Post by Arlie Shaban on Sept 1, 2017 0:35:32 GMT
Well hello hello, Final 2! After a long period of collaboration and discussion with my wonderful co-host Ayana, I thought I'd take the time to address you both. I know, I'm surprised too. First off, as cliche and cheesy as it is to say, congrats to you both on making it this far. Sure, I'd rather be there myself, but I'm not bitter at you two for being there, since I've been around long enough to know that getting far in this game's far from easy. Now then, let's get this show rolling, shall we?
Corey:
We always had this odd sort of relationship through the game where it was a case of "Corey's disappeared, so we don't have anything at all" that just changed to "Hey, he's back now and says how he really wants to get something going!". Now, you're not stupid, so you can understand me saying that the times where it was hard to reach you made it harder to try and get things started or work with you than I would have at all liked. A common complaint I'd heard about you from people, and that sort of was portrayed by you not being around as much for people to talk to (whether that was intentional, accidental, or just a case of you being on a different times from most people), leading to that thought getting traction behind it. I know you've addressed this, but there was also the thought (from what I could actually manage to squeeze out of people) that it was seen as hard to work with you without it also involving or getting back to Kelsey.
I know that for me, this was something that just seemed reinforced and supported when you veto'd Kelsey during my HOH after we had made the agreement to respect the other's HOH decisions in return for not putting the other up. To me, it made me think that as much as I wanted a working relationship with you, I could never fully establish one to the degree I wanted with Kelsey still in the game. When opportunities came up to take stances and work against her with me, be it saving me with your vote during "Vote to Save" or keeping me against Cody (among others), it seemed like you were determined to go the other way. As well, I know you mentioned trying to keep me in touch on what the plans you'd been a part of and started were, but to me it was sort of a case of "telling me what others have planned isn't really getting me in on it". I was, honestly speaking, more looking for something that involved me actually having equal input and being involved in the well, planning stages of things from the beginning.
Now, it's not exactly a secret that even though it worked out, and I honestly didn't fully expect your vote, I thought evicting me had the potential to be a mistake for you (as opposed to the big mistake I think it was for Erika, even after hearing her reasoning). I guess I owe you a bit of a "good job on proving me wrong" for that if you win.
That ALL being said, I mostly am going to just give you this opportunity to clear up or address anything that you think the Jury has been missing about your game. As well, I'd like to hear from you what you think caused us to not fully be able to work together like you've said in other questions that you wanted.
Porsche:
I've gotta say Porsche, I'm both surprised a bit, and not at all surprised to see you here, if somebody can be both at once. We actually had a strangely good relationship despite, and because of me having you pegged as a social and "quiet threat" really early on. That people seemed to be acting like you were less threatening than you were despite the fact you won, spoke volumes to me about how threatening you actually were. And hell, it was us getting along (or at least seeming to) that stopped me from putting you up on the Block TWICE during my HOH week even though I strongly considered putting you up first next to Kelsey, and then next to Jen as replacement, and honestly speaking, probably should have. Really, I have to say good on you for that. Yeah, some people might have thought your game wasn't the flashiest or most fancy game out there, but I'm a strong believer in substance over style. A strong game doesn't always involve pulling out Hidden Vetoes, stealing DPOVs, making a ton of in your face moves, or winning 100 comps, and really, it doesn't have to.
However, for as much as we got along, we were almost never on the same side or even voting the same way most of the time. This of course, also includes the Vote to Save round I was on the Block, and my eviction round (where I got stuck with the bad luck of most things happening an hour before I had to leave for work as opposed to when I got back or earlier that day) where you voted against me both times. In the wake of Cody coming across as more sketchy, people being firmly on other sides, and even the people who had seemed interested in working with me just wanting me as a side thing, I'd been looking for something more solid than just more of the whole "running through everything lone wolf style" bit I'd had to do. Yet, for all of our talking and getting along and stuff, and try as I might, it never wound up going any further than what it was. Even after I'd opened up about some of what'd been going on, it seemed to just help with the social space. Now, don't get me wrong, bridging the gap socially was good and all, but I'd hoped that would show I was trustworthy enough to be somebody you could work with further as things continued on. That, and since I wasn't a part of the whole Screenshot Gate thing. Yet, even though part of it was a sort of on again, off again "targeting consideration" I had with you, I still would have rather been able to feel like we could watch each other's backs more instead of worrying on us having conflicting enemies.
Sometimes people say that your social game and interactions appeared fake or to just be pleasantries. What do you say to those people about that? Also, what were my odds of actually getting your vote to keep me the round that I went? I think I have a good suspicion, but it'd still be interesting for me to know.
Well, it's looking like I've gone long with this, so before I get cut off, best of luck to the both of you, and may the best former winner win.
Corey:
We always had this odd sort of relationship through the game where it was a case of "Corey's disappeared, so we don't have anything at all" that just changed to "Hey, he's back now and says how he really wants to get something going!". Now, you're not stupid, so you can understand me saying that the times where it was hard to reach you made it harder to try and get things started or work with you than I would have at all liked. A common complaint I'd heard about you from people, and that sort of was portrayed by you not being around as much for people to talk to (whether that was intentional, accidental, or just a case of you being on a different times from most people), leading to that thought getting traction behind it. I know you've addressed this, but there was also the thought (from what I could actually manage to squeeze out of people) that it was seen as hard to work with you without it also involving or getting back to Kelsey.
I know that for me, this was something that just seemed reinforced and supported when you veto'd Kelsey during my HOH after we had made the agreement to respect the other's HOH decisions in return for not putting the other up. To me, it made me think that as much as I wanted a working relationship with you, I could never fully establish one to the degree I wanted with Kelsey still in the game. When opportunities came up to take stances and work against her with me, be it saving me with your vote during "Vote to Save" or keeping me against Cody (among others), it seemed like you were determined to go the other way. As well, I know you mentioned trying to keep me in touch on what the plans you'd been a part of and started were, but to me it was sort of a case of "telling me what others have planned isn't really getting me in on it". I was, honestly speaking, more looking for something that involved me actually having equal input and being involved in the well, planning stages of things from the beginning.
Now, it's not exactly a secret that even though it worked out, and I honestly didn't fully expect your vote, I thought evicting me had the potential to be a mistake for you (as opposed to the big mistake I think it was for Erika, even after hearing her reasoning). I guess I owe you a bit of a "good job on proving me wrong" for that if you win.
That ALL being said, I mostly am going to just give you this opportunity to clear up or address anything that you think the Jury has been missing about your game. As well, I'd like to hear from you what you think caused us to not fully be able to work together like you've said in other questions that you wanted.
Porsche:
I've gotta say Porsche, I'm both surprised a bit, and not at all surprised to see you here, if somebody can be both at once. We actually had a strangely good relationship despite, and because of me having you pegged as a social and "quiet threat" really early on. That people seemed to be acting like you were less threatening than you were despite the fact you won, spoke volumes to me about how threatening you actually were. And hell, it was us getting along (or at least seeming to) that stopped me from putting you up on the Block TWICE during my HOH week even though I strongly considered putting you up first next to Kelsey, and then next to Jen as replacement, and honestly speaking, probably should have. Really, I have to say good on you for that. Yeah, some people might have thought your game wasn't the flashiest or most fancy game out there, but I'm a strong believer in substance over style. A strong game doesn't always involve pulling out Hidden Vetoes, stealing DPOVs, making a ton of in your face moves, or winning 100 comps, and really, it doesn't have to.
However, for as much as we got along, we were almost never on the same side or even voting the same way most of the time. This of course, also includes the Vote to Save round I was on the Block, and my eviction round (where I got stuck with the bad luck of most things happening an hour before I had to leave for work as opposed to when I got back or earlier that day) where you voted against me both times. In the wake of Cody coming across as more sketchy, people being firmly on other sides, and even the people who had seemed interested in working with me just wanting me as a side thing, I'd been looking for something more solid than just more of the whole "running through everything lone wolf style" bit I'd had to do. Yet, for all of our talking and getting along and stuff, and try as I might, it never wound up going any further than what it was. Even after I'd opened up about some of what'd been going on, it seemed to just help with the social space. Now, don't get me wrong, bridging the gap socially was good and all, but I'd hoped that would show I was trustworthy enough to be somebody you could work with further as things continued on. That, and since I wasn't a part of the whole Screenshot Gate thing. Yet, even though part of it was a sort of on again, off again "targeting consideration" I had with you, I still would have rather been able to feel like we could watch each other's backs more instead of worrying on us having conflicting enemies.
Sometimes people say that your social game and interactions appeared fake or to just be pleasantries. What do you say to those people about that? Also, what were my odds of actually getting your vote to keep me the round that I went? I think I have a good suspicion, but it'd still be interesting for me to know.
Well, it's looking like I've gone long with this, so before I get cut off, best of luck to the both of you, and may the best former winner win.
We were talking about working together and I think you would have been a good ally moving forward, but I had been with Cody for longer and he had showed me that I could depend on him. He saved me when I was nominated and had told me a lot of great information. When Ika told him that she was the MVP, he told me right away. He also told me about the alliance of him, you and Howard a couple rounds earlier than you told me.