I agree with Michel that the greatest gameplay was volunteering to go to EI. That was an outstanding move. What's even more impressive is what she had to do on EI. This wasn't a case of simply picking up a rock or digging just one foot in the ground, picking up the HII, and then french-kissing it "Yauman style". This poor girl had to dig a trench long enough to lay the Alaskian pipeline only to find out the HII is back at camp!

Everything after that didn't "Wow" me as much as everyone else on these Boards. She clearly needed to tell someone back at camp to buy her time to dig up the HII under the flag. There was no doubt in my mind she would join forces with her "Ho"-Sister from the beginning of this season. As far as playing the HII, that was the biggest no-brainer this season. Dumba$$ Erik point blank told her he was voting her out. Cirie made a convincing case about the imfamous purple rock travesty. So unlike Ozzy and Jason who were told they were safe, the polar opposite was the case for Amanda. No great gameplay here in my opinion. Furthermore there was absolutely no doubt in my mind she had it, so I wasn't surprised when she played it.

She could say all she wants about "not lying" about saying she didn't find it on EI. Saying the current prevented her from getting the clues WAS a blatant lie, so please spare us the self-preservation behavior. Unfortunately for her, the Jury reaction almost forces her to win the final IC otherwise the remaining players will vote out the player most likely to get the most votes--Her.

LAST EDITED ON 05-02-08 AT 11:25 PM (EST)

LAST EDITED ON 05-02-08 AT 10:32 PM (EST)

Think Amanda's game play was brilliant for the way she used the situation to her advantage in her dealings with three of her fellow players and for the fact most of her actions worked in several different ways at once.

(1) She chooses Parvati, who appeared to have become marginalized, and so needed a new ally, for her ally. She then praises Parvati to the jury (during TC) for her loyalty, which simultaneously: (1) reminded people why Parvati was viewed as disloyal in the first place; (2) put subtle pressure on Parvati to remain loyal to her new ally and mentor, Amanda; (3) made it clear to Alexis and Natalie that the other vote against Alexis was coming from Parvati, making Parvati a betrayer of yet another alliance; (4) rewarded Parvati for her help with praise that would most likely not help her beat Amanda if both of them are in final three, but could help Parvati gain a vote or two if Amanda is voted out before final TC despite Parvati remaining loyal to her. Amanda appears to have given Parvati good reason to try to keep Amanda around as long as possible even though Parvati is highly unlikely to be able to beat Amanda at final TC.

(2) She gives a loyalty test to Cirie, in the process keeping Cirie confused about whether or not Amanda has the II. (I think Cirie might have suspected Amanda did, but since Amanda and Parvati did not let Cirie know for sure, Cirie saw no better option at TC than to vote with Alexis and Natalie against Amanda.) Now Amanda can try to hold Cirie to her word that Cirie was only voting against her because of fear of a tie vote. If Cirie turns against her Amanda can tell the jury that not only did Cirie betray Amanda but Cirie was actively trying to turn Amanda against Ozzy before Parvati thought to move against Ozzy. Would not be likely to impress James or Ozzy.

(3) Guilted Eric into telling Amanda she was going to be the target at TC. Tried to guilt him into not voting against her, and when he refused (and he did not make the sensible reply that it was Ozzy, not Amanda, that kept Eric in the game) angrily told the jury that Eric was ungrateful, which (1) helped convince Alexis, Natalie etc. that Amanda had not found the idol; (2) planted some doubt in surviving players minds whether Eric could be trusted, (3) gave herself a good reason for helping to vote Eric out at the first opportunity, and (4) diminished Eric in the eyes of at least some members of the jury (again Ozzy, James) making it unlikely he can get their votes if he does make it to final TC.

And with the possible exception of twirling the idol, Amanda did all this in a way that could not be seen by other players as demeaning or mean spirited. For one episode she was as good as it gets as a strategist. As for next week . .

Come on, Aruba, time to give Amanda some credit.
I don't see how she "had" to tell anyone about the idol. I thought she was making a mistake at first when she did tell Parvati. As it turns out, it was brilliant.
Secondly, neither Erik nor Cirie simply offered up info to Amanda. Amanda talked them into the info they did offer her. Great play by her and great play in trapping Cirie by her own words. Cirie now has to hold to Amanda and Parvati's alliance or be a complete fake and probably lose both their votes.
And do Erik and Cirie offer Amanda any info if she doesn't empty her bag and show them all that she didn't have the HII in the first place? Quite possibly, not.
And yeah, Amanda lied about not finding the 3rd clue, but the crux of her story, that she didn't find the idol, was completely true. So, she lied about a detail. It was a minor and unnecessary lie. It isn't the same as looking someone in the eye and telling them you are voting for someone else and then turning around and voting for them. Not even close in my book.
And that TC performance! Priceless!
There was no way Alexis wasn't picking Batalie and then either Parvati or Cirie for that reward. Then, Alexis doesn't want to send Erik or James to EI, where they can find the idol, so that leaves either Parvati or Amanda. Amanda was the odd-girl out and the obvious choice. Props to her for volunteering though.

>

Iltarion...I AM giving Amanda credit.

I thought it was great gameplay to volunteer to go to EI. I also give her points for her preserverance when digging up that final clue on EI.

I didn't see it as Erik or Cirie "offering" any information to Amanda. And when a targeted player asks other players if they are going to vote for him/her at TC, I hardly consider that "talking them into the information". It's merely asking a question and the player has to decide whether to answer it honestly or not. If anything Erik was being honest with Amanda and if he had half a brain in his skull (which he doesn't) he would have defended himself in that manner to the jury.

As far as lying is concerned, in my book I make these two distinctions. There is the lie one initiates, and there is one committed out of reaction when you are pressed between a rock and a hard place. I don't recall anyone specifically asking her about the clues, so initiating a lie about the current is well...just that...a LIE. I suppose there are those who break "lies" in various degrees as you did. I don't know...in my mind it's like saying someone is only "a little bit pregnant". Either they are or they aren't. So in my book either you initiated a lie or you didn't initiate a lie. To each their own.

The only reason I'm making a semi-big deal about it is because Amanda felt the need to make a general announcement at TC that she didn't lie in that one instance. When watching the episode and Amanda was twirling the idol in celebration and announcing she didn't lie, within two seconds I turned to those I was watching with and said "Why the heck doesn't Erik NOW call her out to the Jury on the lie she DID make just as he was called out for being honest to Amanda. Everyone in unison answered because Erik is a dumba$$.

As for a her gameplay with Cirie as "great"...Amanda wins if she makes it to the Finals regardless of whatever she did last episode. So any gameplay with Cirie or Parvati was irrelevant in my opinion as far as winning the game. The only player who could have beaten Amanda in the Finals was James...and the medical team gave her an early birthday present there.

No one is harder on liars than me. Trust me on that. But, again, we are talking about a false detail in a true story. It is hardly in the league of "my grandma died." When Amanda raised her hand and said she was truthful when she said she didn't have the idol, she was again telling the truth.
Why didn't Erik point out Amanda's lie at camp? Simple. How does he know she lied? Answer me that. I am 100% sure that neither Erik nor anyone else besides Parvati had any clue in that moment HOW Amanda had the idol when she clearly and convincingly showed them all immediately coming back from EI that she did not have the idol. So, Erik might be a dumbass, but you are expecting him to be a genius with a photographic memory if he is supposed to figure out in 5 seconds when and where Amanda lied.
And lastly, ah, Amanda has to MAKE the Finals before she can win it. Her basically forcing Cirie into making a promise makes it more likely she will make the Finals. THAT is why it was good game play. Of course it had nothing to do with what happens at the Finals, which we both agree Amanda likely wins if she makes it there. It is all about getting there for Amanda now. She put Cirie in a tough spot.

>

>Why didn't Erik point out Amanda's
>lie at camp? Simple. How
>does he know she lied?
>Answer me that.

How does one go about finding a HII without being able to read the clues??? Answer me THAT. Fact of the matter is you can't.

It doesn't matter where she found it or how she found...the fact she found it after saying she couldn't get at the clues is a pretty easy lie to jump all over...well easy if you have a half a brain. No photographic memory or genius IQ required.

And the kicker here is Amanda didn't need to create the lie about not being able to read the clues. She could have come back, emptied her bag, and be done with it.

Secondly, neither Erik nor Cirie simply offered up info to Amanda. Amanda talked them into the info they did offer her.

This is a good point, especially about Cirie. Throughout Survivor history, Cirie has been a player who tells it like it is. Remember her fights with Jonathan earlier this season? If you're isolated alliance-wise, and you approach Cirie about it, she'll tell you. She doesn't always play the "I dunno" game that other people do. She sometimes does, but tends to be a little more upfront with people she has/had goodwill toward.

In my opinion, dumping her bag at the beach was the smartest move she made. I thought at first, even if she didn't find it, they'd be gunning for her. It was a great move. They still ended up gunning for her anyway, but she got to find the idol anyway unobserved.

LAST EDITED ON 05-03-08 AT 01:30 PM (EST)

There is the lie one initiates, and there is one committed out of reaction when you are pressed between a rock and a hard place. I don't recall anyone specifically asking her about the clues, so initiating a lie about the current is well...just that...a LIE. I suppose there are those who break "lies" in various degrees as you did.
not to put too fine a point on it, but Amanda was between a rock & a hard place. She knew before going to EI that she was on the chopping block. When she dumped her bag to show she didn't have the idol, she had to say something. I put the lie of "couldn't find it" (because of the current or whatever reason) in the same category as James promising to Jason to not vote against him, but doing it anyway. Amanda did tell her only real alliance mate, Parvati, the truth.

And she did all this after losing her closest ally, James, to an emergency removal.

Way to go, Amanda!