RNO Roundtable: ‘Survivor: Panama – Exile Island’ Predictions

It’s time once again for RealityNewsOnline writers to make our predictions. Will David Bloomberg go back to picking well, as he did previously in choosing Brian (Thailand), Jenna (Amazon), and Amber (All-Stars)? Will anybody do better than everybody did in predicting Palau and Guatemala, when nobody got more than one of the Final Four right? Let’s find out as we read the predictions of David Bloomberg, Phil Kural, Wesley Rice, Jeffreyrey Sadow, and Brian Towers.

Dan Barry: 52; S. Hadley, Massachusetts; retired astronaut.

Phil: Wow, Dan has a lot going for him. He’s done a lot in his life so far, and I think if I had to pick one person that has the life experience to do well this season, it would be Dan. In a weird way, he sort of reminds me of Gary from last season. Older, wiser, and very keen to the game. Dan better keep quiet about how educated he is though, and that he used to be an astronaut. Others will see him as undeserving to win and get rid of him. I’m not saying he has to flat-out lie about what he does for work, but there is nothing wrong with a little fabrication. If Dan can emerge as a leader, and one that is willing to listen, I could see him making it to the end. I want him to do well.

Brian: A retired astronaut, I expect Dan be a similar player to Survivor: Palau winner Tom Westman. We know he’s intelligent, used to being a leader, and experienced at shifting to “Plan B.” He has a history of achieving objectives and appears to be in some semblance of good physical shape. “Believe in yourself,” is his credo. Who would vote against this guy? I see Dan in the final four.

Jeffrey: Dan stands for “dangerous.” I don’t think there has been a better and more diversely educated player ever, and his obvious smarts are complemented by his fitness. Plus, he has excelled in high-stress situations that call for discipline, and knows the value of working together as a team. Others will be impressed by his astronaut background. He’s final four material, possibly the winner.

Wesley: This man has done it all! His life experiences are tremendous and copious, and he's only 52 years old. Given his background of experiences, I'd say that he's probably prepared for any social situation that he encounters. Also, astronauts must maintain top physical condition, and since he only retired last spring, I'd say he's probably still fit enough to hang with the younger crowd athletically. I think he'll definitely make it to the jury and perhaps even final four.

David: I hate to be a naysayer, especially since I think I’ll like the guy, but I just don’t see Dan making it as far as some of my fellow predictors. I don’t think he’ll lie, as Phil suggests, and that means he’ll become a target, especially later in the game. The right alliance could help him along, but I think he’s doomed after the merge.

Aras Baskauskas: 24; Santa Monica, California; Yoga Instructor and former professional basketball player.

Phil:I think I’m going to be a fan of Aras. For one, he seems very balanced. Mentally, I think he’ll do very well in the game. He’s a yoga instructor, for one, not to mention that he has a degree in Philosophy. Physically, he’s played basketball, so you know he has endurance and durability. He’s someone that I think others are going to relate to, not to mention having no problems talking to. I think he’s almost a guaranteed lock for the jury.

Brian: Yoga instructor Aras appears to be a physical threat and a likeable enough fellow – bad news for the rest of the players. It looks like he will be useful early on and if he ends up in a good alliance and doesn’t start preaching yoga philosophies, should go far. I predict jury duty for Aras.

Jeffrey: Aras seems well-rounded, educated and fit enough, keys to getting some distance in the game. As experienced as he might be, however, young guys never go really far so he probably goes no further than making the jury.

Wesley: Strategy-wise, Aras doesn't give us much to go with on his CBS bio. But he does have a decent educational background, athletic skills, and considerable time spent overseas – all skills which would serve him well on the Amazing Race. To bad he's on Survivor instead. Out before the jury.

David: It’s going to be tough to pick out all the people who could be seen as threats after the merge, simply because there are so many them this season. However, I do believe Aras is one of ‘em. Until the merge, his tribemates will want to keep him around for a strong tribe; afterwards, things could easily go against him.

Austin Carty: 24; High Point, North Carolina; author/model/actor.

Phil:I’m not quite sure what to think of Austin. Certainly, he seems to be in good enough physical shape to play the game, since he has played soccer for some years. Hello, Ethan. I’m just getting a feeling that Austin is going to be very “flighty.” I mean, he has a track record for following a low career path, as a bartender, model, and working retail. Nothing against any of those, but being a writer, I would think he would want to focus on doing just that. Although, he has published a book, which is more than I can say! I think Austin will most likely make the merge, but will be eliminated soon after.

Brian: I don’t get a good feeling from reading Austin’s bio. Is it his mostly-solo hobbies, the vanity press books he writes, the series of low-challenge jobs or maybe it’s the model/actor background? Yeah, that’s it! If I say he’s physically small, very religious and not usually a leader, perhaps none of those things will hold him back… or perhaps all will. I don’t see him getting far in the game and predict a pre-merge boot.

Jeffrey: At first, Austin may seem to be an American clone of Aras but if you delve more deeply, I think not. As someone for whom writing is an integral part of his career, I can tell you that cranking out three book-length manuscripts by the time you’re 24 means you’re either a genius with wisdom and experience way beyond your years or your writing is a vain hobby. Which of the two seems to be answered in that it appears his one “published” novel is self-published or from a vanity press. And, need it be repeated, young guys who are “models” never do well because, frankly, they’re probably long on publicity-hunting and short on strategic smarts. Gone early.

Wesley: I'm up in the air with Austin. He states that his athleticism, strength, and intelligence will help him become the sole Survivor. While those may help, I'm not sure that he grasps the complexities of the game. Plus, he has the “model” stigma. Still, he seems like a likeable enough guy. To the jury with him, I say.