Ethan's Brief Statement and Questions

[Ethan]

Brief Statement

Hey guys. Congratulations on making the final two. Right now, I'm not sure exactly how I'm going to distribute my gems. I plan to distribute them based on numerous criteria of who deserves to win the most, and I have some ideas, but I'm far from completely decided on the exact allocation. To clear something up, when I was voted out, I chose to give Brett and Marcus two gems a piece mainly to put everyone on a level playing field because they had the least at the time. I wanted the two people who were in the best position of making the final two to make the final two --- and I do believe that they did.

So, I'm going to start by saying what I think you did in this game. I may be wrong, and if I am, feel free to correct me. Being closely associated with Silas and on different sides than both of you at some or all points, I'm sure that there were plenty of things that I missed out on.

Russell - There were three stages to your game. The first occurred the opening two rounds when you voted with Sugar, Tracy, and numerous others associated with that "group" that I'll leave out to make this shorter. Then in the third round, you made the flip to Team Silas (me, Silas, Marcus, and Brett) along with Rocky. You stuck with Team Silas (sorry if that name bothers anyone, but it's the best way for me to talk about the "sides" even if it wasn't just everyone bowing down to Silas or whatever like the name makes it seem) to take out most of the Sugar-Tracy group. Then when Rocky was taken out and we had seemingly no large target left outside of the group (who would've guessed what Tracy was going to do?) and were going to have to start turning on each other, you switched your loyalty to Tracy and took out Team Silas with her. During the three key stages of this game, you were in the controlling group for all of them. And you weren't just in the controlling group --- your vote or challenge wins were often key in order for that group to succeed.

Tracy - Early in the game, you were positioned near or at the top of a group of players controlling the votes. When Team Silas started winning the challenges, gathering allies, and controlling the votes through those challenge wins, you were spared because you had so many allies who gave you gems and because you weren't perceived as being one of the biggest challenge threats. Of the final 6, you were the only person who hadn't worked with Team Silas for most of the game. And then at a point when you may have been the next target (although who knows what would've happened), you stepped up, won both challenges, and sent me home --- which was possibly the move of the game (although I may be biased) because I was strong in the challenges and loyal to Silas. And then your challenge wins completely shaped the end of the game and allowed you to take out Team Silas with Russell.

Now after saying what I THINK you did in this game, I have questions.

Questions

1) Russell, what shaped the "switching" that you did? From what I saw, you were very, very focused on accomplishing certain goals when you started working with Team Silas such as taking out Sugar and Rocky. From your point-of-view, why did you start working with us and why did you switch to Tracy after Rocky left if that's what happened?

1) Tracy, I'd just like to understand your thought process that occurred while all of your allies were being taken out. Were you intentionally holding back in the challenges so that you would outlast them? Because, honestly, I was completely shocked by your late-game wins that seemingly came out of nowhere --- and they came at the most critical point in the game, too. Also, how much were you trying to try to split up Team Silas to help your cause? I know you didn't talk to me about switching at all, but that's understandable because I was seemingly so close to Silas. But who else like Russell did you try to get against Silas and how'd you go about it?

2) And to both of you: Were there ever any groups throughout the game other than the three obvious ones that I guessed with Tracy-Sugar-others at the start, Team Silas shortly after the start, and then Tracy-Russell at the end? I'm just curious.

Thanks. Sorry if that's a bit much. Skip anything if you desire, and add anything extra if you feel that I don’t know about it and that it would influence my vote. Whatever works for you.

[Russell]

Feb 15, 2010 22:35:41 GMT -5 Ethan said:

Brief Statement




Questions

1) Russell, what shaped the "switching" that you did? From what I saw, you were very, very focused on accomplishing certain goals when you started working with Team Silas such as taking out Sugar and Rocky. From your point-of-view, why did you start working with us and why did you switch to Tracy after Rocky left if that's what happened?


2) And to both of you: Were there ever any groups throughout the game other than the three obvious ones that I guessed with Tracy-Sugar-others at the start, Team Silas shortly after the start, and then Tracy-Russell at the end? I'm just curious.

Hi Ethan! And thanks for your congratulations. You asked what shaped my "switching around" from Team Sugar, to Team Silas, to Team Tracy? It was all about making it further. I felt like with Sugar, Jerri, Tracy... I wasn't going to make it far. For one, it was obvious that Team Silas was working together on challenges. I didn't think one challenge that was won by Team Silas was a single effort but a group effort. Team Sugar wasn't working like that and therefore was not in a winning position. A group of 4 that work together will most likely beat every person who is working by themselves. I wasn't working with anyone on Team Sugar to win challenges and if they were working together, they certainly weren't really working with me necessarily either. Outside of a couple of challenges.. when Sugar sent me answers. The first time when Ace won and the second time I already had my answers and she gave them to me in the 11th hour when I was busy doing my own work during the last minute of a challenge to unlock password boards. I felt her "help" was more of an distraction when I was trying to focus... So, when Team Sugar actually won challenges they didn't do anything to try to keep me, a person who was working their ass off, more or less by themselves, safe. That alarmed me since I was one of the ones who always made it those challenges and worked hard (by myself) to try to win.

At a certain point the game switched and it wasn't a voting game but a winning game. So I felt it was best to move myself to the challenge winning team, if I could... and therefore keep myself in the game longer. Therefore I switched to Team Silas.

HOWEVER, staying with Team Silas, was an unnerving situation, while they did "help" in challenges, I felt like they insured their own win before insuring mine. Meaning, I felt the four still worked together in challenges, and only gave me information to me, after they had secured themselves. That told me I was number five... and as things got down to the nitty gritty, after Rocky left, I knew that my number was going to come up sooner or latter.

So I told Marcus that I was going to work with Tracy ... It's important to add since you seem to be under the impression that Tracy was out looking for people to break up team Silas, but in fact I went to Tracy to strike a deal with her... She never came to me. The only person who tried to get me to turn on Team Silas who is in the jury was Rocky. Anyway, this switch to Tracy was another attempt by me to further myself in the game, I figured I had nothing to lose at this point... I was either going to get further by helping Tracy, or I would end up leaving at 5 or 6 as I suspected I would. I knew Tracy was by herself and would welcome the teamwork... And, Nobody from Team Silas, outside of Marcus, seemed interested in helping me to get further then final five. So that little plan of switching to Team Tracy worked. I started working with Tracy in challenges and she started winning. While I don't take credit for all of her wins I will take credit for some of her wins... and the end results got me to where I currently am. I hope that answers your questions Ethan.

[Tracy]

Hiya Ethan, thanks for your words. Your veiws on what you think happened for me, are pretty dead on.

1) Tracy, I'd just like to understand your thought process that occurred while all of your allies were being taken out. Were you intentionally holding back in the challenges so that you would outlast them? Because, honestly, I was completely shocked by your late-game wins that seemingly came out of nowhere --- and they came at the most critical point in the game, too. Also, how much were you trying to try to split up Team Silas to help your cause? I know you didn't talk to me about switching at all, but that's understandable because I was seemingly so close to Silas. But who else like Russell did you try to get against Silas and how'd you go about it?

Every week I felt like I was struggling to stay in the game and I was disappointed but a few of those times I knew I was safe because I had enough gems to stay safe.
I never held back on challenges. See, if you look back, there were a couple of challenges where I placed pretty high in the ranks but couldn't pull out a win. It just meant i wasnt' as good as you. There were also a couple of challenges that were 24 hours but won before i got online. So while people thought I wasn't showing up for a couple challenges in the beginning, I technically only missed the very first challenge. Which isnt' part of the question, but I'm trying to explain why it seemed I wasn't good at challenges. There was also a challenge where I didnt' receive a score and people assumed I didnt' do it, not true, I spent hours on it but couldn't do it.
Remember the movie one that Rocky won? I came in second. And that's on top of the battles to get to the final two of that challenge. There was another one earlier that I came in second, and then the one Ace won, we all tied for first/second lol The first challenge I won, I'm really not too surprised, I'm really good at those types of challenges haha But I was a bit surprised though because you were usually always quicker than me. Like when Silas won the drink ordering challenge, i was always on my way to post and Silas would post like a minute before me. I got lucky being the quickest one my cop round because I'm sure you werent' far behind me. I think what it came down to was smarts vs. memory basically. Some challenges I won were memory based challenges, like where we had to connect each Survivor with comments about them and then use equations to get a password to get in. Or who did what in the hangout area. The ones that we had 24 hours to work on but the quickest one would win in the case of a tie.....Russell & I worked together on those. The live quick ones there really wasnt' room for working with anyone.


I went to Rocky when Sugar left and told him I would be willing to work with him because he said Silas was pretty mad that he wouldn't vote out Sugar.
I tried to come up with different scenerios, tried to convince Marcus time and time again that he wasn't going to get better than fourth, but he was fine with that. I was always trying to convince Marcus that Silas was too much a jerk to side with (no offence) lmao
At first I was angry with Russell and didn't ask him to flip back because i figured it would be for moot.
And I figured you and Brett were his #1 allies that there would be no chance in me cracking the bond with you three.
I also made my posts that it was obvious you couldnt' all go to final two and hoped that someone would see this and see that I was alone and work with me. See, another thing, I never trust anyone in these games. So had I gone to you, Brett, Silas about working together, I don't believe any of you would've been serious. I felt I could trust Marcus not to repeat the things I said to him but I didn't know you three to know whether I could be sure you wouldn't repeat anything I said. I try to be very careful what kind of info I'm sharing, as well as any plans or scenerios.

2) And to both of you: Were there ever any groups throughout the game other than the three obvious ones that I guessed with Tracy-Sugar-others at the start, Team Silas shortly after the start, and then Tracy-Russell at the end? I'm just curious.

Hmmmmmmmmmm I don't think there were any other groups. The first two rounds it was the two groups. Then Russell & Rocky decided to go with Team Silas. Then Shii Ann was basically sort of Team Silas when she realized we were willing to vote her out over Stephenie. But it was still the obvious groups. I think there were a few in each group with tighter bonds.



I hope this answers everything and I'm sorry if at any point I rambled, or repeated myself, or made no sense whatsoever lol
If there is anything I missed, please feel free to tell me I'm an idiot and point out what I missed.
TiA

[Ethan]

Thanks, those responses were very informative, answered my questions, and filled in some gaps that I wasn’t sure about. Good luck to both of you. :-)