Hooray! Useless Sierra is finally gone. I am at peace with whatever happens now. It would have been a travesty to see her dragged along for another week.

1. Stephen- In complete control. Frankly, where's his competition? The guy betrays the warrior alliance and comes out smelling like new car. He wins the popularity contest and warrants nary an eyebrow raised. His only challenge remains picking the right people for the FTC. A two person FTC with him and Taj would be his best bet. A 3 person FTC could cause problems. There is no guarantee he would win a vote against JT or Erinn.
2. JT- Moves back up after taking no heat for his betrayal of the warrior alliance. In fact, everyone STILL appears to trust him. He would still be the favorite to win a vote, though I doubt Stephen will let him make it that far. Almost came from behind to beat Coach in the IC.
3. Coach- Confrontation with Sierra was his low point of the season. Fortunately for him, he quickly followed it with his high point of the season by winning the IC. Is a IC run in him? Is it possible he has been laying low til now? Possible, though his ego would seem to make that unlikely. Did his lie about Sierra seal her fate and or was it unnecessary? If it was the former, then good move by him. If it was the latter, then he needs to drop the "tell no lies" routine. As much as I abhor lying, I don't have much of a problem with lying to someone who has already lied to you. Since Stephen and JT would fall into that category, then there you go. Having to defend yourself to a liar like Sierra must have been infuriating.
4. Debbie- Got more face time and showed she's doing everything she can. Attempt to rally Timbura was a good idea though Erinn would have made it impossible anyway. Unfortunately for her, she saw how Coach can be a bad ally due to his desire to tell the truth, though not the whole truth. If she plays too hard next episode, she just paints a bigger target on her back. Her best bet would have been to lay low and hope the targeting of the strong continued.
5. Erinn- Sitting pretty now. Even has a chance to win if she can make the FTC and face a mostly Timbura jury. Would she get Tyson, Coach, or Debbie's vote? That would be the big question. If she is against JT, then no. But if she were with Stephen and Taj, then maybe. And Stephen may want JT out of the FTC for his own chances. Problem is- I don't see a winner in her edit. I know she's made only one move in the game, but still. Only Taj has gotten less play the past so many episodes. If she did win, no winner would have won by doing less. Don't see it though.
6. Taj- Speaking of doing less, Taj is trying to set a new bar for UTR. This is quite the change from the shaker and mover in the first 4 episodes. The revealing of her family next episode likely won't help her already sparse chances.

the long awaited kiss goodbye
Hallelujah. Tried to bring surviving to a new level by skating by from literally Day 1. Something about her obviously is off-putting enough to make it immaterial whether her or Coach were telling the truth. Darn glad with her departure.

>

LAST EDITED ON 05-02-09 AT 07:32 AM (EST)

"Having to defend yourself to a liar like Sierra must be infuriating." "Coach can be a bad ally due to his desire to tell the truth."

You're kidding right? Seriously, Coach has been lying, or exaggerating if you prefer, since Day One, to the point where it makes his grasp of reality seems questionable. And when called on it he actually increases the lie with comments like the thought of lying or betrayal "makes me sick." Lying appears to be as integral a part of his character as self-delusion. (And I don't dislike the guy; I've found him very entertaining, the Michael Scott of Survivor.)

LAST EDITED ON 05-02-09 AT 08:19 PM (EST)

No, I couldn't be any more serious. Sierra was a known liar and couldn't be trusted by anyone. To be caught in a lie by her and forced to explain your way around it in front of everyone I'm sure was very frustrating and infuriating. Whether Coach is a liar or not makes no difference. If you are going to get called out by someone, the last person you want to answer to is Sierra.
The gist I got from Coach's explanation of events in front of everyone is that he was trying to tell as much of the truth as possible, even throwing Debbie under the bus in doing so. So, either he does have an aversion to lying and wanted to be as truthful as possible, or he wanted to get Debbie in trouble, or he figured a lie surrounded by truth is more believable, or he's just stupid. My feeling was it was the first option. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe he's just stupid or a very skillful liar, but I don't think he's stupid and if he was this pathological grand champion liar then wouldn't he have thought of something better that wouldn't have burned Debbie? Right. Logic seems to lean towards the first option. Maybe he is delusional and is willing to discard the truth as quickly as anyone, but he does seem to at least desire the image of truthfulness. So, there you have it.
And exaggeration and distortion, true, but what lies do we know Coach has told? There are a lot of assumptions being made. I assume he lied to Brendan when Brendan was booted, and his first line to Stephen and JT that "Sierra said she wanted to get Timbura back together," which certainly seems to be a lie, though the editing might have left out a lot of that conversation, therefore we can't even know that is a lie for sure.

Also, regarding some other posts, Erinn voted for Stephen because she told Sierra she wouldn't be voting for her. So, that's a lie she wouldn't have to answer to later on.

>

1. JT - It is funny how much everyone trusts him. He truly is playing the game and the people well. I don't think he'll make it to the final tribal council though since nobody there could be dumb enough to think they can beat him.

2. Stephen - I don't like him but again he is playing the game well with JT. I do see him turning on JT soon though and taking TAJ and Erinn to final TC.

3. TAJ - She seems like she's been playing the game all along. I see her making it to final tribal because she won't win if she gets there.

4. Erinn - I haven't seen every episode but the ones I've seen she has either been seen very little or practically not at all. I wonder though how much control or influence she has on the boys above. I see her going to final tribal too since she won't win either.

5. Debbie - I dislike her and her fit throwing. She would have been much better off being honest and saying yeah we tried but she wouldn't here of it so.... But to throw a temper tantrum when you're the one lying, whatever.

6. Coach - He is an idiot. He makes me sick bringing up how he can not abide lying, throws a little religion in, and then proceeds to lie his but off. I have disliked him from day one and will dance the happy dance when he is finally gone (which of course means he'll be around for awhile....)

Booted. Sierra - I never had the hate for her that everyone else did but JT and Stephen were right to want to get rid of her because she was unpredictable. She could have turned on them next and created problems they wouldn't be able to handle.

Aruba, so much animosity isn't good for you.

1) STEPHEN (4,5,6,2,2,2,3,2,1)- Stephen's strategic game is the way I wish I could play. If he wins, he will have to be rated right up there with the best ever. However, he did something I didn't like; winning a reward challenge that you don't want to win. We know about the car curse but has anyone won the game after winning the coconut-chop type challenge? Rob C won it, didn't he?

2) ERINN (7,1,1,4,3,2,3,2)- This was Survivor at its core: "In my own personal tally of things that I’ve done in my life that I never thought I would overcome, this is going to be at the top of the list.” No Soap Opera, just survival. Something any fan should appreciate.
As far as the game is concerned, she was in a great spot but she has some explaining to do.

3) JT (3,4,3,5,5,4,1,3,3)- JT was the one that manipulated Stephen into voting out Sierra instead of Debbie so maybe, just maybe...

4) TAJ (9,6,4,6,6,6,4,5)- Twice now, Taj has reassured Stephen that Erinn is trustworthy so maybe, just maybe...
As far as: "It's a sad day for Survivor when this challenging contest gets described as a ridiculous "Soap Opera" by an UTR player."
I will say that the one responsible for the Soap Opera was your #2 rated player who quoted the bible to prove his virginity. Also, what do you propose Taj do instead of staying off the radar? Blow up at everybody just to make herself a target? Win an immunity challenge that she doesn't need? She is playing smartly. I guess that is why it is so hard to grasp.

5) DEBBIE (12,13,8,8,8,7,6,4)- Showed an ugly hypocrite side when she did to Sierra the same thing she had criticized last week. This time, it was Debbie who wanted to talk to Sierra and when she heard unpleasant truths, Debbie was the one who said "this converstaion is over." However, lets not discount Debbie as a shrewd player in this game. I did like her imitation of Jeff: "Debbie with her first bag!"

6) Coach (8,8,11,10,10,9,7,7) This week Coach reminded me of Sean Kenniff!! Yes, the megalomaniac, pathological liar known as Coach reminded me of the soft-spoken doctor. I could imagine Coach saying: "If they lie to me one more time THEN I will know they aren't being honest."

Booted) SIERRA (1,3,2,3,4,5,5,6) - When you watch the Insider Clip, you understand much more Sierra's last episode and it makes it hard to blame her. She had convinced Taj, Erinn and Stephen which meant 4 out of 7 votes except Stephen had to go with JT.

Jenna actually won it, but Amazon was kind of a screwy season.

Didn't Rob C. intentionally tanked the chop challenge by giving the wrong answers? It was, considering the way he was playing the game, his smartest strategy for that particular challenge.

Thank you, you are right, I was thinking of the episode #10 Q&A challenge that Rob won.

Ah... I think what Stephen did on EI was surviving. What Erinn did was "dying" if she had to stay out there for a couple more days. The only surviving she did was when the crew picked her up and brought her back after 2 days. Hahaha... The weather made it difficult for her to do anything else, I understand, but I don't think we are tuning in to see people curl up in the fetal position until the crew comes to their rescue. I think we already know a human can survive a rain storm. I think it has more to do with "overcoming." At least she admitted she was out of her element though.

>

>Aruba, so much animosity isn't good
>for you.

Nah, not animosity; just continue to be flabbergasted at the continued incompetence of the casting crew for Survivor.

>Also, what
>do you propose Taj do
>instead of staying off the
>radar?

For starters she could try playing the game more like the castaway I ranked #1 so I wouldn't have to rank her #5. But that would mean she couldn't take the easy cop-out approach she has been taken the past several episodes.

>2) ERINN (7,1,1,4,3,2,3,2)- This was Survivor
>at its core...any fan should appreciate.

Yes the rainstorm was wicked, but make no mistake a major reason we saw Erinn in the "survival" mode was because she showed us her "pathetically inept" mode leading up to her curled in a fetal position.

Call me cold and callous, but I felt no more remorse or pity for Erinn than I do for those tone-deaf auditioners who can't hang a tune and are appropriately told by Simon Cowell to scram.

The difference is American Idol has a Simon who assures only competent contestants get chosen...something Survivor is lacking.

The majority opinion, from what I have read here and at other sites, is that this cast is a homerun.

And, as far as American Idol is concerned, I don't care, I don't watch. Competent artists wouldn't need the hype.

Personally I would say the cast is slightly better than what we've had the past few season...but a "homerun?" Let's not get ridiculous now.

I don't really watch AI myself except for the first couple audition shows where wannabes make a total a$$ of themselves. Although I disagree with the "hype" label. A lot of talent would remain hidden if not for that show so it does serve a purpose.

1) Stephen - Shot way up my list when he orchestrated Tyler's demise. Perhaps it is the edit, or perhaps he is coming in to his own now, but he's demonstrating more personality and strategic ability now. I just can't figure out why he chose to vote off Sierra when she wasn't a threat.

2) JT - I've been completely wrong about this guy. His word is meaningless.

3) TAJ - She makes me chuckle.

4) Debbie - Meh. What was she crying about?

5) Erinn - This hairdresser is having one bad hair day after another.

6) Coach - Oh shut up.

BOOTED) SIERRA - She went out with a bang. Must be some kind of b--tch to have everyone disliking her so but I didn't see it. The kid is cute as a button.

1. Stephen
2. JT
3. Taj
4. Erinn
5. Coach
6. Debbie

I gotta find a way to get to this thread more than just a few hours before the next ep.

1 - Stephen(1B,3,2,2,3,3,2) - this guy seems popular enough to be a real threat if he's F2. He has really grown as a person, and his social game was unexpected at the start.

2 - JT (1A,2,3,3,2,7,1) - can tell a lie with a straight face, and remain popular. He cast the bait to Coach, and Coach took it, hook, line and sinker.

3 - Taj (5,6,5,6,6,5,5) - her story isn't necessary right now and so she appears to UTR. I think the arcs for Erinn and Debbie are just getting more time rather than Taj not doing anything.

4 - Debbie (3,4,7,7,9,12,13) - the stress of the game is starting to show - lack of sleep, food and game-playing has made her snap a bit. But she's still a lot smarter than Erinn, who is just coasting.

5 - Erinn(4,5,8,8,7,11,10) - in S7 Sandra just coasted while others fried some fish. Erinn is able to take advantage the same way. The end is near for her.

6 - the Liar(7,8,9,11,12,13,14) - doesn't recognize truth/reality even when it slaps him in the face. Truly a reason to NOT watch.

Gonzo Alonzo - Sierra - maybe Tyson was right, she really isn't well liked ... except by some producer.