if you cant do those things and if your not prepared to make those choices, than dont go. Damn.
-As far as Phillip is concerned in the final TC, he totally pulled a Clay and acted like a jerk to the jury which obviously will not get him votes. Honestly though I felt bad seeing the way he was treated and mocked. It reminded me of the nerdy kid in school who got picked on because he didnt act like everyone else and behaved in a non-conforming manner which made people uncomfortable and thus earned ridicule. Its the same concept. I loved the fact that Phillip was proven to tbe a federal agent and was shown to be an Army veteran. Most of these people in the game couldnt hold a candle to him as far as life experiences and so I felt for the guy. Ultimately he got further along than they did and so he should be proud.
-That leads me to Julie. You all know I loved Julie throughout the game and I was rooting hard for her. However her jury speech was claseless and mean spirited. Her attack on Natalie was terrible. As a mom she should realize that a young girl at her age in such a tough game was going to make some mistakes and she really didnt do anything that would make me not proud of her if I were her parent. That was way off. Also what she said to Phillip about his son was even more of a low blow. My philosophy is to never bring in anyone's kids into the equation and she crossed a big line there. That was just wrong and she looked like an idiot for it.
-Andrea was a big eye opener this season as she was a very tough competitor in challenges and it was amazing that she was able to beat Grant, Mike, and Matt in that last duel. Great job on her part and for what its worth, she was totally right in criticizing the girls for not making a move on Rob. She was the only one who spoke openly about making such a move and even though it backfired on her, at least she tried.
-Now that leads me to Matt. All along I thought he was surely going back into the game. After all he beat crazy odds to get to the verge of making the final five and so it was incredibly anti-climactic to see him lose out in that last Redemption Island duel. I felt like us as viewers were robbed of a great storyline there and so I was very disappointed to see that, even though I knew it would be at great peril to Rob to see him back in the game. Ultimataely thoughg I am also thankful that I dont have to write a heading tonight about the whether or not it was ethical of not to award someone a million bucks who was voted out twice. Let it be known however that had Matt gotten back into the game, he was going to win the dough. It was a given.
-Ralph voting for Phillip was hilarious and just about summed up how lost he was. I got to say thought that I was happy for Phillip to get that one vote after all the abuse he took and he had that over Natalie who got no votes.
-Wow Steve took a beating this season. First he was accused of being a racist by Phillip which thankfully the latter apologized for, and than he was called out by Russell for throwing the challenge. Yikes. Oh and Probst really ruined that whole scene as he interrupted Russell and Steve's banter and changed the topic. That had the chance of getting heated and Probst threw water all over it. Bad job.
-David getting enagaed was cringe TV. First of all I didnt even remember who she was and second of all she seemed like she was going to say no. She also was cursing on the TV which was real ladylike.
-Amber looked good as always. The two kids were adorable. Great family and that whole group was completely built on Survivor.

All right folks it was a great season and I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. Would love to hear what you have to say. Post below so we can exchange thoughts. Also keep checking back through the summer for all the latest info and news which will be posted as soon as I hear. Next season goes to South Pacific and we get two more returning players. My guess....and I have no info on this.....JT for his boneheaded move of giving the idol to Russell which needs to be redeemed and Rob Cesternino who is the best player never to have won. If I am right you heart it here first. Take care everyone and keep reading. Ciao.

SURVIVOR REDEMPTION ISLAND FINALE: BREAKING DOWN WHO WILL WIN IT ALL

So tomorrow night we get to the finale of Survivor Redemption Island and I will say all in all that this has been one of the better seasons in recent memory. Of course coming off Survivor Nicaragua which was one of the worst seasons ever, it didnt have a lot to live up to in a comparison there. However even Probst acknowledged that this was one of his favorite seasons ever and I have to agree. Of course being a Rob Mariano groupie, I guess you can see why I liked it so much. You have to admit though that Rob's utter domination of this game was not one where it made it boring and predictable to watch. Rob put on a clinic out there and it was a thing of beauty. Unlike Russell Hantz, who got destroyed in all facets of this game from Ralph getting the hidden idol of all people, to the rest of the Zapatera tribe showing no fear of him and booting him right out, Rob played the good guy and not the in your face asshole he was in Marquesas and All Stars. Also unlike Russell, Rob learned how to re-engineer his game and learn from past mistakes and here he is with a chance to finally win the title he has deserved for so long. Whether he gets it or not will be determined by a few things which we will get to but right now lets get down to the nitty gritty and take a look at the prime contenders and non-factors in tomorrow's finale.

The Favorite: Rob Mariano
-The Boston Red Sox finally winning the World Series. The New York Rangers finally winning a Stanley Cup in 1994 after not winning one going back to 1940. Rob Marioano finally winning a Survivor title after ten long years and four seasons? If for nothing else, Rob has won Player Of The Year honors hands down. Expect to hear his name called out on the Reunion Show in that regard. Besides that, Rob has dominated this game unlike any contestant has EVER dominated a season of Survivor. Everyone knew who Rob was but yet he still was able to do his thing which is a testament to his charm and his game play. Getting to the final 3 will be tough as he figures to be targeted right away. He still has the hidden idol which he can use up until the final four so obviously he gets that far. The key is that final immunity challenge. If he wins it, he likely wins the game. If he loses, than you can be sure he gets voted out as the other will correctly realize its now or never as far as being able to get him out before the final TC. Should be fun to watch to see if he can finally win that elusive title.

The Contenders
Natalie: I can see Natalie winning on the basis of her youth and charm. She is a kid and the young girl always plays well in front of a jury. She has not backstabbed one person to date and has stayed loyal to Rob the whole way. If she does in fact betray him in the end, than it could be trouble. Still I always thought she could pull a Natalie White here and steal it at the end so I am sticking with my hunch.

Matt: Matt is a HUGE threat to win it all if he gets back into the game. At this point, do you really think he WONT win that last Redemption duel? The guy has been on a roll like nothing I have ever seen before. Think about the odds he has had to overcome in winning all of those duels along the way against all those people? Its absurd to think about. He will be full of fury if he comes back into the game and cant you just see the ultimate revenge of Matt taking out Rob in that last endurance duel and than orchestrating his elimination? What a juicy plot that would be. It could happen and honestly despite the fact he was voted out twice already which is a big no-no in my book as far as being worthy of winning, the path that Matt took to get there has to be considered and justly rewarded.

Mike: The good guy of the cast, Mike earns some big kudos for allowing the Ometepe to get their family visit. He is genuinely one of the nicest guys ever to be on the show and he will be a major factor to win if he gets to the final TC. Would love to see him do it if Rob doesnt get there.

Grant: Grant is the lowest of the three contenders here as I dont see him taking it but I cant discount it entirely either. He was a warrior in challenges and was a loyal guy all the way without finding trouble. If he does get back in, things could work out for him here but I dont see it.

The Pretenders
Ashley: Early on the rumors were that Ashley had won but that was before all the so-called spoilers were torn apart. I just cant see any scenario where she would win unless she gets to a final of her, Phillip, and say Andrea. She has done nothing up until winning that last immunity challenge and I will be very angry is she wins.

Andrea: She was annoying to me the whole time with her stupid opinions and subsequent argument with Matt when she got to Redemption Island. She is tough for sure but she is not winning this for sure.

You Never Know
Phillip: I know you are all going to think I am crazy like Phillip but I get this nagging feeling that we might be getting setup for a shock here. Phillip was seen as the biggest longshot ever in Survivor but here he is with a chance to get to the end and once there, you never know. It would be something to see for sure but this is a You Never Know scenario in my opinion.

There you have it. It should be fun as always with this. Check back tomorrow for all the wrapup and commentary like always.

SURVIVOR REDEMPTION ISLAND EPISODE 13 WRAPUP AND COMMENTARY

Lets get the wrapup over with so we can get to the all important commentary you all are yearning to see.

Back at Murlonio, the final Ometepe five bask in their blinside of Andrea. Ashley starts talking confidently about things and she talks to Natalie about watching each other's backs. Natalie noted how she is caught between Rob and Ashley. Rob sees whats going on and asks her about it. Natalie fesses up and soon Rob is telling her to act like her best friend so they can get rid of Ashley.

We than go to the Redemption Island camp where Andrea walks in and greets the guys. Matt notes the awkwardness of the situation and she talks to him directly about how she thinks he hates her. They start getting into an argument in front of Mike and Ralph. Ralph comically doesnt allow he to sleep in his quarters as payback is in order.

The next day is duel day as the rest of Murlonio looks on. Andrea starts to cry as he looks on at the ones who voted her out. Mike, Ralph, Matt, and Andrea are instructed to use a handle to go through a maze. They than will use the handle to crack open puzzle pieces which they will put together in their effort to stay around. The top three stay in the game while the fourth goes to the jury. As always making a long challenge short, Mike, Matt, and Andrea all go through.

Back at camp, the tribe starts tallking about the food situation. They are not sure how much food to cook since they are getting low on grub. We than see Rob and Grant talking about Ashley and Grant talks about getting rid of her. Phillip on the other hand incites the girls and an argument ensues. Soon the situation gets crazy as Phillip starts screaming. It gets nasty as even Natalie starts screaming as well as Phillip taks about how they are kissing up to Rob and are using him for protection. Soon Rob goes and talks with Natalie and tells her to do what he says. He tells her as well that Grant wants her out and that he reminds her about the pledge he made to get her to the end of the game. Ashley meanwhile starts to talk about gettiing rid of a big player. That night she takes it to Rob and discusses getting rid of Grant. Rob quickly tells Grant about what was said and they vow to win the challenges from here on out to stay in control of the game.

The next day, the girls are hanging out again while the guy go to get tree mail. They find chopsticks in the tree mail and Ashley starts to talk about how pivitol this will be for her. Rob reiterates to her about how he has her back and soon they change the subject as Ashley comes back into where they area hanging out.

The challenge soon arrives as each tribe member is intructed about how they can win. Each member has to use a large fishhooks to grab puzzle pieces which they will complete in order to win immunity. The person who completes it first wins immunity and reward but the twist is that they have to do this with an arm tied behind their back. As always making a long challenge short, Ashley wins immunity and reward. She gets to pick two people to join her for the dinner and she wind up choosing Natalie.

Back at camp, Rob is annoyed that Ashley won immunity as he watches the girls celebrate. Rob than also realizes what must be done and thats to get Grant out. He tells Ashley and Natalie that Grant is the one to go. He also has to tell Phillip that they have to put up an act toward Grant so that he doesnt catch on. Soon we see Grant and Rob talking and the former talks about how Natalue has to be the one to go. Rob agrees with it but its a sham as he seems uncomfortable with what is going to take place. However Rob seems to be coming around as he sees how close Ashley and Natalie are when they eat the reward.

Soon the TC arrives and in order to not bore you with what is discussed, we see Grant get voted out by a tally of 4-1 with Natalie getting the other vote.


So we are getting down to the nitty gritty here on Survivor Redemption Island as its looking like the remaining four from Murlonio and the one returning player will battle it out for the million bucks. Its looking like a big fight to the finish as many of those still in the game can they that they deserve the money. No one has a better case than Rob however and the fact he has made it all the way to the end is a testament to how great a player he is. If Rob does in fact win this season, than I will strongly consider him as the best player ever, maybe even over Sandra Diaz-Twine who is the only two-time winner. Thats a post for another day however so lets stick to what is in front of us. First the vote:
-It was a very tough choice for Rob in the end here but he is clearly putting all his eggs in the Natalie basket. He pledged his loyalty to her from day 1 and he has followed through on that promise up to this point. Its looking like he will sink or swim with her by his side and the decision to oust Grant confirmed this. I have no issue with him voting out Grant because it would have looked worse if Rob backstabbed sweet, little old Natalie instead. This would have played badly for the older Zapatera jury members who would have felt for the kid and it also would have earned the wrath from close friend Ashley as well. So all in all it was the right move to make here. He also still has his hidden immunity idol which I would gather can only be used for one more TC since it never goes to the final four stage. So Rob is on the doorstep to greatness and he has got to be feeling incredibly anxious about this and scared as well. To come so far and not get it would be devastating. The key for Rob is that final four immunity challenge. He has the hidden immunity idol so it will ensure he gets to the final four but that is where he has to step up and win. If not than the other three will likely gang up on him and kick him off as they should do. It would be the slam dunk call to make in not letting Rob get into the finals as no one would be able to give a good enough of an argument that they should beat him for the dough. That is really what it will come down to here. We shall see.
-Now the Redemption Island thing is really confounding to me at this late stage. We still have four people over there and after a few weeks of three getting through, we will now have only 1 come out of that final challenge? Strange. I guess keeping as many people as possible still in the game was a wrinkle to throw in there to keep the rest of the other tribe members on edge but in the final analysis of things, I really didnt like this twist. I would be shocked to see it repeated.
-It truly is crazy....and I guess thats the perfect word....that Phillip has made it to the final episode. Here is hoping that he does make it to the final TC so that we can see him spar with the jury. That will be must see TV.
-Honestly I will feel so bad for Rob if he doesnt win this. He wants it so bad and you can just see it on his face. The rest of the people still in the Murloni camp owe everything to him as far as getting to this point in the game. Here is hoping we see the just ending that Survivor very rarely has given us lately.
-Andrea is so damn annoying. I couldnt believe how she started getting into it with Matt at Redemption Island. Stupid girl.
-Phillip's fight with Natalie and Ashley was great. What really was shocking was to see Natalie go back at him during it.
-Really my prediction is this for the final four: Rob, Matt, Natalie, Phillip. Final three will be Phillip, Matt, Natalie. This is just a hunch with nothing behind it.

Thats all for now folks. The finale is on Sunday and of course I will be bringing you all the coverage and info needed to finish off a very good season. The last episode will determine if this is an all-timer so be sure to tune in and decide in your head if it is.

SURVIVOR REDEMPTION ISLAND UPDATED RANKINGS: WHO CURRENTLY HAS THE BEST CHANCE TO WIN?

Honestly in all the years I have been watching Survivor, I dont think there has ever been a season where the winner based on merit has created as large a gap as possible to the next deserving participant. Boston Rob has turned this season into a clinic on how to play and win and in my opinion, it is the most dominant season to this point ever. Of course Rob has to close the deal and he made it through another week where he completed some unfinished business by voting out Andrea. So with only a handful of active players left, here is how they currently stack up.

1. Boston Rob: Rob had a shining Survivor moment this week by winning the immunity challenge in cutcheck fashion. He literally gave it everything he had and he thus still was able to keep his hidden immunity idol. Rob is this close to finally getting the title he so deserves.

2. Natalie: Rob's trusted sidekick is still standing right by his side and I cant see her stabbing him in the back. Its looking more and more like Rob has not poisoned the jury so she wont beat him in the end but if he does in fact get voted out of the game, she stands an excellent chance to winning.

3. Grant: Grant has had a very good season and been a monster in challenges. I am starting to wonder if he has the mind for the game because he really should be plotting to get Rob out but so far nothing. Another big time winning threat if he gets there without Rob.

4. Matt: This week I have decided to move up the Redemption Island people since we are getting close to the end of the game. Matt continues to defy the odds in the duels and honestly you cant not ignore the fact he actually is deserving of the money after going through all of this.

5. Mike: Mike is such a decent, classy guy that he should be given a million bucks as a consolation prize. This is the guy I hope takes it all if Rob goes.

6. Ralph: He is so annoying that I wish he would go already. To get mad at Mike for doing what he did tells you that Ralph has no sense of decency. There is nothing here to speak of as far as a winning combination.

7. Phillip: I have elevated Phillip this week for the sole fact that stranger things have happened in Survivor and in a head-to-head battle for a million bucks in a make believe world, I think he would get it over Ashley because she has been so useless. The crazy ride continues on.

8. Ashley: She has no chance in my book. She hasnt made any moves and has nothing going for her.


So thats how I see it. As always your opinions are welcome here.

SURVIVOR REDEMPTION ISLAND EPISODE 11 COMMENTARY AND WRAPUP

Lets get the damn wrapup over with and onto the joyous commentary.

Things start off at Redemption Island as Ralph heads in. Ralph tells them what was going on and they soon see Steve walk in as well. The guys start to bond and discuss what will occur next. They also note how if they get to the finale, they will win since Zapatera will make up most of the jury.

Back at camp, the Ometepe six start talking about how great it is to be the last standing. We also see Natalie start crying as she begins to worry about the next step of the game. Rob seems concerned and he starts comforting here in an effort to keep her under his spell.

The next day, the girls get the tree mail and they realize that the family visit could be here. They find a cell phone in the box and it contains videos from home. The tears start to flow as they watch all of the messages from their relatives. Morale gets boosted as they go to the Redemption Island battle. The guys at Redemption Island also watch their videos.

Soon the duel beckons as the contestants are told that the winner gets to spend time with their relatives. Each guy has to toss a ball to break a tile a distane away. The top three stay in the game and the top finisher gets to spend time with family. The duel begins and in the end we see Mike win the overall challenge with Ralph and Matt staying in it. Steve gets sent to jury duty. We than see Mike's mom Jane come into the arena. He is told that he can give Matt and Ralph their relative visits instead along with the others and forgo his visit. Mike of course chooses to give the visits to the others and his mom and Ralph's and Matt's relatives were sent away.

Back at Redemption Island, Ralph was annoyed that Mike chose to give the visits to the Ometepe group. Matt also seems like he would have gone the other way as well. Mike admits that he made the decision only on the basis that it was the right thing to do.

Meanwhile the Murloni clan start enjoying the visits with their families and they show them around. Natalie continues to cry in talking with her mom as Phillip talks strategy with his sister. Rob too talks about the game with his sister and gives the lowdown on whats going on. Soon the famillies leave and the game is back on.

The next morning the tree mail comes in and the immunity challenge beckons. Rob notes how Andrea has to be the one to go if she doesnt win immunity since she has a strategy game. They all go to the challenge and Probst explains that they all have to race to collect puzzle steps and they have to place them in order from bottom to top. First person to the top wins immunity. As always making a long challenge short, Rob wins immunity as he almost collapses at the end of it. He is cramping like crazy and get help to stand.

Back at camp, the rain begins as they all applaud Rob. Soon Rob tells the other that someone has to go to Redemption Island. They all seem to be in on voting out Andrea as she asks for confirmation that it is Phillip. Phillip than starts acting stupid again and gets everyone annoyed. He admits that he tries to act like a jerk in order to confirm his place in the finale since everyone will think they can beat him in front of the jury. Grant and Rob start talking as the latter starts thinking of dumping Phillip. He gets the nagging thought that Phillip is playing him but also talks about how Andrea is a tough opponent. They head to TC however and the vote winds up eliminating Andrea by a count of 5-1. Rob is still around in his quest for his first title.

All right onto the good stuff.

-First off, the vote for Andrea was the right one and overdue. I couldnt even believe that Rob have a debate in his mind about kicking off Phillip instead. That could have been a fatal error for all the reasons I spoke about before and so he made the right call. Once again Mariano is making all the right moves. Also Rob winning immunity again was tremendous in that he continues to file away reasons why he should win the bucks and he still has his hidden idol in his pocket. So in other words he is good for at least another TC and getting closer and closer to the end of the game. Hoenstly how can anyone not give him the money this time around? Yeah he is playing a hard game but he hasnt made any outward direct enemies like he did in the past. Its his to lose.
-As far as the immunity challenge was concerned, Rob had his finest moment in that respect in his long history in the game. Seeing him literally dragging himself up those steps in the last few minutes of the challenge was incredible and what an awesome win it was. I got worried for a second there that he was going to pass out and have a medical issue but thank goodness nothing came of it.
-Despite her outster, Andrea was impressive in her time in the game. She was one of the better female challenge performers I have seen on Survivor in awhile and the fact she was so hot made it even better.
-Phillip really does in fact seem like he is playing everyone. He finally admitted to acting like a jerk on purpose so that the others will take him to the finale and honestly you cant say his strategy is not working. And what really stuck with me was the fact that Andrea noted in her final words how she was annoyed how the other BUT Phillip basically stabbed her in the back. An omen for the final TC if he gets there? She obviously would have a prime reason not to vote for any of the Ometepe's other than Phillip based on feeling backstabbed. Very interesting for sure.
-All right now onto the Redemption Island challenge. I really think its totally unfair and in bad taste for Probst to put Mike in the position he did in having to choose giving the family visits to the Omete's six and not to himself or Ralph or Matt. Someone will be annoyed in that scenario and sure enough Ralph was ticked and Matt admitted he wouldnt have done it either. First off Ralph is an idiot and we all know this. To be angry at Mike for doing something so selfless is just plain idiotic. The guy has a first grade education though so I guess you cant expect much there. Still it put him in a terrible spot and it couldnt have happened to a nice guy. And as far as the decision goes, he made the right call. Try to please as many people as possible which he did and really after seeing that, I started feeling strong feelings for the guy in the sense that I wanted him to get to the finale and win if Rob doesnt get there. Classiest Survivor player I have seen since Roger Bingham in Australia.
-Matt keeps getting it done. Now his g-friend Andrea will be heading in to cuddle. Interesting to see how that goes there.
-Natalie crying like a 7-year old was funny. Damn she is young. Still she is in prime position to be a factor here at the end of the game.
-The family thing is always fun to watch but it wasnt as interesting this time around. Also I was shocked not to see Amber in the video for Rob but since she was home with the kids, it made sense that his sister was there. Not much noteworthy came out of this however.
-Zapatera being made up of the majority of the jury was a very intersting note here as its obvious that if Mike, Ralph, or Matt makes it through, than they are the winners. I cant argue with the digits advantage.

Thats all I got for now. Check back for more tomorrow. Post your thoughts below and lets debate.