S30: Rodney Lavoie, Jr.

[LadyChatts]

I think more and more, players are just raising their hands at the reunion to screw with Probst.

 

I've heard several contestants mention they anticipate Jeff asking that question, since he does every season (or almost).  So they know it's coming, and admit that a lot of them do mess with Probst, even if they had no intention of voting for the person Probst put on the spot.  In Rodney's case, I could actually believe the vote would have been closer than the Carolyn/Mike/Will final 3.  But Mike still would have come out on top.  Knowing what they know now, of course people are going to change their minds about how they viewed someone and their game.  Several contestants this season said Rodney's game was underestimated, though they didn't realize it until after the fact.

[ByaNose]

Yeah, even Mike said yesterday (Rob's podcast) that he didn't realize how hard (and, good) Rodney's game was. He said he was funny and generally got along with people but was lazy. It wasn't until he got back and the show aired that he saw that Rodney was playing the game. In most of the exit interviews everyone said Rodney was playing the game but it was probably overshadowed by everyone's hatred for Mike along with his immunity runs.

[ProfCrash]

See, if you are playing the game so well that no one out there knows you are playing the game, you have failed. Carolyn said the same thing, she played the game well but quietly and people didn't see it. This is where I think opening and/or closing remarks are important at tribal. They give the finalist a chance to lay out how they played the game. They let Carolyn say I won these immunities which were important for this reason, I found the idol on day two and told one person, I voted out the one person who knew I had the idol, I helped to keep my alliance together in the following ways. So the more quiet game play has a way to be put out in the open.

 

I still don't think Rodney was as instrumental to his alliance as people are giving him credit for, including Mike. Will, Tyler, and Carolyn had to work together since they were in the minority in the larger alliance. They needed one person to work with. Tyler was not going to trust Mike, Sierra, or Dan because they voted out Joaquin. Rodney was blindsided at that vote so Tyler probably knew he could work with Rodney. Rodney would also deflect some of the heat from Tyler with his brash personality.

 

The honest truth is that the Rodney, Carolyn, Tyler, Will alliance had an easy ride. They had the larger alliance to get rid of Joe, Hali, Jenn, and Shirin. They had Dan because they knew he would never flip. Mike's behavior was irritating them at camp and gave Dan and Sierra a target that was pretty large when they got to seven and then Mike did what he did at the auction so it was easy to boot Mike before they even got to seven. There wasn't much strategic work that any of those four needed to do.

[SlackerInc]

Everyone liked him

 

You have an interesting definition of "everyone".  Lindsey, who couldn't stand his sexism?!?  Mike, with whom he openly fought over work habits from the beginning?  Sierra, who at one point was fed up with all the Blue Collar guys?  Dan, who called Rodney's mother a whore?  On his original tribe, Kelly is the only one I don't recall having some beef with him (and I just don't remember anything about her, so I can't be sure she was totally on Team Rodney either).

[Jersey Guy 87]

It's the same everyone who despised Shirin.

[ProfCrash]

Rodney had built a good rapport with pretty much everyone on the jury. Jenn mentioned his impressions and goofiness in her interviews. Shirin said she got along fine with him. Mike saw him picking up social steam at the end of the game. I would say Rodney was well liked by most everyone.

[Jextella]

CBS has interviews with a few players about their experiences. Rodney was completely charming and said he learned a lot about himself. Can't remember the details but something along the lines of letting go of some of the issues regarding his sister but also opening up and being vulnerable around new people. His responses were self-aware, mature, and healthy.

Given his heavy accent and Boston machismo, I imagine Rodney doesn't get out of the area much - to see new things, meet new people, etc. I hope this group of people is a second family for him - one outside of Boston such that he can see both worlds. I think it would be great for him.

I like him a great deal, and I can see why others did, too.

[ByaNose]

It's amazing to see the before, during & after pictures of Rodney. His after photo is so shocking. Now, I know why he wanted to win (or, be taken) on a reward. I just rewatched Episode 1 which I always do and he & Mike look so different.

[LadyChatts]

I can't get over how short Rodney is.  When I went back and looked at his cast picture, several episodes into the season, I couldn't believe what he looked like.  It didn't even look like him without all the scruff and dirt.  I had a hard time believing he was 24, but looking at his cast picture, I saw it.