Episode 08

[Jeff Probst]

So wow, what a fucking night! This game just got kicked into overdrive. First there's a ranking floating out there that either should make you nervous because you aren't towards the top, or nervous because you are too far towards the top and therefore will probably be kicked down a notch. What were your thoughts on the challenge and the cluster fuck of a vote afterwards?

[David]

Okay, so this challenge is one that I was so scared that I might see on here, so when I saw it today, I freaked out. Of course, I am a competitor so I still wanted to compete. Unfortunately, it's day 18 and I'm still figuring out the private messaging system . So i couldn't compete. I would love to claim this as some amazing act of strategic prowess in order to not throw anyone under the bus, but the fact is, I just forgot to put a subject in my message. I was also playing along in a word document. My final score was 8, so I would have won. Not even kidding.....

So, Sophie wins immunity, which throws just a teeny tiny wrench in our plan. Everyone who is voting Sophie needs to switch their vote to Whitney now. I'm assuming everybody does that. I, clearly, voted for Ralph, so that didn't apply to me. Then, Ralph plays an idol and falls right into my little trap. I hate sounding like I masterminded this whole thing, but it just worked out soooooo much like I needed it to. So all votes for Ralph are void, and we end up with a tie between Papa Bear and Whitney. On the revote, I vote Whitney, but then I switch to Papa Bear because I got scared about going to rocks. By the way, was my vote to Papa Bear counted since I did add it kind of late?

Anyways, Papa Bear leaves on a vote of five to four and I'm elated. So now, Sophie trusts me completely and so does my alliance. I'm basically playing both sides, and it feels really amazing. I said earlier in the season that I don't think I was having as much fun as I possibly could, but now, I'm having a fucking ball. This is really awesome!

As far as my ranking goes, the only thing I'm offended by is the fact that people don't see me as a threat. I mean, really??? I was actually the second Ovambo member listed to go, with the first being Ralph. If anything, this does make me slightly more insecure about my position, but I haven't been given a reason not to trust the people in my alliance. I truly think that I can get to the end with them, and more importantly, win!

[Jeff Probst]

That's the question though David that you have to ask yourself... You have this solid alliance, but are you just going to end up int he finals with them only to lose? You were not answered at all in the challenge when two other members of your alliance were:

Grant and Stephanie were both #'s 1 and 2. Grant was answered three times: Most honest, biggest threat to win the game, and most honest player. Stephanie was answered for biggest threat to win everything as well.

In the over all ranking you were 7th which is right in the middle of the pack, well... actually its closer to the bottom of the pack and the lowest after only Ralph.

Does any of this make you worried at all?

[David]

Yes, it does make me extremely worried; however, I think people are really underestimating me right now. I mean, not to toot my own horn or anything, but I feel like I've kept up strategically, and I'm always thinking of what I need to do to further my game. If anyone is ever considering getting me out, I can just say 'Grant is a much bigger threat than I am, Steph is a much bigger threat than I am. Let's get them out!' and this ranking proves that. I haven't been trying to play under the radar, but I will happily keep an under the radar status if it means I can get to the end. I just really don't think that Grant isn't as big of a threat that some people seem to think he is. A physical threat, yes, but I just don't see him doing well in front of a jury. I mean, I pride myself on being able to read situations pretty well, but I could have this pretty wrong. Man, maybe he is a threat. All I know is that getting him out next is definitely not the best thing for me.

You know, it's crazy how typing one sentence can make me reconsider my entire game plan. The people that I am aligned with are the biggest threats in the game. I'm sitting here talking about getting rid of big threats, meanwhile I'm curling up to the biggest ones here. In what world does going to the end with Grant or Steph make any kind of sense? Especially when they are the biggest threats by a tribe ranking. These next few days will definitely be interesting for my game. I do want to get rid of Ralph because it would give me some time to think about what the hell I'm gonna do. Lord help me.

[Jeff Probst]

Well one thing's for sure, the game has only just begun. In most seasons this would be the first day of the merge having only 10 people left and there is plenty of room left to play. If you are not happy with your game and you feel the need to change it, waiting too long could be a bad thing, of course so could acting too soon I suppose...

The biggest thing you've said is that you're going to have to rely on being able to plead your case to the jury and hope that they can see past the other's moves that they have seen IF you are going to remain in the shadows. That's not to say it can't be done, but that is what you will have to focus on if you go to the end with players that have been visibly making moves to the jury.