That's Why They Call It Survivor
By Rich Glanzer
Outwit. Outlast. Outplay. We all know the importance of those three words. But perhaps the most important word, is the name of the game itself, Survivor. Survivor isn't just about challenges, rewards, immunity, strategy, and hardships. It's about surviving. Surviving the elements, the competition, and maybe most importantly yourself. Jenna Morasca knew she could outwit, and outplay the competition. She's done that before. But she couldn't outlast, because her mother couldn't survive her battle with cancer.
While Jenna obviously should never have come to Panama to play the game, she did the right thing by stepping down when she did. Make no mistake, Jenna is no Osten Taylor. Osten you may recall was the "competitor" who quit during Survivor 7 in the Pearl Islands.
Jenna thankfully realized her mother had only precious few days left to live, and her coming home must have been the best present she ever gave to her mother. She didn't quit. She left.
But her leaving goes to show why they call the game Survivor. While Osten couldn't handle the elements, and Jenna couldn't handle being away from her mother, fans from Survivor 2 will remember Mike Skupin. Skupin never had one person vote against him, yet he didn't even make it to the jury. That's because in episode six, he suffered burns severe enough to force him from the show. Skupins exit, provided opportunity for the Ogakor Tribe, who then took control of the game. Had Skupin stayed healthy, his Kucha Tribe would have had an immunity challenge against Ogakor, and if they won, they would have had a majority heading into the merge. Instead, it was even, and eventually Ogakor members outnumbered Kucha members, paving the way for Tina Wesson to walk away with the million dollars.
Skupins injuries may even have an effect on this season's game. For arguments sake, let's assume Kucha would have defeated Ogakor in the last team immunity challenge. Then Colby surely would have been the first to go, assuming he didn't win immunity. Would Colby then have been so popular and even chosen as an All Star? That's a tough question to answer. But it's probably a safe bet that Tina wouldn't have won or been invited to the All-Star edition. Jerri Manthey, and Amber Brkich also may have benefited from the probably extra exposure they received during Survivor 2.
So the next time you're talking about Survivor, and you use the phrase outwit, outlast, outplay, just remember what the name of the game is called. Because in the end, surviving is what the game is all about.
Questions and Feedback, Rich can be reached at rich@survivorskills.com
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