Thanks vince and jbug!

If anyone wants to read the MESS GUT I wrote this week (shameless plug), it's here:
http://survivorsucks.yuku.com/topic/82196/master/1/?page=1
"A Twist is Born"
The picks are the group consensus; the silliness is mine.

I am not happy for myself falling for the Andrea does well in challenge idea.
I really didn't see how she could beat Rob or Grant on the log roll, but the hair was there ... and she seemed an unlikely one for Grant to pick to eat. Now it all makes sense of course.

Yes, thx for the updates. Also, as much as I hate to say it, Russel has to be enjoying watching this. Now 6/6 main island and 7/10 total players are original oma's .

the ratings this week are gonna be bad

Duel: JW/MC/ME
Boot 1: Ralph
Boot 2: Steve
Immunity 1: Grant
Immunity 2: Rob

LAST EDITED ON 04-27-11 AT 11:53 PM (EST)

A rather subdued edit of Rob tonight, which I take as a sign that this is where we will see his game start to unravel. Grant was dictating strategy regarding booting Andrea, and Rob agreed rather than dismiss it as he did with Phillip earlier.

And prospective victim Andrea came up with a prominent and ultimately triumphant (if unbeknownst to her) edit by the end. Plus her ties to Matt were re-established, a good sign. It all seemed to portend the slippage of Rob's control.

Rob will be going down. But not yet. My early pick for next week's boot is Natalie.

I'm having computer problem so I'll need to make thsf ast but, BR, on first watch, it seemed to paint Andrea negatively, especially mIKe's confessional and talk with Julie. Then, because Andrea is somewhat likable, I thought it very important that Grant was the first to mention her name: Less blame on rob

Thanks jbug and Vince! This episode turned out to be more interesting than I thought it would be, despite the Pagonging.

- Big uptick in the Matt/Andrea storyline. Will he forgive her? Will one of them unseat Rob and/or make the finals? Sure seems like God and CBS are on Matt's side.

- Nice to see Grant finally talking strategy! But were his moves smart? Natalie sure didn't seem happy about the chocolate (although at least he explained how he wanted to keep Andrea feeling secure). And his "I love you Rob" and picking Rob for the reward should put Phillip and the 3 degrees on notice. But his sudden spike in airtime has me a bit worried for him.

- The All Stars discussion at TC was very interesting, esp. Jeff's commentary, but I feel like I need to rewatch it again before deciding on an interpretation. Would love to get others' take on this -- i.e. has Rob truly learned from his past mistakes? Will he avoid being Ambered this time? Will one of his blindsides cost him the game?

Re Next Time:
No mention of Family Visit...although we did see Ashley and Natalie crying.

The challenge looks epic....lots of stairs....Grant would seem to be a favorite, but I could also see Natalie having good endurance as a dancer.

Rob's quote about "32 days of hard work gone, just like that" seems to be ominous, but is it just misdirection?

Frankly, I found Matt to be somewhat pathetic out there this episode. If he is ready to be done, then let him be done. I am getting to the point where if he were to be the first winner at the first RI duel, and spend the entire show there, than how can he say he really played the game? Sure he won some competitions, but now that there are three competing in the second half of the show, it's not like he even needs to "win" the challenges, he just needs to not lose. He didn't make enemies because he never voted anyone off, of course they all love him. I would still think that the argument alone that any of the players that were NOT voted out, could be made to win the game in the end.
We'll see.

Regarding the uptick in the Matt/Andrea association. I don't quite know what to make of it. I did have vibes that Andrea would indeed thwart the boot last night, and in the next episode perhaps. But, with her increase in confessionals with this episode, it could foreshadow her impending boot, where she'll be reunited with Matt one way or the other. Again, we'll see....

Did you see Natalie's face when she wasn't picked for the chocolate....that was priceless! I think Rob is playing this game to perfection. He's made a very cohesive tribe. Then in the previews he's discussing that what comes next won't be easy, that one of them will be going to RI...how much more diplomatic can you be at a time like this?

Yes, I would agree that Rob's comment did lead me to believe that he didn't win....could it be foreshadowing or misdirection?

Re: "how much more diplomatic can you be at a time like this?"

I would choose the word strategic to describe his actions. Everything Rob does is game related. He wants to control his tribe's votes, their actions, their thoughts and even their emotions. Thus it is ROB who holds the Sprint phone doling out emotional rewards for good behavior(loyalty). Only Rich Hatch and Russell have approached this level of control over a tribe. But Rob pretty much owns the control-freak title I'd say.

But does this equate to a winning strategy? That's not near as decisive....just read the David criteria for his winner vote. And there will be more Zaps on the Jury than Omes. What one tribe views as excellent game play can be entirely different for another tribe.

I think JP summed it up best in a recent quote...~'Rob is the best player to have never won'. And it may be coming true again.
Jmho

I just kept repeating Shii Ann's mantra "Stupid stupid people."

Perfect timing- The women had a 3-2 advantage over Zaps but they ran and told Rob...even after they talked about Lex...They all think they are Amber...FP we need a photoshop!!

Something like this, perhaps? (Pulled over from Sucks)

Great pic!!

I was more thinking Rob with the 5 Omes with Amber heads! But this is hilarious.

Who will be Rob's AMBER....

They all want to be Rob's Amber....

This clip's funny too -- Rob's Angels with Grant as Bosley.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsjiYL1x4Hk

Hey, FP, you forgot 2... "I love you Rob!"

My power came back on sometime between 12:30 and 3am... The timeline kept getting pushed back and after it got pushed back to 4am and it was around midnight I gave up and went to bed... and woke up with the lights back on at 3am...

So, they had a quick mental challenge for the IC at TC, huh? makes sense so that it would be quick and easy... and it can be done at any location they really want to have it...

Yes, as spec'd, quick IC at TC. 8 cards w/symbols in the package. Memory game where Jeff showed them a series and then they had to play back the symbols in order.

At least the 2nd IC was better than the RI challenge, which was shuffleboard. Very lame!

hmmm...I had power all nite vince, Pgh weather???

Wind gusts at about 2:30pm knocked out power in Sheraden after (at least in my house) a little flickering. Duquesne Light said it was equipment failure. I saw lights in areas a couple of blocks away, but each time I had ventured out and then returned home, the entire street was dark: No house lights, no street lights, nothing except ambient light from lights that could be seen further away...

Call initially said 5pm, then indefinite. Went to the library, returned at 8 and they said around 10. Played DS for a bit and comforted cat... At 10pm they said around 11:30pm, so went out to get something to eat and a little bit of groceries and gas... (listened to end of bloody hockey game at Settler's Cabin Giant Eagle... grrrr...) Came back close to midnight and they then said 4am... Gave up and went to bed. Next thing I know I wake up and the lights are finally back on. Turned on computer and it said 3-something...