More Whatnot

Benjamin “Coach” Wade has to be up there with Russell Hantz when it comes to “Survivor’s” most polarizing characters. You either love the guy or you hate him.

Me? I love him. And I didn’t really know how to explain that to people who’ve never met him until I heard this quote in a trailer for a recent movie…

“If I could love something as much as Ned loves everything…” – Miranda in “My Idiot Brother”

That’s how I feel about Coach. The man doesn’t half do anything. Even when we did the Power Rankings for “Survivor: Nicaragua” he always showed genuine enthusiasm and was constantly coming up with creative ideas.

Too bad he isn’t going to win “Survivor: South Pacific.”

My money says some combination of the anti-all-star sentiment that’s been building up and the fact that people probably won’t take him seriously are going to be too much for him to overcome.

I had a chance to chat with the self-professed Dragon Slayer in the days before “Survivor: South Pacific” to find out how he’s going to deal with a deck that appears to be stacked against him, his thoughts on his all-star counterpart Ozzy, and how XFINITY TV’s Power Rankings competition made him a stronger player…

Gordon Holmes: How would you describe your previous appearances on “Survivor” to someone who might be new to the show?
Benjamin “Coach” Wade: My first season in Tocantins, it was a great season. Epicness abounded. I was definitely the type-A Coach personality. I hit you right between the eyes. I polarized everybody. A lot of people loved me, a lot of people hated me. I got asked to come back as a villain. It was season twenty, “Heroes vs. Villains.” And there I took a softer approach. And things didn’t work out so well for me there, I was the first person on the jury. But I think the third time’s the charm.
Holmes: And what’ve you learned from your first two appearances?
Coach: There’s an old Arabian proverb that says, “Arrogance diminishes wisdom,” and I think coming out here and appearing arrogant has hurt my game. And so one of the things I’ve learned is to be more humble. But I really think that my biggest problem is that I’ve come out here and I’ve had this destiny to become one with the universe, to strip away the shackles of society and to really have this journey of self discovery. But everyone’s out here for a different reason. There might be two girls sitting on the beach who may not be doing anything around camp and that’d normally drive me crazy. I’ve got to relate to them where they’re at. Instead of being rigid as a rod, I’ve got to be able to bend and see that everybody has their own unique experience out here. I have to blend with their journey. I can’t say “If you don’t want to be a true warrior out here, get off the bus.”

Holmes: Odds are all of the new contestants will have seen one of your previous seasons. What do you think the reaction is going to be when they first see you?
Coach: I think if I were coming here after one season people would’ve seen Coach and rolled their eyes. They’re thinking, “This guy’s delusional.” But I think having that second chapter, that second season that I played, I think it helped soften the edges. But some people are going to say, “We need to get rid of this guy right off the bat.”
Holmes: How do you counter that?
Coach: There are two things on “Survivor” that are important, across the board; number one is having numbers into the merge. And number two is finding somebody that you can trust. So, to combat the tribe from voting me out immediately I want to win challenges, I want to be an animal in the challenges. And I always want them to know they can trust me. One thing that’s been consistent about my game is I play with honor and integrity.

Holmes: Returning players have squared off with new players three times. Of those three times, the returning players have won twice and reached the finals once. And to shine more of a spotlight on that, Boston Rob won it all last season. Does this put a bigger target on your back?
Coach: I know there’s going to be a big target on my back, but I’m not going to worry about that. I’m going to make myself valuable to the tribe, I’m going to be my typical gregarious stuff. Maybe I’ll tell a few stories out there, entertain the troops so to speak. But I just want to be myself and be genuine and let them know that I’m here as an asset, not necessarily as a coach. I think if I make that understood they’re going to want to keep me around.

Holmes: One of the big crimes that took place during “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains’ was the fact that they never showed any of the Arthurian legend-themed nicknames you’d prepared for the cast. Will we be seeing anything like that this season?
Coach: Being the slayer of dragons, I of course have to come in with some type of alliance/nemesis/warrior history at my belt, so I think this time I’m going to do something with Greek mythology.

Holmes: How do you feel about the Redemption Island twist?
Coach: I like the twist because it gives you a chance if you’re voted off, and I’ve never had that luxury. The thing I dislike about Redemption Island is if there’s somebody you want to get off who’s really good at challenges they might come back to haunt you.

Holmes: “Heroes vs. Villains” was shot in Samoa, what do the new contestants have to look forward to in this specific location?
Coach: I like the coconuts; that was a nice change from beans and rice. But the contestants can look forward to a lot of rain, a lot of dampness. It’s hard to build fires out here just because it’s so wet. Hopefully there’ll be good fishing. I think the main thing out here is that it’s very humid, and because of that you sweat a lot and need to keep hydrated.

Holmes: What was your reaction when you learned that Ozzy Lusth would be the other returning player?
Coach: When I looked across the beach and saw that Ozzy was going to be my competition it threw me for a loop in the beginning. I thought it was going to be Phillip (Sheppard). So I thought; do I want to work with him? Yes.  Do I want to compete with him? Also yes, because he’s a great competitor and I want to fight with the best. But I was excited to see him because he’s one of the best all-time competitors in this game.

Holmes: Will your experience as a “Survivor” Power Rankings player help you at all in the game?
Coach: Having been unable to slay the dragon that is Gordon Holmes in the past, I think it did give me an insight into the game itself. I really didn’t watch the game for the strategic value. But it allowed me to look at the game as a strategy and to figure out who’s going to be on the outs. So, I think that will definitely help me.
Holmes: So when you win, I get an assist, right?
Coach: I think you will be the power assist leader. I’ll have to give you at least half of the credit.

“Survivor: South Pacific” premieres Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

More “Survivor” Fun: XFINITY TV sent Gordon Holmes into the heart of the South Pacific to get a first-hand look at the filming of the latest edition of “Survivor.” Be sure to check back for exclusive interviews with Ozzy Lusth and host Jeff Probst, behind-the-scenes photos, and more.

Any Questions about “Survivor: South Pacific”? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

No visit to the set of “Survivor” would be complete without getting down and dirty in one of their trademark immunity challenges. It’s a great opportunity to step into the contestants’ buffs and see what the show is really about.

Now usually the press squares off against a group of athletic young adults known as “The Dream Team.” The Dream Team has many jobs on location, but mainly they’re there to test the challenges to make sure everything is fair, relatively safe, and interesting. However, since there were more press members than there were open slots on the press team this year, we decided to split the press up into two teams with the new press on one side and the classic press (we don’t like the term “old”) on the other. To fill out the ranks, there’d be two Dream Teamers on our side and four Dream Teamers on the new press’s side.

Note: When you visit “Survivor,” it helps to get into a “Survivor” mindset. That includes gaming the system to work in your favor. Splitting the teams into classic press vs. new press was the classic press’s idea. We arranged it that way because we thought we were more athletically inclined than the new press.

Another Note: You can’t trust the classic press as far as you can throw them.

On the way to the event it occurred to me that I’ve had a different thought process each time I’ve run a challenge…

In Gabon I was a fresh-faced newbie who was hoping not to embarrass himself. In fact, the mystique surrounding the Dream Team was so well played up by the crew that I was fully expecting to get my Kota kicked. And I did. They blew us out of the leech-infested water.

In Nicaragua I’d had a few years to think about the shellacking I‘d received at the hands of the Dream Team and was willing to do anything necessary to at least be competitive. Did this new frame of mind make a difference? I don’t know, but the mighty Dream Team fell at the hands of the out-of-shape journalists that day.

And now having tasted previous victory I wasn’t going to be happy just being competitive. Anything less than a win was going to ruin my day.

So, I went into this season’s exhibition with a couple of questions I wanted answers to…

Does Experience Really Matter? Running a “Survivor” immunity challenge isn’t like doing your local Warrior Dash (not that Warrior Dashes aren’t awesome). During an immunity challenge the scenery is epic, dozens of camera men are chasing you around, and Jeff Probst is dying (ahem…DYING) to point out your every little mistake.

Does Having a Win Under Your Belt Matter? One of the big moments last season was when Zapatera threw a challenge in order to vote off Russell Hantz. Jeff Probst often mentioned this as the turning point that helped “Boston” Rob’s Ometepe tribe eventually wipe them out.

Now on to the challenge…

The Zig-Zag

Both teams run through a series of beams. The beams intersect at two points. At those points, the teams must crawl under the beams. Since both sets of beams overlap, there’s bound to be some pushing and shoving between the teams.

Before the challenge, we were tipped off that one of the opposing Dream Teamers had come up with a strategy where he’d hold back one of the opposing tribe’s weaker players. This strategy didn’t make sense to us, as neither team would be able to advance until all of their players had made it through the obstacle. We decided that if he did try to implement this strategy, one of our people should hold him there and then it’d eventually become a one-on-one race.

Sure enough, that exact scenario took place. However, instead of letting the two people fight it out, everyone else dove back into the fray. And believe me, it got ugly. At one point as I was being held down by countless arms and legs a female shoe bounced in front of me. I grabbed it, looked around and realized it belonged to an opposing team member, and promptly chucked it out of the course. (What did I tell you about trusting classic press members?)

Eventually we all managed to wiggle out of the zig-zag course. As we’d predicted, both teams were dead even.

It wasn’t until after the challenge that we realized what a toll those little wrestling matches had taken on us. I ended up with scratches and bruises up and down both arms and legs. My right knee was busted open and I had a lump the size of a strawberry over my right eye. And I didn’t even get the worst of it, one of the Dream Teamers ended up with blood gushing from his nose. The last time an exhibition bout got this out of hand Apollo Creed died.

The Coconut Curtain

The coconut curtain is basically a huge cube that is full of strands of team-colored coconuts. To advance, the team must work their way through the curtain without getting tangled.

A Dream Teamer had advised us to cover our…you know…as we passed through this obstacle. Apparently they were at just the right height to cause some damage. I came up with the brilliant strategy of crawling. I’d be able to avoid the majority of the strands and protect my…stuff. This proved to be a mistake as it slowed my team down. Not only that, but my team left a second before I reached the mat and Probst called them all back.

Great, now if we lose the target’s on my back. I love my alliance, but I don’t trust them enough to think they wouldn’t vote me out over something like that.

The Wall

Not much to describe here. It’s just a wall.

Here’s where our experience really kicked in. Before the challenge started we’d decided the order people should go up and over the wall. Our biggest guy would go first. Our second biggest guy (yours truly) would go second. That way we had a strong base to pull people up. Third would be the person who would do the next leg of the challenge so he could rest. And the last person would be our most fit guy. He wouldn’t need a boost, he’d be able to jump high enough so that we could get a hold of him.

Our plan worked to perfection, but our opponents still had a slight lead.

The Machete

The next leg of the course consisted of a lone player from each team digging in a pit for a machete. Once they had the machete, they’d have to hack through a series of five ropes. Once all five ropes were cut, a mechanism would release hundreds of coconuts.

Experience came into play in this leg as well. There was a good bit of digging in the Gabon challenge, and the press member who was the best there was Entertainment Weekly’s Dalton Ross. Beforehand we went over the techniques that had worked well there. Half the battle in a digging challenge is making sure you’re not pushing sand back into the hole with your legs.

While Ross was hard at work, the team members who’d be performing the final leg didn’t cheer him on. We sat back and conserved our energy.

Ross performed like a champ, and earned us our first lead of the challenge.

Coconut Basketball

For the final leg, three players from each team needed to shoot coconuts into a basket. Once the basket was filled with enough coconuts to lift its counterweight a flag would raise and announce the victor.

Fun Fact: I suck at basketball. As in arguably the worst basketball player in the history of forever.

So, why did I agree to be my team’s third member? Because when we strategized beforehand, they’d convinced me that having a lefty on the left-hand side would open up the course for everyone else to be as close to the basket as possible.

Maybe that doesn’t make a ton of sense now, but it sounded good then.

And truth be told, I didn’t do too bad. Well, except for when I almost killed Jeff Probst.

In my defense, the coconuts had varying weights, and throwing them wasn’t the easiest thing to do. So, if one of the ones I threw happened to go way off course and head directly toward America’s favorite reality show host I can hardly be blamed. Fortunately, J-Pro has the reflexes of a jungle cat and was able to get out of the way. Disaster averted.

Near coconut-assisted homicide aside, the lead Dalton had built for us was significant and my teammates and I had no problem filling the basket and bringing home a win for our team.

So what did I learn?

Does Experience Matter? Totally. I don’t think I heard Probst’s commentary the entire time. The cameras didn’t register either. Also without our previous experience, I doubt we’d have thought to take breaks during the course. Maybe things like this will serve Ozzy and Coach well.

Does Having a Win Matter? Probably. It definitely helped cut down on pre-game nerves. I doubt it was the main reason Ometepe steamrolled Zapatera, but it didn’t hurt.

How Does It Feel to Be Over .500 Lifetime in Challenges? Awesome.

Should You Throw a Coconut at a Beloved Three-Time Emmy Winner? No.

“Survivor: South Pacific” premieres Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

More “Survivor” Fun: XFINITY TV sent Gordon Holmes into the heart of the South Pacific to get a first-hand look at the filming of the latest edition of “Survivor.” Be sure to check back for exclusive interviews with the returning All-Stars and host Jeff Probst, behind-the-scenes photos, and more.

Any Questions about “Survivor: South Pacific”? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

“Survivor” has featured three seasons where returning players have squared off against new players. Of those three seasons, a returning player has won twice…

“Survivor: Guatemala” – “Survivor: Palau” competitors Stephenie LaGrossa and Bobby Jon Drinkard returned to play the game with sixteen new players. LaGrossa made it to the finals but lost to newcomer Danni Boatwright.

“Survivor: Fans Vs. Favorites” – Parvati Shallow and nine other “Survivor” All Stars faced off against ten “Survivor” fans. Shallow defeated fellow All Star Amanda Kimmel at the final Tribal Council.

“Survivor: Redemption Island” – “Survivor” Hall of Famers “Boston” Rob Mariano and Russell Hantz played against sixteen inexperienced players. Mariano went on to get the best of Natalie Tenerelli and Phillip Sheppard in the end.

I asked this season’s new players (and the guy that hosts the show) what that little tidbit means to them…

Jeff Probst: Wow! Very interesting stat. That does say there’s something to experience in this game. I think Rob winning last year is going to make it very difficult for Ozzy and Coach this year. But, if Ozzy can get his game together socially and get in an alliance that will take him to the merge, and then they send him to Redemption? Ozzy can get back in this game and Ozzy could win it. It’s possible.

Whitney Duncan: They already know this game, they’ve done it. They have a big advantage. I think they should help us build our shelter really nice, real pretty, then vote them off.

Rick Nelson: I think we’re fools if we keep them past the first Tribal Council. We need to get them out of there just as fast as we can. They’ve had their chance.

Edna Ma: It’ll be important to get rid of them quickly. My strategy will be to convince my tribemates to vote them off because the jury will be sympathetic to them.

Mark Caruso: It depends on who we’re playing with. If you’re afraid, you’re going to follow somebody, and you’re going to get what you deserve.

Christine Shields Markoski: That statistic means absolutely nothing to me. It has no bearing on my game.

John Cochran: Rob was playing with a bunch of idiots. If Rob was playing with me he wouldn’t have had nearly as much luck. I’m the X-factor here. I’m not going to be star-struck by them. They don’t bring back winning players. That means they’re losers. I see no reason to idolize somebody who’s lost. I have a better record than they do. I’m not going to have stars in my eyes when Cirie gets off the helicopter. Your statistic means nothing. I’m here to break statistics. I’m a statistical anomaly.

Mikayla Wingle: That’s not a good statistic for us. But, if they come into the game and are good people who want to work, let’s keep them.

Stacey Powell: It’s a very telling statistic. And it means we can’t let them get too far into the game.

Elyse Umemoto: That statistic is relevant, but at the end of the day it’s anybody’s game. The game can change in a minute.

Albert Destrade:  I think it’s going to be important to communicate that at some point we’re going to have to turn on the returning players. They’re going to be able to charm the jury. It’s important to not let a returner get to the end.

Brandon Hantz: I don’t think it matters at all. It all matters how they adapt to the tribe.

Dawn Meehan: The All Stars need to go early.

Sophie Clarke: I think a lot of that is due, not to them returning, but because they were the best of their seasons. I’ve been reading a lot of “Art of War” and there’s some quote about “A wise man does once what it takes a foolish man a couple of times. “ Parvati didn’t win her first time. She won her second time.

Jim Rice: I think that the fact that All Stars have won two times before makes it very difficult for them to win again. I think it’ll be nearly impossible.

Keith Tollefson: It basically proves that new players look up to them for leadership. They’ve done it before and we haven’t. But the reason they win is because they pull the wool over everyone’s eyes.

Semhar Tadesse: We need to vote them out immediately.

“Survivor: South Pacific” premieres Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

More “Survivor” Fun: XFINITY TV sent Gordon Holmes into the heart of the South Pacific to get a first-hand look at the filming of the latest edition of “Survivor.” Be sure to check back for exclusive interviews with the returning All-Stars and host Jeff Probst, behind-the-scenes photos, and Gordon’s personal (and injury-filled) account of what it’s like to compete in an actual immunity challenge.

Any Questions about “Survivor: South Pacific”? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

It’ll be the Challenge Player squaring off against the Dragon Slayer this fall when Ozzy Lusth and Ben “Coach” Wade join the cast of “Survivor: South Pacific.” This will be the third appearance in the popular reality series for both men, however neither has ever taken home the show’s million-dollar prize.

When asked why the two favorites were invited back, “Survivor” host Jeff Probst said, “We looked at many different line-ups. We had all kinds of cards lined up with names, we had some women in the mix. We finally decided on Ozzy and Coach because they seemed to be an opposite-side-of-the-coin pairing. Ozzy is the real deal. He’s dominant in challenges, he’s like a fish in the water, he can climb a tree, he can start fire, he can build a shelter. Coach lives a life like he’s the real deal, but Coach really…a lot of people would say…is a pretender. And I love Coach, I adore Coach, but if you’re watching the show there’s still a question mark.

“So when we put them together, they were opposite sides of the coin who had one thing in common, and what they had in common was both of their social games suck. Ozzy got voted out with an idol in his pocket, and Coach…ugh…he fell in love with Jerri (Manthey) he needed guidance from Tyson (Apostol), he didn’t know what to do. So, both of these guys have a redemption story.”

Ozzy Lusth was the first runner-up in “Survivor: Cook Islands” and was the twelfth person voted out of “Survivor: Fans vs. Favorites.”

Ben “Coach” Wade was the fourth runner-up in “Survivor: Tocantins” and was the ninth person voted out of “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains.” He was also defeated in the “Survivor: Nicaragua” Power Rankings by XFINITY TV’s “Survivor” fella Gordon Holmes.

Some of the new cast will be happy to see Coach and Ozzy, some won’t. Check out who the new players were hoping to see enter the game.

“Survivor: South Pacific” premieres Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

More “Survivor” Fun: XFINITY TV sent Gordon Holmes into the heart of the South Pacific to get a first-hand look at the filming of the latest edition of “Survivor.” Be sure to check back for exclusive interviews with Ozzy Lusth, Coach Wade, and host Jeff Probst, behind-the-scenes photos, and Gordon’s personal (and injury-filled) account of what it’s like to compete in an actual immunity challenge.

Any Questions about “Survivor: South Pacific”? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes