More Whatnot

“Survivor: David vs. Goliath” (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Bradley Kleihege, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Last Week: Elizabeth thought the bed was too rough to bear, Dan was targeted by a Brochacha pair, and Lyrsa left with her outerwear…

39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

Let’s take a look at the tribes as they currently stand…

The Vuku Tribe (wearing orange)
Alec, 24 – Bartender
Carl, 41 – Truck Driver
Davie, 30 – Social Media Manager
Elizabeth, 31 – Kitchen Staff
Kara, 30 – Realtor

The Jabeni Tribe (wearing purple)
Angelina, 28 – Financial Consultant
Mike, 47 – Filmmaker
Nick, 27 – Public Defender

The Tiva Tribe (wearing green)
Alison, 28 – Physician
Christian, 32 – Robotics Scientist
Dan, 27 – S.W.A.T. Officer
Gabby, 25 – Technical Writer
John, 38 – Pro Wrestler

The Tiva Invasion

The Brochachos and Brochachas are enjoying a leisurely morning when they’re interrupted by boats filled with Jabenians and Vukuians. Sure enough, the merge is upon us.

Some fun tidbits that come out during the feast…

• Carl still wants to target Elizabeth, but more than that, he wants a beer. I get that. He also spills the beans that Alec was responsible for sending Natalia home.
• A very suspicious sign seems to have an advantage, but nobody picks it up. Gabby thinks about it, though.
• Elizabeth comes up with the tribe name “Kalokalo” which means “Stars” in Fijian. Do we know that for sure? Is it possible Elizabeth’s mother’s name is “Olakolak”?

Reunited and It Feels So Good

The Mason/Dixon alliance finally picks things up where they left off, with Nick telling Christian that Dan has an idol. Well, he’s half right.

Meanwhile, Dan and Kara get to hugging. Dan decides to toss his plan to keep that second idol a secret almost immediately. She is his kryptonite. Later that night, Elizabeth sees them canoodling and somehow suspects that they like each other. Well, she’s half right.

Elizabeth starts making moves to draw attention to this showmance. As you’d imagine, this does not sit well with Dan.

All Alec’s Alliances

So, it looks like we’re going to start off with a standard David vs. Goliath battle with Angelina wanting to send Christian packing. But, things quickly shoot off into a different direction with Alec reaching out to Christian to start a partnership. His thinking behind this is that nobody will see it coming. I’d like to dub this duo “Smart Alec.”

From there, Alison, Mike, Nick, and Gabby come aboard.

Later on, Alec tells us that the merge is the real party and everything beforehand is just the pre-party. I like to think of it as like the NHL season, where twice as many teams get eliminated during the playoffs, than during the regular season.

Immunity Challenge Time: The players will stand on a pedestal and swing a rope around a frame that is balancing an idol. If the idol falls or the rope stops, the player is eliminated. The last person standing wins immunity.

Result: Alison bested Elizabeth to take the necklace.

Post-Tribal Politicking

It looks like the Goliaths are fully in power with the Davids just hanging back to see which of them will go home. There is some debate between Angelina (who wants to get rid of Christian because he’s a threat) and Dan (who wants to get rid of Elizabeth because she’s blowing up his showmance.)

During the discussion, Angelina uses military terminology to fire up the troops. This does not sit well with Dan. He also doesn’t love the fact that she’s targeting his Brochacho.

Alec isn’t feeling Angelina’s plan either, because Christian is a key part of his secret “Strike Force” alliance. The other Goliaths agree that the Christian vote is too fancy, too early, and decide to go after Elizabeth.

Angelina is not a fan of this new plan.

Soooooo…Angelina tells Elizabeth what’s up, claiming that she attempted to target a different person. It doesn’t seem like she’s trying to work with Elizabeth, but maybe she’s trying to win favor with a future juror?

Anywho, Gabby encourages Elizabeth to tell the Goliaths that Angelina outed them at Tribal in an attempt to get them to flip. Wait, Elizabeth needed Gabby to tell her that?

Tribal Time

Christian wins my heart once again by correcting Alison when she says “exponent” when she should have said “factorial.” (Don’t get me wrong, I don’t know the correct way to use either one of those terms.)

After that, Elizabeth promptly throws Angelina under the bus, telling everyone that she had revealed the Goliaths’ plan.

Then things get messy.

Dan thinks Angelina needs to tell them what’s up. Alison accuses Angelina of doing jury management. Everybody starts whispering. Gabby cries.

It’s a whole thing.

Voting Time: Elizabeth votes for Angelina, Angelina votes for Elizabeth, and the rest of the votes are secret.

JPro tallies and returns. He asks if anyone wants to plan an idol and…nobody does. Alright, we’ve got one vote for Angelina, six votes for Elizabeth, and the eighth person eliminated from “Survivor: David vs. Goliath” and the first member of the jury is…Elizabeth.

Verdict: I’ve gotta be honest, I never suspected Alec would be the driving force behind post-merge strategy. Look at him go.

That being said, this episode didn’t have nearly enough Davie for my tastes.

	Alec – He might be doing too much…but I’m liking his Strike Force alliance.
	Gabby – Tell me you went looking around the feast sign. Did you? Please?
	Dan – There was literally NO reason for you to tell Kara about your idol. She trusts you already.
	Christian – Do you know how close you were to going home?
	Carl – It’s probably never a great idea to get drunk during the game. Loose lips and all… Angelina – You can make it to the final three, I can’t imagine a jury rewarding you.
	Davie, John, Alison, Nick, Alison, Mike – I can’t give you full credit if you don’t show your work.

Power Rankings Results: Bradley Kleihege had Elizabeth in spot nine, I had her in spot seven. So, the current score is Team Bradley 74, Team Gordon 81.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

“Survivor: David vs. Goliath” (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Bradley Kleihege, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

The Rules: Each week our two combatants will create separate power rankings. The ranking of the person who is voted out of the next episode will determine the number of points the players will earn. For example, if Dan is voted out this episode, Bradley will receive three points and Gordon will receive one point. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: David vs. Goliath” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: David vs. Goliath”

Last Week: Bradley Kleihege and I both had Lyrsa in spot twelve. So, the current score is Team Bradley 65, Team Gordon 74.

Quick Note: Rankings are not based on who the player thinks is most likely to win. The smart strategy is to rank players based on how safe you think they are in the upcoming vote.

Bradley’s Score: 65 Any questions for Bradley? Drop him a line on Twitter: @bradley_r_k	Gordon’s Score: 74 Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
1. John: The Mayor of the merged tribe.	1. Dan: Ah…there’s nothing quite as unfun (not a word) as ranking a merge. So many variables, so many people wanting to make their “big move.” Danny, you get to go first, because two idols should keep you safe.
2. Christian: Being John’s #2 was a smart strategy pre-merge but now he needs to start thinking of his resume.	2. Davie: There’s no real reason to target Davie just yet, and he’s packing an idol as well. He should be here next week.
3. Dan: Two idols.	3. Carl: Hopefully that whole Elizabeth thing will blow over and the smart Davids can hang back and let the Goliaths go at it.
4. Gabby: Nobody needed the merge more than she did. I’m cautiously optimistic she is now fairly safe.	4. Kara: It’ll be so nice to get back together with your buddy Dan and his idols. And, you’ll never have to worry about Alec getting you into trouble again.
5. Davie: One idol.	5. Nick: Who’s going to have more options than you? Mason Dixon, the Rock Stars, the Thoroughbreds, Level Six…
6. Carl: Idol nullifier.	6. Mike: I think you made the right call last week. An Angelina vote would have made a statement, where as you can brush off the Natalie vote.
7. Kara: She needs the merge. I like Kara, hopefully this reset will work to her advantage.	7. Elizabeth: I get that you’re hungry and you aren’t sleeping, but you’ve got to keep it together better than that. Fortunately for you, the merge is a big reset button.
8. Alec: With the merge upon us Alec will find out whether or not his gamble of voting off Natalia was a good strategy or a bad one.	8. Angelina: Nobody needed this merge more than you did. One more immunity loss and you’d have been Rock Star’d right out of this game. Now’s the time to see if John’s still a good meat shield or if you should make other plans.
9. Elizabeth: Did she get the shelter bamboo fixed? Is this what will determine whether or not she can make a deep run in the game?	9. Gabby: The merge came at the right time for you, but let’s not forget that Nick still has you in his sights.
10. Nick: Probably safe but he was a target earlier in the game and the merge Tribal sometimes gets funky with who ends up going home.	10. Christian: You’re good at this game. Socially, physically, mentally, you’re totally holding your own. But…people are starting to notice.
11. Angelina: She showed she had strategic chops last week but she did it very visibly. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if people start targeting her.	11. John: It doesn’t matter how nice and funny John is, a fourteen pack of abs makes a wonderful target after the merge. He’ll never be safe.
12. Alison: She spoke.	12. Alison: One of my favorite underrated moments in “Survivor” history is in “Game Changers” when Sandra is asked who she wants to target. She never says a name, she just has a conversation. Alison shouldn’t have said Dan’s name.
13. Mike: Just not a fan. If you have read this far you have enough time to exercise your right to vote. Don’t take your liberties and freedoms for granted.	13. Alec: A challenge stud, who can’t be trusted, and who’s going to be making big moves? You seem like a likely first merge boot.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

“Survivor: David vs. Goliath” (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Bradley Kleihege, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: David vs. Goliath”

Gordon Holmes: So, what did you think was going to happen as you were heading into Tribal last night?
Lyrsa Torres: I was really hoping to stay, and I have more lives than a cat. In the Spanish tradition, cats have seven lives.
Holmes: Only seven? What a rip off.
Torres: (Laughs) Well, that was my seventh chance to save myself and I didn’t. I felt like it was going to be me, especially because when you’re headed into Tribal you can feel the mood. I could feel it and I knew it was probably going to be me. My mama says you have to have two bags in life, one for winning and one for losing, and that’s what I had there. I had a bag for winning and bag for losing. And I lost, so I grabbed my bag…and my jacket…
Holmes: (Laughs)
Torres: (Laughs) And I left. I’m very happy that I got to play this game this far. A lot of people were not expecting me to play that long. And it’s a win/win. No matter the outcome, I played something that I always watched on TV. It’s the game I love. It was a great experience and I learned a lot.

Holmes: Mike is in this position where he likes and trusts you, but if he votes out another Goliath, he’s going to be in trouble at the merge. How did you try to counter that?
Torres: I tried to never lie. I lied as little as I could. It’s a game about lying, but that’s not me. It was difficult trying to be dishonest. When you don’t do that in your real life, it’s hard to lie to a lot of people at the same time. I said to Mike, “Hey, if you stay with me…” They didn’t know about all my connections. I only told them about my connection with Elizabeth. That wasn’t true, I had connections with Gabby and Christian. So, I was pretty much looking forward to the merge because I was going to be with my people and we were going to be able to play. So, I said, “I only have a little bit on the other side, but we’re going to do our best to keep you safe. Even though you’re a Goliath, you’re like the David of the Goliaths.” But, I understand where he’s coming from. If he makes the merge and they lost Natalia and Natalie and Angelina, it’s going to put a big target on his back.

Holmes: It seemed like Angelina was trying to work with you at one point, but you didn’t seem interested. Why did you resist partnering with her?
Torres: To be honest, as a person, Angelina is so nice. She’s a very good person. But in this game, right when she got off the boat I knew she was there to play and win. It was game on from day one with her. She was playing super hard and you can’t trust a person like that in the game. So, there was something telling me you can’t trust her in the game. Also, I didn’t feel like she was trying to work with me. Maybe she was…but I didn’t feel like that after the whole incident with jacketgate. So, when Nick tells me they want to vote for me, how can I trust you when you want to do this? I didn’t get the vibe that she wanted to work with me, or I would’ve given her the jacket, the pants, the socks, everything.
Holmes: Were you concerned that if she got a jacket she’d become too powerful?
Torres: She’d become more powerful and I was going to be voted out next anyway.

Holmes: OK, word association time. Let’s start with Elizabeth.
Torres: Sister.
Holmes: Bi?
Torres: Fighter.
Holmes: Carl?
Torres: Fire, he loved the fire.
Holmes: Pat?
Torres: Teddy bear.
Holmes: Mike?
Torres: Funny.
Holmes: Nick?
Torres: Flip flopper. (Laughs)
Holmes: Gabby?
Torres: Cheese. We were talking about cheese all the time. We love cheese. I’d say, “Ooo…I want some spicy gouda.”
Holmes: You guys would get along with my wife.
Torres: (Laughs)
Holmes: She obsessed. Christian?
Torres: I love Christian. Beautiful eyes.
Holmes: Davie?
Torres: Hilarious.
Holmes: Jessica?
Torres: Sweet.
Holmes: Natalie?
Torres: Powerful.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Angelina.
Torres: Latina-to-Latina conversation…jacketgate.

Holmes: You were an early target in the David tribe. The knock seemed to be that you were a challenge liability, but we didn’t really see anything to support that.
Torres: Thank you! Thank you so much! You guys are watching the game. I think it was my mistake. I was the person that got into the boat and said, “I’m chunky, I’m tiny.” That’s (expletive deleted) I know. It’s not for me to tell them in this game. So, I think I’m the person who put that target on my back. But, I watched every episode twice and I never felt like I was super behind at something. We’d lose a challenge, even the challenge from last night, I was a little bit late. Gabby and I were head to head, but the way it was edited, she finished first. So, I don’t think my game ability was a liability. I put every single piece of me into the challenges, because I think people saw me as the worst physically. So, I needed to double my game, because if we lose it’s going to be me. And looking back, I’m thinking, “You’re stupid, you said you were chunky, you said you were tiny. These are things they can see, you don’t have to tell them this.” But, I like to be honest and I like to tell it like it is.

Holmes: It looks like we’re hitting the merge next week. What would’ve been your plan if you had made it there?
Torres: I was going to go back to Elizabeth. I really wanted to get to the merge. I set some goals; don’t get eliminated first. People don’t remember that person and I didn’t want to be that person. The second goal was make an alliance and the third goal was make the merge. And to be so close to the merge and to not make it was devastating. I wanted to be with Elizabeth and Gabby and Christian. Christian and I had the longest conversations every day about taking power over Slamtown. I was going to be the Secretary of State and try to create a plan to defeat John and take over Slamtown. I was really looking forward to seeing my peeps and actually play the game. What people didn’t know was that I was doing kickboxing four times a week. I was practicing a lot for balancing. I have really tiny feet, so those balancing challenges…I could have rocked that (expletive deleted) because my feet are perfect for that.

Holmes: What’s it going to be like sitting next to Natalie at the reunion?
Torres: Natalie and I are going to have so much fun. We’re going to dance together, it’s going to be amazing. I feel really bad. I have no beef with Natalie, I actually sent her a message apologizing for what I said.

Holmes: It must’ve been cool to have that purple hair and then receive a purple buff.
Torres: I know! After a while I didn’t know what was my hair and what was the buff.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

“Survivor: David vs. Goliath” (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Bradley Kleihege, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

The Rules: Each week our two combatants will create separate power rankings. The ranking of the person who is voted out of the next episode will determine the number of points the players will earn. For example, if Dan is voted out this episode, Bradley will receive two points and Gordon will receive one point. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: David vs. Goliath” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: David vs. Goliath”

Last Week: Bradley Kleihege had Natalie in spot fifteen, Gordon Holmes had her in spot twelve. So, the current score is Team Bradley 53, Team Gordon 62.

Quick Note: Rankings are not based on who the player thinks is most likely to win. The smart strategy is to rank players based on how safe you think they are in the upcoming vote.

Bradley’s Score: 53 Any questions for Bradley? Drop him a line on Twitter: @bradley_r_k	Gordon’s Score: 62 Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
1. John: Solidly on top of his alliance but also realizing the importance of building relationships with those in the minority. Savvy gameplay.	1. Dan: Wow, it’s really hard to argue with two idols. But, Terry Deitz might want to have a conversation with you about who brought the term “Brochacho” to “Survivor.”
2. Dan: He has two idols, but will he know when he needs to play them?	2. Davie: We’re actually in a very weird point in the game where we have three tribes, and it seems like each tribe has a pair of gentlemen on top. For example; Vuku has Davie and…
3. Christian: Is he trying too hard? Regardless, it looks like it is working.	3. Carl: This guy.
4. Alison: We are getting no content from her but she is in the majority on her tribe right now so she is most likely safe???	4. Dan: And John is Dan’s Tavi counterpart.
5. Davie: Davie has the majority, an idol, and a bundle of enthusiasm. He will live to see another week.	5. Nick: And then you’ve got the smooth air-guitar playing duo that seems to be running Jabeni with Nick and…
6. Elizabeth: She has more enthusiasm than a kid eating birthday cake after being on a diet. Oh, and she is also in a solid place in her tribe so she shouldn’t be in danger.	6. Mike: …this guy. I’m not sure what any of this means other than symmetry is pretty cool.
7. Carl: I am excited to see how this idol nullifier is going to work. I hope Carl plays it correctly because I am impressed by how he has fought his way back from being blindsided on the bottom of the David tribe to being in a majority alliance with an advantage.	7. Elizabeth: My Christmas wish is for Elizabeth and Lyrsa to reunite at the merge. They’ve had their backs against the wall on several different occasions and managed to figure it out.
8. Nick: Nick has come quite a long way from the days of being targeted for his laziness. The numbers on his tribe are even and he has an alliance with Mike.	8. Christian: Brochachos, and Slamtown, and Head of Awesome Stuff. All of these are fun diversions. But, have the three of them ever actually talked strategy? Will they have his back when Probst is swinging the snuffer?
9. Alec: Flipping on the Goliaths and voting off Natalia is looking like less of a death wish for Alec now that Angelina and Mike did the same to Natalie last week. That was the best thing that could have happened to his game.	9. Gabby: It would be heartbreaking for Gabby to get the axe after her emotional ride since joining the Tiva tribe. My hope is that Christian would speak up for you. But, it’d have to be a stronger case than someone else would make for…
10. Kara: Has she really patched things up with Alec? I have to assume she did such a good job patching things up with Alec that now she can’t get rid of him which is what landed her on TMZ.	10. Alison: We have no idea who you’re working with, what’s your strategy, what role you play in the Slamtown administration…
11. Mike: Hopefully his alliance with Nick is strong enough to keep him safe now that he has voted out one of his own Goliaths.	11. Alec: Elizabeth has a point that you’re more likely to be loyal now that you’ve stabbed a Goliath in the back. But, you’ve still stabbed an ally in the back…
12. Lyrsa: Continues to be be a target, whether for her jacket or for her unevidenced lack of challenge prowess, how long can she keep dodging the torch snuffer?	12. Lyrsa: Still in the game…with your jacket…and all it cost you was a couple of eggs. But, you’re not out of the woods yet. The big question now is; what will it mean to the other Goliaths if Mike shows up at the merge without Angelina?
13. Gabby: The green tribe has a stellar record of winning on “Survivor,” Gabby had better hope that continues or I think she goes home.	13. Angelina: So, everyone seems to think that Angelina knew Natalie was going, but voted with her as a ploy to get her jacket. And if that’s true…that seems like a big price to pay for a jacket. You’re on the tribe most likely to visit Tribal again and you’re at or close to the bottom.
14. Angelina: I can only hope her desperate Tribal Council jacket bit was a precursor to her saying “Natalie, Natalie?, Natalie?” as she walks into Ponderosa after this week’s episode.	14. Kara: So…the thing that’s in your favor now is…that Alec…is good…at challenges? That’s something.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Bradley Kleihege, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: David vs. Goliath”

Gordon Holmes: Take me back to last night’s Tribal. Was it a blindside?
Natalie Cole: I wasn’t blindsided, Gordon. I saw it coming and I decided I was no longer going to fight. I had been fighting every day I was out there. And Nick and Lyrsa came over to our camp and Mike and Angelina did not hesitate to update them on the relationships that occurred there. They did not have to find cracks, they were handed cracks. I erred by not trying to pull Nick and Lyrsa into the fold because I knew I would never get Mike. He was totally in love with Jeremy and Jeremy was enamored with him. Angelina was the most crafty person on the island, so I knew I couldn’t trust her. But, she was the common denominator. She was giving me information when others wouldn’t.
Holmes: I have a theory that Angelina wanted you to go home, but threw a vote for Lyrsa so she could get your jacket.
Cole: Absolutely! She’s very transparent. I didn’t trust her all that much. And I knew when it was two votes…I was like, “What?! Someone is playing a game.” And I knew it was Angelina because she was thirsty for a jacket. I got accused of stealing a jacket, I never stole a jacket. Angelina literally stole Lyrsa’s jacket. I said, “Ehh…you might want to put that back and just ask for it.” Angelina is very crafty. But, just like I could see through Jeremy, I could see through Angelina.

Holmes: Things got off to a rocky start with you and Jeremy. How did that feud start?
Cole: I had a lot of factors against me. I was bullied by Jeremy, you didn’t see the half of it. You never saw me approach him and start an argument, and yet I was considered to be confrontational. I was protecting myself. And then you have people who become followers instead of leading. Day one, I hit John up. I said, “John, I need you to help get me through the first half of the game. And I’m going to help you get through the second half of the game. I need you now because I may be an early target.” John and I made a commitment on day one, I made the same commitment with Dan. I approached Jeremy and said, “I’d like for you and I to consider…” and before I could say anything he cut me off and said he’s not doing that. He said, “We’re the only two black people out here. They’re going to target you and me first.” I don’t believe that. I’m not going to look at the glass half empty. He wouldn’t even hear my full strategy out. So, when he said, “Go get three or four people to back you and then I’ll consider.” I said, “Why don’t you be the first?” What he didn’t know was at that point I had John and Dan. Then I made the decision to not tell him anything because he will never have my back. If you listen to “First One Out” (Josh Wigler’s “Survivor” podcast) everyone speaks positively, they’ll work with me. What does Jeremy say? He says, “She reminds me of a lunch counter lady who gave me some free food.” Well, you couldn’t have been more wrong, buddy.

Holmes: Was there ever a chance for you two to mend fences and work together?
Cole: I was playing the game in pain. I was trampled in the first challenge because Jeremy decided he wanted to help me. He literally made me fall. We were running and had to get over this bar, and as I was trying to get over I lifted my left leg. He literally snatched my leg, flung it forward, and caused me to fall off balance. So, I got trampled. I had back pain the entire time I played this game. I didn’t play it up with the producers because I didn’t want them to think I was pulling out of the game. I thought Jeremy did it as an accident, but he never apologized. He was yelling in my face, to the point that I could feel his breath, and I thought, “What the hell? Is it my fault that you made me fall?” So, Jeremy and I started off on a bad foot and it snowballed from there. So, when people say he was trying to help me, I literally want to scream in their face.

Holmes: Jeremy took us by surprise during the exit press when he told us that the reason he was voted out was because of a joke he made about a showmance between Angelina and John. Angelina has since denied this. Can you shed some light on that?
Cole: What Jeremy does not know until this conversation, is that Jeremy made that comment, of which I wasn’t even in the vicinity when he made the comment, I was told the comment by my ally John. When I was told he made the comment and John and Angelina weren’t doing anything about it, I said to Angelina, “I heard about the comment.” And she said, “Yeah, it’s pretty crappy.” And I said, “Angelina, your husband is a marine. He’s out protecting our country. You can’t let that comment sit. You can’t let that go. We have to unanimously vote him out to speak against that statement he made.” So, I got in her head. I got in John’s head the same way. I said, “You’re getting married next month. Your fiancé is going to be pissed to hear that! We’ve got to do something, John! We need to fix this!” So then, the next two hours I sat back and watched the magic happen. They were soldiers going out with my message. Nobody knows that they did the work because I planted the seed in their heads.

Holmes: One of the big knocks against you was that you were telling people what to do, while not actually doing things yourself. Was that an accurate portrayal?
Cole: I was doing so much work around camp it ain’t funny. It’s something that somebody said, which was Natalia, and they ran with that narrative. I cleaned the entire campground. I dug up hundreds of yards of vines and braided them to secure the shelter. I’m the only one that went out digging for roots to eat. I was as busy as everyone else. And the only person that didn’t pull their weight, was Mike White. He did squat around camp.
Holmes: That’s interesting. Because he was one of you biggest critics.
Cole: That started after Jeremy was voted out because that was his guy. They went down on the beach and slept separately from everybody else. You watch who people sleep next to and those two were joined at the hip.

Holmes: Alright, word association time. Let’s start off with John.
Cole: Love John. He’s the most authentic person out there.
Holmes: Dan?
Cole: Like Dan a lot. Follower. He’ll know what I mean by that.
Holmes: Alison?
Cole: Underrated. She was my first target.
Holmes: Alec?
Cole: Gnarly.
Holmes: Jeremy?
Cole: Evil.
Holmes: Nick?
Cole: OK.
Holmes: Mike?
Cole: Mousy.
Holmes: Kara?
Cole: Non-descript.
Holmes: Angelina?
Cole: Sneaky.
Holmes: Lyrsa?
Cole: OK.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Natalia.
Cole: (Laughs) Trustworthy.

Holmes: Natalia is trustworthy? That’s surprising. It seems like you two had some issues out there.
Cole: It’s because we are very similar. We’re real talk. She misread what I said and overreacted. She’s young, she’s in her twenties. I understand how she got there. I tried to approach her because I was thinking; they’ll never see us working together. But, she just couldn’t see the game. She didn’t trust that I was being for real.

Holmes: Who were you hoping to get to the end with?
Cole: I would’ve taken Natalie, Natalie Napalm, and Natalie Cole.

Holmes: You were close with John. Did you have a position in mind for yourself in the Slamtown administration?
Cole: I would’ve been in the corporate part of Slamtown controlling Slamtown.
Holmes: You would’ve been the corporate donor that really runs the show.
Cole: Yeah, probably.
Holmes: You’d have the mayor in your pocket.
Cole: Yeah, you know of all the people out there, John had my back.

Holmes: You were amazing with your voting statements. Any chance you could vote me out?
Cole: Well, the voting statement is about what I feel about whomever…so for you, Gordon…I’d say, “It’s been fun and this is a wrap.”

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

“Survivor: David vs. Goliath” (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Bradley Kleihege, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Last Week: Bi said, “Bye,” tribes were swapped in tri, and Natalia was betrayed by her guy.

39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

Let’s take a look at the tribes as they currently stand…

The Vuku Tribe (wearing orange)
Alec, 24 – Bartender
Carl, 41 – Truck Driver
Davie, 30 – Social Media Manager
Elizabeth, 31 – Kitchen Staff
Kara, 30 – Realtor

The Jabeni Tribe (wearing purple)
Angelina, 28 – Financial Consultant
Lyrsa, 35 – Flight Attendant
Mike, 47 – Filmmaker
Natalie, 56 – Publishing CEO
Nick, 27 – Public Defender

The Tiva Tribe (wearing green)
Alison, 28 – Physician
Christian, 32 – Robotics Scientist
Dan, 27 – S.W.A.T. Officer
Gabby, 25 – Technical Writer
John, 38 – Pro Wrestler

Post-Tribal Shenanigans

As you’d imagine, Kara was not psyched that Alec left her out of his…questionable…plan. Heh…this won’t be the last time she’s annoyed with his judgment.

He justifies this move by saying he was trusting his gut. Oh…then…no problem.

Fiji Water…Lots of It

A beautiful, relaxing day is ruined by ALL OF THE RAIN IN THE WORLD. In an amazing moment, the rain cranks it up during one of Natalie’s interviews and she tells the crew that they need to go. See, Mike…she tells everyone what to do. She should get a producer credit for this episode.

The weather gets so bad that production steps in to evacuate the players. When they return their camps have all been decimated.

What’s interesting is; when Alison is listing all of the crazy things that have happened this season, she describes Bi’s exit as “quitting.” Technically, she’s not wrong, it just seems harsh.

Also, Alison said things.

Reward Challenge: Two members from each team will use poles to bounce sandbags off of a net. From there, they’ll use a slingshot to launch the bags at targets. The first tribe to hit two targets will win four hens and a rooster. The second place tribe will win twelve eggs. The last tribe will have no chickens to count and nothing to hatch.

Result: Vuku claimed first place and Jabeni took second. Honestly, two Goliaths took all of the shots for Tiva. How do you not let a David use the slingshot?!

A Kara-ble Position

After the challenge, Kara starts throwing her buddy Alec under the bus. It seems like Davie and Carl could be swayed, but Elizabeth doesn’t trust her. But what about the horses?!

Add that to the fact, that Alec betrayed the Goliaths, and poor Kara has a real uphill battle.

An Eggs-cellent Way to Get Voted Out

Angelina is very happy to have won the eggs, because she’s a vegetarian and that’s her main source of protein. I wasn’t sure if eating eggs disqualified her from being a vegetarian, so I looked it up. Apparently, that makes her an “ovo-vegetarian.” Thanks, Google!

There’s a heated debate between Lyrsa and Natalie over how long the eggs will last in the warm weather. Natalie wins the argument by pure force of being Natalie, but Lyrsa literally graduated Magna Cum Laude from a culinary school.

Tiva Inc.

Over at Tiva Beach, the fun game seems to be setting up adorable nicknames and clubs. First, Christian is dubbed the “Ka Genius,” which is a step above a classic genius, obviously.

Then, they start a business called “The Brochachos.” The org chart lists Dan as the president, John as the CEO, and Christian as the “Head of Awesome Stuff.”

No, seriously.

And why is Dan just giving away sweet titles? He should make Christian earn them…

Hey wait, aren’t the citizens of Slamtown going to be furious that their mayor and comptroller are splitting time with this new business venture?!

Dan takes a break from his new career to go looking for the Tiva idol. He knows whatever it is will be wrapped in a green string. Oh good, so it’ll be like finding a green needle in a green haystack. Piece of cake.

Sure enough, he finds a clue that lets him know that he’ll have to retrieve the idol at the next immunity challenge. Which leads us to…

Immunity Challenge: The tribes will race across obstacles, then they’ll lasso and pull up a bridge. They’ll cross the bridge and one member from each tribe will have to complete a pulley/snake/ball maze. The first two tribes will win immunity, the second gets a date with Jeff.

Result: Alec was the man, winning it for Vuku. And Christian completed the puzzle for Tiva. Jabeni gets a trip to Tribal. Also, Dan was able to easily retrieve the idol.

Pre-Tribal Politcking

It starts off with a Goliath discussion about Lyrsa and Nick with the trio eventually deciding to keep Nick because he brings more to the table challenge-wise.

However, Angelina wants to vote out Lyrsa in a way that will result in Lyrsa handing over her jacket. Huh…

Natalie is on the case, and in a roundabout way, seems to be threatening Nick that he’ll be going home if he doesn’t steal Lyrsa’s jacket or give up his own jacket. It’s all very confusing and off-putting.

Anywho, the Rock Stars approach Angelina with the idea of sending Natalie home instead. She seems to play along, but is very non-committal.

Tribal Time

Angelina and Natalie seem to be repeating the “Goliath Strong” mantra, but Lyrsa won’t go down without a fight. She makes an excellent point that they don’t know what’s going on over at Vuku now that Natalia is gone.

Jacketgate is brought up too. Nick thinks Natalie was being a bully, but she feels like she was negotiating. Hilarious.

Angelina eventually comes to her defense, saying that Natalie’s jacket maneuvers were done out of love.

Voting Time: Lyrsa votes for Natalie, Natalie votes for Lyrsa, and Nick votes for Natalie. The rest of the votes are secret.

JPro tallies and returns. We’ve got one vote for Natalie, one vote for Lyrsa, one vote for Natalie, one vote for Lyrsa, and the sixth person eliminated from “Survivor: David vs. Goliath” is…Natalie.

Angelina asks Natalie for her jacket on the way out and Natalie doesn’t respond. Then Angelina asks twice more to no response. Cold blooded…and awesome. Five stars.

Also, Mike was the Goliath who voted for Natalie.

Verdict: I gotta say, despite only lasting five episodes, Natalie has got to be one of the most incredible, memorable characters of the last five years. I’m actually very sad to see her go.

And now that the David vs. Goliath stuff has calmed down, I’m loving this season.

	Nick and Lyrsa – Once again the best grade goes to the Little Davids That Could. Maybe Probst is right; maybe they’re all champs at overcoming adversity.
	Dan – We all have our gifts. I’m good at skee-ball, Dan’s good at finding idols. Maybe hide this one better, kay? Christian – That snake puzzle was a big moment for you. Awesome stuff.
	Mike – Yeah, you got what you wanted, but it might come back to bite you at the merge.
	Angelina – Sooo…were you blindsided? Or, did you agree to let Natalie go if you could vote with her and get her coat? Either way it’s not a great look.
	Alec – Well…you’ll probably be the third Goliath voted out of your tribe. That’s something.
	Kara – It seems like the other Vukutians aren’t buying what you’re selling. You need to figure out a new angle quickly.
	John, Alison, Gabby, Davie, Carl, Elizabeth – I can’t give you full credit if you don’t show your work.

Power Rankings Results: Bradley Kleihege had Natalie in spot fifteen, I had her in spot twelve. So, the current score is Team Bradley 53, Team Gordon 62.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

“Survivor: David vs. Goliath” (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Bradley Kleihege, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

The Rules: Each week our two combatants will create separate power rankings. The ranking of the person who is voted out of the next episode will determine the number of points the players will earn. For example, if Dan is voted out this episode, Bradley will receive five points and Gordon will receive four points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: David vs. Goliath” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: David vs. Goliath”

Last Week: Bradley Kleihege had Bi in spot seventeen and Natalia in spot four for a total of 21 points. Gordon Holmes had Bi in spot sixteen and Natalia in spot twelve for a total of 28 points. So, the current score is Team Bradley 38, Team Gordon 50.

Quick Note: Rankings are not based on who the player thinks is most likely to win. The smart strategy is to rank players based on how safe you think they are in the upcoming vote.

Bradley’s Score: 38 Any questions for Bradley? Drop him a line on Twitter: @bradley_r_k	Gordon’s Score: 50 Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
1. John: Now that the Mayor of Slamtown has a comptroller, in addition to his Goliath cronies, he should be safe at least until another mixup.	1. Davie: Alec really opened the door for Davie to take over this game. He’s got the numbers, he’s got an idol, his buddy has the only thing that can nullify his idol. The question is; should they throw some challenges?
2. Davie: Impressive move last week shifting the power back to the original Davids in his new tribe.	2. Carl: …because they have two Goliaths they can burn off. They just might make it to the merge with a David majority and two powerful advantages.
3. Elizabeth: This cowgirl should ride right on through this week now that she is in the majority.	3. John: Between Dan and John’s brawn and Christian and Gabby’s brains, the Slamtown Olympic Team will probably never have to settle for a bronze. Oh, Alison is there too.
4. Carl: Found an advantage and also gets to join a tribe where his original tribe is in the majority. Carl’s fortunes seem to be turning.	4. Dan: You’ve got an idol and one of the most challenge-ready tribes I can remember. You’re good until the next swap.
5. Dan: Poor Dan, all alone without a Kara in the world. Will his broken heart allow him to regain focus or will he continue to act like a bumbling fool?	5. Elizabeth: I don’t know how you and Davie did it, but you did it. That’s two significant jams you’ve managed to wiggle your way out of in just four episodes. Well done.
6. Mike: Mike got a lucky break, he is in a better position post-swap than he was pre-swap.	6. Angelina: There’s a lot of uncertainty within your new tribe, but I think you’re the safest for now. It’ll probably come down to the Rock Stars trying to get rid of Natalie or the classic Goliaths wanting to get rid of Lyrsa. You’ll make the call.
7. Nick: Nick is still on the bottom of his tribe but his alliance with Mike should keep his torch lit through next week.	7. Alison: Hey, buddy.
8. Angelina: If someone goes home from her tribe this week I would be shocked if it isn’t Natalie.	8. Christian: So, we all had a lot of fun with our Slamtown infrastructure jokes, but at no point did John and Christian agree to work together. Christian could be in serious trouble. Fortunately, I’m betting Tiva never sees Tribal.
9. Christian: He was shown buddying up with John and Dan on his new tribe which is great. However, if he has to go to Tribal his biggest problem is going whether or not he comes across as a bigger threat than Gabby because this would be a perfect chance to get him out.	9. Nick: Whether or not this Rock Stars things pans out, you’ve at least bought yourself another cycle as the classic Goliaths will be more likely to target Lyrsa first.
10. Gabby: If her tribe loses, she is probably headed home. But, her tribe has a good balance of physical strength and puzzle acumen, so she should be safe.	10. Mike: Why is Mike this low? Because I’m not convinced that Natalie, Angelina, and John don’t have a final-three deal. If you start pushing to send Natalie home, you could be on your way back to Horace Green.
11. Alison: Purple Alison. The week you start talking you’re probably toast.	11. Gabby: I hate having Gabby this low, because I loved her big win last week. But, in the unlikely event Tiva loses, she’s the most likely boot. Although, there’s gotta be an idol on that new beach…
12. Lyrsa: No idea where my winners pick stands after the swap. Presumably somewhere on the bottom of her tribe, sadly.	12. Natalie: Natalie telling her tribe exactly how to make the fire might be my favorite “Survivor” moment of the last ten years. I just laughed and laughed. She’s got to feel she’s safe to be acting like that.
13. Alec: Alec did what the producers wanted this episode, he made exciting TV, but that doesn’t mean it was good gameplay. He will always be on the bottom of both the original Davids and the original Goliaths now.	13. Lyrsa: The good news? Your buff now matches your hair. The bad news? You aren’t a Goliath or a rock star.
14. Kara: On the one hand she got away from her biggest liability, Dan, on the other she lost a key ally. If her tribe goes back to Tribal Council she is probably headed to the place where Natalia is now.	14. Alec: What was it Alec? It can’t have just been that Natalia was being too pushy. Because that move makes zero sense to me.
15. Natalie: Natalie had a chance to reset her game and reputation with the swap but that is not the strategy she seems to have taken. While Napalm Natalie burns bright, I think she also burns quick!	15. Kara: You’re down in numbers, the dominant alliance has every reason to start throwing challenges, it is not looking good for you.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

“Survivor: David vs. Goliath” (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Bradley Kleihege, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Last Week: Christian threw Gabby under the bus, Bi’s mobility stopped being a plus, and Jeremy is no longer a part of Goliaths R Us…

39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

Let’s take a look at these tribes as they currently stand…

The David Tribe (wearing orange)
Bi, 28 – MMA Fighter
Carl, 41 – Truck Driver
Christian, 32 – Robotics Scientist
Davie, 30 – Social Media Manager
Elizabeth, 31 – Kitchen Staff
Gabby, 25 – Technical Writer
Lyrsa, 35 – Flight Attendant
Nick, 27 – Public Defender

The Goliath Tribe (wearing purple)
Alec, 24 – Bartender
Alison, 28 – Physician
Angelina, 28 – Financial Consultant
Dan, 27 – S.W.A.T. Officer
John, 38 – Pro Wrestler
Kara, 30 – Realtor
Mike, 47 – Filmmaker
Natalia, 25 – Industrial Engineer
Natalie, 56 – Publishing CEO

Buffs Will Be Dropped

We don’t waste any time with post-Tribal shenanigans as we head right off to a gathering of the tribes. But, before we get down to business, Bi announces that she will leave the game because she sprained her MCL. I’m usually all for people staying in the game at any cost, but she has a physical career, so good on her for making the move that’s best for her life.

Jeff then tells us that it’s time for an “unpredictable twist.” And by that he means…tribe swap.

Everyone drops their buffs and some people receive…a mysterious green buff. Oh, and Carl didn’t get anything. He’s like Charlie Brown trick or treating.

OK, the new tribes are; Natalie, Mike, Nick, Lyrsa, and Angelina on the Jabeni Tribe, Elizabeth, Davie, Alec, Natalia, and Kara on the Vuku tribe, and Dan, John, Alison, Gabby, and Christian on the new Tiva tribe.

Seriously?! I have to remember tribe names? Can’t we just call the green folks the Versus tribe?!

And poor Carl has earned himself a trip to Exile Island. He will join the first tribe to vote someone off.

Oh, that’s pretty interesting. The breakdown of each tribe is three Goliaths and two Davids. Why would a Goliath flip knowing that the Goliath they vote out is going to be replaced by a David?

Also, in the most poetic moment of the season, Christian catches a thrown map that was destined to hit Gabby in the face.

At Vuku Beach

Kara and Elizabeth seem to be getting along like peas and carrots and Natalia does not dig it. This immediately puts a target on Elizabeth’s back.

At Exile Island

Carl is greeted by a message that tells him that an advantage is available, but only for a limited time. Ooo…like the McDonald’s Monopoly game.

Anywho, he has to run off to a part of the ocean to find a coconut that’s bobbing around. He hustles over and claims the game’s first-ever Idol Nullifier. He’ll need to play it when the votes are cast and specify name which player he is playing it against.

At Jabeni Beach

Mike is rightfully freaked out because all of the challenge threats are on the other tribe. But, at least he still has Natalie to boss him around.

No joke, she literally gives everyone assignments, and then critiques their work. It’s hilarious. I can’t wait for the episode where she conducts their year-end reviews.

Later on, Nick and Mike decide to pair up as the “Rock Stars” alliance. What?! “School of Nick” was right there! Mike proves he trusts Nick by telling him about Dan’s idol.

At Tiva Beach

Christian immediately starts grilling John on the inner workings of Slamtown. He eventually asks if there’s a website where he can apply to be the comptroller.

No, seriously.

This all makes Gabby worry because she’s doesn’t bond well with Goliath-types. Later that night, Christian does his best to reassure her that they’ll be OK. She gets very emotional, comparing it to not feeling comfortable around cool kids. Aww…Gabby…you’re cool.

Immunity Challenge Time: One member from each tribe will sit on a one-wheeled cart. Two members will wear blindfolds and push the cart through an obstacle course. Then the unblindfolded member will have to instruct two other blindfolded members on how to complete a table maze. The first tribe to complete the puzzle will win immunity and snacks. The second tribe will just win immunity. The third tribe will get to vote out a David.

Quick Note: The unblindfolded players are Gabby, Angelina, and Kara. They really are in the spotlight in this challenge.

Results: Gabby pulled off the win for the Tiva. And, she even gave some big hugs to the scary Goliaths on her tribe. It was a close battle for second with Jabeni claiming the victory.

Pre-Tribal Politicking

The early debate centers around who should go home between Davie and Elizabeth.

But…Natalia opens the door a little bit by rubbing members of her alliance, particularly Alec, the wrong way. She tells people to shut up, she threatens Davie if he doesn’t vote her way. Both Davie and Elizabeth make plays to Alec and he seems to at least be entertaining the notion.

Tribal Time

Elizabeth is so concerned that she almost “pooped her pants.” I don’t have anything to add to that.

She eventually moves on from discussing…such things…and says that people need to make big moves before it’s too late. This inspires Alec to get up and whisper in her ear. As you’d imagine, this does not sit well with Natalia.

More whispering happens, with Kara trying to convince Natalia that everything is OK.

Finally, Natalia defiantly says, “Let’s go.”

Voting Time: Natalia votes for Elizabeth and no other votes are shown.

JPro tallies and returns. We’ve got one vote for Elizabeth, one vote for Davie, two votes for Natalia, and the fifth person eliminated from “Survivor: David vs. Goliath” is…Natalia.

Oof…and she does not go gentle into that good night. Alec tries to apologize, but she tells him to shut up. Natalia then asks Kara if she knew, Kara claims that she didn’t.

Verdict: I…uh…I don’t get this move by Alec. He’s now outnumbered by Davids. I don’t get it.

Buuuut…sign me up for more of “The Christian and John Show.”

	Davie and Elizabeth – I’m not quite sure how closely they worked on that plan, but at the end of the day, they swung the entire tribe in their direction.
	Carl – You found an advantage and you’re about to be reunited with your buddy…good times. Christian – Gabby is a dream alliance member. Can you even imagine her turning on him? I can’t.
	Gabby – Buck up, camper! Hopefully your big win will make you feel more comfortable. Nick – I think the “Rock Stars” have legs. Mike obviously trusts you enough to tell you about Dan.
	Mike – You’re right, Nick does have more to gain than you do in this new alliance. But kudos for trying making moves.
	Kara – Oh boy…how did all of that happen right under your nose?
	Natalie – I’ve been doing this gig for ten years and I’ve never seen anything like the way she handles herself around camp. She’s playing an amazing 3rd-place game. Alec – Congrats, you’re in the minority. Also, it’ll be fun to explain why Natalia is gone if you get to the merge.
	Dan, John, Lyrsa, Angelina, Alison – I can’t give you full credit if you don’t show your work.

Power Rankings Results: Bradley Kleihege had Bi in spot seventeen and Natalia in spot four for a total of 21 points. I had Bi in spot sixteen in Natalia in spot twelve for a total of 28 points. So, the current score is Team Bradley 38, Team Gordon 50.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

“Survivor: David vs. Goliath” (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Bradley Kleihege, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

The Rules: Each week our two combatants will create separate power rankings. The ranking of the person who is voted out of the next episode will determine the number of points the players will earn. For example, if Dan is voted out this episode, Bradley will receive nine points and Gordon will receive six points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: David vs. Goliath” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: David vs. Goliath”

Last Week: Bradley Kleihege had Jeremy in spot four. I had him in spot fourteen. So, the current score is Team Bradley 17, Team Gordon 22.

Quick Note: Rankings are not based on who the player thinks is most likely to win. The smart strategy is to rank players based on how safe you think they are in the upcoming vote.

Another Quick Note: Bradley has taken a page from Gordon’s exit interview style and has done his rankings in “Word Association” format.

Bradley’s Score: 17 Any questions for Bradley? Drop him a line on Twitter: @bradley_r_k	Gordon’s Score: 22 Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
1. Natalie: Power	1. Christian: So, first thing’s first: What’s the deal with the odd numbered swap? Are we getting three tribes? Are we getting two tribes and the odd person out gets a boat ride with Cochran? Anywho, Christian is safe.
2. Lyrsa: Moxie	2. Nick: I gotta tell ya, getting rid of Gabby so you’re Christian’s number one is some next level gameplay. If Nick ends up alone with Gabby, he might get his wish.
3. Christian: Exuberant	3. Angelina: So, are you envisioning a final three where you’re the mastermind behind the brute (John) and the goat (Natalie) getting to the end? Not bad…
4. Natalia: Capable	4. John: He saved Natalie and he won the Impact World Title in the same week? There is joy in Slamville. Usually, I wouldn’t rate a challenge stud this high in a swap week, but John isn’t putting out threat vibes just yet.
5. John: Multifaceted	5. Davie: Players with idols should be hypersensitive in swap situations. If Davie feels like he needs it, he should use it.
6. Nick: Chicanery	6. Dan: See “Davie.”
7. Kara: Convincing	7. Mike: He’s playing it so under-the-radar that people wouldn’t even notice if he was replaced by Jack Black.
8. Alec: Unfrequented	8. Alison: Uh…I know next to nothing about you. I imagine whichever tribe you end up on will have bigger fish to fry.
9. Dan: Thirsty	9. Elizabeth: She’s so likable and non-threatening. I’m sure she’ll be fine wherever she ends up.
10. Gabby: Moonstruck	10. Carl: You could be in for some headaches if Lyrsa is on your new tribe. Gotta mend that bridge.
11. Elizabeth: Sidekick	11. Lyrsa: I only have Lyrsa below Carl because I feel like he might make a better first impression. That’ll be important if they’re surrounded by Goliaths.
12. Davie: Undiscovered	12. Natalia: My worry for you is that your feud with Natalie over “Who’s the best Natali_” will carry over to your next camp.
13. Alison: Who?	13. Gabby: You’re going to be in big trouble if you find yourself on a tribe with Bi, Carl, Davie, or Nick without Christian.
14. Mike: Overdone	14. Kara: If word gets around your new tribe that you’re close with Dan, it’ll be all the reason someone needs to take you out.
15. Carl: Lugubrious	15. Natalie: If she ends up on a tribe with John or Angelina she’ll be fine. If not…
16. Angelina: Cocksure	16. Bi: My swap rule is that the challenge beast on the tribe that’s down in numbers is usually in trouble. Bi is the closest thing to a Wimpville challenge beast, but she has a bum leg…I’m so confused.
17. Bi: RIP	17. Alec: Challenge beasts are always in trouble at swaps, and you’ve taken the solo leg of every challenge so far.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

“Survivor: David vs. Goliath” (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Bradley Kleihege, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: David vs. Goliath”

Gordon Holmes: Take me back to last night. Did you see it coming at all?
Jeremy Crawford: The thing that really kicked me off the show was something that wasn’t shown, so it might sound like an excuse. The reason for the blindside, and it wasn’t a blindside, Angelina was in a showmance with John. It was kind of one-sided like Kara and Dan. But, Angelina had just gotten married. So, she was adamant that nobody make any comments about a showmance between her and John on the show. And essentially I made a joke about Angelina and John’s showmance after our  challenge where we won fishing gear. I made a joke around the campfire and that got back to Angelina. And from that, she went around and told people, “He has to go, he’s trying to ruin my marriage. I’m going to be humiliated.” So, she told people that, but told them not to talk about it on camera. That’s how you get nine people to vote somebody off who they really don’t want to. You add a personal layer from the real world to it. So, it really had nothing to do with me and Natalie. If you go back and look at Angelina in the tent when she says, “I can’t trust him anymore.” That “anymore” is telling you why. And that’s the only clue I could find last night as to why she so adamantly couldn’t trust me anymore. We weren’t in an alliance, so what was that “anymore”?

Holmes: When were you clued into the fact that she was targeting you?
Crawford: Maybe the morning of the immunity challenge. Somebody said “Angelina is mad about this joke you made.” And I think the girls were trying to get out a boy because they wanted an all-girl alliance. So, I thought I’d offer up Dan, we could flush out his idol. I’ve been watching “Survivor” forever, and if nine people are trying to get someone out, one person is going to tell them. Especially if that person is popular and has friends. But, when nobody came, I knew something was going on and I went into panic mode. Let me tell them about Dan, let me get into a bigger fight with Natalie.
Holmes: Once you realized what was going on, was there ever an opportunity to mend fences with Angelina?
Crawford: She mentioned the joke, but there was no way to talk to her about it because she didn’t want to talk about it on camera. So, what can you do? I’m an open, honest person. Everything about me can be on camera. I’m a lawyer, I’m good with rules. So, I didn’t know what to do with my tribe’s inability to follow rules.
Holmes: What was going on that made you think they were in a showmance? Was it more than canoodling?
Crawford: What made me make the joke was that it started raining and instead of grabbing her own clothing, she grabbed John’s. And we all knew it. It wasn’t a secret. She was fully into him. John wasn’t in a showmance, he was always talking about his fiancé. But, he was definitely pulling the Kara card of letting Angelina do what she wanted to do to improve his game. When we were in the camp, it rained every day. So, there was so much time in the tent, in the camp huddled together. And showmances, that’s where they start.
Holmes: Did I date myself by saying “canoodling.”
Crawford: (Laughs) I’m probably older than you, so you made me feel comfortable.

Holmes: So, the Natalie feud was a way to deflect attention?
Crawford: It wasn’t so much a feud, but Natalie and Natalia got into it on day one. That thing blew up on day three to the point where Natalie was ready to fight Natalia. She made a very threatening comment to Natalia and I jumped in and said, “Listen Natalie, you can’t say that.” Because Natalie told us on day one that she didn’t want to be perceived as an angry, black woman. I’m like, “OK, you’re black, I’m black, I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen.” So, when she got mad at Natalia, that’s when we had our first conversation. Then she got into a big fight with Mike. Mike might’ve stepped on her bed. I wasn’t there. I told her to calm down. So, these feuds were never generated by her and I having a problem. The problem was, I’d tell Natalie what other people were saying and thinking and she wasn’t believing it. So, she thought it was me saying it. At Tribal Council, that was the first time people were saying to her face that her attitude sucks. Do I have a problem with Natalie? No. Is Natalie completely unaware? Yes.

Holmes: Do you remember what comment Natalie made to Natalia that made you step in?
Crawford: They were carrying a log…like one of the poles, and Natalie felt like Natalia had given her a snide look. And Natalie, was like, “You’ve got one more time, you’ve got ONE MORE TIME, and I’m going to come over there.” And that was too much.
Holmes: That was a very solid Natalie.
Crawford: “Cut these coconuts! You all need to start this fire!” That was Natalie pretty much 24/7. We would wake up and Natalie would say, “You need to wake up and start this fire!” And we’d say, “There’s a fire making kit now. Go over there and do it.” That was just her. I don’t think Natalie knew I was going home, it was probably more of surprise to her that it was to me, because they didn’t need to talk to her to get the votes.

Holmes: Alright, word association time. Let’s start with John.
Crawford: Solid, American man. Nobody will ever say anything bad about John.
Holmes: Alec?
Crawford: Charming, he has the it factor. Charisma, intellect, once he gets some of that youthfulness out of him, he’s going to be amazing.
Holmes: Mike?
Crawford: He’s hilarious, a little nervous. He’s not what he appears to be when you first meet him.
Holmes: Kara
Crawford: Kara is absolutely amazing. Hands down, on both sides, she’s the person you want to hang out with for the rest of your life.
Holmes: Natalia?
Crawford: She’s great, funny, she loves “Survivor.” She talks about it all the time. And she was freezing on the island.
Holmes: Dan?
Crawford: Dan is twelve years old.
Holmes: Alison?
Crawford: Smart, kinda WASPy, solid girl.
Holmes: Natalie?
Crawford: Unaware.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Angelina.
Crawford: Lacks integrity.

Holmes: Tell me you’ve seen a pro wrestling match since you’ve returned to the states.
Jeremy Crawford: Oh, I haven’t. (Laughs)
Holmes: (Laughs) I’ll send you some recommendations.
Crawford: I’m not big into violence.
Holmes: It’s pretend violence.
Crawford: Mm…hm…

UPDATE: Angelina responded to Jeremy’s allegations with the following comment…

“My husband and I are aware of Jeremy’s comments. While we do not appreciate his blatant mischaracterization of my friendship and alliance with John, I am not surprised he feels compelled to attempt to revise the narrative.

I think all of this really comes down to one fundamental Survivor truth: being the first eliminated member of your tribe by a unanimous, undisclosed blindside, must really sting, especially for a supposed “Goliath.”

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes