This has been discussed elsewhere, but I thought it might be useful to get it out in the open so that we can get this resolved once and for all, and refer people to this thread when the question comes up again in the future...

The rule, as I understand it, is that a contestant may not sit out two consecutive challenges occuring in a 3 day boot cycle. After a TC, the slate is wiped clean and the counter starts over...

There seems to be confusion about the definition of "consecutive challenges". Some believe the rule applies across episodes, and to challenges occuring on either side of a TC.

I don't have any proof to support either position, but I remember this issue being discussed during previous seasons of Survivor. I recall that the same person did sit out an IC in one episode and then the RC in the following episode...

I'm hoping we can resolve this and that those who have first hand knowledge or examples will step forward and clarify this for us...

Krautboy

• RE: What is the Sit Out Rule?,KObrien_fan, 07:09 PM, 02-16-04
• RE: What is the Sit Out Rule?,tribephyl, 07:26 PM, 02-16-04
  • RE: What is the Sit Out Rule?,KLicK, 07:33 PM, 02-16-04
  • RE: What is the Sit Out Rule?,Krautboy, 08:08 PM, 02-16-04
    • RE: What is the Sit Out Rule?,abbahammer, 10:31 PM, 02-16-04
      • RE: What is the Sit Out Rule?,Krautboy, 11:06 PM, 02-16-04
        • RE: What is the Sit Out Rule?,tribephyl, 02:40 AM, 02-17-04
        • RE: What is the Sit Out Rule?,Flowerpower, 03:07 PM, 02-23-04
• RE: What is the Sit Out Rule?,dabo, 09:25 AM, 02-17-04
• RE: What is the Sit Out Rule?,katethegreat, 07:01 PM, 02-18-04
  • RE: What is the Sit Out Rule?,Brownroach, 11:34 AM, 02-19-04
• Shii Ann sits out RC in EP5?,Krautboy, 02:43 PM, 02-23-04

The way Jeff says it, he says "Remember you can not sit out back to back challenges" They are out there for up to 39 days and they don't play as if the game were episodes on TV. So to the survivors when they hear the rule "back to back" challenges, it means RC IC RC IC RC IC regardless of the TV episode cycle may be. This is my opinion based on watching the show and never have I heard anything that says it restarts after each tribal council.

I will do some digging to see if I can find proof one way or the other.

Surgeon General G.A.W.K.U.R's of OT

The rule, as I understand it, is that a contestant may not sit out two consecutive challenges occuring in a 3 day boot cycle. After a TC, the slate is wiped clean and the counter starts over...

You understand correctly.

For example in S4, after the tribes were mixed up, Rotu had 8 members and Maraamu had 5. The following immunity challenge was was the "Life's a tapestry" challenge.
John, RobM and Sean were sit-outs for this game. Regardless, Maraamu lost and Sarah was booted.
The next challenge was the "Tiki Towers" challenge (for RC). This was the original blindfold challenge, Rotu decided to use only Robert, John, Tammy and Gabe for the challenge. Meaning that RobM and Sean sat out again (along with Vee and Zoe).

So it is fair to assess that "no person can sit-out in back-to-back challenges", unless we are in the next 3day cycle.

Answered?

But you can call me tribe. S7ABCABP Winner

I was just coming in with the same example.

I wish JP would word it differently, "If you sit out the RC, you cannot sit out the IC."

Thanks Tribe! That's the example I was hoping someone would remember!

Krautboy

How this affect the fact then that Jenna left and no one sat out?
Do we go back to the previous challenge? Or is it gone now?

I think I am more confused now.

What do you expect from a dog....

Abbahammer

The cycle should "reset" after each boot. Since Jenna left the game, the tribes should be able to sit out anyone for the RC...

Krautboy

LAST EDITED ON 02-17-04 AT 02:45 AM (EST)

Absolutely correct.

Come to think of it.
JP has never said, "the same person can not sit out back to back challenges" before an IC.
I guess, that's just something we didn't really pick up on.

But you can call me tribe. S7ABCABP Winner

For example....Sue sat out for the reward building the shelter challenge, then Jenna left, and Sue again sat out for the next reward, remember the items in the other tribemates boxes to match challenge. It was a new 3 day cycle.

The sit-out rule is whatever Jiffy determines it to be. My own personal opinion is that he isn't very stickler about it because the whole situation might change in the next episode, but that's no reason to give the yo-yo contestants a forewarning.

In any event, it does not seem to carry over from one episode to the next. But the cancelled IC in ep 3 would probably count as a reset regardless, since it has to be presumed that the sit-outs in RC3 would have performed in that challenge.

Thanks so much for this thread, because many people seem to assume that if you sit out in an IC, you can't sit out the next RC. But I don't thinbk they have ever enforced that (thanks for the example!). In the IC challenge thread, many are making so much out of who's sitting out (Amber), so it "can't" be the RC, since she sat out the RC last week (the last challenge . . . ) Anyway, I do think the cube is the IC, but not BECAUSE Amber is sitting out. The only thing that the IC sit-outs tell us is who DOESN'T sit out the RC in that same week. Jeff is misleading in his wording, or maybe they just enforce this rule when they feel like it. But the average viewer doesn't remeber who sat out the IC last week; they probably don't remember from RC to IC in an episode!

I'm too lazy to go searching for another example , but in fact, the example tribephyl cited is the *only* time I remember people sitting out back-to-back challenges. Can anyone recall another instance of someone sitting out IC and then the following RC?

I always suspected they were lax on that one occasion only because Rotu outnumbered Maraamu so badly. I think the rule is *supposed* to mean no back-to-back sit-outs, period. But as Dabo says, it's *really* whatever Jiffy wants it to mean at any given time.