Goodbye Boston Rob!

So Russell did it. He got rid of Boston Rob but not without the help of a couple of players who should have known better.

Russell has been courting Coach for a few weeks now, and Coach has been responding like a teenage girl in love. He loves to be appreciated for his "integrity." So, no surprise when Russell pressed Coach for a vote against Rob. To his credit, he tried to talk Russell and company out of the vote, but it was a weak argument — even for Coach.

There Must Be Something in the Water!
But Jerri! What was she thinking? Obviously impressed by Russell's "devotion" to Parvati, she took the first opportunity to jump from Rob's alliance to Russell's alliance. But the difference in Russell's devotion to Parvati and his clumsy alliance making attempts with Jerri, is that Russell is indeed, smitten with Parvati and has shown he will do what he needs to keep her in the game.

Russell's biggest asset is that no one really saw him play his entire season. They probably learned how far he got in the game and maybe saw some of the footage, but all the episodes? Definitely not. They had not aired prior to the shooting of Heroes vs. Villains. The editing was probably still underway just days prior to their airing last fall. So, a move like he made last week came out of the blue and stunned his teammates.

The Villains began splintering as a team with the unceremonious departure of Tyson. Russell let his arrogance show a bit more as he, Parvati and Danielle celebrated their victory. Rob bristled at their openness knowing that his own alliance might be fragmenting. The two men postured as if they were in the ultimate wrestling match for the title of alpha male.

Boston Rob Offers Insight
Rob knows the game and understands it as well as anyone out there. During the All Stars season, Rob made a name for himself playing a down and dirty game. This season saw the entrance of a more mellow, somewhat less fit Boston Rob. He was going to be the diplomat rather than the dictator. But his confessionals have been incredible.

This is Rob's last attempt at "Survivor". You can feel it, and it's for the best. I think Rob knows it and wants to pass on some of the knowledge he gained. His confessionals have been incredible for those who might be considering "Survivor" in the future.

During this episode, Rob advised people to get to know their fellow contestants and find out what they hold dear as a way to gain their confidence. In this case, the person in question was Coach, and he values loyalty above all else. Boston Rob understood this, and so did Russell. Unfortunately for Rob, Russell got the jump on exploiting Coach's fatal flaw.

For some reason, Rob is sounding a bit like the grandpa of the tribe. The voice of reason, if you will. Rob was the person who took it upon himself to make a fire without the assistance of flint. He saw the need to get better shelter. He's tried to bring the tribe together. He also recognized the threat that Russell was long before any of the other tribe members.

Russell, on the other hand, is coming across as the precocious teenager who refuses to listen and flouts authority at every turn. I'm not sure why Russell feels that sowing discontent in a tribe is the best way to gain the title of sole survivor but it's the path he's chosen, not just once but twice.

How to Win the Game, Russell Style!
This week Russell suggested sending home Courtney or Sandra. (BTW, I nearly forgot about Courtney until I saw her in the immunity challenge.) Okay, I can agree with either of those choices, but they are sitting just a few feet away and listening to Russell's entire conversation. Rob thought Russell's strategy of talking about the person he wanted to vote out in front of them was ridiculous. But Russell does not care because, in his mind, his game play is so superior he can't help but win.

Russell's arrogance is his biggest detriment. He expects people to bow at his feet and say, "Great job! Well played!" But in the end, this jury will likely be as bitter as the first he faced. If he makes it to the end, he will likely be sitting with tears in his eyes at the finale trying to buy the title one more time.

Despite what some people think, games like this are social in nature and many of the jurors feel that, if they can't win, they at least want to like the person who does win.

Back to Jerri. She threw her vote to Russell, as she swallowed his story about wanting to go to the end with her and Coach. Hey Jerri, he gave up the idol for Parvati, do you really think he will throw her over at the end of the game for you and Coach?

As for Coach, he's already semi-aligned with Russell, partly aligned with Rob, and fully aligned with Jerri. Makes me wonder how he thought he could remain loyal to that grouping of people. Still, when Jerri throws his name in the mix with Russell, he gets upset. Maybe because she was making a decision without him, or maybe because in her own way, she called him out. Who knows?

So initially, it seems like Russell wants to get rid of Courtney or Sandra. Anyone from Rob's alliance. Courtney actually has not done much in the game and had her first confessional of the game (that I can remember) during this episode. Sandra is stronger mentally than any of the women on the team, and can't be underestimated.

How to Lose a Game, Coach's Style
But when talk turns to Rob, it's Jerri who ultimately turns the tide by asking what impact Rob's absence would have on the team. Coach half-heartedly tells them it's not time but the deal has been cut and Rob becomes the target.

Rob, sensing that something is up and already beginning to suspect that Coach and Jerri might be aligned with Russell, decides that it's time Russell goes.

Jerri does provide the fourth vote, but it's Coach's ignorance and unwillingness to choose a side that really seals Rob's fate. If Coach had voted for Russell, it would have forced a tie. At that point, I think Jerri would have switched sides again simply because she would know that Coach would stick with his vote because of his "loyalty" and she would not have wanted to risk a second tie and the potential for random elimination.

Instead of seeing Russell for the player he is and going with his first alliance, Coach votes for Courtney. Rob said it best when, as he was leaving and Coach stood up to hug him goodbye, he called Coach a "little man."

His move made Coach the man without an alliance. I doubt if Russell will want him back now, and Sandra and Courtney likely won't trust him. Based on the previews for next week, Coach seems like an angry, thwarted man. To me, his vote sealed his fate and my feeling is that he has very little time left in the game. Coach's vote likely cost him the game as Russell's words echo: "If you're not for me, you're against me."

Old School
So Rob's departure left me feeling a little nostalgic. Sure, he did not make it far during his first round on Survivor, but he made it to the end and should have won the All Stars season. Jerri pointed out that Rob was old school, just like her. He was pre-Immunity Idol when you survived based on her wits and not a hidden advantage. The game has evolved and some of the players have not evolved with it. A part of me wishes that Rob would have aggressively searched for the idol and embraced the new aspects of the game. Instead, last week he was beaten by a part of the game that he really did not even want to acknowledge. I think it took a lot of fight out of him.

On the other hand, the Heroes actually came together as a team, and Colby managed back to back challenges that showed the competitor that he really is. Maybe Colby too was wishing for the purer, simpler version of "Survivor" when a top competitor was rewarded for their efforts and it had nothing to do with a little wooden doll hanging around the neck. Somehow or another, Colby turned his game around and the Heroes hit their stride. Makes you wonder what would have happened if Colby had been on his game from the start!