Post by thiago on Jul 22, 2013 17:38:06 GMT -5
Well, Ellen is gone. A part of me aches for whatever has become of our friendship, but I know that it's for the best. For both of us.
I'm at a point now where I need to start playing the way I did last time. Keep quiet, keep informed, don't share information, be a listener, keep everyone on track, and figure out what I'm going to do.
I've tried to play this game like I did last time. Of course, the circumstance is different, but I've played a similar game to last season. Why change a strategy that worked?
At the start, I focused on appeasing two sides of the game. I had to work a bit harder at appearing nonthreatening, because I just won two weeks prior to the game starting, but by about the middle of the premerge I fell off everyone's radar as the game slowly began to divide. At this point, I was at the bottom of the totem pole on both sides of the game, which meant I was right in the middle, where I wanted to be.
Then, at the merge, I took chances that paid off. Much like Mark getting the idol last season, I decided that we vote for Selena and idol Knox. It was a gamble that paid off, and it paid off again when we voted for Colleen. I was able to keep control of the other HII and now with Knox finding the other one, we don't have to worry about Ben playing an idol.
I feel like I'm the only one on my side really putting in an effort into these challenges, which has admittedly been frustrating. It's as if we're handing Dom the game in a Fabio-like fashion. However, I wouldn't care if he won next round because I'll play my HII regardless.
Ellen told me everyone thinks it's AJ/Knox/Henry/Cassie in an F4 "iSurvivor" alliance. I could be wrong, but I've been in GHang chats with these people and, particularly their interactions with Henry, this is definitely not a 4-some.
I've tried to separately work both Knox and Henry into working together, and in turn, work with me. I think Henry wants an F3 of me/him/Knox, and Knox wants us around I think. Knox confided in me today that he wants AJ out at 5 because she's viewed as the leader, which is probably true. However, that myth can easily be dispelled at the Final Judgment: AJ hasn't done much of anything but derail us occasionally by "feeling bad." As much as I care for AJ, she does struggle to vote off Ben/Dom, even though they've both hurt her in this game, which I don't fully understand, because in turn she's hurting those of us who have supported her.
Cassie has also expressed her worries of Knox playing this game appeasing to jurors, and I've certainly seen this. Knox is really pandering to jurors while they leave, which concerns me.
At this point, if Dom/Ben go out as planned, or if Dom wins IC the next round, we've got:
Cassie: Knox to go
Henry: Cassie or AJ to go
Knox: AJ to go
AJ: Me to go?
I can either use the information to take Knox or Henry out next, or go with Knox and Henry to take out AJ.
I don't think the jury expects me to be in this position. My tactic has been very easy though. I remind everyone I won't win in the end, and also remind people that I'm pretty sure I'm #5, so why not keep me around? By appealing to people's wants, they will give you what you want.
I think whoever wins this game will be dependent on their answers at the FTC, the strength of their pre-game friendships (or what's left of them), and the end game plays. If everyone wants me in the end, I'll make it to the end.
I think Cassie could win because of her ability to talk her way out of things. I think she could be very eloquent in the end, despite her poor game play (especially during the pre-merge portion of the season).
I think AJ could be seen as the leader at this point, but once everyone realizes she has done nothing, and her jury answers will be a little less articulate and prove this very reality, people will be less inclined to vote for her (except maybe emotional jurors like Ben who don't care about strategy/make up realities so that they can justifty voting emotional, like he did last season
)
Henry can't be beat. There's no way around it. I know Henry thinks I am solidly in his corner, but I also know he respects big plays, and getting rid of him will be a must for my game.
Knox is a wildcard. I think he could prove convincing and have a great argument in the end and win. But, he could also have pissed enough people off to lose.
At this point, I have decided I want AJ in the end, and either Knox or Cassie to join me.
I think that I will have to sell Knox out to AJ/Cassie and take out Knox or Henry, preferrably Henry, and go from there. I think I also have a great shot to win the last challenge against AJ/Cassie/Knox, which is another feather to put in my hat to argue that I played a strong physical game, which I'm sure both Ellen and Dom can respect, given they had to play that way after having such big reputations coming in, just like I did. However, unlike them, I have been able to minimize my reputation and almost be forgotten, whereas they simply exacerbated their targets by winning constantly and being... heartless.
We'll see what happens. Hopefully Ben cleanly leaves.
I'm at a point now where I need to start playing the way I did last time. Keep quiet, keep informed, don't share information, be a listener, keep everyone on track, and figure out what I'm going to do.
I've tried to play this game like I did last time. Of course, the circumstance is different, but I've played a similar game to last season. Why change a strategy that worked?
At the start, I focused on appeasing two sides of the game. I had to work a bit harder at appearing nonthreatening, because I just won two weeks prior to the game starting, but by about the middle of the premerge I fell off everyone's radar as the game slowly began to divide. At this point, I was at the bottom of the totem pole on both sides of the game, which meant I was right in the middle, where I wanted to be.
Then, at the merge, I took chances that paid off. Much like Mark getting the idol last season, I decided that we vote for Selena and idol Knox. It was a gamble that paid off, and it paid off again when we voted for Colleen. I was able to keep control of the other HII and now with Knox finding the other one, we don't have to worry about Ben playing an idol.
I feel like I'm the only one on my side really putting in an effort into these challenges, which has admittedly been frustrating. It's as if we're handing Dom the game in a Fabio-like fashion. However, I wouldn't care if he won next round because I'll play my HII regardless.
Ellen told me everyone thinks it's AJ/Knox/Henry/Cassie in an F4 "iSurvivor" alliance. I could be wrong, but I've been in GHang chats with these people and, particularly their interactions with Henry, this is definitely not a 4-some.
I've tried to separately work both Knox and Henry into working together, and in turn, work with me. I think Henry wants an F3 of me/him/Knox, and Knox wants us around I think. Knox confided in me today that he wants AJ out at 5 because she's viewed as the leader, which is probably true. However, that myth can easily be dispelled at the Final Judgment: AJ hasn't done much of anything but derail us occasionally by "feeling bad." As much as I care for AJ, she does struggle to vote off Ben/Dom, even though they've both hurt her in this game, which I don't fully understand, because in turn she's hurting those of us who have supported her.
Cassie has also expressed her worries of Knox playing this game appeasing to jurors, and I've certainly seen this. Knox is really pandering to jurors while they leave, which concerns me.
At this point, if Dom/Ben go out as planned, or if Dom wins IC the next round, we've got:
Cassie: Knox to go
Henry: Cassie or AJ to go
Knox: AJ to go
AJ: Me to go?
I can either use the information to take Knox or Henry out next, or go with Knox and Henry to take out AJ.
I don't think the jury expects me to be in this position. My tactic has been very easy though. I remind everyone I won't win in the end, and also remind people that I'm pretty sure I'm #5, so why not keep me around? By appealing to people's wants, they will give you what you want.
I think whoever wins this game will be dependent on their answers at the FTC, the strength of their pre-game friendships (or what's left of them), and the end game plays. If everyone wants me in the end, I'll make it to the end.
I think Cassie could win because of her ability to talk her way out of things. I think she could be very eloquent in the end, despite her poor game play (especially during the pre-merge portion of the season).
I think AJ could be seen as the leader at this point, but once everyone realizes she has done nothing, and her jury answers will be a little less articulate and prove this very reality, people will be less inclined to vote for her (except maybe emotional jurors like Ben who don't care about strategy/make up realities so that they can justifty voting emotional, like he did last season
)Henry can't be beat. There's no way around it. I know Henry thinks I am solidly in his corner, but I also know he respects big plays, and getting rid of him will be a must for my game.
Knox is a wildcard. I think he could prove convincing and have a great argument in the end and win. But, he could also have pissed enough people off to lose.
At this point, I have decided I want AJ in the end, and either Knox or Cassie to join me.
I think that I will have to sell Knox out to AJ/Cassie and take out Knox or Henry, preferrably Henry, and go from there. I think I also have a great shot to win the last challenge against AJ/Cassie/Knox, which is another feather to put in my hat to argue that I played a strong physical game, which I'm sure both Ellen and Dom can respect, given they had to play that way after having such big reputations coming in, just like I did. However, unlike them, I have been able to minimize my reputation and almost be forgotten, whereas they simply exacerbated their targets by winning constantly and being... heartless.
We'll see what happens. Hopefully Ben cleanly leaves.