Brianna's Questions

[brianna]

Westman and Monica... I have no love for either you. And quite frankly I think this is the worst final 2 in all of survivor history. I would love to vote for anybody than either of you. Even people in pre-jury I would vote over you two, well maybe not Jerri, but anyone else is pretty much fair game. Heck, if there was a puppy next to you two, I'd want the puppy to win Survivor for actually being cute and lovable unlike your two wicked souls. But, that might change since I absolutely know nothing of either of you two.

Well, Monica, I do know you're a liar. And if that's sticking true to yourself, I feel bad for all the people in your real life situation. And all that crap about you wanting to know who flipped after I was voted out. That's called cheating. Getting information from jury members is a NO-NO. Oh, and another thing, you making a list of people that voted you out, is a bit creepy. Knowing how many times I voted you out and Alexis and PK, that is anal. We had to vote for someone. I do give you kudos for surviving. I see you also didn't win a single immunity challenge. I also see you as a goat. I don't have really any positive remarks for you.

Tom. You're a bigger liar than Monica. I mean congrats on the blindside, but on the few occasions we talked, you told me you never tried to get my removal out of the game, but here you are in your opening statements, blabbing away at how you tried to get me out earlier. And don't worry, I already knew this, seeing as I have talked to fellow jury members. I even figured it out during the game. I have a little hate section for you in my confessional <3. You, though, have one immunity win. And that I must congratulate. But I don't really see you as a strategic mastermind. I don't see any plays that you instigated. I see you as a goat as well. Just a number. I do have to give you some more probs. Cuz, I think Brandon would have won if you brought him to the finals, so I figure you have some intelligence.

Okay rant is over. Question time.


Dear Final Two,

1) Rank the jury and state as many positive / negative things about them as you please, but at least one of each.

2) Please give me reason for my departure. Not that anyone knew, but I had already given my idol away to a friend, and frankly didn't see why I was a threat. Please explain.

3) Did either of you play the game? Please tell me why you are strategic. One of you only won one comp. Neither of you were really that strong in tribal comps. So, I see you as even in the Out Last and Out Play categories. I think my vote will go to who ever can convince me of Out Wit. You can talk about your alliances and your votes if you want.

[Monica Padilla]

Ya know Brianna its interesting because you come in here and you seem to want to attack a lot of things about me personally, but you didn't attack me on anything strategically. So I guess that's why I still have a shot at getting your vote!

1) Rank the jury and state as many positive / negative things about them as you please, but at least one of each.

1. Tom B: He was the leader of the guys from the moment that Tyson was taken out of his role. He had built individual relationships with each person both in his core alliance and outside of it. He played a very strong social game and a lot of people seemed to be afraid to make a move against him. I think had Brandon not turned on him he would have had the best shot of getting into one of these chairs. I just think if you look at Toms game he had a winning strategy throughout. I think everyone respected him and felt that if he got here he deserved to win. The only negative thing I can say about him is that he made himself way too big of a target. I knew that by being close to Tom people would always come after him before me. I think he should have tried to maybe make people in his group feel a little more secure about where they stood with him.

2. Tyson: The fact that Tyson was a target from the first round of the merge till the time he left is testament of how good of a game he played. He made it to the Final 6 despite all the odds being stacked against him. I do feel that Tyson was like the Male version of myself because both of us had been ousted from our tribe and had to find a new group of people to be safe with. I think he clearly had the strongest Outplay aspect of everyone. My criticism of him was that I think he might have falsely believed in certain people having his back. I think he should have reached out more and made more solid deals to keep himself safe when he didn't have Immunity. I guess I just felt that his social game didn't match up to his physical game.

3. Matty: Matty is a brilliant speaker. He is able to really convince people that his ideas are the right ideas for your game as well. I remember the round where Matty left and I seriously thought I might change my vote to Tom W. He was just that good at convincing me that keeping him over Tom W was the right move. He was also extremely likable. I think had he got to the end he might have won just based on popularity. My negative with him was that I think at times based on maybe his schedule that he kinda drifted out of the game. It seemed like his game was very strong at the start and then kinda dwindled down toward the time he left. He also kinda toed the line too much between the two "sides" which made people not trust him and ultimately left him out of the core alliance he first made.

4. Brandon: If anyone made big moves in this game it was Brandon. If I'm not mistaken Brandon voted out every single person that is sitting on that Jury. So he knew what he was doing and he knew how to play sides and still remain safe. You have to respect that even if its not the type of game that you play. The negative I thing about Brandon is I think that people were frustrated with him and maybe didn't like him all that much personally. At times he seemed to act as though he was lost and his decisions were kinda made hasty (whether that was an act or not).

5. Alexis: I always felt Alexis was playing a bigger game then I gave her credit for. I know she was trying to get alliances going and clearly she won a critical challenge which got her one place further. She was the leader of the girls and kinda controlled who stayed and who went for the most part over there. My criticism of her was that she wasn't around a lot (I know it was cause of work). Sometimes you wondered if she even cared to be in the game because she forgot to vote or do a challenge. So she seemed a little disconnected.

6. Fairplay: I always said Fairplay was a strong player despite what people thought. He played one of the best under the radar games I have seen in a long time. When you can stick around for as long as he did without really being all that social..its pretty impressive. He tried to make a move to save Kelly and lead the charge. Despite it not working it still was a brilliant move for him to try and overthrow the core alliance he knew existed. He was also one of the few people here that I was kinda scared of. lol. I didn't know what he was going to do or what he was a capable of! Also in the one conversation I had with him when I first went over to the men's tribe...he said more strategic, thought provoking things then several people in this game have said to me in 10 conversations. So he's not to be underestimated like he was! My criticism is clearly that he was not social really at all. I think he should have maybe seemed more part of what was going on.

7. Brianna: If anyone fought the hardest to try and get themselves in good with everyone it was you. I saw you making attempts to keep yourself safe after you saw the questionnaire challenge. So you really did try and get people back on your side. You also were very good at the challenges and that was a big part why people wanted you around on Hahajima. My criticism of you would be that you had loose lips which sunk your ship. You told too many people too many different things and got caught. So you weren't able to kinda harness your ideas and put them to good use where they would turn out to be something that went in your favor.

8. Kelly: Just like Fairplay I think Kelly was playing a bigger game then she ever let on to most people. I knew from the time that Kelly first voted me off that she was playing. lol. She acted like she was kinda this sweet, innocent, go along to get along girl, but she was fighting to get what she wanted. She got Fairplay and even Tom W to try and keep her. So she made relationships with some of the guys. She did well in the challenges when we hit the merge which showed she could compete despite being the one to sit out as the Lil Sis before. My criticism for Kelly from my point of view is that I think she should have tried to get Brianna, Alexis, and I to come together. I think that would have been her best move to get to the end.

9. Richard: I literally know nothing about Richard. lol. We talked once and it was right before Tribal Council was going to be posted. I feel bad because I cant say anything positive or negative about him. He really had very little impact on my game besides me being able to see a guy leave first in the merge which was a goal of mine since I didn't want the guys to have a bigger number advantage then they already did. So I'm sorry, but I wouldn't be honest if I acted like I knew anything about Richards game. He gave Brianna $100 and build a relationship with her through it? That's all I got!

2) Please give me reason for my departure. Not that anyone knew, but I had already given my idol away to a friend, and frankly didn't see why I was a threat. Please explain.

Response: You call me a liar, but I was completely honest with you for why you left this game. I was genuinely trying to build trust with you. I always wanted to have that option of going back with the girls in case the guys were seeming to be way too tight with each other. You ran to Alexis and told her my feelings about her which made Alexis distrust me and write my name down at Tribal Council. Had you honestly kept our conversation between each other you would have had someone on your side trying to keep you here. The boys were going back and fourth between voting Alexis or you off and I pushed for you to go for the reason that you were stronger challenge wise, you were more actively social (trying to build alliances), and you showed that I couldn't trust you. I felt like the things we were talking about were leaking everywhere and it was much safer to have you out of this game for me. So that's why you left.

3) Did either of you play the game? Please tell me why you are strategic. One of you only won one comp. Neither of you were really that strong in tribal comps. So, I see you as even in the Out Last and Out Play categories. I think my vote will go to who ever can convince me of Out Wit. You can talk about your alliances and your votes if you want.

Response: I played the game from Day One! From the moment that I was the first target on the girls tribe and went to Alexis, Kelly, and yourself and said "Lets form a group and stick together". That saved me because I knew that Alexis had 2 votes and she was the person I needed to stick next too. I survived the first vote by one vote!

Then the second round where Jerri targeted me and I got Cirie to flip on her ally to keep me around when Kelly now turned on me. Once again I survived!

Then the third round where Kim targeted me and Kelly and yourself voted me off. I still despite your close relationship with Alexis got her to side with me which once again kept me around.

So the first three rounds I think everyone knows I fought tooth and nail to stay and I wouldn't have made it through getting 11 votes if it wasn't for strategy! I threw everything I knew out there to convince people that having me around was in their best interest.

Then I got on the mens tribe and I built relationships there which really put me in a solid position going into the merge. The guys voted off Cirie and Dreamz. I was now feeling like I just needed to find my way through the cracks of the Tom B, Tom W, Brandon, and Matty alliance.

First vote in the merge...Richard voted off. A guy I never really knew it out of the game. Success

Second vote in the merge..Kelly voted off. The girl who voted me off twice before and had no interest in keeping me around at all. Success

Third vote in the merge..Brianna voted off. The girl who just was too risky to keep around and broke my trust by telling Alexis what I was talking about. Success

Fourth vote in the merge..Fairplay voted off. The guy I had no relationship with and felt could be the one to slip through the cracks like myself and make it to the end. Success

So the first four votes went exactly how I wanted them pretty much because four people that I really had no real trust with were out early. That left me in a good spot going into the Final 8!

From that point is was about making each guy feel like they could trust me. Those guys were doing things against each other that they kinda were forced into trusting me because I wasn't going against them. I wasn't in Tom's shoes where he tried to keep Fairplay and the guys went against him. I wasn't in Matty's shoes where he tried to keep Brianna and get rid of Tom W, but no one supported him. So those guys were making moves left and right against each other and I was making sure they all were aware of that.

It became obvious that they would go after each other before me and I could gain their trust and kinda slip by. lol. I think that's a big reason why I got to this point because they all distrusted each other more then they distrusted me. I think that at one point or another Tom W, Brandon, Tom B, and Matty can all admit that they probably trusted me more then they trusted all those other guys. So I did work on each of them individually to build that relationship so I would have safety.

So I never lost site of the fact Brianna that this was a game. We were here to play it and I was going to fight hard to get here and that's exactly what I did. I don't feel I'm here because people thought I was a goat. I think people knew I was playing, but they just so happened to trust me more then they trusted other people. I think I was underestimated and that ultimately was the demise of a plan to oust me. I'm now in the Final 2 feeling proud of the game that I played and never for a second thinking I got here without having a strategy. I had a solid strategy and that's why I'm sitting here.

[Tom Westman]

To comment on your rant Brianna. It's funny of you to say I'm a liar when you yourself lied. Seriously I'm cracking up. I knew you had an idol yet you chose to lie to me when I asked you about it. So I knew right there you were a liar. So what better to treat a liar than lie to them right? You knew I was lying anyway so we were just playing a dance of lies But thank you for the compliments as well, I appreciate it <3

1) Rank the jury and state as many positive / negative things about them as you please, but at least one of each.
There may be similarities to mine and Monica's ranks but this is how I felt anyway it just so happens she posted first.
1. Brandon - I think a lot of people underestimated him a lot. From what I have observed of him he had the most well rounded game. Constantly talking to the other side. Orchestrated a lot of the blindsides and convinced anyone to side with him on a vote. This also became his downfall in the game because he trusted me and thought he was carrying me. I did think for a second that I would have taken him to the end, but the more I saw of how he was. His answers to the Rites of Passage, his speech to convince me. That there gave away his strategy.

2. Tom B - Tom B was perceived as the leader of our rebellious side. He was prolly the most visible and prolly the most vocal in terms of showing where he stood. Tom B's only weakness was being naive to what was surrounding him. I take in example when he fought to keep Dreamz around and the time he left the game. I think he didn't give enough assurance to the people he relied on that someone was bound to turn their back on him.

3. Tyson - Tyson was the other Father. He came to this game guns blazing and practically wore his strategy on his sleeve. He was not afraid to make bold claims or statements. But on the downside this just made him a more apparent target than any of us and everyone was just quick to get rid of him.

4. Matty - Matty was a savvy player. He was loved by everyone in the game. And I say everyone because I have noticed how everytime his name was brought up, no one was keen to get rid of him. It seemed like he had the girls listening to him and he was the one person that wanted to try as many alliances as possible. I would also think the negative part of him was being too naive that the people he trusted will keep him far longer.

5. Kelly - I believed Kelly to be a strong player. I have heard from her how she formed this alliance with the girls and even pulling Tyson into her fold making him her shield as to prevent people from locking on to her as a target. I and Fairplay were even one of her protectors. I think the negative side of her was that she handed out information too easily and this got around to the point that it jeopardized a lot of the people including me that I had to take a step back and realize that if I kept with her I would prolly have followed her next.

6. Fairplay - I think Fairplay had a good strategy in mind. Choose the strongest players latch onto them and just made sure that those strong players protect him as well. I was prolly the only one person left on our side who still wanted him around because I can feel that he and I agree on so many things and that whatever he and I agreed there won't be any problems arising between us. I think the downside in his gameplay was not being able to create that much bond with the rest of the cast as I feel had he dones this he won't have left as early.

7. Alexis - Alexis was a very sociable player in this game. I feel I was connected to her right from the start when we were talking. She was a big flirt and this even made me gravitate towards her. I think her negative point was that she still chose to be on the other side of the fence even though it was prolly gonna sink along with her.

8. Brianna - Brianna was smart in some way and in some other ways she got careless. I think she well set herself up pre-merge but did not anticipate what was gonna happen at merge. I think it was smart that she was able to get Matty to join her side and that she was smart to be able to get the idol and even ask that money from Hatch. For someone who lies tho I think she became too confident and trusting with the people around her thus she didn't anticipate playing her idol to save herself from going home.

9. Hatch - I think Hatch was smart enough not to become a target early on. I was completely impressed that he has gone far considering he was one of the few choices I had to get booted early during pre-merge. The only negative about Hatch's gameplay was because he has made it known how attached he is to Tyson and this became a reason for us to target him because we felt he was the least obvious choice to be played an idol on.

2) Please give me reason for my departure. Not that anyone knew, but I had already given my idol away to a friend, and frankly didn't see why I was a threat. Please explain.

You had to go because you were not part of an alliance I was a part of. You were sharp, you had a strong social game and because you were keeping an Idol it made sense to blindside you so we can get rid of your power.

3) Did either of you play the game? Please tell me why you are strategic. One of you only won one comp. Neither of you were really that strong in tribal comps. So, I see you as even in the Out Last and Out Play categories. I think my vote will go to who ever can convince me of Out Wit. You can talk about your alliances and your votes if you want.

I definitely played this game. I played it the moment I step foot here. I knew that coming in here things can start to get crazy so I worked on my social skills and talked to as many people as I can early on and let them know I am the person they can count on. I was not one of those people that will say hey let's make an alliance on the first day. I am a player who likes to get to know the people first and make them trust me with their innermost desires and secret. One example of this was getting Dreamz to confide in me that he was a girl. I knew only a few people knew that and I kept it to myself to let her know that whatever she says to me that it's not going around. I was able to let a lot of people gain there confidence in me and that was very important for me to build because I know with those connections that I can become untouchable even when I may be in jeopardy from time to time. I think my biggest outwit was sticking by Brandon even after his crazy power spree when he took out Tom B. As much as I wanted to confront him with it, I took the high road and kept my cool. There was no way I was gonna let him feel like he just lost my trust in him but with Monica's help I was able to make him believe I am his number one ally. I was so convincing I believed this myself. No one really ever knew what I was gonna do during the last tribal council. If it weren't for Brandon though I knew I wouldn't be here where I am now but at the same time had I not won final immunity I wouldn't be here as well. It just became a matter of how I'm gonna fare well in a final TC if I had Brandon there over Monica and I feel like as what I have always done in this game, I followed my gut instinct and found out I was right all along. As far as alliances go, I think I've made enought to help get me further in this game, this was apparent with how I stayed on even when people were gunning for me. I feel like I always had people who would have my back no matter what and that I feel like I would always be on the majority side of things. I was a crucial part in choosing between Monica and Cirie. I was able to push for the people who I wanted in merge even when other people were wanting to get rid of JFP and Monica, I took a stand and convinced them keeping those two was for the better good.

Thanks for the questions Brianna and good luck with your decision

[brianna]

Thank you for your responses. They were........ Enlightening. I've made my decision. Best of luck.