The Beauty of a Merge

This may make me sound really lame but can I just say that as an avid Survivor fan my favorite part of last night's episode was the fact that they finally did an intro!!

From the moment I found out my sister was going to be on Survivor I have looked forward to seeing her in those opening credits...

It's like a Survivor rite of passage or something (that may be a little dramatic, but I think it's pretty darn cool)...

I can also say that from the moment I found out Kim was going to be on Survivor I had full confidence that she would play the game well.  She is one of my favorite people (so of course I'm biased) but I also knew from being close to her that she is born to play this game.  So far I think she is practically flawless in her strategy.  Some peeps are actually calling her "The Godmother" (pretty awesome huh?!)...  

It almost seems to good to be true.  I can only hope that the words blindside and Kim never find themselves in the same sentence!

I also hope her homemade black shorts never find themselves in the same pot with Tarzan's "poopy pants"!  My gosh.  I'm fairly certain that I have never laughed as hard at a Survivor episode...

Sure Tarzan...we all believe you.  There is so much chocolate just floating around on the island.  I'm sure some just magically made it's way into the crotch of your really cool speedo's...

Oh, so it's dirt now?!  I'm with Chelsea and I'm totally not buying it.  Let's just say as a mother of two I am not a big fan of "poopy pants".  I don't care how hot the water is or how dead the microbes are I still wouldn't want them in my pot! Best. Look. Ever.

Maybe one of my all time favorite Survivor scenes!  So happy that Kim lives on in the land of Survivor for another week (Yep, there she is just hanging out behind Jeff Probst)...

By the way in case you missed it the title for this weeks episode was Kim's clever quote from tribal council, "That's the beauty of a merge Jeff (with a twinkle in her eye)."  TEAM KIM FOR THE WIN!

Wednesday! (Episode 7)

It's Wednesday!!  Are you wearing your TEAM KIM shirt??!!  All the cool kids are doing it...

Can't wait for tonight!  (It's like Christmas every Wednesday!)  TEAM KIM FOR THE WIN!! 

Katniss

What could be better than finally getting to see The Hunger Games?  

Well...finally getting to see it with the real life Katniss of course (she just so happens to have the worst stye in her eye...sad)!!

TEAM KIM FOR THE WIN!!

Hometown Favorite

Sometimes you don't even have to live in a town to be a hometown favorite!  Our dad has taken Temple, TX by storm...

Since everyone is such a fan of Coach Spradlin I guess it is natural that they would adopt Kim as a favorite as well!  The Temple Daily Telegram has given Kim more press than anyone else combined and runs a weekly article where they get Coach Spradlin's take on the "game" (glad you're paying close attention dad!)  Here is his latest "session" which ran in the paper before Wednesday night's show...

Salani tribe set up to dominate Manono in 'Survivor: One World'

BY JORDAN OVERTURF | TELEGRAM STAFF 

Wednesday, Mar 21, 2012 4:30 AM

Was it luck or a ploy by the producers?


Last week’s episode of “Survivor: One World” took many by surprise. Fans of the newly formed Salani tribe, or its individual tribe members, were cheering when the strongest contestants this season were united. Anyone rooting for the Manono tribe was forced to pray their favorite competitor could hang on.
By the end of tribal council, another strong competitor, Monica, was gone. The underdogs are now short one team member, giving the Salani tribe another advantage in the game. Here’s how the new tribes break down:
-Salani: Kimberly, Sabrina, Kat, Chelsea, Mike, Jay and Troyzan.
-Manono: Colton, Leif, Tarzan, Alicia, Christina and Jonas.


When the teams divided, it was like watching the jocks and cheerleaders on one side of the cafeteria and the French club on the other. “One World” has become two.


The tribes no longer share a camp and the battle-of-the-sexes theme has obviously been nixed. Where can the show go next? What way can the producers shake up the game? The Salani tribe is poised to dominate from now until the merger — if there even is a merger.
Was the goal to save the prettiest contestants for the season and watch the weaker competitors pick each other off? If that was the producers’ plan, then it should generate some big drama in the Manono tribe.


One contestant who has remained drama-free is Kimberly Spradlin. She discovered an immunity idol for herself last week and has only told one other member of her tribe about it.


Kimberly’s father, Temple High School head football coach Mike Spradlin, said last week’s episode couldn’t have worked out any better for Kim.
“She is with a group of strong players, both mentally and physically,” the coach wrote in an email on Tuesday.
“I think the real advantage right now for them is that they don’t have all the drama going on, which allows them to focus on staying strong.”


In this week’s session, the coach talks about how to keep a strong team on the offensive, how to prepare for the unexpected; plus, a little taste of how the Spradlin family is enjoying this season of “Survivor.”


The Manono tribe has become the new underdogs in the competition. How does the Salani tribe maintain victory over a weaker tribe?
Like I have said before, the real key to staying on top is to realize that someone always wants to take your place. Complacency is the root of defeat when it comes to staying on the mountaintop. Once you get in a comfort zone, you set yourself up for failure. Winners always strive to get better … you are either getting better or worse, but you never stay the same.


Kim is now in a pack of leaders. How does she take control of a group of individuals?
The real key there is to know when to offer advice and when to keep your mouth shut. Strong personalities require that each listens to the other, without becoming overbearing in presenting your ideas. I really think Kim is doing that part well. It is obvious to me … that the others value her opinion. I personally feel like that comes from the respect she has for others.


The rules seem to be changing a lot in the game. What’s the best way to prepare a team for the unexpected?
You have to always be prepared for unexpected adversity in any competition; Survivor is no different. Great competitors always stay prepared for the adverse moments, so as not to be blindsided by them. You have to constantly be on your guard and you have to be ready to react to change. One thing I have always preached to my players and coaches is that change is inevitable … don’t get caught unprepared. Lack of preparation will get you beat every time.


As a parent, what have your reactions been to Kim’s performance? Have you been worried for her? Concerned about safety? Are you proud of her upstanding performance?
Honestly, we have not been worried about Kim at all. I am real proud of how she represents herself, but I am not surprised. Kim is an outstanding young woman, true to her beliefs and tremendously respectful of everyone. She is very intelligent, and a great competitor. I couldn’t be prouder of her; but it isn’t the first time as her dad I have felt that feeling.


How is the family reacting as the episodes unfold? Is there a lot of teasing, or encouragement?
We are having a lot of fun with it — quite a bit of teasing — but also, we are really pulling for Kim. We had quite a bit of fun with the “crotch” statement last week. One thing that hasn’t come across as much is how funny Kim is. She is honestly one of the funniest people I know.

We know you've got a lot of fans dad but we are your number ones!  Oh, and thanks for teaching us how to throw right when we were little...thanks to you Kim didn't look like an idiot on national television this week!  TEAM KIM FOR THE WIN!! 

I'm Excited!

Merged!  She made it.  It's like a right of passage in the game of Survivor.  Few will ever play and even fewer will make it to the merge.  It's a whole new ballgame now and like Kim, "I'm EXCITED!"  

I loved the reward challenge...

Where Kim showed off one of the skills she used on her application video "not throwing like a girl"...

It was a rough night for Colton, but it did seem like a pretty classic case of, "what goes around comes around."  It's okay Kim I don't think you should feel to bad about the grin you couldn't hide over Colton's exit (I'm pretty sure most of America was smiling right along with you)...

I missed a little pre-game post yesterday because it was officially "bring your sister to work" day at Bella Bridesmaid Austin (photo courtesy of Peacock Photography)...

I had so much fun taking a little road trip and hanging with Kim (hopefully I helped just a little).  On the way down I read an article by Stephen Fishbach on the parallels between The Hunger Games and the Game of Survivor.  As a huge fan of both I loved all the comparisons he drew and couldn't agree more.  Here's a little excerpt...


Nobody is trying to kill you when you play Survivor. Producers aren’t launching exploding fireballs at your head. Poison-tipped tridents are strictly forbidden by the CBS legal department.

But apart from these minor differences, playing Survivor is so much like being a contestant on the Hunger Games, at times I find it hard to believe that author Suzanne Collins hasn’t been aSurvivor contestant herself. You’re stranded in an extreme environment — blistering-hot days, bitterly cold nights. The torrential rainstorms seem to never end. You forage for food. You cobble together shelter from sticks and moxie.

To survive, you must rely on the people around you — a multicultural mix from across the country. Only one thing unites them: they are hell-bent on your destruction.

To read the full article click HERE!


So if the Hunger Games is like Survivor could that mean Kim is just a little bit like Katniss?!  I'd like to think so and by pairing them on the front page of the S.A. Life Section I think it looks like the San Antonio paper agrees with me...

It's down to 12 and every week she's just a little bit closer to the title of "Soul Survivor"!  Keep on cheering!  TEAM KIM FOR THE WIN!!


P.S. Kim, I'm totally not letting you off the hook.  You've been making fun of me for 25 long years and now it's your turn...

Look who's really enjoying their ice cream now...

Happy St. Patrick's Day

May the luck of the Irish be with her...

TEAM KIM FOR THE WIN!!

It's in my crotch.

Best. Quote. Ever.  I won't pretend that I'm not biased.  But I'm not the only one who thinks that declaring the immunity idol is in your crotch is a memorable statement.  Check out this excerpt of a review on TV Fanatic (click HERE to read the full article)...


Life gets even better for Kim when she takes the initiative no one else has somehow and finds the other hidden immunity idol. Before looking at the ramifications of such a find, let’s review the greatest quote to date in the season so far and possibly one of the top 10 Survivor quotes ever:

I just found the hidden immunity idol. It’s in my crotch.

Priceless. I did think to myself when she found it ‘where is she going to put it?’ and came up with the same answer; her crotch. She just didn’t seem like the kind of person who stuffed. Her bra or her jock, it would seem. Too bad CBS didn’t show it. I wonder if she looked like Lois Einhorn from Ace Ventura: Pet Detective?

Back to the ramifications of such a find. Yeah, we all know the obvious benefits by now, who cares. What does matter is that the find inadvertently pushed Kim and Chelsea even closer together when Kim chose to reveal the idol to Chelsea. The duo soon realized that they could be a power pair and strategized accordingly.

Finally! I’ve been pushing for these two (and many previous potential pairs) to realize the power of a tight pair. Not only might we finally see the first power duo since Rob and Ambuh, but they’re even a logical pairing. They’re both smart, cute, athletic and normal. Working together makes them the large favorite to win the game.

I couldn't agree more.  And now let's discuss a little "Crotch Idol 101".  


First things first...you wake up and think to yourself, "Today's the day I'm going to find a hidden immunity idol." (That step alone elevates you to bad ass status).  So off you go in search of treasure...

You check the obvious places first...

Occasionally looking over your shoulder to make sure you aren't being tailed...

And just when you think you may never find it, you say a little prayer and...VOILA!  The idol is yours...

Elation follows...

As does the burning question in every viewers mind..."Where is she going to hide that thing?!"  Easy.  Her crotch of course...

You can't wait to share the good news with your Island buddy, "I found the idol!  It's in my crotch!"  Epic.

She conveys the perfect reaction of shock and awe and of course helps you hide that thing (even though it has been...well...in your crotch)...

And then you have a delightful little scheming session...

Which is when it hits you "THIS IS AWESOME!"

It was.  It totally was. 


TEAM KIM FOR THE WIN!!

Wednesday! (Episode 5)

I've been a little "absent" from the blogging world this past week.  I make no excuses.  I've been busy having some spring break fun with two of my favorite little people...

Today lunch with our favorite Survivor was on the agenda.  Apparently we aren't the only ones who wanted to have lunch with her.  Jeff had dropped by the store and brought her favorite Taco Cabana (I know he's happily married and all but I'm beginning to think he may have a little crush on Kim)...

He said things may get a little crazy tonight but not to worry, he's TEAM KIM all the way (he was even wearing his t-shirt to prove it)...

Those two have such a sweet relationship.  He was a little thirsty so of course Kim gave him a sip of her tea...

I mean seriously.  You can't blame him for having a little schoolyard crush on this chick...

Can't wait for tonight...

TEAM KIM FOR THE WIN!!

And the Winner is...

So sorry for the delay y'all!  This has been "one of those weeks!"  I plugged the numbers in to Random.org...

And the winner is...

Comment #2, HEATHER!  Congrats Heather!  You've been a "faithful" follower for so long I'm glad to be able to send a "Team KIM" shirt your way.  Just shoot me an email beth@bethsaxton.com with your address and the photo you want Kim to assess.  If it's okay with your I'll share your "animal" results on the blog!  Thanks everyone for commenting, following and supporting my sis!  TEAM KIM FOR THE WIN!!

Rude Dude

Based on the comments from our friends and family alone via social media last night I'm thinking this morning Colton may very well be waking up as the most hated man in America...

It appears Kim may have called the wrong dude rude. I'm not sure if it's possible for one man to single handedly offend almost every demographic in America but at this phase in the game Colton has a pretty good shot.  And as if the blatant prejudices he is spewing aren't enough...MY GOSH....the EYE ROLLING.  Bill Cosby comes to mind with one of my all time favorite eye rolling quotes, 

"You think you think you can roll your eyes at me?  I'll roll that little head of yours down on the floor!"  

Yes.  Colton could use a good "head rolling on the floor" moment if you ask me.  And that's about enough about Colton.

The good news is his "reign" prompted the men to make what I can only presume will go down as the stupidest move in Survivor history.  There have been several that top the list over the years but I'm pretty sure this one takes the cake.  Sometimes it looks like you've just got to sit back, relax and enjoy the immunity idol that a group of dumb boys hand to you on a silver platter.  


For members of Team Kim last night was a good one.  She ate rubbery snail, called Jonas a "Rude Dude" and obliterated a panel in the challenge (complete with a one eye closed aiming technique that looked pretty darn legit)...

The new game should be counting how many time Jeff Probst says "obliterated" in a challenge.  It was impressive (Kim demonstrating obliterated)...

No matter how you slice it not going to tribal council and having to vote someone out is NOT GOING TO TRIBAL COUNCIL AND HAVING TO VOTE SOMEONE OUT!  It was a good night.  A good night made better because we got to hang out and watch with our favorite mom and dad (ok so they're our only mom and dad but they are still our favorite).  Every week "Coach" Spradlin has been weighing in on the episode for the Temple Daily Telegram (I think he may be the most interviewed "non" contestant in the history of the game...he's kind of a big deal in Temple)...

And if you ever underestimate Kim's claim's of "weirdness"...don't.  She really is weird (as in she's always making people do things like take their photo under a leopard scarf) weird.  

Officially checking watch Survivor with a Survivor off my bucket list (Dear Kim, You don't have to get me anything for Christmas ever again.  Really.  This is so much fun).

TEAM KIM FOR THE WIN!


P.S. Don't forget to enter the give-a-way for a t-shirt and your "official animal assessment" below!