Was he making out with Shirtless Jake?

Run, Hayden! Run like the wind!

Day 49

Enzo: If I survive, I'm gunning for revenge

Matt: hehehehehehe

Britney: I want Brendon gone.

Brendon: Britney's a spoiled brat!

He tells his picture of Rachel about his woes...

Hayden/Lane wants Matt on the block if the nominations don't stay the same... because if not, he'll run away with the game...

Lane tries to explain it that Matt is playing the house against each other, and he has been targeting alliances/couples... and since Brendon is an outcast, he can be eliminated at any time... (save for the fact that he can win competitions...)

LAST EDITED ON 08-25-10 AT 08:22 PM (EST)

Time to pick players.

Britney picks Houseguests Choice, and chooses Matt
Brendon picks Lane
Enzo picks Hayden

Ragan is hosting (by default) He will do it inside the house so that being able to see the scores doesn't influence his hosting.

Each will start with 50 Veto Points.
Positive points for Punishments
Negative points for Prizes.

They're in cages to isolate each other from seeing the scores. A light above them indicates that they were able to ring in first... No one can see the others' lights, though...

Receiver of Prizes won't be revealed...

Chum Baths for 24hrs for +5: Brendon
Handcuff to a hamster of their choice for +7: Brendon or Britney
Phone call from loved one for -6: Lane
Have Not for 3 weeks for +11: Brendon
Shave head (guys)/Dye hair Pink for remainder of summer (Britney) (+points, not sure on number...): Brendon
Penguin Outfit for the week for +10: Enzo
Hawaiian trip for -11: Hayden
Have Not pass for the summer -8:
Chalkboards for who wants $5k: Hayden with about 25 or 35
Give up all clothes for charity for +13: Enzo

They try to convince everyone that Matt is the only one that won prizes.

Well, if that's not the definition of a rigged competition. You have four players going after every punishment, and only Enzo and Brendon get punishments?

Plus, I know they've done this in the past, but it's ridiculous that they don't reveal who got what. Everyone knew Rachel got 5k, everyone knew Monet got 5k, everyone knew Enzo got a TV, everyone should know Hayden and Lane got prizes.

BTW, within the rules of the game, it was some excellent mind screwery that Hayden used in taking the prizes. Top tier stuff.

And that's what's bothering me. The biggest meathead in the house (and the meathead bar is quite high this year) actually pulled the best fake-out on the house.

It helped that he had Enzo (meathead #2) and Lane (meathead #3) unintentionally running interference.

But all Brit had to do was to confront Hayden (just to see, on the off chance, heck she should have quizzed each of them) and ask him if he won the prizes, and his fumbling response would have given him away.

I think Chilltown did the same thing a while back too (he's not Dr. Will, I know).

Apparently, he's been the smoothest social player by far in this house. He's gotten in good with pretty much everyone without overplaying his hand, and letting other people do all the dirty work (we didn't see a single talk with Britney despite being a prime veto candidate, yet he wasn't even mentioned by her later on). He's been pretty great at this.

Yeah, I don't know if All-Stars was the most recent incarnation of this competition prior to this week or not, but regardless, that is exactly what Chilltown did in that competition: Take as many prizes as possible and who cares who wins the comp, even if it's the one everyone wants out?

They indicate if each question was answered with yes or no...

Brendon won the handcuff punishment and chose Britney.

Ragan shaved Brendon's head personally when it came up...

Matt and Britney wanted to take punishments, but couldn't do it fast enough...

Nobody took the Have Not pass.

Person who earned the most points was Brendon, and Enzo figured that he probably lost by about 2 points...

Britney is ticked that peeps took prizes instead of punishments... to the point that she's thinking that everyone is a replacement nominee... (except Ragan, probably, who hosted...) and she's ranting to Ragan and Matt about it...

Everyone else is in the Have Not room and comparing notes... and Lane admitted that he won the phone call. They figure that Matt won the $5k and Hawaii trip... (Hayden is claiming that he didn't win those prizes... and staying silent as they're ranting about it...)

Lane goes up to try to pitch Matt for replacement nominee again... after Matt/Ragan leave...

He DR's that he likes Britney, but that won't stop him from manipulating her to keep the Lane/Enzo/Hayden Brigade together for as long as possible...

who knew Britney could blink in morse code.

Help Me.

Round 3.

Box of mystery/? mark...

1 hour of advice from a hamster from a previous season...

She decides to open the box... and it contains... Jessie from the past two seasons... and he wants to give her training tips...

Meanwhile, outside in the back yard, they're having a Hawaiian luau for the next hour, Have Nots included... and there is a monitor for her to watch what's going on with them!

She gets an hour of training torture for her trouble... instead of BB advice...

First we get Brendon/Britney getting handcuffed together... and then the bells for hourly chum baths... to the point that they sleep most of the night outside so he's close enough to the chum bathtub...

Britney in the DR with Brendon after talking about the first chum bath...: Help me...

OK, I still hate Enzo, but I'm becoming convinced that he is a better social player than I gave him credit for.

!!

Matt throwing Ragan under the bus, and everyone else is trying to throw Matt under the bus for doing so...

You know, it took forever, but it's nice to see an episode of people playing the game on a true Big Brother level.

-Hayden takes rewards and then pawns the responsibility on his target
-Britney goes into handcuffs with Brendon in good spirits and treats him nicely (a notable strategy talk was unaired)
-Britney softens Ragan for a potential Matt nom and solidifies her own role
-Enzo and Lane take advantage of Matt's loyalty to a disloyal group and throw him under the bus

Just a great series of events, even if I can't stand most of these people.

Britney was thoroughly entertaining this week.

She should get her own show after this, she's a natural.

Can you or anyone enlighten us about the strategy discussion? Why does Matt dress up like the Unibomber for every POV? Can't wait to see him go...will anyone volunteer to file down Ragan's incisors?

The highlight basically resulted in a covert F2 pact that, if Brendon's talks to the feeders are to be believed, he plans to keep for some period of time. He thinks that he can beat her in the end and that she'll compete in competitions, even if he can't trust her. I doubt Brit keeps it, but they've seem to come to some level of understanding or respect (and the veto meeting was less...hostile than I expected).

It was pretty dumb to choose Ragan. Matt should have kept on pushing for Hayden.

Agreed. But I think that's a credit to the rest of the Brigade. Lane exposed immediately a small sin of taking the phone call to both Britney and everyone but Ragan. It gave him some legitimacy in taking the view off of Hayden (as he pinned the blame on Matt). Enzo was able to push Matt deeper into a hole, and Hayden didn't have to push on his own. I think Matt was going to struggle uphill if he suggest Hayden too...but it was DEFINITELY dumb to suggest Ragan. Britney may break deals, but (in her mind) it's obvious when she's going to do it. To her, Matt betraying Ragan is like her betraying Monet: a week one partner who had been 100% loyal to him. Stupid move. I think Matt was trying to ensure a split brigade vote if he went up but that backfired horribly

>It was pretty dumb to choose
>Ragan. Matt should have kept
>on pushing for Hayden.

I don't think it was "dumb." I think it was Matt, for some reason, believing he's still part of the "The Brigade." So, the only option left was Ragan.

>I don't think it was "dumb."
> I think it was
>Matt, for some reason, believing
>he's still part of the
>"The Brigade." So, the
>only option left was Ragan.

I like the "some reason". Isn't he dumb if he still believes he's in the Brigade? That would mean his "reason" for going after Ragan was absurd or, shall we say, unreasonable!

Brendon takes himself off of the block (no speeches shown)

Matt is put up as his replacement.

Hoodie Smirk joins Meow Meow Penguin on the block...

Britney: I don't trust Matt as far as I can throw him...

Matt: The Brigade's efforts to put up Ragan has backfired... (they faked him out, but good)

Enzo: Matt, get ready to turn in your Brigade card...

Ragan: I'm not as sad about this as I would've been a couple of hours ago... Funny how a stab in the back changes someone...

If Matt leaves tommorrow, I really wish that his goodbye messages include something like: "Sorry Matt, I know you were playing for your sick wife so I simply couldn't let you get to the end." Just so that Matt fully realizes he outsmarted himself.

As long as Brendon says something like "Big Dummy" or "You came between me and my woman", I'll be happy. A wife lie thing would be delicious too. I see the benefits of the lie if he made F2, but I've thought it was dumb as an in-game move for a while. I think that's something you reveal later on if you plan to do it, only if you're playing an "open" game

LAST EDITED ON 08-26-10 AT 01:20 PM (EST)

Predictions:

Elimination #1 = Matt (pretty much foreordained right now)

Elimination #2 = Brendon. If any hamster except Brendon wins HoH, Brendon will be nominated. Too late for back-dooring now, so he will go up. And I have to think the he won't win another POV, even though he could, I think the odds are against him.

If Brendon wins HoH or POV, Ragan goes home.

This is why I didn't start a Rush To Judgment prediction thread for tonight. Unless someone grows a neural net, the eliminations feel like they're just about set in diamond.

And then it will be Yawnville for the rest of the season. Not that this has been exhilirating thus far, but...
It wouldn't surprise me if the HOH or the POV was set up specifically to help Brendon.

Day 52

Matt: What happened? I thought the Brigade was gonna help me put Ragan up?

Britney: Stabbing Ragan into the back cause me to put up Matt.

Enzo: After Matt, we'll be targeting Brendon, Britney, and Ragan... chop 'em all out...

After trying to talk to Ragan... and failing, Matt realizes while talking to Britney that she told him that he was throwing him under the bus...

Matt tries to semi-explain himself together, but in an effort to clear the air, he has an epiphany about the Brigade being together... and Matt tries to spin it to Lane/Hayden that he would be targeting the Brigade... and they would need Matt to head him off...

We then see Ragan studying and thinking that he needs to win the HoH to break up the Brigade...

Enzo takes a long time to get his speech out and it's a semi-love fest for both of them...

Brendon VTE Matt (for Rachel)
Hayden VTE Matt
Ragan VTE Matt
Lane VTE Matt

Goodbye Smirk! Vote of 4-0

Julie roasts Matt on the coals for both throwing the HoH competition going into this week, and also not outing the Brigade to save himself...

Deliveing the Goods

The game will begin with a question that requires two names. All of the names will be in a pit of packing peanuts at the end of the lane...

They can only bring back one name at a time...

Which two hamsters have held the title of HoH twice? (Matt/Rachel)

They must then lock in their answer with the buzzer/pop-up light.

Brendon got Matt's name first, but Hayden was able to find both Matt and Rachel's names very quickly and Hayden is now the HoH!

His nominations are after the break.

We get some quick strategy with basically Hayden and everyone but Ragan... Including a Brigade + Brendon meeting in the patio room...

Hayden nominates Brendon and Ragan...

Before and After.

Spin on a paint can b/a Bowling on Lover's Lane: Before. No eliminations.

Hang 10: Andrew fell off b/a Kristen: After. No eliminations.

Matt called Brendon a Big Dummy b/a the Zingbot's arrival: After. Enzo's eliminated.

Rachel win $5k b/a she said 'Bring it on' during her 2nd nomination meeting: After. Brendon's eliminated.

2nd Saboteur's first message b/a J/J's arrival: Before. Britney's eliminated.

No slop announcement b/a 'Grab a life vests' from Rachel: Before. Ragan wins the POV and can save himself!

This POV was made to help Brendon. Look at the question:
#1 includes the bowling POV which was do or die for Brenchel.
#2 includes Andrew, Brendon's ally
#3 is about Brendon himself
#4 is about Rachel
#5 is again tied to the POV that Brendon or Rachel needed to win.
#6 is about Rachel again.

I mean everyone who studied had a chance but all the questions (except maybe #2 which is a stretch) had a personal angle for Brendon.

Ragan saves himself, Britney is the replacement nominee...

Round 2.

The love-fest continues, even from Brendon...

Enzo VTE Brendon
Ragan VTE Brendon (and he gets two killshots in one night)
Lane VTE Brendon

Brendon can join Matt on the Sweep Express to the Jury House... and go re-hook up with Rachel again...

Secondary HoH details will be on the Live Feed 8 thread.

Gracious and confused --

-- and because this show can never do anything right, we're out of time. HoH may or may not be on the feeds. Or tonight. Or take place at all. There's a story circulating that Endemol is in financial trouble: why not save half a million and kill the series right now?

They could save what ever it costs for Julie's makeup, I think they use a backhoe to heap it on. It's hard to tell if she's a Golem or a robot. I'm voting Golem.

I'll be the first to make the obvious prediction for next eviction:

The only chance left to break a piece of the Brogade off is for Brit or Ragan to win. Then a Bro goes home. It'll be two Bro's against 2 'ho's.

Otherwise, it'll probably be Ragan although they might feel that he's a good F2 partner.

LAST EDITED ON 08-26-10 AT 09:38 PM (EST)

I think if Britney wins a bro goes home. If Brit/Ragan don't see those 3 are together, Brit/Ragan deserve to lose.

Samboobree, brought to life by Arkie

LAST EDITED ON 08-27-10 AT 02:23 AM (EST)

A Bro' could go home but not Lane. It's incredible how well he's positioned himself. If Brit or Ragan win HOH, they put up Enzo and Hayden. Even if Lane has to go up as replacement, Brit and Ragan control the vote so Lane stays.

If Britney wins HOH and Lane wins POV, he could even force her to put up Ragan and get him out of the house. Would he force Ragan to put up Britney? If Ragan is HOH, Lane shouldn't even try to win POV, accept to be nominated if Enzo or Hayden win POV but then Lane is saved by the vote.

If Enzo wins HOH then Ragan and Britney go up and, even if Lane has to go on the block after POV, Hayden and Enzo control the vote.