TAR is Hell!

OMG! The constant bickering is nerve-racking! The stress of the race is really beginning to show! What's worse is that none of the tasks has been really mentally challenging. Physically, yes, but no so much mentally — until this leg, and only one team had to do it!

Somewhere in France...
The teams were taken by bus to an undisclosed location in northern France. Michael and Louie referred to the trip as a "mobile pitstop". Somewhat surprising that the "mandatory rest period" was spent aboard a bus!

Once at their location, the teams took off in search of a bakery where they were instructed to obtain a baguette — loaf of bread — and their next clue. Some of the teams were "clueless" as to what a baguette and fortunately were not expected to know as the baker simply handed it to them on their arrival.

Michael and Louie were the first team to leave. They quickly found the bakery and their clue, and left for the Detour. Sleepers Steve and Allie left next. Why are they sleepers? Because no one is expecting them to do well, not me certainly, and none of the other teams are either. Yet, from the first leg onward, they have been moving up so I'm going to call them my "sleepers." They might challenge for the final three if they keep this up!

Joe and Heidi were the third team to leave, and Joe was still suffering from his knee injury from the last leg. Joe limped down the street as Heidi ran ahead, and frankly, I felt a little sorry for him. A little sorry!

Speaking of injuries, Caite managed to recover well from her leg injury that nearly put them in last place during the previous leg. I'm a little suspect of her injury, but that's just me. Maybe she was thinking they were in last place and was hoping for a little sympathy.

Only Jeff and Jordan struggled to find their way to the bakery. They ended up in the maze of streets that are legendary throughout that area. Jeff does not handle stress well, and his reaction is to lash out. Jordan, on the other hand, comes close to shutting down. The more upset he becomes, the less Jordan responds — until she's had enough. Jeff was supposed to be navigating and he should have taken some responsibility to get them to their destination, instead he became agitated with her driving skills.

Detour to Hell!
The Detour for this leg of the race was a re-enactment of a World War I battle. The teams chose between a Morse Code translation task and traversing a field of barbed wire mesh while "under fire" to retrieve a message and bring it back.

All the teams chose "Under Fire". Michael and Louie hit the field first and Louie became extremely winded while crawling under the wire. They managed to maintain their lead, however, and headed south down the road which lead to a blind "U-Turn".

Decisions, decisions! Should they U-Turn Steve and Allie who placed second in the last leg, or Joe and Heidi, who are a thorn in their side? The decision is finally made, and Joe and Heidi's photo is slapped onto the U-Turn, meaning they had to do the other part of the Detour too. Michael and Louie's rationale was that Joe was cocky on the bus. They may have been, in light of Joe's injury, a bit too self-assured, but then again none of the teams would have started the race if they did not feel they had a shot at winning!

U-Turn are the Worst Turns!
Steve, the oldest contestant left in the game, and Allie made it through the task with very little complaining, and they were followed closely by Joe and Heidi. Upon reaching the U-Turn they discovered that Joe and Heidi had to go back and do the Morse Code portion of the Detour.

Unfair? Maybe. But at the same time, it's a game. So Joe and Heidi headed back to do the Morse Code. I know this was a difficult challenge but it was one that could have been accomplished if they had settled down. Dots and dashes — dots are single tones, dashes are multiple tones in quick succession. Each letter is signified by a different series.

Following the Detour, each team changed into early 20th century bike riding clothes, complete with mustache, and headed off on a four-mile bike ride to the pitstop. Michael and Louie arrived first, with Steve and Allie on their heals.

Bickering Will Get You Nowhere!
Meanwhile, back at the Detour, Brandy and Carol complained about the task not being "what they signed up for." Ummmm! It's The Amazing Race! Nothing that says they can't re-enact World War I as a task. Brandy was decidedly worse than Carol, in my opinion. It's a game for a million dollars and doing things like this is all part of the game. Brent and Caite arrive and exchange words with them showing that the bad blood from the start of the race remains.

At this point, I have to say that the amount of energy many of the teams are expending on complaining about tasks, other teams, etc., is going to cost them in the end. It's simply not good strategy to waste time and energy tearing down their teammate or another team while trying to do a task.

Returning to Jeff and Jordan, we discover they are still trying to locate the bakery. Once they do, Jeff seems to have trouble figuring out the clue is inside the bread. It's the little things that are setting this team back as the other teams somehow managed to find the clue more quickly. Back in the car, Jeff continues to complain about Jordan's driving. There's a correlation between Jeff's attitude and Jordan's performance. The worse his attitude gets, the worse Jordan's performance.

Great Representation of our Educational System!
In one of the dumbest moves of the show, Brent and Caite are shown reading the clue which says to go south down a road. Brent consults his watch compass, which "astoundingly" and obviously has North at the top. He turns and points to North as being into some field ahead which would mean that south was behind them at that point. Instead, Brent points to his left, which if North were in front of him should have been West but was really North. Confused? Well, then you know how Brent feels every time he navigates!

So the pair sets off in the opposite direction of their clue happily walking "south."

Joe and Heidi are still trying to resolve the Morse Code. They listen, think they hear a "V" and quickly write down the message they received on the "under fire" portion of the Detour. Maybe I would have done the same thing but they should have listened to at least the first word to determine that it was not the same. Shear desperation to move beyond the Detour lead to a downward spiral for this team.

Bringing Up the Rear
This year, it seems like the producers are focusing more attention on the teams that are not doing as well. We know exactly what is going wrong for them, and I will admit that it's entertaining!

Jeff and Jordan finally arrive at the Detour, long after Louie and Michael have already won this leg of the race. Jeff continues to criticize Jordan for her driving, for her pace, for her decisions! It's almost like he did not spend two months locked in a house learning how she functions under pressure, which is not well when someone is harping at her.

In a separate confessional, Jeff is critical of the fact that Jordan is not putting in the effort for a million dollars that he thinks should be there. I wonder if it occurred to Jeff that her share of the prize would be $500,000. She's already won $500,000 and she's already aware that Uncle Sam takes a large share. Add to that the fact that only two months before, Jordan won BB, a show that she really was not that interested in. Now, she finds herself in another reality show that she's never viewed except youtubes. I think she's done amazingly well!

So when I see Jordan, walking slowly, laces untied, leggings flopping to the side, it's not really surprising. Jeff's impatience grows and they still have to accomplish a "Speed Bump" before they can move on to the Detour. The Speed Bump resulted from their last place finish during the non-elimination leg. Their task is to reinforce the trench with tree branches.

Their arrival, gives hope to Joe and Heidi who seem to have resorted to pulling random phrases out of thin air to try them. Jeff and Jordan finish the Speed Bump and move to the Detour, where Jeff continues to prod Jordan to finish the task.

Clueless
At about the same time, Brent and Caite have stumbled upon the clue to the pitstop, donned their bicycling gear, and headed off to find Phil. As they step onto the mat, Phil informs them of their sixth place finish and gives them the bad news that they missed a clue and will have to go back to retrieve it. So off they go, south this time, to find the missing clue.

Joe and Heidi are equally clueless as they listen to the morse code again. Is it a "T"? How about an "H"? They would have been better off simply choosing random letters and rushing them to the man standing to the side. Dismayed, they watch as Jeff and Jordan finish the Detour and head off to find their next clue.

Unfortunately for Joe and Heidi the Detour was too much and they gave up on even finishing. Fortunately for Jeff and Jordan, the Detour was too much for Joe and Heidi, and they finished in seventh place, still at the bottom but in the race.

I did not expect Joe and Heidi to go this round. I halfway expected it to be Brandy and Carla!

Looks like next week Caite and Brent disintegrate, but the previews are always a little misleading.

BB12 Fans Vs. Faves?

"Big Brother" auditions are underway for the upcoming season. There's been a lot of talk about the possibility that 12 might be a Fans vs. Faves season, but I hope not.

"Survivor" managed to produce a season of Fans vs. Faves, and since that time, many fans of BB have hoped for something similar for "Big Brother." The two shows are so completely different from one another, however, and what works for one is not necessarily destined to work for another.

"Survivor" is a team effort initially, so it was easy to divide the teams. "Big Brother" on the other hand, is mostly an individual effort with some team elements. While the producers have dabbled with the team concept in the past, it's never worked well, and they usually end up "divorcing" the teams prior to the midway point.

In fairness, since season 8, there's talk every year of a possible Fans vs. Faves season, and this year is no different really. Except for the fact that last year, BB producers moved from teams of two to three and four. That little fact makes a huge difference, in spite of the fact that the teams clearly did not last long and there was significant animosity between team members. The producers may be looking for a whole new look and feel to this show that is already 11 seasons old.

So what does that mean for the viewers?

Fans vs. Faves would differ dramatically from an All Stars 2 season. Fave house guests are not necessarily the best players. In fact, unlike "Survivor," the faves of BB sometimes don't even make it to the merge. Many have no gaming skills, but were among the most popular when they were evicted. Another important factor seems to be involvement in a showmance, though not necessarily all the time.

The faves would probably be selected from season 8 onward. The reason for this is simple, season 7 was the first All Stars, and many of the previous six seasons' favorites have already had a shot. Face it, Chicken George is quaint but two seasons of him are more than enough. Kaysar Ridha was a favorite during season 6. So much so that he was brought back after being evicted during that season only to be evicted shortly after. The following season, he came back and showed no more game skills than the previous season.

So who would probably be invited back for a season of Fans vs. Faves?

Season 8
Nick Starcevic - Nick's lack of games skills is nearly as legendary as Kaysar's. He really lacked any viable BB knowledge. His corny quotes made him a fan favorite to the point where he managed to set eBay records for BB merchandise after his eviction.

Jessica Hughbanks - Jessica won two HoH's during her season, but other than that, she was mostly Eric's mouthpiece. Still, her selection as the potential leader of the "Popular Clique" last summer makes her selection as a Fave almost definite.

Season 9
Alex Coladonato - Alex too, possessed few game skills and was quickly evicted, along with partner Amanda Hansen. Fans were asked to vote for "America's Choice" to go back into the house, and Alex won the vote. So, he would more than likely be a prime candidate to return to the BB house.

Chelsia Hart - While not the most likable in the house, Chelsia has a solid fan base outside the house and I believe it would be enough to bring her back. Besides, there are few other choices from this misfit season of BB.

Season 10
Brian Hart - No relation to Chelsia, Brian became instantly popular upon his eviction. If you were to ask Brian about his game play, he would most likely say that he was a successor to the "puppet master" Will but his strategy was so poor, his house mates rebelled and sent him packing the first week. That being said, he was extremely popular among fans in spite of the fact that he stayed only one week.

Keesha Smith - Keesha won the season-end prize for her popularity. She's one of few popular favorites that made it so far in the game, and she would deserve another shot. I doubt, though, that she will make an appearance on BB this year, as wedding plans are in the works.

Angie Swindell - Angie was another favorite made so mainly because of her unceremonious departure at the hands of Keesha, along with her association with Brian. Her game play was average and it seemed to me that her heart was never in playing the game but she would probably take the place of Keesha.

Season 11
Jeff Schroeder - While Jeff managed to get further in the game than any man on the list, it would not have happened without the help of America and the Coup d'etat. Jeff lacked a clear game plan but somehow managed to get by. As he exited the BB house, he became quite possibly the most popular player in BB history.

Jordan Lloyd - The only winner on the list, Jordan struck BB gold in her relationship with Jeff. Somehow or another, Jordan pulled out the win and stepped out into a much different life. Jordan possesses a certain charm that's at least one part naivety that sets her apart.

A lot of people might disagree with this list. For instance, some would argue that Evel Dick would deserve a shot because of his obvious popularity, but I don't think he would be brought back during a season like this. One reason being that Dick is a wild card, and producers may not be interested in trying to reign him in. They also may not be ready for the criticism that would come with the decision.

Another potential choice for a favorite would be Daniele Donato from season 8; however, her game skills make her a viable choice for All Stars.

Game Play
That being said, the game play during a season of Fans vs. Faves would be totally different from previous seasons. If the faves did not study up on the logistics of the game, they will probably be eliminated quite quickly. There's also the risk of egos getting involved like never before as each one would feel the need to assert there place in BB history.

Then there's the fans who might be like Ronnie in his obvious hero worship of Jessie. It's very possible that true fans of the game would be so "star struck" by the Faves that they would be eager to keep them in the game.

Really, it's a toss-up as to who would have the upper hand.

Two Houses?
For the past several seasons, the rumors circulate regarding a second house. People are posting online that they've seen it and swear to it. Yet so far, no season of BB has ever included a second house. But, that's not to say that it will never be. There's always a possibility and a Fans vs. Faves season might be the one in which a second house debuts.

How would it work? One possibility would be to have a house with luxuries while the other house would be bare bones. Kind of a have/have not twist, only the entire team would be affected.

All New Players
Personally, I don't want a season that features popular, but unskilled players. I would love to see a season comprised entirely of fans who have watched at least five seasons. I think we would see some great strategy!

Dear BB Producers,

Please give us a season of great strategic players. Don't hand us a bunch of recruits who look good on screen but flail through the game without goal or purpose.

Thanks much!

Where Did All the Heroes Go?

Aren't they on the same team?

Right up front, I will say that I don't like to see someone hurt. That being said, I will add, the heroes have suffered more than there share of injuries but they aren't learning from them.

That's not the only problem for the Heroes though. Their biggest problem is they simply suck at puzzles. I've never seen a team lose this many challenges simply based on puzzles. I don't think they would win a puzzle making challenge even if the pieces were numbered!

No More Mr. Nice Guy
JT has changed up his game the most and maybe a bit too much. During his season of Survivor, he charmed his teammates and showed loyalty, and was rewarded with a win. This season, JT is loyal only to himself and his wishes. Everyone else is second to him. Maybe that's the way the game needs to be played in the end, but it's too soon, IMO. He's showed disloyalty from the beginning, and no one really trusts him.

Coach, on the other hand, has changed his game the least. Same old, same old! He continues to push his annoying philosophies on people regarding meditation and oneness with one's self. Coach truly believes he is a leader on his team and to prove that he leads his team in "Dragon Slayer Methodology 101" as some of his teammates smile and snicker to themselves.

Russell, a few yards away, continues his search for the immunity idol, and finds it. (It seemed to me that his was "buried" a little deeper than the one on the Heroes beach. :) ) Russell's right, the idol gives him power in this game. Whether it gives him the control he is seeking, remains to be seen. Now, in retrospect, I hope Coach asks himself what was the best course of action at that point, meditation on the beach or looking for the idol.

Eventually, Russell decides to disclose his "find" to Coach, who feels privileged to hold this piece of information. On the one hand, it's a smart move to tell Coach because Russell knows he's still "Coach." he's still the guy who will reward loyalty. On the other hand, I get the feeling that Russell is just too proud of his accomplishments. Russell HAS to share because he's so happy with himself and it could come back to bite him. On a team comprised of egos, Russell's ego is by far the biggest, which, considering he has not won, is some feat!

How Far Would You Go for Chocolate?
The Reward Challenge draws two very different reactions. As Jeff hands over the plates of chocolate, the Villains drool over their bite-sized pieces, while the Heroes, led by the Colby, ignore the plate of chocolate and return it to Jeff uneaten. Their point? They are focused! Or stupid! One or the other, but mostly just stupid. Why not taste it and fuel the desire to win?

During the first match, James hurts his knee. Kind of hard to see what happens, but it knocks him out of the game and the Heroes play one person short for the rest of the challenge. I still don't understand why Colby could not step in and play.

During the second match, the Heroes get physical. JT goes after Rob, Rob goes after JT, JT wrestles Coach to the ground. It's all good. Tyson, sinks a basket and just after, Rupert slams Jerri into a pylon. Ummm. Did I type that right? Rupert slams Jerri into a pylon. Yep! I did. What was he thinking? Who was guarding Russell at that point? Amanda? Good grief man, get real! He says he did not mean to do it, but it seemed pretty clear as he wrapped his arms around her and pushed her face first into the pylon after Tyson had already scored. Seems to me that Jeff messed up on a possible disqualification for the Heroes.

During the third and final match, JT tries to knock the balls out of the air before they reach the basket. It works a couple of times, but the Villains eventually win the reward!

The Heroes just can't put together a winning strategy! James stays behind to have the medical staff look him over. Now, I know that his injury is not life threatening but it could certainly affect his mobility in years to come! He should have been pulled from the game!

The Villains, meanwhile, enjoy a great reward. They eat chocolate in all forms and then a refreshing swim while Russell and Parvati scheme. Neither one can be trusted, so maybe they have the best alliance of all.

James comes back to the Heroes camp wearing what can only be described as a partial cast on his left leg. He claims it does not hurt but obviously, by the way he is walking, it does hurt. James later claims he's fit enough to beat Jeff in a race, but I think I could have beaten James in a race that day!

For his part, James is turning into the poutiest contender to date! Candice makes a lot of sense when she talks about James as dead weight. He's almost ineffective now, and he sits there and tells them he's the strongest team member. What has he done so far except toss Randy in the mud? I would bet pretty much any man on the Heroes team could have done the same thing.

It's Puzzling!
The teams arrive at the immunity challenge for another rehashed puzzle making challenge. Okay, yet another opportunity for the Villains to show off their puzzle solving skills. Like most such challenges, the Heroes got their pieces together first and start on their puzzle before the Villains. Like most every other time, the Villains come from behind to win.

What is the key to their success? Boston Rob, plain and simple. He's without a doubt one of the strongest competitors they have for challenges. Surprisingly, the Villains follow his lead quite well.

The Heroes return to camp to discuss who should go. To me, there's one logical choice at this point: James. Sorry James, but your attitude has been poor from the start, and it went further south with your injury. But somehow or another, the talk turns to Tom. What? Again?

Have These People Played this Game Before?
Their strategy defies explanation. To me, the point of this part of the game is to reach the merge with the team as much in tact as possible. With their pointless and beyond comprehension strategy, they are setting themselves up to reach the merge shorthanded. To me, their losing strategy started week one with the elimination of Sugar. Rupert should have gone first because of his toe injury.

Faced with choosing between his two alliances, JT does what he does best. He lies to one side and chooses the other. He tells Colby that he will vote to remove James, while telling Rupert his vote is for Tom. Too many alliances too early in the game. So far, JT has been one of the biggest disappointments of the game.

When all is said and done, Tom exits.

The Heroes at this point, don't deserve to go far in this game!

On the Villains side, Russell is playing the hardest with Parvati close on his heals. Rob and the rest of the Villains need to be aware of Russell's sneakiness and his possession of the idol. Right now, though, the Villains have this game well in hand.

Worst to first!

Absolutely incredible! The fortunes of this game turn so quickly, it's dizzying.

First place, two weeks in a row, the cowboys should have been shoe-ins for another top three finish. Louie and Michael had continually been among the bottom dwellers, and my expectations were not high for them to get on track.

This episode turned everything on it's ear, so to speak.

Intersection Introduction!
The teams spent their mandatory rest period on a farm in Argentina prior to embarking on an 8,000 mile flight that would take them to Germany. Once in Germany, the teams faced the very first "Intersection" in the history of the game. The Intersection required a member of two different teams to work together. The task was a 150 ft. bungee jump.

Jet and Michael paired up and were the first to jump. Jet jumped with his cowboy hat on and somehow managed to keep it on throughout the bouncing and spinning! At the end of the task, Jet and Cord made a decision to ride the Metro while Louie and Michael chose a taxi. Those decisions were pivotal in determining the course of the race.

Joe and Allie jumped together and Joe suffered an injury which would bother him throughout the leg. Steve and Allie are doing surprising well, and if he can hold up, they may be one of the teams to beat in all this!

Daniel was teamed with Brandy, and they worked together well. Daniel provided Brandy with assurance during the task. He seems like a nice guy. I also like the fact that he's doing the race for his brother who has wanted to be on TAR for several seasons. Just can't believe neither can drive a stick shift!

That left Jordan and Caite to work together, although Jordan pointed out that have been somewhat aligned throughout the race. Unfortunately, they got off to a bad start by getting on a train going in the wrong direction. Once they arrived, however, the girls pulled it off in great fashion. As they went off the platform, they hardly uttered a sound! Incredible because I probably would have been screaming my guts out!

Disastrous Detours!
The teams moved on to a Detour, and had to decide between eating a plate of sauerkraut or kicking soccer balls through five targets. Personally, I would have went for the soccer ball challenge any day of the week!

Michael and Louie chose the sauerkraut challenge which required them to eat a very large plate of sauerkraut while a band played in the background. The teams must finish eating before the song ended. In short order, Michael and Louie finished the sauerkraut and moved onto drinking a "boot" of beer.

Steve and Allie, Joe and Heidi, chose the soccer challenge. Steve made two of five goals, while Allie racked up the remaining three, making the challenge appear quite easy. Joe and Heidi meanwhile were hobbled by Joe's knee and had to abandon the kicking in favor of sauerkraut.

The cowboys tried their luck with the soccer challenge. It took them a kick or two to find the right technique, but they too mastered the challenge and went on to the beer drinking. I was amazed to discover that Jet had never drank a beer and struggled with this task.

Jeff and Jordan arrived at the Detour in fifth place. Jeff made the decision to eat sauerkraut. Giving the directions to the taxi driver, Jeff and Jordan soon found themselves on a long drive to nowhere. Jordan lamented that they should have chosen the soccer challenge and Jeff responded that they probably would have ended up in Switzerland. After driving several miles out of their way, they discovered that the taxi driver had input the wrong address into his GPS, and they miles from their destination. This Detour turned into a huge detour for the team as they lost valuable time.

Chug-a-lug!
Dating couple Carol and Brandy went to the Sauerkraut challenge and managed to finish the plate prior to the end of the song. They left for the bar for their boot of beer only to encounter the cowboys still struggling to down their boot.

By this time, Louie and Michael, Steve and Allison, and Joe and Heidi had found the tiny bar in the red light district where the Beatles had played decades ago that was the pitstop for the race.

Dan and Jordan, meantime, were finishing up the soccer challenge. Dan was very excited to play in a soccer challenge and did well. Caite and Brent were also happy with the Detour, but soon after Caite hurt her leg which hampered their efforts. The team pushed on though, and managed to complete the task with Caite hitting three of the targets.

Jeff and Jordan finally returned from their tour of Hamburg and arrived at the Sauerkraut. Holding her nose, Jordan dove into the dish but they did not finish in time. Jeff conceded that they should have went for soccer because he's athletic.

At the bar, the cowboys had finished their beer and Jet said that he will never drink another beer as long as he lives! The two arrived in the Bible belt and exclaimed, "We are no longer in the Bible belt." Yet, another title of an episode.

Based solely on the fact that so many of their quotes are being used as titles of the episodes, I'm thinking they are among the top finishers!

Carol and Brandy polished off their boot quickly and arrived in fifth place at the Pitstop. Dan and Jordan were not too far behind and arrived at the Pitstop in sixth place.

Back at the Bar
Meanwhile, back at the bar, Brent was struggling to drink the beer while Caite looked on expectantly. Apparently, Brent is the beer drinker but midway through, he went outside to vomit. He came back in to finish the remainder of the beer and the two set off in search of the Pitstop.

Jeff and Jordan were aware of their standing about this time. Jeff finished the beer much to the appreciation of the bar full of Germans who had enjoyed the spectacle up to that point. They arrived at the street not too far behind Brent and Caite who were looking for the Pitstop. Brent and Caite found it first and managed to limp to the mat just minutes before Jeff and Jordan.

As Jeff and Jordan stepped on the mat, Phil informed them that they were in last place but it was non-elimination week. So, next week the two will have to perform a Speed Bump to stay in the race.

Looking Ahead
Louie and Michael's performance gave me hope that my pre-race assessment would work out this time. I still look for the cowboys to continue to do well. Up until now, many of the assignments have been "country" so the cowboys showed their lack of "urban savvy" during this leg. Too many "big city" challenges could take its toll on the cowboys.

Carol and Brandy kept their race cleaner this time, and their personal disputes to a minimum. At least they recognize their mistakes!

Joe and Heidi, and Brent and Caite, are injured and that could work to the advantage of Jeff and Jordan next week if they want to stay in the game.

Jeff and Jordan need to run a clean leg next week. Jeff needs to be a little more open to letting Jordan make decisions. It's definitely a partnership!

Speaking of the next leg, looks like they are recreating World War I. Good luck to them! Could be interesting with a U-Turn involved!

Dumbest Strategy in the History of the Game!

It's all in the editing and kudos to the editors of "Survivor" this week. They did a spectacular job of adding to the overall drama of the episode.

This blog might be a little backwards but it's only because certain things stand out and deserve mention up top.

Colby or Tom?
To me, some of the Heroes entered into the worst pre-merge strategy that I've ever seen — make an alliance and stick to that alliance at all costs. Rupert, James and Amanda have that strategy. Twice they voted off strong female players who would have helped in challenges. Last night, Tom or Colby seemed destined to go.

Tom or Colby? Are you kidding me? What were they thinking? It was plain to see that Cirie and Candice were going to go with the alliance they thought was strongest. They chose James' alliance because, well, it's James, and he's the Incredible Hulk of challenges.

What they did not bargain on is the hidden immunity idol which Tom secreted in his sock but not before Amanda caught a glimpse. Tom tried to use it to his advantage and gain some allies in the game but Cirie did what she does best and made Amanda doubt the deal Tom was offering.

In spite of their combined experience, the majority of Heroes are not that bright when it comes to playing the game. They headed to Tribal Council with the mentality that Tom or Colby had to go. The team is losing as it is, why not seal their fate by voting off strong members?

Here's an idea, let's get rid of Rupert. He's got a broken toe and struggles in competitions. How about Cirie? She doesn't contribute much during the challenges either. Then there's always Amanda. She could go and only James and Rupert would miss her. But no, the thought process was focused on Tom and Colby. Flush out the idol and then vote off Colby, and if Tom doesn't use the idol then he's gone.

Big gamble pays off!
So it was a gamble, a huge risk but one that had to be taken. The votes were cast. Tom used his idol and three votes were cast for Tom which counted for nothing. Rupert and James voted for Colby and thought that JT would too, but JT is obviously battling his inner hero. He chewed his lips through the entire tribal council. In the end, Cirie was sent packing with three votes and some cheers from me.

Don't get me wrong. I like Cirie. In fact, I rooted for her to win her season but this time, she seemed a little off. She was more duplicitous. Scheming a little harder and trying to "off" one of my guys. :) So she had to go.

Up until now, they voted as a block. I don't understand what James, Rupert, Amanda, Cirie, and Candice were thinking this round of voting. All they would have had to do is make Tom think they were voting for him and then everyone vote for Colby, and Colby would have been the one to go home. It would not have mattered if Tom had no votes cast against him, as long as he thought he was in jeopardy and played the idol.

Personally, I'm happy they were as bad at figuring out this strategic move as they are at doing puzzles!

Pity party for one?
Now that we have that out of the way. Time to return to early part of the episode. Did anyone see Coach's crying fit coming? Well, I guess everyone who watched the previews did but really, Coach why were you crying? Someone says you are walking off when work needs to be done and you dissolve in tears?

A little telling was who he sought out for comfort. Tyson. Not the most sympathetic guy in my book, but he definitely provided comfort to Coach who seemed to need assurance. I was surprised that he did not seek out Jerri but she might have told him to "grow a pair" or maybe she already did!

Boston Rob showed his leadership skills by not laughing in Coach's face which I might have been inclined to do. Instead, he assured Coach that he does belong and is important. Nice work, Rob!

Sears goes everywhere!
So here the teams are, stuck out on an island where the only mail they get is tree mail, and along comes a Sears catalog. Granted the catalog has only a few items, but they were thrilled to see it.

It's very interesting what they chose as the items for the reward challenge. The Heroes (or pseudo-Heroes) go for cooking items and fishing gear while the Villains go for tools, a tarp and a multi-function tool. The Villains are still hoping to construct proper shelter and this is what, day ... .

The Villains were on their game as they racked up three points to the Heroes one point. The Heroes came back scoring two points. In the final match of the challenge, Tyson took on Colby and won. It was surprising to me that Tyson managed to take this one as Colby beat him to the mat and put up a shot before Tyson even arrived. I still don't like Tyson, and it has little to do with him beating my Colby. I mean Colby.

The Villains came out on top and went back to camp with yet another win under their belts.

Side note: When I first saw the teams, I thought the Heroes had a clear advantage to every challenge. Physically, they do dominate the challenges but mentally the Villains are tougher.

Marked for elimination!
One of the biggest changes to the game of Survivor has been the inclusion of immunity idols. The first several seasons did not even have the hidden idol. Some survivors have used the idols to their advantage. Yau Man was the first to make a fake idol. Bob perfected the fake idol and made it so realistic and sold it so well, that Randy took the shaft for it.

While pulling the saw/knife out of the sheath, Russell unwittingly revealed the first clue. The team, led by Rob, agreed that whoever found the idol would be marked. To a degree, this is understandable. Rob never even had an idol in his season. He's probably seen what the idol can do and would rather remove its potential from the game. Still, the idol is part of the game.

As Rob dismisses the idol with a comment about building shelter, Russ begins plotting. Of all past seasons, Russell has made the most of the hidden immunity idols. He knows their power and he's not going to be put off from finding it with the threat that he will be voted out. There's definitely no honor among these Villains.

So Russell takes a walk. Rob tells Sandra to check on him and she finds him on the beach looking for the idol. Now Sandra foolishly thinks that Russell has sealed his own fate. While they might certainly attempt to vote him off, the person with the second highest number of votes will leave instead, because Russell is hardly a virgin when it comes to playing idols. That means that everyone is potentially vulnerable if Russell chooses to vote for them, and they are voting to flush the idol.

Play smart, people!

Most of the Heroes decide to look for the idol. Tom manages to find it and hopes to use it as leverage. Unfortunately, Tom doesn't realize that it can be an albatross around one's neck too. And that's exactly what it turns out to be for him. Both teams view the person with the idol as a potential enemy instead of as an ally! Only JT recognizes that Tom's idol has significant power when it comes to the game.

Physically/mentally stronger
The immunity challenge again features physical and mental elements. This time, the Villains get to the puzzle section first which is an oversized Labyrinth game that the players play blindfolded with one person giving the directions.

Once again, Boston Rob provides the leadership both in navigating the sphere he is riding in to the puzzle location and maneuvering the ball to the finish point. His puzzle skills are remarkable!

Tom did manage to do a good job too and the teams appeared to be virtually tied as they made their way to the finish point. Both missed on their first try, but Rob's team managed to push it through in the knick of time.

The Villains are definitely dominating the challenges so far. In spite of the fact that I feel as if I'm watching re-runs at times (both with the survivors themselves who have played multiple games, and the challenges), this is shaping up to be one of the best seasons.

So next week looks like a player goes down and possibly out of the game. I hate when that happens. Here's hoping it's not one of my favorites. ;)

Greatest Survivor Ever?

With Heroes vs. Villains upon us, a lot has been said about the potential for Russell to be the greatest survivor in the history of the game. Russell, of course, is pushing that opinion. Jeff Probst seems to be siding with him, but is Russell the greatest?

Outwit! Outplay! Outlast!
From the start, "Survivor" has had the motto: "Outwit, Outplay, Outlast." How do you measure those items? Outlast is the easiest. Who is still standing by game's end? Outwit and Outplay become a bit murkier.

Can you be the best in the game and win few challenges? Maybe. Does Outplay mean scheming alone, or does it mean winning challenges?

Outwit definitely refers to strategy. One person's strategy may be someone else's idea of floating. The fact remains, it's a strategy.

Social Game
More than anything though, "Survivor" is a social game. How well are you liked by the juror members? How deserving will they feel you are to win the prize at the end of the game?

The bottom line is the fact juries (on pretty much any show) are notoriously bitter. Most jurors are not going to vote for the person who played the best game necessarily but rather the one they like the most. Some survivors "get" that, and cater to that philosophy. They might be the biggest back stabbers and orchestrate huge blindsides, but if they are friendly and nice, they will likely win the game.

Russell vs. Richard
So we have Russell, runner-up for season 19. Is he the greatest survivor of all time? By what criteria is he the greatest survivor of all time? There are certainly other great survivors in the history of the game.

Season one had Richard Hatch who cast himself in the role of the villain early on. Richard won only a single challenge, for immunity but he played an outstanding social game. His nudity kept his teammates at bay without making him seem anti-social. Oftentimes, he would plop down next to someone, more or less daring them to stay.

Richard made a few alliances in his day and basically initiated the entire concept. During the last challenge of the games, Richard outwitted his teammates, and managed to outplay them in a single move. Standing on small pedestals with one hand on an idol, Richard made a quick decision to step down. Kelly and Rudy stood amazed by the turn of events.

As the challenge progressed, Richard laid out his philosophy for stepping down basically telling Rudy and Kelly that they would be crazy not to take him to the final two. In the meantime, he enjoyed the temptations that Jeff brought for the other two. Richard's scheme was so well planned. He may have been able to hang in there and win, but this way he did not have to choose between Kelly or Rudy. He had an alliance with both and knew the loyal Rudy would stick to it. He also knew that Kelly's only chance of winning was to bring him instead of Rudy.

Did Rudy feel betrayed? I'm sure he did. I can still remember the look on Rudy's face when he stepped down but Rudy was loyal!

Kelly, for her part, won more challenges than anyone. In fact, she won the last five immunity challenges. Would Richard be remembered as a great survivor if Kelly had won? Probably not.

Still, his gameplay set the standard for villains in future seasons. Interestingly enough, not many "villains" have won since then.

The game has changed immensely since that first season in Borneo.

So does winning automatically launch someone into the stratosphere of greatest survivors. Again, not necessarily, runners-up are often times better players than the winners. Season two saw Tina Wesson win over Colby Donaldson who dominated the challenges. Without a doubt, he is one of the strongest survivors in the history of the game winning seven of 13 challenges, seven of the last nine.

The vote was a close 4-3, but Tina edged Colby because of a slightly better social game or maybe because Colby was regarded as a winner already because he took home a vehicle. Whatever the reason, Tina won the million dollar prize and title of "sole survivor."

Why Russell is not the greatest survivor
More seasons than not, the social game has played an important role in determining the winner. So back to the original question, is Russell the greatest survivor in the history of the game?

Short answer: no. Russell did a lot of things that were not necessary to the game. He dumped the water canteens and weakened his own team. He burned socks and let the chickens go. He initiated alliances with most of the women of the team and cut them off quickly.

Russell did find immunity idols well, but he used one idol in a panic when there was no jeaopardy. Natalie turned the tables on Eric, and provided a game changing move in the meantime. Can't forget Shambo's part in Russell's ability to outlast. More than once she provided the necessary vote to put out one of her former teammates.

Challenges were not his forte but he definitely got high marks for scheming.

Russell went into the question and answer session expecting people to fall at his feet and crown his king of survivor. Maybe his ego cost him the show. He basically told everyone how to vote and no one appreciates that. Better to appear humble than self-serving.

Was the jury bitter? Sure, it was but I would not expect anything else. Russell made them that way through his needless acts of treachery. If I had won the final immunity challenge, I certainly would have taken Russell with me to the end!

So, no, Russell is not the greatest survivor. He's good and may be great after this season. Time will tell.

Ropin' and Ridin' Argentina Style!

What an episode!

I'm not afraid to admit that I underestimated the cowboys. Now, however, I am firmly aboard the "cowboy train." They may not be the sharpest tools in the shed but they are resourceful, and that might be the best characteristic going into a game like this. I will also say they are lucky!

Little Bit of Luck Goes a Long Way!
The first part of this leg is to travel by tour bus to Argentina and find the hideout of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The cowboys are the first team to leave and they find a bar and ask a pair of Americans in the bar if they know where their destination happens to be. By chance, one of the Americans has lived there and gives them the exact location. How lucky can you get?

Under the "how unlucky can get you" heading, Brent and Caite get sick in the middle of the night from either dehydration or food poisoning. They end up in the hospital on IVs and miss their start time. As far as I remember, this is a first in race history to miss because of medical emergency. One thing this team has is determination to stay in the game!

At the bus station, Carol and Brandy demonstrate again why I'm not overly fond of them as they grill the cowboys about which bus they were on the previous day. Not even a "Hey, how ya doin'." What difference did it make at that point? None. That leg of the race was over and very little chance they would do it again.

Poker Face
On the way to their destination, Jet and Cord are in the lead car with others following close behind. While Carol and Brandy discuss how slow the cowboys are driving, Jet and Cord decide to pull to the side of the road and let the other teams pass as they pretend to look at their map. It would have been a smart move if the others did not already know their way.

However, Carol and Brandy, and Joe and Heidi, arrive at the destination first and face off against the Travelocity gnome in a game of poker. The cowboys arrive shortly after but both of the other teams manage to win during the first hand against the gnome.

The cowboys won on the third hand remarking that the gnome had a great "poker face." :) They have a great sense of humor about the entire situation which makes them a fun team to watch. In fact, it seems like a lot of one-liners are coming straight from the cowboys, including the title of this episode: "Run like scalded dogs."

At this point, I need to point out that the men have a real lack of car expertise. Not all of them, but some of them to be sure. Jordan and Daniel stall out on a hill and Jordan jumps out to push the car and I find some comfort in hearing Jordan mention neutral. Brent also lacks experience with a manual transmission leaving Caite to do the driving and Brent seemingly unaware of where they are at any given moment. I can't help but wonder who would take on TAR without some knowledge of how a manual transmission works.

Frustration = Mental Roadblock
At the roadblock, the teams discover a roping challenge. They must rope a steer head attached to a bale of hay and drag it back across a line. This task seems to favor the cowboys but personally, if I were the other teams, I would just be glad that I did not have to sheer those sheep running around!

As Carol and Heidi find their ropes becoming more and more tangled with each attempt, Jet picks up a lasso and ropes the steer on his second attempt. That's right, second attempt. I mean really! You would think a "real" cowboy would have made it on the first attempt. Joking!

Jeff and Jordan arrive for their round of poker and, for the second time during the show, Jeff utters the phrase, "let's dance." Either Jeff has run out of cute one-liners, or the editors are just not picking them up like the "Big Brother" editors did! Around back at the roping, Jeff tried several times and conceded that he was a city boy and had to think like a cowboys.

At this point, it's important to point out that frustration is like a third player in the game. Once frustration sets in, the task becomes more difficult. Frustration played a role in the game for several teams, including Monique and Shawne at the roadblock, and numerous teams during the Detour.

Quickest way between two points...
The Detour is a task which both members of the team participate in. The two tasks were "Horse Sense" and "Horse Power." In Horse Sense, the team was given coordinates which they must follow to find a bag buried in the dirt. After finding it, they had to deliver the bag to the lead bandit. If the coordinates on the bag matched those on their clue, they received the clue to the next destination.

In Horse Power, the team went to a polo field and put on the appropriate polo equipment. Alternating turns, the team used a practice pony to maneuver the ball through the goal in nine or fewer strokes.

The cowboys chose Horse Power and expected to use a real horse, as did most of the teams. Instead, they found a wooden horse which they carried from one position to the next. Still, they made the task look like a cinch and crossed to the goal quickly, and under the nine stroke limit.

Meanwhile, Carol and Brandy have begun to show the strain of the race as they bickered quite a bit both during the drive to the Detour and even during the challenge itself. They chose Horse Sense or well, at least one of them chose Horse Sense. A word of advice: stick to the clue! The team discovered a shovel along their path to their bag and rushed toward it abandoning the coordinates. This led to even more bickering. I vicariously enjoyed seeing them dragging a shovel that was not even part of their challenge around the field.

Jeff and Jordan arrived next, and chose Horse Sense. As Jeff read the clue, he immediately mistook the man who handed him his coordinates as the lead bandit. He and Jordan worked together well, found their bag quickly and then took it to the wrong person. Stymied, they headed back out to return the bag.

Joe and Heidi, who left the Roadblock in second place, found themselves in fourth place because of poor navigational skills. They should have taken that piece of information to heart when they chose their challenge, Horse Sense. Declaring that he had a compass on his watch, Joe said he did not need to count the paces as they were for the people without a compass. (I originally gave this team credit for smarts. Not so sure anymore!) Okay, the compass does not tell whether or not to stop. So, they wondered around until they found a rope sticking out of the ground and pulled a bag out. Must be it!

Calling over his shoulder to Jeff about the train station, Joe and Heidi disappear in search of the lead bandit. Jeff wonders what Joe is talking about as he and Jordan continue to look for their bag. It was a costly error because they found their bag quickly and would have been in second place.

Horse Power, meantime, provided a few laughs. Father/daughter team Steve and Allie finished the task but Steve barely managed to mount his horse; however, grace was not a factor in this task and therefore they finished the leg in a surprising second place.

After A LOT OF DEBATE, Carol and Brandy abandoned the Horse Sense task, as did Joe and Heidi, and moved to the Horse Power. More complaining, but both teams managed to finish and ended up in third and fourth places.

Jeff and Jordan finally figured out that the lead bandit was not the gun slinger and headed off to the train station where they delivered the bag they had found earlier. They received a gold coin with the name of the pit stop on it.

Dan and Jordan's attempt at Horse Power was hilarious with the horse bucking one of them off. The only team to require two turns to make it through the challenge they finished in sixth place.

And then there were eight!
Rounding out the finishing teams were Brent and Caite, Louie and Michael and finally, Monique and Shawne, who were eliminated.

After watching 15 previous seasons of TAR, it's obvious that keeping emotions in check is probably a key element in doing well. Once the team descends to bickering or frustration it's hard to get back on track.

The teams head to Germany next week and even though Louie and Michael have been at the bottom lately, I think they will make it through this leg. Steve and Allie were a complete surprise to come in second this time and may do well in the coming weeks if Steve can hold up physically. As to who will be eliminated? Anyone's guess, Brent and Caite could be eliminated if they are not physically strong. Jordan and Daniel could be eliminated if they have to drive another stick shift.