Post by Mark "Papa Bear" Caruso on Jan 6, 2013 3:34:52 GMT -5
I bet you weren't expecting me to have something to say, were you? Here we go...
- What a fun challenge! I can truly say I had a great time in that challenge, which featured a healthy bit of competition with the Upolu tribe and a lot of hours invested. I admit, though, that winning the challenge probably had a lot to do with my liking it. When I first saw it posted, I didn't think it was going to be that great, fearing it would ultimately be a battle of which tribe had the speediest internet connection. Now that it is all said and done, I can definitely identify elements of luck and determination in there, too. And as I said, what a phenomenal win for the Savaii tribe! We really needed that. It seems like Upolu has really had our number in challenges so far, but we seem to be righting the ship a little bit. This was a hard fought win for us and one that I definitely thought we deserved.
- Speaking of our tribe, I feel like the dynamics within our tribe and each individual's role within it are starting to become a little more defined. Elyse is everything I thought she would be. She's the go-getter, the popular one, the head bitch in charge if you will. To me, she's also the looming threat. At the very beginning of this game, I predicted that she would be this season's sweetheart, and I think she has fully lived up to that. I just can't decide still if it is a good thing or a bad thing to be aligned with a person like that. Cochran is the one who is playing the best all around game thus far in my opinion. He has been such a valuable asset to us in challenges, and frankly I cannot help but see him as a close friend after the start to this game that we both got off too. While I do think he would be tough to go up against in the finals, I think he's a little bit less of an immediate threat than Elyse is. I will say this, too - there is no one in this game that I would dread going up against more at Redemption Island than Cochran. He has proven every single challenge that he has the skills and determination to do whatever it takes. Then there's Dawn. What a wonderful person to be aligned with! It might be an understatement to say that Dawn is a little bit weak in challenges, but I also feel like that weakness will make her less of an immediate threat at the merge. She redefines loyal, and what she lacks in challenge ability, she more than makes up for in social skills. I foresee her getting pretty far in this game actually. Then there's good ole Whitney. Whitney is a little bit wishy-washy. At the times in challenges where she really tries, she's actually pretty good. I just feel like we have yet to see her truly shine in a challenge so far. Just one man's opinion though. Socially speaking, I still maintain that it's nice to have her wanting to work with Elyse, Cochran, Dawn, and me, but I don't think it's very sincere. She did that in reaction to losing her closest friend, Keith, and I don't think she would hesitate to go off and do her own thing if she so chooses. Kind of ironic for me to be saying that, though (See Below). And then finally there's Ozzy. I've let my sentiments on Ozzy be known on more than one occasion and (Surprise!) they haven't changed very much. We still don't talk, and the worst news I received this round was that he actually is going to be back in the picture a little bit. I was almost hoping he had gone inactive, so we could just take him out at the next most opportune time. His participation in the challenges lately has been dreadful, and his stock just continues to fall with me. And there you have it! The Savaii tribe as told by Papa Bear.
- With all of that being said, I couldn't help but begin to evaluate my own position within this tribe and take a step back to look at how I think things stand once a merge hits. Given the current situation, I just do not see Ozzy and I suddenly collaborating and working together at the merge. I'm going to venture a guess that he feels the same way. With that, we're already down to five, which would clearly be a minority. Even in that five, I'm not completely opposed to turning on Elyse at some point, so my willingness and desire to work with people from Upolu is constantly rising. If I make it to the merge, I definitely think that will be a period of time that will need to be handled with caution. Those who act hastily at the merge will be the first to go. So, I definitely need to just keep calm and think everything through quite a bit. I guess what I'm saying, though, is that today I realized just how much of a wild card I may end up being.
- And in thinking of working with the other tribe, you can't help but laugh at the plethora of options available in a tribe as dysfunctional as Upolu. There are always the headcases and mentally instable choices of Edna and Stacey. I think I'd rather be pulled from the game than compromise my integrity in that fashion, though. After today, I really developed a liking for Sophie. She, too, is strong in challenges and among those that are the strongest in the game, but she might be a good one to partner up with. For some reason, I've always felt like Mikayla and Albert (if he comes back) are both good, mentally stable individuals who are kind of in the middle of the pack that might be worth working with, too. Either way, I feel like the Upolu tribe is at a high risk of crumbling and a good reason for that is the ever-annoying Edna. I pray that this is her last round in the game. Between the cheating fiasco and the public meltdown with Stacey during the challenge today, I wouldn't be surprised if her tribe has seen enough.
Honestly, that's really all I have to say this time. Looking forward to enjoying another day off thanks to the immunity!
Papa Bear
- What a fun challenge! I can truly say I had a great time in that challenge, which featured a healthy bit of competition with the Upolu tribe and a lot of hours invested. I admit, though, that winning the challenge probably had a lot to do with my liking it. When I first saw it posted, I didn't think it was going to be that great, fearing it would ultimately be a battle of which tribe had the speediest internet connection. Now that it is all said and done, I can definitely identify elements of luck and determination in there, too. And as I said, what a phenomenal win for the Savaii tribe! We really needed that. It seems like Upolu has really had our number in challenges so far, but we seem to be righting the ship a little bit. This was a hard fought win for us and one that I definitely thought we deserved.
- Speaking of our tribe, I feel like the dynamics within our tribe and each individual's role within it are starting to become a little more defined. Elyse is everything I thought she would be. She's the go-getter, the popular one, the head bitch in charge if you will. To me, she's also the looming threat. At the very beginning of this game, I predicted that she would be this season's sweetheart, and I think she has fully lived up to that. I just can't decide still if it is a good thing or a bad thing to be aligned with a person like that. Cochran is the one who is playing the best all around game thus far in my opinion. He has been such a valuable asset to us in challenges, and frankly I cannot help but see him as a close friend after the start to this game that we both got off too. While I do think he would be tough to go up against in the finals, I think he's a little bit less of an immediate threat than Elyse is. I will say this, too - there is no one in this game that I would dread going up against more at Redemption Island than Cochran. He has proven every single challenge that he has the skills and determination to do whatever it takes. Then there's Dawn. What a wonderful person to be aligned with! It might be an understatement to say that Dawn is a little bit weak in challenges, but I also feel like that weakness will make her less of an immediate threat at the merge. She redefines loyal, and what she lacks in challenge ability, she more than makes up for in social skills. I foresee her getting pretty far in this game actually. Then there's good ole Whitney. Whitney is a little bit wishy-washy. At the times in challenges where she really tries, she's actually pretty good. I just feel like we have yet to see her truly shine in a challenge so far. Just one man's opinion though. Socially speaking, I still maintain that it's nice to have her wanting to work with Elyse, Cochran, Dawn, and me, but I don't think it's very sincere. She did that in reaction to losing her closest friend, Keith, and I don't think she would hesitate to go off and do her own thing if she so chooses. Kind of ironic for me to be saying that, though (See Below). And then finally there's Ozzy. I've let my sentiments on Ozzy be known on more than one occasion and (Surprise!) they haven't changed very much. We still don't talk, and the worst news I received this round was that he actually is going to be back in the picture a little bit. I was almost hoping he had gone inactive, so we could just take him out at the next most opportune time. His participation in the challenges lately has been dreadful, and his stock just continues to fall with me. And there you have it! The Savaii tribe as told by Papa Bear.
- With all of that being said, I couldn't help but begin to evaluate my own position within this tribe and take a step back to look at how I think things stand once a merge hits. Given the current situation, I just do not see Ozzy and I suddenly collaborating and working together at the merge. I'm going to venture a guess that he feels the same way. With that, we're already down to five, which would clearly be a minority. Even in that five, I'm not completely opposed to turning on Elyse at some point, so my willingness and desire to work with people from Upolu is constantly rising. If I make it to the merge, I definitely think that will be a period of time that will need to be handled with caution. Those who act hastily at the merge will be the first to go. So, I definitely need to just keep calm and think everything through quite a bit. I guess what I'm saying, though, is that today I realized just how much of a wild card I may end up being.
- And in thinking of working with the other tribe, you can't help but laugh at the plethora of options available in a tribe as dysfunctional as Upolu. There are always the headcases and mentally instable choices of Edna and Stacey. I think I'd rather be pulled from the game than compromise my integrity in that fashion, though. After today, I really developed a liking for Sophie. She, too, is strong in challenges and among those that are the strongest in the game, but she might be a good one to partner up with. For some reason, I've always felt like Mikayla and Albert (if he comes back) are both good, mentally stable individuals who are kind of in the middle of the pack that might be worth working with, too. Either way, I feel like the Upolu tribe is at a high risk of crumbling and a good reason for that is the ever-annoying Edna. I pray that this is her last round in the game. Between the cheating fiasco and the public meltdown with Stacey during the challenge today, I wouldn't be surprised if her tribe has seen enough.
Honestly, that's really all I have to say this time. Looking forward to enjoying another day off thanks to the immunity!
Papa Bear