The newest season of CBS' "
SURVIVOR" debuted last night, and Marlins President
DAVID SAMSON was the first contestant to be cast off the island. Samson had been elected as leader of the Brains Tribe against the Brawn and Beauty Tribes. As the Brains Tribe began to construct shelter and set up their living arrangements, one of the tribe members began bossing everyone around, to which Samson said, "In my career, I have enough experience with people who look like they can get things done -- but you put them at the plate, put a bat in their hands and, all of a sudden, they look like Bugs Bunny." Brains Tribe member
GARRETT ADELSTEIN, a pro poker player, said Samson is "very intelligent (but) I do think he's a schemer and he's already made it clear that he wants to get rid of me. So David's going home tonight." Adelstein: "Without question, David is just a huge threat and if people don't see that they're idiots." Brains Tribe member
SPENCER BLEDSOE called Samson "pretty shifty." As he was told he was voted off, Samson stood up and said, "Unbelievable." He said to the camera, "I have no regrets. I played the way I thought I needed to play to get forward in the game. And the tribe just doesn't have it together and they have it together just against me, but no hard feelings to any of them" (
"Survivor," CBS, 2/26). MLB.com's Joe Frisaro noted, "With a degree in law, Samson was placed in the Brains tribe, which had an average IQ of 130." Samson's first order of business as tribe leader "was a controversial and ultimately costly one." He "was asked to identify the weakest link" and he "immediately weeded out Garrett, who also happened to be the biggest and strongest of the six" (
MLB.com, 2/26).
FRESH MEAT FOR HATERS: In Miami, Douglas Hanks writes Samson's "abrupt exit from the show is sure to be red meat for the many Marlins haters." Last night's episode "saw a blazer-wearing Samson quickly elected his team’s leader, but then quickly lost support." His squad "delivered what host JEFF PROBST called one of the worst lead-off performances in Survivor history, as they failed to move a cart full of treasure chests as quickly as their rivals did." Samson, 45, "stood out in the first few minutes of Survivor’s Cagayan season when he arrived in the jungle wearing khakis, a blue blazer and a colorful bandana that looked more like an ascot given the outfit." The look "seemed to have an effect, though, as his teammates quickly nominated Samson to be their leader." Samson "seemed mindful of his image back home as the first episode unfolded." Microphones "picked him up giving pep talks to his teammates as they endured the treasure-chest debacle" (MIAMI HERALD, 2/27).
