I think that the decision to oust Gabe was a poor one strategically, though tactically it made since. The missing part of the equation is the effect of Maramu. The ex-Rotu members will find out that Gabe is gone and that John was behind it. They will then have to rethink the re-form old Rotu strategy and become a real tribe. This will cause a four against four pattern to develop with Rob and Sean as the free agents. The decision to vote out Gabe was just like the decision to oust Hunter, it was made from paranioa and not clear thinking. John has now painted a big target on his back.
I’ve been musing today about TC and Jeff Probst asking the group if anyone had emerged as a leader since the team swap. John immediately (or so it seemed, it could be that the group sat in silence and stared at each other before responding, and the immediacy of his response was just editing) piped up that he had pretty much taken on the leadership role in the past few days. They then switched to the obligatory shot of Sean making a disgusted face, yadda yadda.
My question is this: knowing the nature of the game, why would anyone deliberately name themselves to be the leader? Would it not be more prudent to let someone else bring it up, if the leadership is so apparent? That would give the person targeted as the leader an opportunity to say “Well, it may seem that way from what’s gone on in the past few days, but really, we’re a team and we all contribute in different ways” or something equally as diplomatic?
Why would you deliberately shine the spotlight on yourself, especially knowing that there are two disgruntled would-be “alpha males” on your team who are going to instantly resent you taking credit for control of the team.
This just seems like a really poor strategy, yet I see it happen over and over at TC.
Did anyone else besides me notice Jeff’s little semi-lecture right before the team departed from TC? He said something to the effect of “You just voted out a strong team member who was good in challenges and lifted your spirits. I hope that works out for you.”
Does anyone else think that his question about who helped lighten the mood around camp (and everyone responded that it was Gabe) was an attempt to sway anyone from going through with voting him off? I’m sure that Jeff sees the daily footage that they’re collecting before the tribes come to Rotu, and he must know it advance pretty much how it’s going to play out.
He sounded almost pissed about Rotu’s decision. Interesting.
I enjoy reading the apres vote chats on cbs.com with the booted tribe member, mostly to laugh at their answers to non-sycophantic questions. I was mostly looking forward to Sarah’s chat, but haven’t seen hide nor hair of it. And now they’re advertising Gabe’s today.
Any idea what happened to Sarah’s?
I just have this queasy feeling that the skids are greased for one or both of the Mouthbreather Twins to go far as kingmakers in this game.
Imagine if Maraamu loses one more and has to merge with three people. Who else can see Rob and/or Sean telling the three, “if you want to get any further you have to come kiss my ass!”
I don’t know how much longer before the merge. There are eleven people left. If they merge with ten people (i.e. in two episodes) and Maraamu loses next week, the three of them can go to the three Maraamu left and hold all the cards.
My only hope is that Vee can ride this out as long as possible, she seems to be a decent person despite all the Jesus crap she throws out.
My problem, like when I first quit watching after the first round, was that there is nothing close to “surviving.” You might as well stick these idiots in a NY penthouse and watch them pick each other off.
Also, I think the show is reaping their rewards for changing tribemembers every-so-often. The challenges are getting to be of no consequence, because nobody cares who wins, it’s about who gets voted off. They made the only interesting thing about an hour show boil down to the last 2 minutes.
John’s move worked out for him (at least for the moment) but he handled it very clumsily. First, he broke up a 5-3 majority because he was worried that one of his group was shakey (as it turns out he was wrong). He then had to go to the other three members of his team and put himself out there. It would have only taken one of them saying they wouldn’t betray Gabe and the whole plot would have collapsed and left John out on his own. Then he inexplicably goes to the three people he’s strategizing against and tells him what his plans are. Can anyone explain how that made any sense? The only reason he got away with this was because he was competing against idiots. Sean and Rob were just too stupid to take advantage of the golden opportunity that was handed to them.
Anyway, the deal didn’t fall through and John now has a firm group behind him. At the moment things are looking good. But if the merger goes through at the traditional ten man mark, the Gang of Four might be in trouble. The Three Stooges know they’re targets, Gina realizes she’s on the wrong tribe, Kathey is still an outsider, and Neleh and Paschal apparently were close to Gabriel and may see his banishment as a threat and/or betrayal. One smart leader could organize the six contestants who are outside of the alliance after the merger. Of course, the only one I see as being smart enough to do this is Gina. If she goes the rest might just as well quit the show, none of them appear smart enough to outsmart a tree much less John and company.
Leaving aside strategy, let’s talk personality. Did anyone else expect Rob at some point in his conversation with Gabe to say “Someday, and that day may never come, I will ask you for a favor.” Face facts, Rob, you’re no Don Corleone. At your best, you’re more reminiscent of Luca Brassi and keep in mind he was killed about twenty minutes into the first picture.