I have loved Russel from Day 1, and when he found the hidden Immunity Idol, I was very impressed. Then I heard him say that he doesnt need the money as he is a wealthy man by his profession anyways. So that got me to wondering.

Does anyone else wonder how much money he spent preparing himself for the show. I bet he watched all the seasons before yes, but I also wonder if he hired a team of sociologists, phyciatrists, and etc. to guide him and prepare him for what he would encounter.

My point. Had anyone ever considered trying to find an idol that may or may not be there? Do you remember when he let the chickens out, he said it is time to cause some chaos and stir the pot up to keep the eyes off from himself. He likes deflecting feelings at each other and away from him. Remember when he says that someone is a threat he needs to get rid of them as fast as he can so that he doesnt expose himself in the game and put a target on his back. These are all the things he has used to his gain.

With the amount of money he has, I am betting my last dollar that he formed a team of professionals to guide him thru the game before he left so he would be able to show all you have to do is know the human condition and everything should fall into place.

One of the key things to Survivor and shows like this is that all of the contestants are representing a different life style. If Russel was coached how to approach each personality, that would explain so much. And if he won the money, he would be able to pay for those professionals.

Just something I have been wondering since day 3 on the show.

What do you think?

AvidRealityWatcher or ARW if you prefer.

• RE: Has anyone else wondered.,Aruba, 12:47 PM, 12-08-09
  • RE: Has anyone else wondered.,tjcrew, 01:02 PM, 12-08-09
    • RE: Has anyone else wondered.,jbug, 01:32 PM, 12-08-09
      • RE: Has anyone else wondered.,dabo, 04:52 PM, 12-10-09
  • Wow thanks for the feed back guys.,AvidRealityWatcher, 02:16 PM, 12-08-09
  • Jury votes,michel, 07:24 PM, 12-08-09
    • RE: Jury votes,Aruba, 09:06 PM, 12-08-09
  • RE: Has anyone else wondered.,KuwabaraTheMan, 01:49 AM, 12-10-09
    • RE: Has anyone else wondered.,Aruba, 06:29 AM, 12-10-09
      • RE: Has anyone else wondered.,michel, 07:49 AM, 12-10-09
        • RE: Has anyone else wondered.,AvidRealityWatcher, 09:25 AM, 12-10-09

Hey ARW...based on your 21 posts I'd say you're fairly new to the Boards. Actually what Russell has been successfully doing this season has been discussed various times over the years by several posters on these Boards. And I don't think any of us would qualify as professional phyciatrists, socialogists, etc. LOL

Seriously, more times than not it comes down to basic commensense. Sounds simple enough, but with the majority of the casting blunders over the years, commonsense is a rare commodity among Survivor castaways...unfortunately. Don't get me wrong, Russell is among the most savy and strategic player ever on Survivor, but it helps to be casted with a bunch of bozos and/or coattail riders.

The problem with hiring "professionals" is it's impossible to predict how a particular season will pan out, the unexpected twists and turns, and lastly what type of players will be casted for a particular season. For example, in Micronesia a skanky Ho ended up "winning." Just because Perv-ati took the million dollar prize do we dare make a blanket statement and say all a female competitor needs to do is act like a slut and she'll win? Well it was the case for Skankivor: Micronesia but there were other seasons where players nipped it in the bud and voted off a flirtatious or promiscuous player very early in the season. There lies the dilemma of trying to strategize a gameplan BEFORE a particular season begins. So I honestly do not believe Russell hired professionals beforehand to ensure his success.

One final thought. As difficult as it is to predict a season, it is equally difficut to predict how potential jury members will act/react when strategizing during the early stages of the game. Some jurors, understanding it's a game, will vote for the best player despite being outwitted and outplayed. Other jurors will be crybabies and turn into sore losers. In those cases the taste of sour grapes remains in their mouths resulting in a Final TC that turns into a vote for "Miss Congeniality" in a Beauty Pagent.

From what we have seen this season, based on jury reactions during the past few TCs, in my opinion I unfortunately see the upcoming Final TC taking the form of a "Miss Congeniality" contest. Clearly this does not bode well for Russell. Even if Russell hired professionals (which I don't think he did) to advance this season, if in the end the sour grape jurors vote against Russell and hand the million to a player sitting next to him in the Finals winning out of default, than all the "professional guidance" to get to that point will be for naught if Russell's objection was to WIN this season.

Well those are my thoughts...thanks for asking! Hope to see you post more.

It is also not certain that Russell is wealthy. He lied about a lot (being from New Orleans and his dog dying in Katrina being one that he outed himself on). Another poster earlier had spent a fair amount of time trying to find anything out about Russell and his "oil company". The oil company appears to have few if any assets and his home address is a trailer. Now this was from around episode 2 or 3 that this was posted and I don't lurk much, so someone else may have found out newer info- but personally, I don't think he has money.

Info found did indicate his "oil company" was a hauling transit towing/type company - which is what he told Mick. Can't remember exactly what he called it; but when he was talking to Mick, he didn't say "oil company".

Tankering service. In other words he doesn't drill the oil, refine the oil, own the oil, he just gets it from point A to point B. He's a truck driver.

Yes, I dont post very often. I have posted from time to time on Suvivor board, and even more on Big Brother Board. Both shows are my all time favorite.

All of you have given me food for thought. I dont exactly agree on the tribal counsel jury vote theory tho. In season 1, Richard by far was the villian and he won the money. There have been other seasons I almost kicked in my screen when I saw the jury vote and couldnt believe that the person they voted for won instead of the one that deserved it. And yes in most cases the person most deserving it did win. Its 50/50 if you ask me. Kinda makes for great TV viewing if you ask me. If the person who best deserved it because they had heart and not villianized the group then it would be predictable.

I have to say, Russel would have my vote if he was to make it to the final TC, and if he doesnt, he will definately have my vote via text or phone call method for the best player of the season for the runner up prize money.

Wether or not he is so rich that he doesnt need the money, well that I could care less about, he told that to the camera and not to the contestants, and so I tend to believe him. However, that isnt to say that he could have duped all of us at home.

I really appreciate the comments all of you have made, not just to the one I am responding to, as all of you have given me food for thought. This only enhances my enjoyment of the game.

Lets see what happens next. According to the promo, IMO, Russel better be ready to use that Immunity Idol again, or his own people are going to toss him out. I think some of them are getting wise to his pulling strings, and all of them know how strong he is when it comes to outsmarting one another. He has a lot of damage control to do.

A juror is ALWAYS right. It's HIS vote.

If a juror doesn't vote for someone because of the way that person treated him then it's the player's mistake, not the juror's. I'd go even further and say it's the responsibility of the player making decisions to know the people that are about to be on their jury; who has the potential of being more upset, who respects gameplay and arrange the pecking order accordingly. Because that's the game: Figure a way to vote people out without making them hate you or, at least, make them hate your opponent more.

For example: Boston Rob deserved every vote against him he received.

PS: Flirting is just part of strategy. Even Russell said that he'd get close to the girls, keep them warm at night so they'd think he was theirs. Sometimes it works, sometimes, like with Jean RoBear, it doesn't.

I don't recall using "right" or "wrong" in my assessment of Jurors. Hey, if someone wants to cry sour grapes that's their prerogative. I just think it's unfortunate when a sore loser becomes a crybaby.

The point I was making is it's virtually impossible to know in the beginning of the game if a particular castaway will become a juror and if they do become a juror if they will vote in the spirit of the game or become a sore loser.

As for how a player is "treated" that all depends on how personal that treatment is. Everyone who signs up to be on Survivor knows what they are getting into. So if a sore loser cries over being decieved and outwitted that is pure ignorance on their part and poor sportsmanship. On the other hand if the attacks are personal then they have a right to be upset. Since you brought up Boston Rob a perfect example of a personal attack was Rob's treatment of Big Tom mocking the way he talked and poking fun at his son. In that regard I agree with you that Rob deserved Tom voting against him.

I don't necessarily think that Russell will be villainized by the Jury at the FTC. He's not really a Boston Rob type player who just seems like such a snake out there. Those of us watching at home have seen him do those things, but the players haven't. John and Erik both seem like they will definitely vote for him if it comes down to it, and I imagine that Dave would as well, and possibly some others. Most of the players seem to respect the strong game he's playing, and are just trying to get him out because he's such a threat. Now, this could change, but right now I think he would probably win if he made it to the end.

Ultimately, I'm unsure that Russell will be sitting there answering questions rather than asking them, though. He's not a dominant challenge player like JT, and he doesn't have an Idol that's good through to the last vote like Yul. I think that if he can't win the last Immunity, he'll be voted off. If Mick or Jaison wins the last challenge, they'll probably think "Russell has been such a strong player, he's almost guaranteed to win if he faces the Jury", and vote him out.

Hi Kuwabara...Welcome to the Boards!

Interesting assessment and I hope you are right about the Jury not wanting to vote against Russell because I truly feel he deserves to win this season. But I honestly do not see the Barbie Doll Bloc of Laura/Kelly/Monica voting for him. With eight players left and two episodes plus the finale I think it is a safe assumption to say we are looking at a Final 3 FTC. That being said, with three votes against you on a 9-person Jury and not one BUT TWO players sitting next to you in the Finals the prospects don't look good for Russell...but I do hope I'm wrong.

As far as Russell sitting on the Jury? I dunno...I believe Foa Foa will not waver from their plan to pick off the remaining Galu members and secure a Foa Foa F4 which would leave only one more IC before the Finals (assuming a F3 Finals.) I agree with you that Russell probably does not win the Final IC but I have felt all along the Russell-Natalie-Mick trio has been very tight from the beginning of the season. I believe Jaison is the odd man out in that foursome. And if a remaining Galu member wins the F5 IC and the F4 is Russell-Natalie-Mick and a Galu, that Galu member is almost guaranteed to be voted out in a F4 TC should he/she not win again.

In any event if Natalie skates her way to the Finals I feel our sweet little Southern Belle would be tough to beat should the Jury cater toward a "Miss Congeniality" Contest which I believe they will.

Thanks for your thoughts and keep posting!

There's a couple of things you guys are forgetting: According to Galu, Russell didn't do a thing except find idols. They believe Galu caused Galu's collapse, not Russell. They don't even think he's that smart: They saw him running around looking for an idol and then suddenly stop without an explanation and relax in the hammock. He's also not considered a good liar: He told Laura that Ben had the idol and then he played it at the merge TC. She knew his F2 deal was a lie and that's why she confronted him at the merge. They'll have reasons to vote for someone else.

A few great points each of you have made, but I am still not convinced that he hasnt hired some professional help to guide him to the end game.

I hadnt done the math for a 3 person finale, but your right, it looks like it is going to be a 3 person finale. With all of the members on Russels team sitting next to him on finale night, who but 1 of them would be sitting on the jury, and would he/she be enough to persuade the other to see that Russel has been a mastermind all along.

Russel had better consider voting his own out in order to secure extra votes in the jury. However, that doesnt mean he has to. If like one of you have said, the girls he tried to get close to, dont turn on him, then he might have a chance.

He has double crossed so many people, I cant really tell who he really wants for a final 2 or final 3 deal with. And if galu thinks that Russels only strength was finding hidden idols, well he is going to have to explain himself at the jury, and I do believe if I was sitting on that jury and listend to his explaination of the entire game, liar and all, I would vote for him simply because he had a game plan, and it got him to this point. The others are just puppets waiting to have thier strings cut. Not one of them has any direction, they simply are waiting to get thru another TC without getting voted out, and hoping they can make it.

Tonights promo does look good, and I look forward to seeing what is going to happen next. Speculation if fun, but not the same as watching.

Go Russel

ARW