Russ' Rant

[456789]

NOTE: This is NOT a rant by any means but I just thought i'd try to do an alliteration like some of my other fellow jury members

First off, congratulations to you two. I think you both played respectable games and are two solid individuals. I have questions specific to each of you and questions that apply to both of you.

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Let me start with Angie.

Angie, I really liked that you were a straight shooter. When we finally parted ways and I put you up, I respected the way you handled the situation. You recognized that this is a G A M E and didn't cry, bitch, or whine about being nominated. The fact that you didn't take it personally and we split amicably as gamers was commendable.

As far as our alliance was concerned, I want to know why didn't you target me sooner? I was surprised that I got a chance to put you on the block before you put me up. I think you're a great person but I think in all honesty we were playing each other and we weren't serious about keeping our deals or our alliance long term - at least I wasn't. So, did you really think you were good with me and I was good with you or were you putting on a facade like I was?

Going off this last question - Why did you KEEP ME over JEFF? This moment actually messed things up for me wanting to work with you for real. I honestly thought Jordan was voting to keep me and I knew Michele did so what was only logical to think was that you evicted me or so I thought and I had to downplay it so you wouldn't think I was after you. Had I really known your vote, things may have been different about where you ranked in my eyes in the game. ANYWAY , lol (sorry for the tangent), Jeff was one of your main allies at the time - a way better one than me - and you knew Jordan was voting for him to stay so why didn't you at least bring it to the tie breaker and see where Memphis was going to go? OR did you actually think this out and you found Jeff being evicted to benefit your game? Please explain!

Next question. Repeatedly towards F6 and F5 you mentioned to Pickle Head and I that of everyone in our F4 alliance (me, you, Brian, Pickle Head) you trusted Brian the least and wanted to vote him out. Did you actually want to target him knowing he had what it took to win the game and was a strong competitor or was that a way to downplay your relationship with him?

Final question - Did you take Pickle Head to the end because you knew you would lose to Brian in a land slide? Do you think this was the respectable move to make?
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Now on to Pickle Head.

Pickle Head, you honestly were my closest ally in the game. I think you really had a great handle on the game and made the right relationships with people in order to advance yourself farther. I found you funny and entertaining and light hearted in times when the game was tense. Here are my need to knows from you --

1. Can you explain the whole cryptic message that you tried to tell me many times but couldn't because you weren't supposed to? You know what I'm talking about but really, I'm still confused so a clarification would be nice.

2. Jordan beat me to it kind of her question but I was surprised to hear that you made 3 Final 2's. I want to know the order in which you accepted each of the Final 2's and ultimately which one you were planning on sticking with. You were very good about keeping your promises and did so very well that you honestly never needed to break a deal.

Examples:
1. Didn't need to break our F2 because we were up against each other.
2. Didn't need to break Jordan's F2 because all the power was in the hands of the veto holder.
3. Didn't need to break Angie's F2 because she took you with her to the end.

Other than our F2's, you didn't have one with anyone else that you needed to go back on. Bravo but again rank the F2's if you had to choose between them.

Last question - Had you won HoH the first week of the merge, who would you have nominated and why? I'm curious to know what direction you would've taken the game in given that you were seen in a positive light from mostly everyone at that point in the game.
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To the both of you!

As you both know my biggest pet peeve in these games are pre-existing relationships. I want you to do 3 things.

1. Tell me how many people you knew/played with BEFORE the game started or once castings were posted? (Please list and number each player)

2. Tell me how many people you NOW know/have played with now that the game is over? (Please list and number each player)

3. How many legitimate alliances or deals were made based on leveraging these pre-existing relationships? Give me the names of these people that you were aligned with and how they helped your game.

Lastly, based on your feelings on this hot topic:

Do you respect the fact that Jeff and Jordan had a F2 going into the game based on their relationship PRIOR to and OUTSIDE of the game???

Thanks guys. Congrats again and good luck. Can't wait to see you guys in ALL STARS 2 BITCHESSSSSSSS

[Angie]

Let me start with Angie.

Angie, I really liked that you were a straight shooter. When we finally parted ways and I put you up, I respected the way you handled the situation. You recognized that this is a G A M E and didn't cry, bitch, or whine about being nominated. The fact that you didn't take it personally and we split amicably as gamers was commendable.

Hey Russell thanks for the compliments! I really enjoyed that last talk we had about how it's a game, and that's how it has to remain. I always did like that about you. I didn't really like that you put me up, but I would have done the same to you, so I couldn't be pissed lol.

As far as our alliance was concerned, I want to know why didn't you target me sooner? I was surprised that I got a chance to put you on the block before you put me up. I think you're a great person but I think in all honesty we were playing each other and we weren't serious about keeping our deals or our alliance long term - at least I wasn't. So, did you really think you were good with me and I was good with you or were you putting on a facade like I was?

~I didn't want target you until the final 6, the round you won HOH. You'll read in my DR that we were both having the same thoughts. You wanted Jordan and me out, I wanted you out. I knew you weren't going to take me to the final three, let alone the final two. Had I won HOH, you would have been evicted that week instead of Michele. I thought I was good with you for awhile, but I was putting on a facade about our long term game. I didn't want you in the final four either lol. So we're even

Going off this last question - Why did you KEEP ME over JEFF? This moment actually messed things up for me wanting to work with you for real. I honestly thought Jordan was voting to keep me and I knew Michele did so what was only logical to think was that you evicted me or so I thought and I had to downplay it so you wouldn't think I was after you. Had I really known your vote, things may have been different about where you ranked in my eyes in the game. ANYWAY , lol (sorry for the tangent), Jeff was one of your main allies at the time - a way better one than me - and you knew Jordan was voting for him to stay so why didn't you at least bring it to the tie breaker and see where Memphis was going to go? OR did you actually think this out and you found Jeff being evicted to benefit your game? Please explain!

~I kept you over Jeff for many reasons. First off, we were in an alliance, and I didn't want to lose Pickle Head's allegiance with your eviction. I would have been fine if he didn't trust me, but I thought it was a bit too early to cut those ties. Second, Jeff had kinda shot himself in the foot with me. He came to me saying I was the one pushing for his eviction, when that was not the case. I was really considering keeping Jeff. Had I told Brian to also keep Jeff, you would have left. But the last reason was because I knew Jordan and Jeff had to be separated at some point. I saw the opportunity, and I could keep another ally trusting me (if you believed the ~truth~ anyway). It made more sense for me to keep you at that time.

Next question. Repeatedly towards F6 and F5 you mentioned to Pickle Head and I that of everyone in our F4 alliance (me, you, Brian, Pickle Head) you trusted Brian the least and wanted to vote him out. Did you actually want to target him knowing he had what it took to win the game and was a strong competitor or was that a way to downplay your relationship with him?

~I was trying to downplay our relationship. I wanted Brian to stick around because I knew I had his loyalty. I also wanted Pickle Head to stick around because I had a deal with him too. You were the one I trusted the least out of our alliance. But I knew if I told you that, you'd turn on me. And if I told Pickle Head that, he'd run and tell you (which he repeatedly did). So I thought if I planted that idea in both of your heads, maybe you'd actually believe it? Sorry if y'all fell for it lol

Final question - Did you take Pickle Head to the end because you knew you would lose to Brian in a land slide? Do you think this was the respectable move to make?

~Honestly, I thought I was going to lose in the finals no matter what. I think I really have played the best game, but I have the most enemies out of anyone in this game (besides Patrick..). I did think I had a better shot against Pickle Head because he and I weren't working as closely as Brian and I were. With Brian and I, it was good cop/bad cop. With Pickle Head and I, you have basically the same strategy, but I tried a hell of a lot harder than he did. I actually played the game from the start. He was nonexistent for the first five rounds. He can call it strategy, I'm gonna call it pathetic. I love Pickle Head, and I respect his game tremendously from the point he stayed over Kevin. But not in the beginning.

I've played this game from the start, and I've played it well. I know I have enemies, and they could definitely come back to bite me in the ass. But I've been the person who played both sides, yet both sides sincerely thought I was with them. People didn't question me, until it was too late. By that time, I had them right where I wanted them, and I got myself to the finals. I hope y'all can respect my game, but if not, I'll know I went down fighting. In our last conversation we had, I told you I'm a fighter, and that I don't stop until I'm told it's over. You and I at least have that in common lol. Thanks for your time Russ!

[Angie]

To the both of you!

As you both know my biggest pet peeve in these games are pre-existing relationships. I want you to do 3 things.

1. Tell me how many people you knew/played with BEFORE the game started or once castings were posted? (Please list and number each player)

~Let me see, I knew Natalie (one) and Jordan (two). I discovered other people I knew were playing. I knew what Jeff's name was, but I had never played a game with him. I later came to realize I knew more people after the game had started.

2. Tell me how many people you NOW know/have played with now that the game is over? (Please list and number each player)

1) Natalie
2) Jordan
3) Dan
4) Michele, I hosted one she was in
5) Brian, same situation
6) Libra (he hated me in our previous game)

3. How many legitimate alliances or deals were made based on leveraging these pre-existing relationships? Give me the names of these people that you were aligned with and how they helped your game.

~I had a legit deal with Jordan and Dan. If you wanna count Jeff in that too, yeah him as well. But I've never played with him haha. I met Jeff through Jordan. I had legitimate deals with them, but I had no problem turning on them and or making other alliances. They definitely helped my game by being one side. Then there was another. I floated back between the two of them.

Lastly, based on your feelings on this hot topic:

Do you respect the fact that Jeff and Jordan had a F2 going into the game based on their relationship PRIOR to and OUTSIDE of the game???

~That's their preorgative. I've done it before in a game, so I can't default them. I've had a friend that as soon as I saw he was playing, we made a final two. This was for an allstars game, so we knew both of us were playing, and that happens in the real allstars games all the time. I can't say I have a problem with it since I feel like it's gonna happen anyway. However, if they only stick with the people they know from other games, that's not cool. But neither of them did that, so I don't have anything to complain about.

And once again, Thanks Russ!

[456789]

Thanks Ang. Stand up player!

[♠DJ Mingl£ Mixx♠]

Now on to Pickle Head.

Pickle Head, you honestly were my closest ally in the game. I think you really had a great handle on the game and made the right relationships with people in order to advance yourself farther. I found you funny and entertaining and light hearted in times when the game was tense. Here are my need to knows from you --

Well, that's how I try to be! I always try to keep my sense of humor, and sometimes I get down, too, but nothing makes me feel better than lifting OTHER people up, hence me pursuing a career in psychology.

1. Can you explain the whole cryptic message that you tried to tell me many times but couldn't because you weren't supposed to? You know what I'm talking about but really, I'm still confused so a clarification would be nice.

LMAO.... oh God, I knew you would ask about this.

So basically it's really hard to explain, but it was all a joke. I had joked around with Angie telling her I was the Saboteur, and she believed me, and so then I got to thinking what else I could get people to believe. So, I went to you and Jordan, and did the whole "Diamond Jim", put the clues together incident.

It became a joke between me and HouseCalls in the confessional and I was just having fun with it, joking around with you guys all in good fun. I had to tell Jordan the truth because she was HoH and thought I had been "acting weird", and I really didn't want something as stupid as this to lead to my eviction from the game lol.

I don't think I ever got around to telling you, but it was just a joke. I didn't want you pissed at me for joking that whole time, so I think I just was waiting til if one of us were evicted to tell you, and then completely forgot. Sorry if you were genuinely wracking your brain about that.

2. Jordan beat me to it kind of her question but I was surprised to hear that you made 3 Final 2's. I want to know the order in which you accepted each of the Final 2's and ultimately which one you were planning on sticking with. You were very good about keeping your promises and did so very well that you honestly never needed to break a deal.

Examples:
1. Didn't need to break our F2 because we were up against each other.
2. Didn't need to break Jordan's F2 because all the power was in the hands of the veto holder.
3. Didn't need to break Angie's F2 because she took you with her to the end.

Other than our F2's, you didn't have one with anyone else that you needed to go back on. Bravo but again rank the F2's if you had to choose between them.

Yeah, you're right, that was kinda the plan, hence why I actually didn't mind and was happy when Jordan nominated me against you (no offense). I can't honestly tell you this is 100% definitely the order, but I am pretty sure the order the final 2's were offered to me were Angie, you, and then Jordan.

However, as you know, I took a while to accept your final 2, so in the end, the order they were accepted were Angie, Jordan, and then you, simply because I was hesitant to make so many Final 2 deals, but then decided it would be best for me.

In the end, I decided the one I would stick most to was my Final 2 with you, and if I would have to rank them, it would of course depend who was against who on the block, but in terms of who I would actually take to the Final 2 with me:

1) You
2) Angie
3) Jordan

*Reasons in Jordan's questioning thread*.

Last question - Had you won HoH the first week of the merge, who would you have nominated and why? I'm curious to know what direction you would've taken the game in given that you were seen in a positive light from mostly everyone at that point in the game.

I would have nominated Dan and contrary to what was popular opinion by my allies at that time, Memphis. I wanted Dan out of the game and myself and Memphis hadn't talked a lot either, so he was a threat to me if he was to win an HoH as he was good at competitions and I had no clue what he would do at that point in time.
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To the both of you!

As you both know my biggest pet peeve in these games are pre-existing relationships. I want you to do 3 things.

1. Tell me how many people you knew/played with BEFORE the game started or once castings were posted? (Please list and number each player)

To be honest, when the game first began, I didn't know anyone and I hadn't asked anyone if they were playing. I came into this applying late (I think I applied the last day of the deadline), and it was a spur of the moment thing. I usually don't ask people if they're playing ahead of time, either.

The only one I realized was:

1) April ~ I recognized the Nemle screenname and knew I had played in a game with her before.

2. Tell me how many people you NOW know/have played with now that the game is over? (Please list and number each player)

1) Kevin ~ I found out he was Drew from last season after his AIM status was "looking for a carrot " or something along those lines, which made me realize he was trying to figure out if I was in the game, so I revealed myself to him.
2) Jordan
3) You
4) Jeff
5) Lydia
6) Michelle
7) Keesha
8) Libra
9) Renny
10) Braden
11) Laura

3. How many legitimate alliances or deals were made based on leveraging these pre-existing relationships? Give me the names of these people that you were aligned with and how they helped your game.

I didn't make deals based on pre-relationships.

Kevin came to me and we both mutually wanted to align, but that was regardless of us being who we were. In fact, I was the reason for his eviction last season in URTV when I was the swing vote, so it definitely wasn't personal aligning. He helped my game by working together from the final 25 up until his eviction, along with forming the alliance with Michelle and Angie, which we both agreed to.

I also realized I knew Jeff and Keesha early on and that made me talk with them and be willing to work with them a lot; because of that I probably would have been more willing to trust them as opposed to someone like Steven or Ronnie who I barely knew, but I did not make deals with them per say. They didn't really "help" my game except by maybe keeping me in the vote against Braden. After that, they were great friends to talk to, but we spent the majority of the remainder of the game in separate houses due to the twist.

Lastly, based on your feelings on this hot topic:

Do you respect the fact that Jeff and Jordan had a F2 going into the game based on their relationship PRIOR to and OUTSIDE of the game???

I wouldn't say I respect it, but i've come to accept that pre-game alliances are a big part of these things. They happen, but they can be overcome, so we all just kind of need to get over it, work around it, and fight out damn hardest to stay in the game. I've done it before, and so have some others, it can be done. A pre-game alliance doesn't equal death for the others.

So, do I agree with a final 2 pre-game alliance (with the exception of possibly an All-Stars game)? No. But, I am willing to bet they were NOT[/u] the only ones with said type of alliance.


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This all being said and these being my last questions to answer, I want to end on a good note.

Thanks KC, HC, Jury, Pre-Jury, and everyone for a great game! I've really enjoyed it and it's been one of the more fun and crazy ORGs i've been a part of in a while now.

On a concluding note, I want to say this. I think my answers to all of your questions make it clear I played this game and what my strategy was. I put it all on the table, out in the open. Angie contends that we played a similar game, but that she played "harder" and a "better" one. But did she?

Examine the facts. Mostly everyone knew where she stood, whereas I was able to slip by unnoticed using the same strategy. Everyone thought of her as a threat, but no one considered me one, when I in fact was.

Think about this. Is the better strategy just the one that was more out-in-the-open and obvious over the course of the game? I don't think so. I was able to accomplish the SAME strategy while going through this game without a target on my back, with people thinking I was never a threat and did nothing this whole game, when in fact I did all Angie did, more by aligning my alliances together and getting them to the Final 5 to accomplish my ideal Final 5. Now I am sitting here, shocking people on what I actually DID do in this game.

In the end, I think I played a similar strategy, but better. I was able to do what Angie did and more, under the veil of the "funny guy" who was "floating", when it couldn't be more than the opposite.

To conclude, I would love you guys' votes to win! Good luck Azn.

[Angie]

Thanks, good luck to you too <3