Casting Survivor, New Era All-Stars

As the new era seasons go on, more and more the fans clamor for an All-Stars type season.  It's got to be inevitable.  Perhaps Season 50?  But with that in mind, I thought I'd cast for that season.  

For now, I'm going to stick with the same 18-player, three-tribe format.  I thought about changing it to two tribes of ten, or upping the tribes to seven players, but it just gets too messy then.  I'll be doing my best to keep players on separate tribes if they were on the same season, but especially if they were on the same starting tribe on that season.  I'll also try to keep the tribes equal in terms of entertainment value but also in terms of challenge strength, and try to keep the diversity mandate which states half the cast needs to be a minority race.  And for this, I'm not going to include any winners.  They just clog it up too much, anyway. 

Also, I may update in this in the future when new seasons come out, but for now, here are my All-Star teams through Season 45:

BLUE TRIBE:
Ricard Foye, 41
Jonathan Young, 42
Jake O'Kane, 45
Emily Flippen, 45
Lauren Harpe, 44
Karla Cruz Godoy, 43

RED TRIBE:
Jesse Lopez, 43
Kaleb Gebrewold, 45
Matt Blankinship, 44
Carolyn Wiger, 44
Liana Wallace, 41
Lindsay Dolashewich, 42

GREEN TRIBE:
Cody Assenmacher, 43
Q Burdette, 46
Omar Zaheer, 42
Sydney Segal, 41
Heidi Lagares-Greenblatt, 44
Jenny Kim, 42


These tribes may seem lopsided.  But I think they are strong in their own ways.  Blue clearly has physical strength.  Red tribe has savviness and some all-around players.  Green tribe has some good puzzle solvers and thinkers.  I'd like to think with this cast, we'd see the Blue tribe jump out to an early lead but have the Green tribe catch up and possibly win thanks to the puzzle.

My thoughts about working at an Amazon XL Warehouse

 In August of last year, I started working at an Amazon XL Warehouse to earn some extra income.  I wanted to go over it, what the job entails, what I like about it, and what I don't like, etc.  

First off, the hours kinda suck no matter how you look at it.  It's 3am to 8am where we work.  We have to work so early because the truck drivers have to be out by noon or so.  It takes approximately five hours for us to sort the packages and another two for the loadout shift to load the trucks.  

Also, I wanted to clarify that, as an XL Warehouse, we deal with XL packages only.  That means packages are oversized, overlong, or overweight.  We routinely deal with packages over 50 pounds, such as televisions, mattresses, bookshelves, generators, and gym equipment.  It's a good workout to say the least.

What I have primarily done is sort the XL packages.  Sorting involves taking packages off of the Amazon semi-trucks and sorting them onto routes.  I, and I'm sure you reading this, perhaps assumed that happened when it got loaded in the truck, but nope.  I'm not sure in what order the trucks are loaded, but our job is to take what they have loaded on the truck and organize it better for the drivers so they can deliver the packages efficiently.  

There are three primary responsibilities for people that sort.  The one you start out with is stowing.  Stowers use a hand truck or dolly and take the packages either from the truck or from the floor after they've been "downstacked".  That's where the 2nd job comes in.  There are usually 1 or 2 downstackers who take pallets off of the truck and downstack them, removing the shrink wrap and moving the packages into an area for stowers to grab.  The third job is the inductor, who there is only typically one of but it can be two on busier days.  They scan each package's QR code to enter it in our system as received and print out a sticker label showing its route which they then apply onto the package.  The scanning and printing of the sticker is all done with the same device.  Perhaps you've ever gotten an Amazon package with a colored sticker, about an inch and a half wide?  Those are the induction stickers that help Amazon employees know where that package is headed.  

I've been trained for all three now, and I enjoy each one differently.  Stowing is definitely the easiest, so if I'm very tired that is what I prefer.  Although, it can get tedious and boring.  But it is the job that makes me take the most steps, sometimes as much as 25,000 in one shift!  Downstacking is probably the hardest physically.  If anyone downstacks, the first few times doing it are always the toughest.  But then you get used to it.  Inducting can be tricky if the device is acting up, but the hardest part is when there are a lot of "fluid" trucks.  Fluid trucks are when the packages are loosely stored (not shrink-wrapped on a pallet).  It's the inductor's responsibility to induct all of the packages on fluid trucks, which involves moving each package so you can get to the ones behind them.  The frustrating thing is when the package's shipping label is on the floor, so you have to essentially rotate the package 180 degrees, which can be tough for the heavier packages.  

I enjoy the responsibility given to me when I am the inductor, but it can be stressful when there are a lot of fluid trucks or you have stowers waiting on you to induct because you fell behind for whatever reason (for me it's usually the device failing for some reason).  It's the absolute worst when there's a ton of fluid, because you have to keep going back and forth between the trucks and the floor, because there will always be stowers who primarily stow what's on the floor and will avoid the trucks at all costs.  It's especially annoying when the only packages left are what's on the trucks, which makes you want to yell at the stowers, "Well, if you stowed more from the trucks earlier, there wouldn't be so many left on the trucks now, would there?"

Fortunately, we have a great management team.  I've seen them help out whenever there's a lot to do, we're short-staffed, or both.  Because they are always willing to help out, I've yet to work a shift where we didn't get done in time.  They're also very chill and laid back and easy to talk to.  They offered me great support when I first started, showing me how to do things, answering my questions, etc.  We usually have a quick team meeting at the start of our shift where they go over how many packages they expect, the number of trucks and routes, and any workplace and safety tips.  After we finish stowing all packages, we do a quick check of the packages.  Also, we primarily have two types of routes: CP and XL, although there are a couple less common others.  CP packages go on hand carts and are up to 70 lbs. in weight.  XL packages are typically heavier than 70 lbs. (but not always) and just go on the floor in the designated route area.  

We often finish early, giving us time to do some training in the break room or just chillax there.  We've got an arcade machine, vending machines, a ping pong table, and even a Nintendo Switch and Xbox.  I've played a little of each.  I work with some great people, too.  Some I can tell that have been there a while, and some I have seniority on.  We also have vending machines, a coffee machine (which dispenses coffee in seconds flat with no need for K-Cup or grounds), and even a slushie machine, but the only time I ever saw that used was on my first day, funnily enough.  But we often are given snacks on our breaks, we can help ourselves to a water bottle whenever we need, and they occasionally have food like baked goods out for people.

One thing I haven't mentioned is that at least with me, I get to pick what shifts I work.  So if there's a particular day I don't want to work, I don't have to.  However, shifts can be hard to come by.  They fill very fast, so if you don't want one, it doesn't mean you'll get another.  You literally have to refresh the schedule page in the A to Z app at the second it turns to 9:30 to snag the shift before other people do.  So sometimes, I don't get as many shifts as I'd like, but at least I'm not overworked outside of my control.

All in all, I enjoy this job.  It's a good way to make a little extra money at a time when pretty much everyone is available.  Yeah, I have to go to bed early and often take a nap after my shifts, but it's also a good workout and I have lost a bit of weight since starting there.  I would recommend this job to anyone looking for a good workout, some extra cash, and people okay with operating on about 4 hours of sleep (or people that can go to bed at like 6).  

My Thoughts on the Seahawks moving on from Pete Carroll

 When the Seahawks announced on Wednesday, January 10, 2024, that they were moving off of Pete Carroll as their head coach, I was, to say the least, surprised.  I knew Pete had built something in this organization that had never been seen before: A culture that kept players like Sherm, Kam, Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril, Marshawn Lynch, and others coming back and visiting and lending their expertise to the current Hawks.  Therefore, I really felt that when it was time, Pete would leave on his own terms.  Instead, he was essentially removed as head coach.  Yes, it came across as more mutual, but I'd be willing to bet that had Pete not accepted it, they would have been forced to fire him, and he would not have left on as good of terms.  Instead, he will stay on in an advisory role.  (Supposedly)

I understand why it was done.  I think the main sticking point, the main reason it happened was due to Pete not being able to keep up with the modern game and compete against the younger coaches in the league.  If you listen to his press conferences or interviews, you hear that he wanted so badly for the team to do better in certain areas (like stopping the run), but they couldn't.  And it was not due to lack of talent.  They weren't picking guys off the street or relying upon undrafted free agents.  Also, Pete continued to struggle to come out on top against Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay's teams.  He had way more experience and was twice their age, but more often than not, the Hawks would come off looking worse in the divisional matchups with their teams.  

The next hire could not be more important.  The Hawks have a lot of young pieces and could easily make a Super Bowl run next season under the right leadership.  Alternatively, the wrong hire could lead to disastrous results where we could see this team head to a larger rebuild, a possible sale of the team, and a very uncertain future.  The wrong hire could set off a chain of events that spell doom for this organization.  But it could also continue the winning culture set forth not only by Pete Carroll but one of his predecessors, Mike Holmgren.  We cannot forget the impact coach Holmgren had, taking a perpetually mediocre team and elevating them to occasional contenders.

Whoever they hire has to be able to enter and immediately command the locker room and garner respect.  I don't think he can be too different from Pete Carroll, but he can't be too similar, either.  If he's too similar, the players will simply think this guy is trying to be the next Pete Carroll and won't respond as well.  However, a coach who is too different will be a bit of a culture shock to players like Geno, Tyler, DK, and Bobby (if he's here) and they won't respond well in that regard, either.  

I don't want to get into the specific candidates out there.  That's either for another post or maybe I'll evaluate each coaching hire once they are all done.  

Honestly, I'm excited.  The Hawks haven't had to actually search for a coach really in my NFL-viewing life.  Jim Mora Jr. was the heir apparent to Mike Holmgren, and Pete Carroll was hired to replace Mora after he became available.  There was never a real thorough process of bringing in multiple coaching candidates for interviews at that time.  I'll be excited to hear who flies in for an interview.  I'm sure some I'll be wishing they don't get the job and some I'll be wishing they do get the job, and some I'll be in-between on.  

Time will tell.  I'll definitely detail my thoughts once the hire is made.  Whoever it is, the 12s will give their full support and hopefully he can keep the Seahawks as consistent contenders.  GO HAWKS.

Top 10 Personal Favorite/Underrated Survivor Winners

 Not long ago, YouTuber Peridiam did a Top 10 Survivor winners list, and I wanted to do the same.  Just like him, these are not who I consider the 10 greatest winners or winning games, but 10 personal favorites.  These are 10 winning games that I really enjoy watching, and I think that most of them are underrated.  This will include the new era and I'll do my best to explain why each person is on this list.  Keep in mind, there are winners like Kim, Yul, Earl, JT, and Boston Rob, who are generally considered some of the greatest winners of all time, so they are not here.  Here's my Top 10 Personal Favorite Winners:

10. Chris Daugherty, Vanuatu
I would love to play a game similar to Chris if I were to ever go on Survivor.  Although, would his game work in the modern era?  Hard to say.  I love Chris's game, and the fact that Jeff has hated on it so much makes me like it even more.  He was the last man standing at Final 7, and weaseled his way to to the title of Sole Survivor.  

9. Natalie White, Samoa
One potential strategy for a winning game is to latch onto a dominant strategic force that isn't playing a great social game.  This is the perfect example of that.  Natalie smartly did not play too aggressive at first, because otherwise, she'd be a pre-merge boot.  Then, she warmed up to the former Galu tribe members after the merge, earning their respect.  Unfortunately, her game is vastly overshadowed by Russell's massive edit, still the largest ever for one player in one season. 

8. Erika Casupanan, 41
Not a fan of this season, although I'll need to rewatch it someday.  Erika's game was a lot like Gabler's two seasons later, but she had a much better pre-merge and she didn't have to rely upon the threats turning on each other--she took care of it herself.  She also convinced Xander to take her to the end.  She kept her threat level low and struck when the time was right, and sat at the end against two guys that weren't as likable as her.  That's all it takes.

7. Mike Holloway, Worlds Apart
I love Mike's game.  He made one fatal flaw, but he did what he had to do to overcome it.  He was still a good social player, just made one huge social mistake, trying to go back on paying for the letter from home at the auction so he could get the advantage.  But from that point on, he did what he needed to survive.  That's the name of the game.  I don't fault a player for immunity streaks, because there's still no guarantee they get voted out if they lose immunity.  Crazy things can happen. 

6. Dee Valladares, 45
Yes, the most recent winner (as of the time of writing this) is on this list.  Dee played such a great game, and I think it's going to be viewed even more positively over time.  She insulated herself with two #1's, both of whom were aware she had a second #1, and neither of whom was willing to vote her out.  She controlled many votes, getting out who she wanted, such as Kendra and Kaleb.  Her winning move of telling Julie about her being the target is one of the most underrated moves, maybe ever.  Dee's a top 5 female winner of all time.  

5. Amber Brkich, All Stars
It sucks for Amber how people view All Stars as "Rob and Amber's season" rather than just her season.  Similar to Natalie White, she latched onto a strategic mastermind (although in a different way) and banked on playing a good enough social game to beat him at the end.  My one fault in her game is Rob basically saving her after the swap with his empty promise to Lex, but I also look at that as rotten luck in her getting swap-screwed, but playing a good enough social game to have someone vouch for her.  Amber was still looked a bit down upon for being Rob's right hand, but she managed to get less blood on her hands, which was enough.

4. Sophie Clarke, South Pacific
Yet another instance of a female latching on to a male who doesn't play the best social game--this time being Coach.  Sophie did what she needed to survive, whether it was appeasing Coach and the cult-like alliance, or that final clutch immunity win.  I need to rewatch this season to get the specifics, but Sophie is an incredibly intelligent player who employed the Natalie/Amber strategy and won, just like them.

3. Todd Herzog, China
Just like Peridiam, I have to give some respect to Todd.  A lot of Survivor fans do regard Todd's game highly, but I believe they don't regard it highly enough.  He expertly navigated the game, at times employing two meat shields in Jean-Robert and James.  He got two girls under his wing in Amanda and Courtney, neither of whom were willing to turn on him.  And then he ends up having one of the best final tribal council performances of all time.  He didn't win individual challenges or use idols, but Todd's social and strategic game makes his game one of the best ever.

2. Aras Baskauskas, Panama Exile Island
My guy, Aras!  I just love this season, and Aras plays a very underrated game.  His tribe easily could've lost numbers or collapsed post-merge, but Aras helped keep them together (along with Cirie and Danielle).  He went toe to toe with Terry and built a solid bond with Cirie that I think was the best thing he did in the game.  And with the fire-making at 4, he had no blood on his hands regarding Cirie's boot.  I just wish Aras had flashier moves, but if he had, others would regard him higher and he might not even be on this list for me.

1. Tina Wesson, Australian Outback
I remember when I first watched AO, I so wanted Colby to win.  But after watching it as a more intelligent adult, I realized how great Tina's game was.  So many moms and older women have tried to replicate her game and have failed.  She was someone who no one wanted to vote out, not even Colby at Final 3 when it was the obvious move.  It's unfortunate her pre-merge game was largely absent from the televised broadcast, but I still believe she played one of, if not the best social games of all time.  She got Colby to take her to the end and then at Final Tribal, not even fight hard to beat her.  You can tell by his reaction to Tina winning that he wanted her to win.  

Mariners Off-Season Outlook after Two Payroll-Shedding Trades

Two big trades have been made so far this off-season for the Mariners; two trades that their fans have ridiculed the front office for making.  First was Eugenio Suarez to the Arizona Diamondbacks for a backup catcher and a reliever.  Then Jarred Kelenic, Marco Gonzales, and Evan White were sent to the Atlanta Braves for a AAAA-type pitcher (good in minors, bad in majors) and a solid relief pitching prospect.  Both moves have been seen as ways of shedding payroll.  Why would they do this?  Let me explain.

First off, there is no salary cap in MLB like there is in the NFL.  Owners are free to let their GMs spend as much as they want.  They'll just have to foot the bill for any salaries/bonuses they hand out.  It seems in the Mariners case that ownership has restricted the front office of Jerry Dipoto and Justin Hollander, who definitely would like to spend on a few big bats, but may have needed to shed some payroll first in order to be under a certain budget.  This isn't what fans of a team want to hear.  You should want your owner to allow your GM to spend as much as they need to in order to field the best team possible.  Limiting them only limits their chances of building a successful team.

But let's look at the good.  We haven't lost a ton.  Eugenio Suarez regressed in 2023 after a very solid 2022.  His OPS was down from .791 to .714, and his league-leading strikeout totals rose further.  He did play gold glove-caliber defense, but his offensive numbers still dropped, especially his power.  Jerry Dipoto made the comment that they wanted to be a more contact-focused offense, but my question is this: Why acquire high strikeout guys in the first place?  Jerry chose to trade for Suarez and Teoscar Hernandez, known high-strikeout guys.  Perhaps his focus has changed, but that's not altogether encouraging.  

And of the three players we sent to the Braves, none were really huge impact players.  Yes, Kelenic still has a bit of potential, but he had two and a half seasons to realize it with us and just couldn't.  He had one hot stretch in early 2023, but that's it.  He's been largely a bust offensively.  He also strikes out a lot, like Suarez.  Marco was a back-of-the-rotation starter, who was hurt a huge chunk of 2023.  He was the longest-tenured Mariner, but he had reached his ceiling, and his ceiling quite frankly wasn't good enough for our rotation anymore.  And Evan White battled injuries and offensive inconsistency and lost his job to Ty France.  He wasn't going to regain his spot.  

So, we shed some dead weight, honestly.  Suarez and Hernandez (who left in Free Agency) were occasional good middle-of-the-order hitters, but just struck out too much.  That led to too many times where all we needed was a ball put in play and they struck out.  Marco was a lot of money for little return, and Evan White and Kelenic could never fully figure out hitting with us.  

But now let's look at the bad.  There are a ton of holes on this team.  Both corner outfield spots, DH, third base, and second base all need to be addressed.  There's also the fact we could use another starter with Robbie Ray hurt (*cough cough* Blake Snell! *cough*).  We should not be going into 2024 with our middle-of-the-lineup players being France and Raleigh.  This team, as it stands now, would certainly regress in 2024 if no major additions were made.  

So we can only hope and pray as Mariners fans that Jerry and Justin have a plan.  I'm hoping that they were given the luxury of increasing payroll at least a bit.  Perhaps they did the math and realized the guys they wanted to sign or extend after a trade would require more financial room than they already had.  But just because they have their eyes on a few players, doesn't mean they'll get them.  I worry they may have made this room unnecessarily, and they might strike out on acquiring some big names.  This off-season, simply saying "We tried" is not good enough.  

Our dream, of course, is to see big name after big name acquired by the Mariners.  We want to see the social media posts of "Welcome to Seattle, ____!" for a lot of household names.  We do not want to see it for players along the likes of Tommy LaStella, Kolten Wong, and AJ Pollock.  Of course, not every good player is available in free agency, and some will require a trade to acquire.  I just hope we don't mortgage our future in the hopes of getting back to the post-season.  That was attempted and failed at too many times from 2002-2021.  

The rest of this off-season will be hugely telling for this team and its future.  Jerry and Justin have their work cut out for them.  I think this is the single most important off-season of their Mariners' careers because a failure this off-season will likely eventually cost them their jobs.  I'm sure they're aware of the magnitude of this off-season.  Simply put, an abysmal showing this off-season, and they should not be surprised if ticket and merch sales drop.  At that point, none of us should spend any extra money on this team.  But a good showing will bring this fanbase back around and instill hope for 2024.

NFL Teams Ranked--Again

 We're midway through the 2023 season, and it sure is an interesting one.  I thought I'd rank each of the 32 NFL teams in terms of my personal preference.  As a Seahawks fan, a lot of these rankings are self-explanatory, but most are not.  I'll try to keep it brief, especially if it's self-explanatory.

FAVORITE
1. Seattle Seahawks - Always my #1, always my ride or die.  

I LIKE THESE TEAMS (Not too surprisingly, all AFC teams)
2. Jacksonville Jaguars - Team I've adopted as my #2, or my favorite AFC team.  The Seahawks have no reason to hate them.  I like their new resurgence with Trevor Lawrence, and I really hope they accomplish some things.
3. Miami Dolphins - I'm high on them for three reasons: 1) My girlfriend's 1st cousin once removed is their kicker, Jason Sanders.  He's her dad's cousin.  2) Salvon Ahmed, one of their backup running backs, grew up in Kirkland, WA, just like me.  3) One of their safeties is Jevon Holland, who shares a last name with me, the only Big 4 sports professional athlete I know of who has that distinction.
4. Kansas City Chiefs - I can't help it, they're so easy to root for and fun to watch.  Mahomes, Kelce, Andy Reid, what's not to like?
5. Buffalo Bills - I love Josh Allen; he's one of my favorite NFL players.  The Bills remind me of my Seahawks in a way: loyal to a fault and will brave the elements.

I'M HAPPY FOR YOU WHEN YOU WIN (Usually, unless you beat my Hawks)
6. Cincinnati Bengals - Joe Burrow is easy to root for, and finally Cincy has a consistent winner.
7. Minnesota Vikings - The Jon Bois/SB Nation documentary vaulted them up a bit, plus how big a fan Marshall on How I Met Your Mother is of them, and he's one of my favorite sitcom characters ever.
8. Cleveland Browns - I don't like how they got Watson, but I love lovable losers.  They still deserve to have success someday.  One of my favorite YouTubers, KTO, is a big Browns fan.
9. Detroit Lions - They are easy to like and their win over Green Bay last year enabled the Seahawks to get to the playoffs.  Thanks again, Detroit!
10. Atlanta Falcons - Again, the Jon Bois/SB Nation documentary.  Highly recommend.

NO BIG REASON TO DISLIKE, MAYBE A SMALL REASON TO LIKE
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - I still think of those late 90s/early 2000s teams that just dominated on defense.  They were fun to watch.  They're still fairly likable.  Guess I just like Florida NFL teams. 
12. Los Angeles Chargers - Never really had a reason to dislike them, except for the fact that as of writing this post, the last time I saw a Seahawks game in person, they lost to the Chargers.  But I don't hold that against them too much.  We should have done more.
13. Dallas Cowboys - I know, I know.  I just find large market teams (Lakers, Yankees, Cowboys) appealing and fun to root for on occasion.  But it is also funny to see them lose, too.
14. Houston Texans - They would be higher, but they share a city with a certain MLB team I would rank 30 out of 30, so that drops them a bit.  I like their uniforms, stadium, but they haven't always made the best personnel decisions.

YOU'RE OK, SO LONG AS YOU DON'T BEAT MY HAWKS
15. Washington Commanders - First off, I wish they'd change their name again.  "Commanders" is so generic and uninspiring.  But I like how Dan Snyder is no longer a part of this team.  Now they just need a new stadium.  But I don't really have a reason to hate them.
16. Las Vegas Raiders - Cool stadium, classic uni's.  I'm not a Raider hater.  Although, like the Cowboys, it's funny to see them lose.
17. Indianapolis Colts - They were featured on Parks and Rec, so that's cool.  The Colts may be the one NFL team I've never felt much emotion towards at all, so it's fitting that they're square in the middle.
18. Arizona Cardinals - What?  A division rival?  Yep.  I don't mind the red birds all that much, so long as we can at least split our season series with them.  
19. Chicago Bears - They may be the one NFL team that has never had a legit franchise quarterback in the Super Bowl era, it's crazy.  I wish them the best someday in finding that guy.  I don't mind the Bears too much, classic franchise and I find their games oddly entertaining, even when they are struggling.

I DON'T HAVE SYMPATHY FOR YOU WHEN YOU LOSE
20. Tennessee Titans - There's the Music City Miracle, at least, one of my favorite NFL plays of all time.  I watched that live as an almost 11-year-old.  But I just have never found a reason to like the Titans all that much.
21. New York Giants - Another one of my favorite YouTubers, FivePointsVids, is a Giants fan, but that's about it.  Their classic uni's are nice.
22. Denver Broncos - This team has probably moved the most in recent years, considering the Russell Wilson trade and all.  I'm coming back around on them, and they move back up for me.  In the earlier part of this century, I had them as a Top 5 team.  
23. New Orleans Saints - Part of me forgot about them, part of me just doesn't care.  I find them incredibly overrated as a franchise, considering they were nothing before the Payton/Brees era.  
24. Carolina Panthers - They beat my Seahawks in the playoffs once, so there's that.  But so have the Cowboys, Dolphins, Falcons, and Bears, all of who are higher on this list.  I just haven't forgiven them, I guess.

I ALMOST ALWAYS ROOT AGAINST YOU WHEN I WATCH
25. Philadelphia Eagles - Their fans are just awful.  I wish them nothing but misery.  I like Jason Kelce, but that's about it.  Die, Eagles, Die.
26. New York Jets - Again, not likable fans, and they're just incredibly boring and inept.  And I hate their color scheme--green and white?  Yuck.
27. Baltimore Ravens - They recently beat my Hawks, but moreover, they used to be the Browns, who were stolen from Cleveland and moved to Baltimore (Thanks, Art Modell).  And they've been rewarded with two Super Bowls.  It reminds me of how my Sonics were stolen from me.  
28. Green Bay Packers - A lot of defeats at the hands of these guys, but they've lost to us, too.  I just hate when we lose to them when, because of the refs or a bonehead play by our QB (Thanks Hasselbeck), we lose.  I almost always root against the Packers.  Their fans are a bit obnoxious, too.

DIE, CHUMPS (I seriously wish nothing but bad things for these teams)
29. Pittsburgh Steelers - Three words: Super Bowl 40 (XL).  Yeah.  Still not over it.  I know, it's been almost 18 years now.  I may never get over it.  Plus, like the Packers, their fans are obnoxious.  But the sting of the Super Bowl certainly hurts less now that we have a ring ourselves.
30. New England Patriots - Another team we lost to in the Super Bowl.  Plus, they had so much success with Brady and Belichick, it was sickening.  Their struggles right now are so incredibly hilarious.
31. San Francisco 49ers - Our biggest rival.  I can't stand their fans on social media--they are the absolute worst.  Reminds me of Astros fans.  Oddly, this is my girlfriend's favorite team, being from that area, which probably saves them from the final spot.  But I can never come around on them, especially now that they are a very tough team to beat.
32. Los Angeles Rams - Too many agonizing defeats to these guys.  The blowout at home which was our first big loss at home in years.  The phantom holding call on the first game in Sofi.  The loss in the playoffs in 2020.  And the two games this year.  Also, I hate Aaron Donald--he's a dirty player.  At least when the Niners struggle, we can beat them.  Even when the Rams struggle, we struggle to beat them ourselves.  Also, they're yet another franchise that has moved, so screw them.

Rating New Era Survivor Twists and Changes

Something I still need to do, being a big fan of Survivor, is rating the new ERA twists and changes.  I'm gonna recall from memory each twist added or change made to the game since the start of 41, and then give it a rating out of 10.  A 10/10 is a perfect idea, and I honestly don't know if I'd give that to any twist in Survivor history, including the hidden immunity idol, so you won't be seeing that here.  A 0/10 would be an idea that is so asinine, whoever came up with it should be fired.  

There may be the occasional advantage that I have forgotten, but if I forget it, it's because it had such little impact on the game, and therefore isn't worth rating.

26 Day Format: 3/10
I don't think I'll ever fully come around on this.  Leave it to Survivor to stick with the 26-day format after COVID restrictions end since it's cheaper.  The bad thing about it is that it doesn't allow for close bonds to form or for people to struggle out there.  There's no time for the game to breathe, in a sense.  It feels like when Survivor reduced its quantity, it also reduced its quality.

No food/losing flint if immunity is lost: 5/10
I'm okay with teams suffering a penalty if they lose, although going to tribal council should be penalty enough.  But taking away flint doesn't have the impact it used to, since they are given access to clean drinking water, and the pre-merge lasts no more than 2 weeks.  Meanwhile, odds are each player will eventually get access to food via some sort of reward.  It seems like taking away flint is just for show, and honestly shouldn't even be mentioned anymore.  It's not an awful idea, just an unnecessary one that adds nothing to the show.  Also, I might add, taking away flint from the losers only increases the chance that they'll lose again, thus creating a "disaster" tribe that enters the merge with only 3 or even 2 members.  

Hourglass Twist: 1/10
The hourglass twist is easily one of the dumbest things Survivor producers have implemented.  The worst part is that people who rightfully won immunity had it stripped away from them.  If anything, the hourglass twist should have made them replay the challenge, and see if we get the same result--although that wouldn't have made for as good of TV: seeing the same challenge done twice.  Maybe they could've used a different challenge.  But heaven forbid Survivor pay for another challenge set.  

Knowledge is Power: 5/10
This is an advantage that has yet to work, other than causing people to swap their idols and advantages.  That effect really made it confusing to track who had what.  It did create some good moments, such as Dwight going home with Jeanine's idol in 43 and her shock at finding out, even though the KiP wasn't shown on that season.  I wouldn't hate it if they brought it back, but I'd rather it be tweaked a little.  My suggestion is that if the owner of the KiP can correctly name who has an idol or advantage, you get an extra vote.  I don't think people's idols/advantages should be able to be stolen.  

Reunion not live/held right away: 2/10
I understand not being able to do it in the early stages of the new era due to COVID, but just like with 26 days, again Survivor sticks with it since it's a cost-cutting measure.  I really hate it because players are not given the chance to think about and digest their games.  I also love hearing the audience's reaction to the votes being read, and without it, the result always feels subdued.  It's like seeing the final out of the World Series but no one in the stands to cheer on.  Bring back the live reunion!  

Most idols being beware advantages: 6/10
I can live with this.  The reason I kind of like this is that it doesn't allow players to keep finding idols easily and playing them one after the other, like Ben in HHH.  It makes players work for it.  Idols were getting too easy to find, so adding steps to "activate" or find their idols made it more difficult.  I wish players didn't lose their votes until they fully found or activated their idol, but there's got to be some "punishment" to it, I guess.  I was not a fan of having to wait for a certain phrase to be said at the immunity challenge mat chat like we saw in 41 and 42.  I much prefer having to accomplish something, like getting beads in 43 or the cage twist in 44, and not having to rely upon someone from another tribe.  

Amulet(s): 4/10
Again, another idea that just falls flat.  We've seen this now in 42 and 45, and each time it just seems to put a target on people's backs.  I think if the showrunners try it a third time and the players are given the option, I think they'll choose not to have it.  I get that they're trying to create cross-tribal alliances, but all they're doing is making them targets for one another.  They should change it so that the combined amulets become more powerful so long as all owners are still in the game at certain points.  All three make it to the merge?  Extra vote.  Final 10?  Steal a vote.  Final 6?  Full-blown idol.  But they haven't really laid out who gets control of the advantage once it gets those points, so that'd be interesting to see...

Shot in the Dark: 7/10
The "SitD" as I call it, is one of the better new era ideas.  It creates drama when there likely is none.  Obvious boot?  Well, there's still the shot in the dark, which could save them!  It also adds a layer of strategy, because you have to decide if losing your vote is worth it.  For example, in 41, if Sydney hadn't played her shot in the dark and instead had voted, she likely survives.  I just can't rate it higher than 7/10, because, to me, it overcomplicates the game a bit.  With SitD's being transferrable and only able to be played once, I now have to keep track of who currently has their SitD?  There comes a point where there's just too much to keep track of.  

"Merge-atory": 4/10
Jeff says that you have to "earn the merge".  You know what, Jeff?  They earned the merge by getting that far in the game, you dick.  Fortunately, it's a lot better without the hourglass twist, but I'm still very against the idea of likely only 6/13 people being eligible to be voted for.  I also do not like when they add a layer of luck to the game, because some good players can get unlucky and have to leave the game, and a layer of luck is added when they randomly divide them into two teams.  

Split Tribal at Final 12 or 10: 2/10
Just... stop this.  Please.  I get having to have two people be voted out in one episode.  But instead of dividing them into two teams of 5 or 6, just have two tribal councils with all 10 or 12 people.  We've lost some decent players because of this awful twist, such as Matt in 44.  It adds another layer of luck that I am not a fan of.  And I think they've done this in seasons before 41 (Ghost Island, for one), but since it's been used every season since the start of the new era, I consider this a "New Era" twist.  

Three tribe format: 4/10
The worst part of this three-tribe format is that they never swap into two tribes.  I'm okay watching three-team immunity challenges, because there's usually some drama, either between 1st and 2nd or 2nd and 3rd.  But only having 6 players per tribe is getting very tiresome.  There's not much room to maneuver as a player, and if you are put on a struggling tribe, you will likely not make the merge.  Also, if there is one tribe having a lot of success that never goes to tribal council, the whole tribe could end up getting purpled, like we saw with the Coco tribe in 41.  If we had a regular two-tribe format, we likely see J.D. in 41 at the merge.  But because his tribe struggled so much pre-merge, he was voted out.  

Do or Die: 1/10
I almost gave this a 0/10, because it was that bad.  What saves it from that 0 mark is the fact you can opt out of the challenge, therefore not risking elimination via a game of chance.  I wish everyone had opted out of one of these, just to spite the showrunners.  Fortunately, each time the Do or Die did not work, saving Deshawn and Lindsay.  Thank goodness they stopped it after 42.  But much like with the hourglass twist, it breaks a Survivor cardinal sin.  This time, you can get eliminated from the game without a single vote against you.  You could be playing a perfect game, but because you wanted to compete in a challenge, you get eliminated from the game.  If it had eliminated someone, I wonder if Jeff was going to say, "The tribe has spoken".  Probably not.  

Choose Your Champion: 7/10
We've only seen this once, in 43, and unfortunately, we might not see it again.  Essentially, you choose who you think will win an immunity challenge, and if they do, you win immunity as well.  I wish the reveal was done sooner, rather than at tribal council.  I think people should know if they can vote for you or not.  But I guess it's like an idol, which a lot of people don't get to know about.  But I liked the element of how well people know their tribemates.  I think they should incorporate these for reward as well.

Sweat or Savvy/Earning Supplies: 4/10
I'm just not a big fan of having to "earn" your supplies.  As viewers, what do we care if someone has their supplies or not... honestly?  They kept tweaking the sweat vs. savvy challenges.  At first, they were too easy, then they were too hard, then they just got rid of it.  They clearly couldn't design sweat vs. savvy to be the right difficulty.  For 47, they made a "captain" from each of the losing tribes compete in a kind of scavenger hunt, which is slightly more fun to watch.  But again... why do we care?

Average: 3.93/10
The twists and changes in the new era have largely been disappointing.  Survivor's at its best when its a slowly evolving game, and I felt like in the new era, they did too much too fast.  I like how bad ideas were phased out, such as the hourglass or "Do or Die".  I wish they'd go back to two tribes or 39 days, but we can't always get what we want, can we?  Anyway, that's all I have for now, but if there are any others, I'll add them to the list and give my thoughts.