LAST EDITED ON 12-05-10 AT 04:15 PM (EST)

Yes, he took the initiative but he told production that he would. If the idols had been buried underground 10 paces away from a landmark rather than in plain sight, he'd have no chance of finding them no matter how hard he looked. Did you see the tree where the first idol was hidden? It almost had a neon sign on it, saying "Look Here!"

Due to production help (letting them off the hook after Swan was medevaced and merging for the first time at 12 instead of 10) Foa Foa needed really only 1 immunity win to merge at 7-5. If that had happened then I'd give Russell credit for overturning Galu. All he'd need was Shambutch flipping and his idol. Merging at 8-4, Galu killed Galu, not Russell. Think about it: Merging Galu at 8 was an invitation for it to crumble. 8 is simply too large an alliance. Natalie had the line of the season when, after suggesting they eliminate Eric, she told Laura: "You have so many." Laura falling for it was like opening Pandora's box.

You may have missed some parts of the "Na'Onka was Russell's daughter" discussion. My point is that Na'Onka was inspired by Russell's "success", played a lot like him. I have a lot of fun seeing how he was voted Fan Favorite while she is almost universally hated for doing very similar things. Russell played proactively, Na'Onka was a bitch. Double standard?

Anyway, I certainly see that she was effective in getting foolish people to align with her. That's what SHE needed to accomplish. Without allies, she goes first. She didn't. What others decided is irrelevant. They shouldn't have aligned with such an unstable person but they did. Good for her, bad for them. Survivor isn't a team sport.

I don't think Russell's way of playing Survivor is smart despite his claims and what his fans say. You wrote that Nay didn't help her alliance, I pointed to two instances where she did. Do I think she was effective? In the end, certainly not, but neither was Russell because he could never win. The players who were smart enough to use him were effective.

(Note that Natalie was ready to jump ship and join Laura, Monica, Kelly and Brett if Russell hadn't been given that second idol. Would she have made F4 with them? We'll never know but she was prepared in case Russell was leaving.)