'Survivor:' Boston Rob discusses his depressing defeat

The tribe has spoken and we don't like what it had to say one bit. 

Seriously, Villains: You voted out Boston Rob?

As the "Survivor" nation mourned today, we tried to make sense of it all by talking to three-time player extraordinaire, Rob Mariano, himself.  He was in a very good mood, having had several months to put all the Samoa drama into perspective. Here's what he had to say:

When you watched it last night, did you relive a lot of moments you wish you could redo, or did you feel good about things?

Surprisingly, not so much. I knew it was coming. It's tough to take. But I felt like I gave it my all. And I put in 100% all season long, so I did what I could do. I really don't have many regrets.

You really did play a great physical, mental and social game, which is why I think the fans are really, really sad to see you go. I don't know if you've had time to see the reaction.

I haven't but I appreciate that. It's really the fans that make the show and that means a lot to me.

Well, who can we blame?

(Laughs).  Unfortunately, I don't think we have anyone to blame but myself. I did my best. I made good alliances. I thought I did. It didn't work out. It goes back to Tyson not going with the game plan and Coach faltering last night. At that point, it was more of a foregone conclusion. They trusted the guy that they didn't know anything about instead of someone they knew about and that's always dangerous. Me, I prefer to keep the enemy I know than the one I don't know. But they didn't see it that way and I'm here sitting talking to you.

That Tyson moment last week was a big WHAT?

Exactly. That's how I felt too. That's actually the first time in the three times I've played "Survivor" that I've ever gone back to camp after Tribal Council and not known exactly what was going to happen and didn't go the way I expected it to go. It was a shock to me, for sure.

Sometimes people get blindsided and when you think about it, you go, 'well, that was really smart.' This was a shock that made no sense. He took himself out of the game.

Yeah, there was really no method to that madness. And I think he's probably regretting it pretty hard right now. I really don't know what he was thinking. I think he got a little disheveled in the moment and the idea of his name being up there, and thought he may be able to avoid it by writing Parvati's name. But it really made no sense because we really did have a fool-proof, iron-clad plan whereby either Russell or Parvati would have gone home and the other would have gone home the next week. I think Russell even saw the writing on the wall and saw that it was either him that week or the next week and wanted to do something that would be seen as a good gesture and that's why he gave the Idol to Parvati. I don't think even he expected it to work out the way it did. But you know, everybody got lucky here and there and he definitely got lucky in that spot.

When you get voted out, you go spend time at the ranch with the other people that got voted out. Did you talk to Tyson about all of this?

Oh, we had some talks. (Laughs).

I really had a hard time grasping why. At first, I thought he must have made a mistake and wrote down the wrong person's name. He must have not known who he was supposed to vote for. My second thought was he wanted to commit "Survivor" suicide. He wanted out of the game and this was an easy way out for him without having to say it. But the more I thought about it, I couldn't make sense of it. And it really boiled down to the fact that when I explained how tie-vote worked, he wasn't 100% confident that he would come out OK on it and I think he panicked a little bit.

Did you ever consider what Coach was proposing last night--that everyone should vote out Courtney?

It made no sense to me and I'll tell you why. Not because Courtney is a stronger player or anything. But Courtney was in my alliance and what you're doing by voting out Courtney is you're making a concession.  So all of a sudden, I'm in an alliance with who now--Sandra and Coach and maybe Jerri? Jerri's already wishy-washy but we don't have numbers. And by making that concession, the only thing you're doing is fighting to stay another three days. You're not furthering your point in the game long-term. So it may have made sense for one vote and it may have got me one vote further but it doesn't make sense in the long-term strategy. If you play this thing vote-for-vote and person-to-person, you may last a while. You may get really extremely lucky and make it to the end but no one's going to respect that kind of game and you're never going to win playing that kind of game.  So it didn't make sense to me to vote off someone who was an ally, someone that I did trust and thought would be loyal to me.

I can respect that and I also really liked when you called Coach a "little person" when you got voted out.

Coach's whole mantra is about loyalty and integrity and honor. He preaches it week in and week out almost as much as Russell proclaims to be the greatest player ever. Legend in his own mind. That's his mantra: I'm the honest, loyal one and I won't compromise my integrity. And here he has the perfect opportunity to show America and the world to show how honorable and how loyal he is and he does the opposite. He doesn't back up his words. I get that it's a game of survivor and I understand that lying and deceiving is all part of it. But here you are making these claims, and you don't do it, and you want my instant forgiveness? That's not gonna happen, you know?

I would imagine that in his mind by voting Courtney he stayed loyal to both you and Russell.

No. In his mind, he took out the easy way out. I'm not gonna say it was a cowardly way out but he knew full well what he was doing by voting for Courtney and you can't play that game with me. You're not going to say you stay true. What you said you were gonna do was write Russell's name down. That's what you told me and you didn't do that. So for me it was pretty cut and dry and I think it's going to come back to bite him in the butt.

So let's talk about Russell. You had never seen him play before you met him on the island. [CBS shot the last two seasons of "Survivor" back-to-back, and the first season in Samoa had not aired yet when "Heroes vs. Villains" went into production]. What was your first impression?

When I realized he was out there playing with 20 people who have played the game before and half of them are on the Villains and half are on Heroes, and he's one of five of the most notorious males to ever play the game and they're having him back, you've got to realize he must have done something. It doesn't take a genius to figure out he's done something to earn his spot here so you gotta keep him at an arm's length. At the same time, we wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt and we did for the first vote, when we voted off Randy. We thought he may be useful in some aspect. Unfortunately, the only use he was was causing chaos and disarray at camp. I'll say that Russell and I have some similarities but fundamentally we're different in a lot of ways. I would never sabotage that camp the way he does and try to bring my team down in order to make myself stronger and look better. You know what I mean? So once it got to the point where I realized he was a cancer and we had to cut him out, it was him against me. That's the way it is with me. You're either with me or against me and he was against me. But having said that, you have to give him some credit because he got me.

I kept hoping that you guys were going to form a crazy alliance.

I had a way. I had a way twice but it got botched. The only reason Russell is even still in the game is because of Tyson and now because of Coach. Otherwise, he shouldn't even be there. But when the season's over, he should definitely get his pen and paper out and write down a thank you note.

Well, what did Amber have to say about all this?

She thought it was a lot of fun. She enjoyed watching it and she was pretty proud of me, the way I played. She knew that I gave it my all. And I'm very happy to be home.

-- Maria Elena Fernandez (follow me on Twitter @writerchica)

Photos: Rob Mariano on the 20th season of "Survivor." Credit: CBS

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Comments

[Eldonna Bryant]

Boston Rob and Tom and the Astronaut are my favorite all time Survivors but Rob has been the standout because we have watched him grow into a really smarter, kinder and more philosophical man who shows loyalty and strength of character. Something completely lacking in Russel (who has almost NO redeeming qualities) and something Coach can say he is but the words are empty in his mouth because he does not live up to the bravado he spouts! If he was half the man Rob is it would be good enough but he isn't even that. Tyson can be excused for making a mistake but coach is laughable when he brags on himself and vaunts himself and struts around like some God-like being! what a joke he has made of himself.

[Belinda Gomez]

DEAR LAT:

We, the viewers, don't care what you think. Just report it, okay? This interviewer was practically giving "Boston Rob" a lap-dance.

[Maria Elena]

Belinda: Thanks for reading & writing. Sorry you feel that way but this is a blog. Supposed to have opinions in it. Have a great weekend.

[NY Rich]

Good job Maria

[Tee]

lol...lap dance - what a crack up!

Boston Rob rocks, there's no doubt. But he's growing up and age changes our priorities. He has nothing to prove and it shows. He has a beautiful, smart wife, he's a father now and I wish them a long happy life together.

Coach is very kind soul which is rare today. I prefer not to bag on him because he has a serious inferiority complex. He needs to believe in himself and refrain from flapping his lips. He puts himself out there and then gets hurt when others poke fun at him. He needs to realize that what others think does not matter. It's what HE thinks about himself that is truly important.

[yadthink]

As I write this, there are 3 prior posters--I'll call them 2 heroes and 1 villain. Belinda, you're in the category of one...

[Linda Rosland]

Boston Rob is the best of all time Survivors! Tyson was an idiot and coach is a liar. He speaks with a forked tongue. we all know what Jerri is. Rob helped his tribe through all challenges and was a great leader and what did he get in return, stabbed in the back twice, to save a weasel and slim ball like Russel. It was disgusting !

Myself and others were pulling for the Villains, but after the way that team turned on Rob we are now pulling for the Heros, That is better then my first thought, which was not to watch any more of this season Survivor. I can not wait to see the Villains wiped out one by one, Not counting Courtney and Sandra.

Devoted Boston Rob Fan, forever.

[Lightningbug]

Rob got beat by someone smarter than him - plain and simple. Russel made the best strategic move in the game's history in a series of four moves:
1. He looked for and found the idol even though he knew it would put a target on his back.
2. He convinced Tyson to switch his vote.
3. He pulled a switch-er-oo at a Tribal Council that was, even in Probst's words, the strangest ever.
4. He used the girls to pull in Jerry, thus securing his numbers.
Now he has everyone confused, floundering and weak - exactly like he needs them to manipulate them and lop off their heads when the time is right.
Russel Hantz should get the credit he deserves as the best player ever. Period. Bye bye Boston Rob. Don't let the bamboo door hit you.

[Tim]

All you Boston Robbie apologists/revisionists are so delusional! Boston Rob is a scumbag liar, always has been, always will be. While I admit this year he was a little gentler and a little kinder, it still doesn't take back the lies and back-stabbing of the past.

Lest you forget that in Survivor All-Stars when he and Amber were split into different tribes, your "St. Rob" promised Lex van den Berghe, "You take care of her, I'll take care of you. If you can, If you can."

Lex protected Amber during that time, and how did Robbie pay him back? Your punk Robbie voted out Lex at that first tribal council! Now 'ole Robbie claimed, "…the word I gave you was that if I could take care of you I will. I'm sorry, I can not." But like all things with Robbie, this was a lie he used to justify his moves to himself.

To Robbie, goodbye, good riddance!!!

[Tim]

More about you "Hero" St. Boston Robbie...

While appearing on the Amazing Race, Boston Robbie and Amber convinced other teams to pool their money "with his" (this is how he sold it) - with the intent to bribe a bus driver. However, when he did bribe the driver, Robbie used none of his own money.

In another leg, they drove by a car accident involving another team. They drove by without stopping or caring to make sure they were okay. EVERY OTHER COMPETITOR checked to make sure the team was okay prior to moving on.

They were admonished by all the teams and the host, who clearly saw what classless people they were.

You can say he is cut-throat competitor or that he only cares about winning above all, including other people's lives, but do NOT portray him as some sympathetic innocent who was so callously blindsided by mean old Russel.

Robbie is no Saint. He is not even a villain - he is just a classless scum-bag who deserves nothing good in this life. The fact he has had even a modicum of success makes me sick to my stomach.

[Tyler]

lol theres no question about it, Russel is a better player and its just common sense Rob had no chance once so ever

[Debbie]

Let's rally to bring Boston Rob back. If enough people speak out maybe the show's producers will allow a twist to give Rob the opportunity. I'll tell ya the show will not be the same without him. Rob and Amber I wish you all the best. Regarding Coach, he is spineless. He needs to look deep within himself and walk the walk. He is all talk and no action which makes him look foolish.

[Eve]

Rob was the tribe's leader. Russell is a rat. The remaining tribe members are women and will hopefully eat him alive.

[Julianna]

Tyson - WORST STRATEGIC PLAYER EVER!!! Coach - WEAK FOOL!!! Boston Rob - The only player on the villians with a brain who was STUCK with idiots as team mates! Boston Rob had it all figured out and he was spot on in his assessment!!! AHHHHHGGGHHHH!!! Coach and TYson MUST be KICKING THEMSELVES!!! Boston Rob is King!

[trevor]

Boston Rob's problem is that he's self proclaimed "old school." What does that mean? It means you don't adapt, you don't form new strategies, and you know nothing about game theory in practice. When Russel said to Rob, "it's either Courtney or Sandra going home", that was Russel's strategy, and it is a good one. But Rob dismisses it as stupid, and he ends up going home. Russel was trying to say, "Listen, just let these two fight it out, we both cool our jets for a while, and the tribe gets stronger. Let's not make it about me and you right now, because that's not the best strategic decision." But no, Rob plays old school style and gets burned.

I think it's funny how all of the players have differnt theories on what makes a good Survivor player. Loyalty, oldschoolness, trust, power, hero, villian, whatever. All of these are meaningless, and Russel knows it. What it comes down is playing each move as strategic as possible, and that's something that none of the other players seem to understand.

Survivor is a ZERO-SUM GAME. That means everyone can lose except for one person. Therefore, you have to play each scenario as a Zero-sum part of the game. If you're not thinking strategically at each interval, you're getting voted out. Tyson knows this, and now Boston Rob knows this.

[Dd]

Best Survivor player ever- best reality person ever. No contest, really. Tyson ruined the season.

[Don]

I liked Rob from the beginning in Marquesas. Back then he was out-numbered by a bunch of workaholic cavemen. Still love how he played with Kathy's mind in the end of his stay there. He was the mastermind in Allstars and should have won it all. Even after all his strategy and great winning challenge play, they still had to give it to Amber out of hate. They were scared to put his name down during that series and now I know why. Just look at what happened to the two knuckle heads who screwed him over in Villians. Both gone and to their own demise. The rest are sitting ducks and I can't wait to see Russel get his. If he thinks he can get the numbers with a weak tribe and lose every challenge till merge, he's crazy. The Heroes will eat any remaining Villians for breakfast. Boston Rob turned into the hero in this game and and happy for him. In my opinion, the best there is, was, and ever will be in this game. Kudos!

[Ilovebostonrob]

What everyone must remember is Boston rob played straight this time round due to his life changes and experiences ie daughter and wife! But if he chose to be as manipulative (even though he wouldn't have done it as disgustingly as Russel as rob has much more tact) he would have definitely won. If rob obssessed and hid machettis and did NOTHING around the tribe as Russel did he would have definitely pushed Russel out. Russel got lucky very very lucky. Boston rob could have played Russel so easily but he didn't, perhaps his casualness gave Russel the opportunity to play on an equal playing field but if Rob had picked up his game he would have easily beaten Russel. Rob has never won a survivor because too many other lucky ppl were riding on him to the end for instance his wife. As much as I love her too she only won because of him so give him a break. Best survivor and amazing race player!! Although he may not have won who has been as successful as him? Noone! So Russel fans, don't be naive. Rob had to work with the bunch of idiots he was handed which worked in russels favour. Came down to luck not skills because rob clearly has the ultimate overall survivor instincts and skills! Go rob! Bring him back the show sucks so bad that he's gone! Bring on a twist! Survivor is no show without rob. All you rob haters seem jealous that one man can have it all, atheletic, smart - damn smart, good looks, charm, charisma, gorgeous wife and RICH! Just recognize a great player when you see one. He's an overall champion not a lucky cocky troll like Russel. Shame Boston rob let his guard down with russels whispers but Id be exhausted too if I did EVERYTHING around the tribe. I'm surprised everyone knew their own names by the end of the day! Morons and poor rob paid for their stupidity!!!

[Linda McKenzie]

Coach will be missed. He was very entertaining with all his outlandish stories and his very puffed up personality! How can anyone be so taken by themselves?
Russell is also very entertaining. He should have won during his first season. He is definitely the smartest player, but unfortunately not popular enough to get the vote. He plays the games the best ever but forgets that he needs votes to win and nobody wants to vote for him in the end.
The rest of the villians are pretty boring and have really played a dumb game.
About Boston Rob. Did you see him on Amazing Race? Definitely a selfish lying player there.
But these three have been the most interesting.

[LISSYB]

Yet another testament to the one-of-a-kind amazingness of Boston Rob? Fact that this season is literally yawn-inducing now that he is gone, that the only reason worth watching is to imagine him watching and gagging at how crappy and predictable the ones he left behind (with the exception of Parvati) are playing the game. Just a damn shame and so sad that we'll probably never get to see Boston Rob play again...Probst?! Can you hear us??? We need more of our guy!

Also, and I get that this is just because of the way the seasons were filmed back to back, but Russell had a sick advantage in that nobody'd seen him play and hence didn't know what a lying back-stabbing camp-sabotaging prick he is. Oh yeah and a tantrumming whining brat. Gotta say, had his teammates seen the crap he pulled last season, would have been a veeerrry different power struggle indeed. Not making excuses for Rob, but just pisses me off...

LOVE YOU BOSTON ROB!