Just saying that Russell played the best game to date is not enough. What exactly did he do that makes you think that? I agree that he was the best player out there *this season*, but that’s not much of an accomplishment.

What did he do that was so great?

2. Russell didn’t deserve any prize. If he was so smart, why would he take the southern belle to the final 3? That’s not too smart in my opinion. Plus the arrogance, I mean, come on already.

3. Whether the pill pushing southern belle deserved the big pot is irrelevant. She got it. Revenge vote, good game play, right or wrong, no one gives a sh*t. The jury gave it to her.

The only reason he did not win is because the people on the jury could not stand to see him win (sour grapes), even though he outwitted, outplayed, and outlasted each one of them.

Usually the strong players are picked off quickly since everyone sees them as a huge threat. That is what happened to Eric and others. Russell was able to play the game strong and hard, yet avoiding the blindside which has become so popular.

As a long time viewer, when you watch someone who was head and shoulders above the crowd and he still loses at the vote, it makes you wonder if it is really worth watching Survivor, since only the weak and meek will win.

Mick played a better game than Natalie. Heck, the vast majority of contestants played a better game than Natalie. Did she deserve to win? No. Did a few others who played hard deserve to win? Yes. Did Russell? Oh yes he did!!!

Amber got personal dislike votes because of the hate for Russell’s. Clearly people were offended from his obnoxious, chauvinist, harassment behavior…I hated some of the things that Russell did, but I loved the way he played the game….and think he should’ve won that’s just my little opinion . ….and think he should’ve won biased on his game playing. But his game was too intense and the jury gave Natalie the votes. Mick received nothing. Natalie may not have outwitted like Russell did, but she rode his coattail because he allowed her to, she never outplayed and outlasted him…he took her to that spot I feel. And, yes however she arrived there she won, but b/c of how they hated Russell, not those lies they told about how she played, they hated him and didn’t want to see him with that money. He was the reason I tuned in to even watch this season…loved me some Russell. Can’t wait to next season…I hope he is on the show. :)

Kind of a metaphor for the season, eh?

People think Russ is a poor role model. But would you rather have a girl act like a Natalie (“boys are scared by competitive and aggressive girls”)?

Play the game, girls. Don’t sit back and think you’ll end up like Natalie, taking somebody else’s win at the end. Life really isn’t a popularity contest, and where it is — the results, the team as a whole, is usually worse off.

what game was that? Always do as Russell tells you? I think you’re giving her credit from nowhere. In the end there’s no proof of any willful strategy on her part other than what Russell conceived for her.

The game turned on Natalie’s engineering of Erik’s ouster, and she laid low in Russell’s shadow — she deserved to win, plain and simple. Winning = deserving.

It sounds to me like Leslie would have fit into this bunch of whiney babies perfectly.

Now tell me: do you think OJ Simpson was innocent?

Point taken?

Natalie knew the key to the game was the jury. Finding the right coat tails to ride to the final three while playing the smart social game is not only a valid strategy but a successful one. Congratulations on a million well earned!

One huge fault in his game. Your game competitors had to vote the winner. Non uninvolved viewers. (though i think they should) Russ rubbed his jurist’s noses into the dirt to such a degree, that the all hated him with a passion, and were only looking for an excuse not to give him the game. Eric gave them that bullcrap of an excuse. (all of Eric’s pontification, did not jell with his underhandedness, though, did it.

Because they need to RIDE this person, otherwise they would have to play their own games, and exhibit their own strategic skills, instead of just introducing a twist every now and then to someone else’s well-developed and overall well-executed strategy.

I’m amazed at how poorly you understand camping, game playing, and how things get done in the real world Leslie. As I mentioned in the comment above though, you seem to be in good company politically in this country right now, as some thing you can distribute the profits of the contributing class to instantly make “winners” out of those who ACKNOWLEDGE sitting back passively so as not to scare others — ie men — by actually having skills, or displaying aggression by taking action.

(How long do you think her mouse-killing skills alone would have provided for her, nevermind making her a true leader of the tribe?)

Lol. Generous concession, Leslie.

Maybe, he won the audience vote, because the audience at home uninvolved in the personal politicking could see how Russell outplayed them all.

The jury just liked the pretty lady, and were probably jealous of the guy who played the game heads and shoulders above the rest this year…

Leslie, were we watching the same show? He DID earn it, and that was the whole point of his monetary offer.

Are you jealous because the man is successful and has made money independently in real life?

Where our country is right now, those jury members (and you it seems) just wanted to reward the pretty face who rode others. A lot of that seems to be going around lately…

Kinda like the game she played. “The aggressive ladies who actually did things were sent home early. I rested on my charms, and engineered a ‘social game’ and y’all fell for the pretty lady. Suck-ahs!”

You can say she played a good game because she won, but the trouble with riding someone else: everyone knows that had Russ been absent from controlling the game, her be-nice-and-ride-others wouldn’t work.*

Still, I’m glad she’s out there on the island using those skills, instead of as a pharmaceutical rep pushing products on doctors to sell…

* Give me Shannon’s “worker” mentality, any day — Natalie’s “skills” will fade with her looks, once she is Shambo’s ago. (Your Erik seemed to have poofed out in the end too?)