SURVIVOR: BLOOD VS WATER 2

That said, here’s my cast assessment:

Dale & Kelley Wentworth
I’m just not seeing a person “of age” winning Survivor anymore. It’s just too physically exhausting on anyone over the age of 50. Sure, they may be mentally tough, and great around camp, but I just don’t see the other players thinking Dale (amongst others this season) deserving of Sole Survivor status. Kelley on the other hand, looks to have the goods enough to carry her for a while. She looks physically fit, is in Marketing so should be aware of how she’s perceived, is adept at puzzles, and fancies herself a new Parvati. At least she’s aiming high. Her success hinges on how long her pop stays around.
Odds: Dale: 25/1 Kelley 8/1

Drew & Alec Christy
Like a few others (i.e. Probst) who’ve provided their opinions on the cast, I like Alec’s odds a little better than his older brother’s. Drew seems a little too full of himself, and that’ll probably rub his tribemates the wrong way. Alec seems a little more “go with the flow,” a little more Fabio, and that’s typically not someone who’s viewed as a threat. Big brothers (oh, snap, I didn’t want to use that phrase tonight!) tend to carry a bit of added responsibility on their shoulders in life, and that may work against Drew. He’ll want to take charge when he’s probably not capable. Also, their physical strength may work against them, and the other castaways may view them as a potential “power couple” after the merge and eliminate them early.
Odds: Drew: 15/1 Alec: 8/1

Jeremy & Val Collins
I’m not agreeing with everyone who thinks these two are the ones to beat. Sure, he’s a fireman and she’s a cop, but so what? He looks like a mountain, which will work against him eventually. And whether or not Val tells the others she’s a cop (Probst mentions that she may hide that fact, lest she’s labeled a “Tony”) may really not matter. I’m not sure how easily she’ll be able to bond with the others aside from Missy (if on the same tribe) or one of the Twinnies possibly. Maybe they’ve got the ability to go deep(er), but I just don’t see one of them winning.
Odds: Jeremy: 10/1 Val: 14/1

John Rocker & Julie McGee
Ok, I’ll be the first to say that I wasn’t a fan of Rocker being on Survivor, but it’s not because of his past. Hell, we’ve all done/said things that we regret. My problem (and I tweeted about this the other day) is that he has NO CHANCE of winning. So why even play? Why even cast him? Okay, maybe the show can feature him in a bunch of promos hoping to lure in some new viewers, but is that enough? Probst justified casting him in that “he’ll have a lot of work to do,” and “his tribe could just vote him out,” but is that enough of a reason to include him? There’s been a huge backlash from fans who think he’s a monster, so did the show consider that? IMNotSoHO, I think everyone who’s put on the show should have a chance to win the game, which makes his inclusion a slap in the face to all of us who would die to be on the show. Julie, his girlfriend, seems to realize she’s got an uphill battle to face. And if she knows the
show, she knows that she’ll probably lose her “loved one” fairly quickly. Given that, she’ll need to cozy up to an alliance – possibly all all-girl one? – and then hope she’s not judged by those boobs, that body, or that hair…
Odds: John: 150/1 Julie: 20/1

Josh Canfield & Reed Kelly
There’s a good chance they can both make the merge since I think they’ll be viewed as “harmless” players, but you never know how the chips will fall. Thankfully, they’re both fit and outdoorsy types. Josh seems to have the smarts to recognize when/if he’s targeted, but sometimes that’s not enough. The one thing going for them is their faith, which always seems to help out on this show. But last I checked, there haven’t been any gay winners on Survivor in a looooooong time, so that may work against them. I think they’re smart/harmless enough to make it to the jury, but that’s it.
Odds: Josh: 10/1 Reed: 11/1

Jon Misch & Jaclyn Schultz
I gotta admit I’ve been on Team Jon & Jaclyn since the cast was announced. Jon looks like a strong player, and since he doesn’t “look” like a jarhead football player, he may be able to fly under the radar a bit. We know he’ll be tough, but I just wonder how his emotions will stand up when his girlfriend is under fire (think John Cody). Initially, I thought Jaclyn has the life experience to be able to deal with adversity, but Probst seems to think she’ll be gone fast. I don’t know if he’s throwing a misdirect at us, because I think someone with her “situation” is able to deal with the crap that the show can throw at you. And…assuming they make it to the merge, or even the finale, their desire to find a surrogate is a powerful story to tell at Final Tribal. That said, I like them.
Odds: Jon: 5/1 Jaclyn: 8/1

Keith & Wes Nale
I’m kind of running hot/cold on these guys. Keith has the same problem as Dale above (OTS: Old-timer Syndrome) but he being a firefighter should mean he’s strong. His son, Wes, also a fireman, appears to have the toughness, the “Malcolm-ness,” and the southern charm (“J.T.-ness?”) that does well on Survivor. I think he’ll do well if he finds a strong alliance early and rides it out. The problem I see is that to win this show, you have to be able to connive and stay in control of other people, and I don’t think he’s got the life experience to do that. We’ll see…
Odds: Keith: 17/1 Wes: 10/1

Missy Payne & Baylor Wilson
Now here’s someone who has the life experience to connive her way to the top! Who better than a 3x divorcée to not give a shit about other people’s feelings anymore and do what she can to rise to the top? Let’s see if she’s got the killer instinct. I think Baylor may be a bit out of her league here (at her age), but she claims to be ready to go head-to-head against her mom, so let’s see if she can live up to that. Possibly the second coming of Laura-Ciera? I think this may be a good team to watch.
Odds: Missy: 9/2 Baylor: 10/1

Natalie & Nadiya Anderson
I was never a fan of theirs on The Amazing Race, but that’s when they were together all the time, and really f**king annoying. I saw the clip where they announced to everyone one minute into the game that they were on TAR, so we know that secret is out. Since they didn’t win anything on TAR, we can surmise they’re not coming in with the same “baggage” as Hayden from BB (former winner), but I think they’ll be viewed as a power couple due to their celebrity status, and will be targeted from the outset. However, I also think that being seasoned reality show “stars,” they’ll know they’ll be targeted and begin forming alliances on day 1. It’d be scary to think what they’d do if they both make the merge, which is why I think we’ll be bidding adieu to them fairly quickly. I just hope we don’t have to hear the phrase, “twinnies” too often this season…
Odds: Natalie or Nadiya: 50/1