Tag: Vibe Check

Survivor 44 VIBE CHECK: Fake idols and the real consequences of sitting out challenges

You can only outwit and outlast so long before you’re forced to outplay.

Warning: DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN’T WATCHED EPISODE 3 OF SURVIVOR 44.

Ready?

Ok.

Welcome to Survivor Vibe Check! Each Thursday this season, Blake Schuster and Bryan Kalbrosky will chat about last night’s episode to see who is thriving and who is straight up not having a good time on the islands of Fiji. Season 44 got off to an absolutely chaotic start.  Episode 2 sowed strategies and alliances. Episode 3 exposed some tribal priorities. Let’s dig into it.

Blake: Well, Episode 3 was maybe the easiest vote they’ll have all season. We’ve talked a lot about what makes good gameplay on Survivor, especially early on. Claire’s exit reminded us that you have to actually play the game in order to stay. Sitting out twice in the first two challenges is questionable at best. Once that streak reaches three you officially have a target on your back. I believe Danny said it best: there’s a camaraderie you build with your tribe during challenges.

Bryan: Let’s just put it this way: I know that if I were hungry as heck and had just done something physically exhausting and challenging, I would be resentful of the person who didn’t have to go through that awful experience with me. It was like when someone was excused from the mile run in P.E. class. Why do I have to do this but not you?! She said all the right things in tribal, but the fate was sealed.

Blake: Even if the Soka tribe had won immunity again, I still think she’s dealing with the same issue for that exact reason. Other tribemates are hungry and tired and might need a rest, too. You have to be able to carry some of that weight and curry favor there. We don’t have the benefit of seeing what life is like at camp 24/7 but for how strategic Claire tried to play early on, I’d like to imagine she could pick up on who was struggling at the time.

Claire was sent packing having never participated in an immunity challenge and without casting a vote. That’s rough. I know Sandra talked a lot about not being a physical player at all and relying on her social game, but she knew you can’t just sit out every time.

Bryan: I just have to wonder how much of the decision to sit out actually came from the tribe suggesting her each time, as she said, or if it was more of a self-volunteer. It’s a bummer because we’ll never know if she could have helped them during challenges, but this was a valuable lesson for future players.

Blake: Yeah I don’t really care if it was her tribe asking her to do it. At some point you have to fight for yourself and your resume and say “I’m playing”. 

Elsewhere on Soka, Danny did an excellent job getting back into the birdcage, putting the fake idol in and getting Matt to think he found an advantage. THAT is how you build a resume and take control of the game.

Bryan I think Danny had a 10/10 episode. His performance was masterful. It was executed to perfection. Hopefully, for his sake, Matt does not use the fake idol any time soon — that’ll make everyone paranoid about who set that up. But when the showrunners decided to create a fake idol, this is exactly what they had in mind.

Speaking of fake idols…

Blake: Matthew! Welcome to the game!

Bryan: That was nice work, too, but the Plant Daddy nickname has gotta go. Meanwhile, I still wish he would show some consistency about when his shoulder hurts and needs to be in a sling versus when he feels like participating in a challenge. My guy: You have a former NFL player on your tribe. You don’t need to be the one reaching for the key! It feels like he is going to inevitably exacerbate this injury.

Blake: Did he pop his shoulder back in during that challenge!?

Bryan: I don’t know but if I’m a doctor or physical therapist watching this show, I would be infuriated with the way he treats that sling.

Blake: Aside from Danny and Matt figuring out how to use their fake idols, and Claire continuing to do Claire things, this was really just a calm episode. Which means we’re due for some chaos. Tribe swap to start episode four, perhaps?

Bryan: It certainly seems like something big is about to happen next week. I wouldn’t mind seeing Frannie and Matt (for my J.D. Salinger heads, I initially typed Franny and Zooey) on tribes apart from one another before their postgame road trip begins.

Blake: Our dorky magnets will always find their way back to each other, don’t you worry.

Survivor 44 VIBE CHECK: Dorky magnets, hidden talents and what it’s like to watch with a castaway

2 simple rules for watching Survivor with a current castaway

Warning: DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN’T WATCHED EPISODE 2 OF SURVIVOR 44.

Ready?

Ok.

Welcome to Survivor Vibe Check! Each Thursday this season, Blake Schuster and Bryan Kalbrosky will chat about last night’s episode to see who is thriving and who is straight up not having a good time on the islands of Fiji. Season 44 got off to an absolutely chaotic start. In Episode 2 the game seemed to slow down a bit as players settled into their strategies. Let’s dig into it.

Blake: Before we get into the episode, you went to Claire’s watch party in Brooklyn on Wednesday. Set the scene for us.

Bryan: Claire was a delightful host. She was in a particularly great mood the entire night. Earlier in the day, she had just gotten verified on Instagram (huge win, Claire!) and she got a new tattoo that may or may not allude to the title of the next episode of S44. She laid two ground rules for the night: No phones and cheer whenever she is on the screen. She clearly has the best facial expressions of anyone on the season, so we got a lot of wonderful reaction shots to hoot and holler about. It’s iconic that she has simply not participated in these tribal challenges so far because that’s truly what I would do, too.

One takeaway: Josh (who should be shown on screen more often!) may or may not have initially lied about his profession to his tribe. But as he finished the challenge during this episode, it was clear that he moved his fingers with the surgical precision of his actual profession: a surgeon.

Blake: I would expect absolutely nothing less from Claire. I get the sense that she might be hiding her strength in these early challenges by sitting out, but it’s certainly a huge risk if she’s forced to go to tribal council. So far it’s paid off. Claire has spent the first five days sizing up everyone on her tribe without coming off as a threat.

Bryan: Speaking of which, we got an answer to one of my burning questions from last week: How long can Helen go without revealing that she’s actually wicked smart? It turns out: Not very long! It was a bummer to see her eliminated so early, but like you said, it’s not a bad idea to hide whatever your strengths may be or you could end up in a similar fate.

Blake: Meanwhile, the other big thinker on the Tika tribe, Carson, has put himself in the center of things by aligning with both factions. I can totally see why having Carolyn and Yam Yam in his pocket is a good thing in this moment, but he’s playing with fire there (pun intended) if they ever find out his scheme. The vibe I get from Carson is a much more socially aware version of the game Spencer tried to play in Cagayan.

Side note: Hey Carson, do us all a favor and make those 3D Printed Survivor puzzles free to download online please!

Bryan: I really didn’t like the gameplay I saw from Carson in this episode. I think it’s setting himself up for disaster a bit too early in the season on such a small tribe. He was going to come out looking like a liar no matter who he voted for and that’s not great. I think he’s getting a lot of comparisons to Christian from David vs. Goliath, but he definitely reads more like Spencer to me as well.

The 3D Printed Survivor Puzzles would be fun to have around the house, that’s for sure. That being said, Matthew taking his sling off so he could do the challenge he built at his home was a … choice.

Blake: Matthew just cannot contain himself whether it’s needlessly climbing rocks or revealing way too much about his background. I love his excitement, but my guy, save that for the confessionals when no one can hear you!

Bryan: I think Carolyn was the most fascinating player of the episode, and I’m glad that unlike Brandon, she was able to keep her immunity idol a secret — even if it was challenging.

Blake: Do her and Yam Yam secretly control the game on Tika? That look they gave each other as they left tribal was very telling.

Bryan: They certainly have the majority after that latest vote, so if Carson keeps riding their coattails, they’ve got the power.

Women’s College Basketball Vibe Check: Cameron Brink is awesome, Maryland is thriving

Straight up not having a good time: UConn.

The women’s college basketball season is winding down. The final Top 16 reveal by the NCAA committee is this Thursday, and conference tournaments start next week. Time flies, right? Wasn’t it just yesterday that we were making jokes about Jeff Walz’s slide and lamenting the absence of Sedona Prince?

We’ve done Heat Checks on women’s college basketball earlier this season, where we raved about Georgia Amoore and Angel Reese, and complained about midday games and the loss of Tamari Key.

And now, we’re returning with a VIBE CHECK, an unscientific and unserious ranking of all things in women’s college basketball.

Let’s dive in and assess who is thriving and who is having a bad time.

FTW VIBE CHECK: Petty Lane is in our ears and in our eyes

TCU in the CFP rankings, Jimbo Fisher’s buyout and more.

Welcome back to VIBE CHECK, where we monitor and assess the weekly pulse of college football. Each week, we grade a handful of teams based on their on-field performance, off-field shenanigans (good and bad!), message board chatter, and more. This is very (read: not at all) scientific and should be taken very (read: not at all) seriously.

We’re heading into Week 10 of the season, highlighted by a monster matchup between No. 1 Tennessee and No. 3 Georgia. Can Hendon Hooker and the Vols keep the good vibes going? Will Georgia stay undefeated?

This week, we take a look at more SEC drama, a QB that should be getting more attention nationally, and more. Let’s get to it.

FTW VIBE CHECK: Welcome back, Auburn and Texas A&M

Coastal Chaos and dogs in costumes are a VIBE this week.

Welcome back to VIBE CHECK, where we monitor and assess the weekly pulse of college football. Each week, we grade a handful of teams based on their on-field performance, off-field shenanigans (good and bad!), message board chatter, and more. This is very (read: not at all) scientific and should be taken very (read: not at all) seriously.

It’s spOooOoooky season, and that means we are in the meat of the college football calendar. Heading into Week 9, it’s still the usual suspects at the top with Georgia, Ohio State and Clemson undefeated, but don’t sleep on a 7-0 Tennessee squad. The Vols host a solid Kentucky team in one of three ranked-ranked matchups this weekend.

So who is getting treats this week, and who is getting tricks? Let’s get to the vibes.

FTW VIBE CHECK: Orange you glad Syracuse is undefeated?

Another big weekend awaits us with multiple top-25 matchups, including UCLA-Oregon and Syracuse-Clemson.

Welcome back to VIBE CHECK, where we monitor and assess the weekly pulse of college football. Each week, we grade a handful of teams based on their on-field performance, off-field shenanigans (good and bad!), message board chatter, and more. This is very (read: not at all) scientific and should be taken very (read: not at all) seriously.

Week 7 was a real treat as we saw FOUR top-10 teams fall and a couple teams — like Tennessee — make real power moves towards earning a spot in the College Football Playoff. This week, we have a couple more big ones, including a top-10 matchup between Pac-12 teams, a top-15 matchup between ACC squads and TWO top-20 matchup featuring Big 12 sides.

Let’s get to the vibes.

FTW VIBE CHECK: Hendon Hooker’s stellar start vs. Auburn’s struggles

Let’s take a look at the vibes in college football heading into the weekend’s games.

Welcome back to VIBE CHECK, where we monitor and assess the weekly pulse of college football. Each week, we grade a handful of teams based on their on-field performance, off-field shenanigans (good and bad!), message board chatter, and more. This is very (read: not at all) scientific and should be taken very (read: not at all) seriously.

Happy Friday, everyone. We have an incredible slate waiting for us this weekend with six ranked-ranked matchups, including No. 3 Alabama at No. 6 Tennessee. Remarkably we are at the half-way point of the season, and no one team looks totally untouchable. Does this mean we will see a CFP of someone other than just Alabama/Georgia/Ohio State/someone else? Probably not. But let’s pretend it might.

Let’s get to the vibes.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL VIBE CHECK: GameDay’s fumble vs. Chase Brice’s southern hospitality

Week 3 saw blowouts and an epic Hail Mary. What will Week 4 hold?

Welcome back to VIBE CHECK, the post where we monitor and assess the weekly pulse of college football. Each week, we’ll grade a handful of teams based on their on-field performance, off-field shenanigans (good and bad!), message board chatter, and more. This is very (read: not at all) scientific and should be taken very (read: not at all) seriously.

Week 3 is in the rearview mirror, and there were seemingly two options for games: utter blowout or nail-biting squeaker. There were some outrageous scores — Michigan blanked UConn 59-0 — and a walk-off Hail Mary.

Let’s check in with this week’s vibes, shall we?

COLLEGE FOOTBALL VIBE CHECK: Gas station chicken and fried Neal Brown

The Sun Belt is thriving, but check in on your friends from Notre Dame and Texas A&M.

Welcome back to VIBE CHECK, the post where we monitor and assess the weekly pulse of college football. Each week, we’ll grade a handful of teams based on their on-field performance, off-field shenanigans (good and bad!), message board chatter, and more. This is very (read: not at all) scientific and should be taken very (read: not at all) seriously.

Week 2 of this college football season generally feels like a lull after the excitement of the opening week. This seemed especially likely to be the case after Week 1 had so many fun games and exciting finishes.

Well, Week 2 raised the bar. Let’s get to the vibes.

[betwidget_betmgm]

COLLEGE FOOTBALL VIBE CHECK: Which teams are down bad after Week 1?

Anthony Richardson and the Gators have some immaculate vibes this week. LSU? Not so much.

Welcome to the first edition of VIBE CHECK, where we monitor and assess the weekly pulse of college football. Each week, we’ll grade a handful of teams based on on-field performance, off-field shenanigans (good and bad!), message board chatter, and more. This is very (read: not at all) scientific and should be taken very (read: not at all) seriously.

Week 1 of college football was a real rollercoaster, and while Week 2’s schedule doesn’t appear that intriguing at first glance, it’s still a whole weekend of college football. That’s always good.

Let’s take a look at who’s thriving and who is straight up not having a good time.