[Jeff Probst]

14 remain

1-As the tribes get smaller, are you anticipating a merge on the horizon? How will you react if you do not merge as soon as you are expecting to?

2-You finally won Immunity!!! How was sitting back and witnessing their Tribal Council from a distance go down? Did you have any intel from the other tribe on what is happening?

3-Were you shocked by the outcome of Missy going home? With three vets going home in a row, does that impact your decisions going forward?

4-If there is a merge around the corner, what is your plan... do you link up with people on the other tribe or stick to the bonds you've made on this tribe?

[Matt]

1-As the tribes get smaller, are you anticipating a merge on the horizon? How will you react if you do not merge as soon as you are expecting to?
I think a merge is probably coming. If a merge doesn't come soon, I won't be super, super nervous or disappointed. I think I can survive a bit longer in this group. I would worry and react nervously if we had another swap before merge and I somehow got fucked over by it.

2-You finally won Immunity!!! How was sitting back and witnessing their Tribal Council from a distance go down? Did you have any intel from the other tribe on what is happening?
It was really nice! I'm glad we finagled to get Tai the necklace too so hopefully some bridges burned and some relationships imploded at that end as well. I got some intel from Missy and from Liz but nothing super reliable.

3-Were you shocked by the outcome of Missy going home? With three vets going home in a row, does that impact your decisions going forward?
I guess I was more surprised to hear Missy say before deadline the vote was between Hope and Alexis. I think she didn't get the dynamics on the other side. For example, I could see Alexis, Michael, Hope, Shamar, and Jessica/Tai/Aurora having voted together? But maybe I got that totally off. Of course, Liz hasn't filled me in on what happened (I don't blame her because we're on ice right now, my doing mostly), and she has a big., unreliable mouth anyways, so I'll find out what went down soon. Three vets going home in a row is fine with me. The issue is that at least 2 of 3 were people I thought I might be able to work with. The vets remaining in the game (minus Steph and Tai) may bring trouble, including someone random like Rocker. So I'll work through it; it's not great and it's not horrible.

4-If there is a merge around the corner, what is your plan... do you link up with people on the other tribe or stick to the bonds you've made on this tribe?
I plan to stick with Sherri, Reynold, Steph, and hopefully Tai if he survives. I intend to hook up again with Michael as well. Hopefully Shamar and Hope will be up to talking to me again. I think I can work on Alexis and the rest of the gang over there who Liz has her hooks in, and I might need Michael's help with that. I do see people who I'm worried about seeing Sherri as the main villain over me so maybe that'll work in my favor.

[Danni Boatwright]

The new Matt avatar is one of the best I've seen. Love that ginger jesus beard

[Cochran]

Congrats on making the merge! Too bad no one gives a shit about you unless you make jury :)

Can you do me and the lurkers a solid and rank all the people left in the game?? You can rank them on any metric you want, idc.

Good luck out there!!

[Loveita Adams]

Episode 10.5 – 14 Crackheads on Steroids

MERGE!!!!!! You made it!!!!! You’ve outplayed, outwitted, and outlasted 10 people in this game so far – congrats and keep it up! I’ve just got a few questions to tide you over for the weekend.

1. So first off, How are you feeling? Did you expect such a low-key day yesterday? How are you taking advantage of the simplicity?

2. What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned since merging into one tribe? Any new information cause you to re-evaluate your short or long term strategies?

3. How far forward are you looking now that you’ve made the merge? Are you more of the “one step at a time” type or the “plan out every detail” type? Is there anyone who you know you will NEVER work with (or NEVER betray)?

4. I’m a sucker for self-reflection – how do you think you’re doing? How do you think your competition sees you?

Oh and don't forget about Cochran's Q above! The lurkers want to know!

[Matt]

1. So first off, How are you feeling? Did you expect such a low-key day yesterday? How are you taking advantage of the simplicity?
I am feeling okay! I'm a bit nervous about the live event tonight because I have dinner plans with my bf for Valentine's Day and it's important to get that intimacy in! So I'll do what I can but it wouldn't surprise me if I find myself in a scrambling position on mobile. If I can make it past tonight, the coming week will be better. I'm taking advantage of the simplicity by trying to talk to people in a slower way and get my own mental model of how I want things to go.

2. What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned since merging into one tribe? Any new information cause you to re-evaluate your short or long term strategies?
I think the most surprising thing I've learned is the rivalry between Tai and Michael. I wasn't expecting that and it definitely feels like I could be caught in the middle. I'm not trying to make waves this early in the merge so I think my gameplan here will be to stick to the solid group from the third tribe and try to get intel from Michael (and Alexis?) and ensure that I'm not the target on the other side if that's how sides shake out. A piece of information that has been fairly positive is getting to re-interact with Hope. I wasn't expecting our connection to be as strong as it is (vs. with someone like Shamar) and so that has been interesting. Hope also telling me that Liz and Allie were close on their second tribe makes me feel less bad about cutting down some of Liz's fodder on the third tribe.

3. How far forward are you looking now that you’ve made the merge? Are you more of the “one step at a time” type or the “plan out every detail” type? Is there anyone who you know you will NEVER work with (or NEVER betray)?
This is a good question. I think I'm fairly focused on making it through these first few merge rounds with the people I want to work with intact. If I can trim some of the fat early I think I will be in a good position to think further ahead. Right now I'd like to sit in the finals with people like Reynold and Michael and so I'm thinking long-term but also short-term (I don't see myself betraying those two, for example). There's no one I would never work with but I don't feel good about Liz, Jessica, Allie, Aurora, or Rocker, which is kind of scary because that's a large bloc of people.

4. I’m a sucker for self-reflection – how do you think you’re doing? How do you think your competition sees you?
I think I'm perceived as Sherri's lapdog whether warranted or not. I'm okay with this perception for now but I could see it getting me idoled out this round or soon if I'm not careful. I'm not a flashy player, I don't know how to play unless I'm middle of the pack for the majority of the game. I don't make noise just for the sake of it or to be remembered, that comes off as basic to me. I also don't just like have a big personality just to have one because it comes off as fake. I try to stay level-headed and so if that makes me seem weak or anybody's bitch, then so be it. So this is definitely part of my story that I can work with. I'm never going to be the big loudmouthed player or the huge personality. And so I'm hoping I can work the narrative to my advantage and make enough moves to stand on my own if I make it past these first few merge rounds.

[Matt]

My rankings:

1. Michael: He remains my number one. I don't see myself betraying him. Having access to his intel will be important, as well as playing down our connection when I can.

2. Reynold: I want to go to the end with him and I don't see myself voting him. I think he is less close to me than to some people in the core group so I need to work on that in the coming rounds if I make it through. I'm hoping that it'll be kind of a non-issue in that like, 'duh' we need to work together and take out Sherri and Steph down the line, but we'll see what happens.

3. Sherri: I know, she shouldn't be this high because she's a huge threat, but I trust her and I want to make things work (for now).

4. Hope: I know, I'm not sure she should be this high but I'm doing what I can to ensure sincerity on both sides. She's going to have a lot of options.

5. Tai: He's a threat but I don't see him stabbing me yet.

6. Stephannie: Same description as Tai's, but I feel less socially connected to her.

7. Alexis: I'm treading lightly but I think I may need her to protect me.

*** steep drop-off after this point... these people are a chore to talk to... it's bad that there's so many... I don't have it in me to try to be bff with everyone in the game at the age of 31... sos... might not survive very long in the merge***

8. Shamar: I think he's at the top of the 'people-I-feel-shaky-about' group but we'll see. He seems less active than at the beginning of the game but could just be with me. Seems close to Sherri, Alexis, and Michael, so maybe this could work in my favor.

9. Allie: I KNOW, there's no way she should be this high, but this shows the desperation with what I'm working with in terms of this bottom pile for me. She's okay but I think she knows a lot more than she lets on and I think we secretly hate each other. Who knows! Time will tell, I see her slipping through for awhile.

10. Liz: She's a huge threat and I don't enjoy speaking with her. Totally a terror when she doesn't get her way and also has a big, unreliable mouth. I don't trust her. I don't like her. I never really trusted or liked her (see my early confessionals), independent of the third tribe dynamics.

11. Aurora: She and Rocker and interchangeable, but she brings up game sometimes more with me. I don't trust her at all. She probably has an idol and pinned it on Missy, who couldn't defend herself once voted out. Who knows.

12. Rocker: He doesn't do much for me. Bro-y. Talks about running and biking. Close to Alexis. Could see him floating on through.

13. Jessica: Sketch city. I find talking to her to be really fake. Every sentence ends with an exclamation point. I'm surprised she's the age she says she is.