I had not seen this posted, it is an interesting article by Manuel Mendoza who interviewed each of the contestants

The link is:
http://www.dallasnews.com/entertainment/stories/011303dnentsurvivorcast.d835986.html

I am posting here though each of the contestants strategies

RYAN AIKEN

Strategy:

"I could sit here and say I'm going to try to get in with the girls and be cool with the guys but it's hard. You could have a book and you can throw it out the window as soon as you get here"

My Impression

Relying too much on his success with the ladies which does not play a part for some time. I think he will come across as a little too fond of himself

ALEX BELL (No strategy listed but quote that is insightful

On the Dangers

"I'm scared. I'll be the first to admit it. There out things out here that can kill me. But I have a strong survival instinct"

My Impression

Recovered alchoholic, he knows the meaning of rising to a challenge. I think he will do well out there. Due to his recovery, I hazard a guess he is a hard worker, understanding and humble.

ROB CESTERNINO

Strategy

"I am very mean and I can inflict a lot of emotional pain. Colby made one mistake in the Outback and he'll be labeled a loser idiot for the rest of his life. But the cardinal sin of Survivor is laziness. The second biggest is being boring"

My Impression

While he won't be booted first, the funny man attitude can get a little wearing when you are hungry and tired. The question regarding his success is does he know when to quit while ahead?

DAVE JOHNSON

Strategy

"It's going to be hot. It's going to be dirty. It's going to be stressful. You've got to accept that and fight through that and not crack"

My Impression

He appears to be very easy going. With the ego battle that will go on, he will fly nicely UTR

BUTCH LOCKLEY (no strategy so putting in what to note)

Who'll Run School while gone

"The guidance counselor is a very capable person. I slept with her the last night I was home. She's my wife, I forgot to tell you." And on show biz prospects: "I'm not going to go out and make $100,000 commericals. I'm going to go back and be a principal"

My impression

I like him. He has a sense of humor and seems warm and caring. He also applied three times to this show, he wants this. I think he will do well although not sure if final four

DANIEL LUE (No strategy posted)

On the dangers

"When I signed up I didn't know about the alligators, piranahs. I'm from the city. I'm surrounded by concrete/steel. The only time I experience nature is when I walk on my front lawn to get the paper"

My impression

CO's boot list nothwithstanding. Does not seem like he will take too well to the environment. I also get worried about people of that bulk not having proper nutrients. I think the "elements" will be his downfall.

ROGER SEXTON No strategy

Who are you?

"What you see is what you get, I'm a very intense individual, very competitive and at same time very emotional. I hate to lose and I'm here to win at whatever cost. I'm a wise old man and a deceptive one. But I'll play dirty in a nice way. The other contestestants won't know I'm playing dirty"

My Impression

May make it somewhat, but I think he is going to end up outscheming himself

MATTHEW VON ERTFELDA

Strategy

"I'm going to come off initially as my real self, a genuine, hard working individual with solid values. But I'm also going to be a jaguar, stealthy, sly, cunning. If someone stabs me in the back and draws first blood, when I think the time is right I'm going to leap out of the shadows and cole slaw my prey"

My impression

I don't know if they saw Survivor 5 but methinks this guy thinks he is the new Brian. He is also in this for the fame. I think he will end up really getting to people and come across like a snotty Von Ertfelda

Opinion of who gets to merger

Alex, Dave, Butch, Rodger and Rob

Opinion of who gets furthest

Alex, Dave, Butch

DEENA BENNETT

Strategy

"Not to piss people off in the beginning and show them I'm a team player"

My impression

Will last a little bit, but she'll be taken out by the young ones at some point. May end up trying to take charge and could come off as too much of a mother

JEANNE HEBERT

Strategy

"I know when I get home I'm going to get a pizza. I'm going to get my jacuzzi, I'm going to get my kids kissing me. I think that can get me through it"

My impression

Very gung ho and outgoing. I think she will create a nice balance between the very young girls and the slightly older women.

JANET KOTH

Strategy

"When you are a mother, especially when you have teenagers, you can see a lie coming a mile away. I think that'll really help me and it'll be hard to pull the plug on ole' Mom". Also, "I don't have an athletic bone in my body"

My impression

She is going to annoy the hell out of these women. Would not surprise me if her choices of luxury items were makeup and her sculptured nail kit. She's toast.

SHAWNA MITCHELL

Strategy

"Being myself. And I'm a hard worker. I love opportunistic exercises. Some poeple would see it as building a shelter. I see it as a back and arm workout. Ideally my alliance is going to be with an older man who is complimentary"

My impression

Well you'll have to wait on the older man but I think she has a lot of spirit and will get along with the older and younger women.

JENNA MORASCA (No strategy}

Who are you?

"I tend to put a positive spin on things that are negative. If something's bad, just chill. It happened, let's find a way to get over it"

My impression

CO's spoiler notwithstanding, I can't see her making it much longer after merger unless she mesmerizes the men.

Author's note

There's something odd about her you can't put your finger on. Will her fellow contestants be creeped out too? (Thought that was interesting.)

CHRISTY SMITH

Strategy

"If I make me not understanding a big issue, then I'm going to be voted off. Basically I'm going to have to nod my head a lot and pretend I know what is going on. They are not going to learn right off the bat how to communicate with me

My impression

Like it or not, I do feel her impairment will create a sympathy for her and keep her on, however, it won't if she is nasty and she isn't. She seems sweet and I think the women will be protective of her.

HEIDI STROBEL

Strategy

"Go in like a lamb and come out like a wolf. If I was just myself I would be just constantly goofy and nice. But I have a very game face"

Impression

Athletic, and unlike Jenna, her personality will compensate for any green eyed monsters out there who don't like blonde bubbly cheerleader types.

JOANNA WARD

Strategy

"Praise God if I get voted off first, praise God if I win, because I am a God pleaser, not a man pleaser. He's been there for me, not these 16 people, not this show

My impression

She's toast also. Overbearing, I can see chips forming on her shoulder and I think she will immediately try to strong arm her way through this game.

Opinion of who gets to merger

Shawna, Heidi, Jeanne, Jenna and Deena

Opinon of who gets furhest

Shawna, Heidi, Jeanne