Season 17 Live Feed Discussion: Watch People Sleep All Day!

[Nashville]

Honestly, Audrey coming back and winning veto would be awesome.

...for about 15 hours.

[pennben]

Apparently it was the face morphing challenge.

Edited August 23, 2015 by pennben

[Brian Cronin]

Leave it to Vanessa to win Veto the one week she's NOT at risk. :)

 

Still, good for her. Better to be safe than sorry!

[yankee1151]

I think Vanessa won the veto. Vanessa did win, Meg is apparently crying, no one knows why.

Wtf could Zingbot have said to her? There's nothing but grandma/sleep jokes to make about Meg. Maybe he implied she isn't playing the game and it shocked her. Haha. 

 

So glad the feeds (that I don't have) are back!!

[Callaphera]

Wtf could Zingbot have said to her? There's nothing but grandma/sleep jokes to make about Meg. Maybe he implied she isn't playing the game and it shocked her. Haha. 

 

So glad the feeds (that I don't have) are back!!

 

I think it had more to do with her having a shitty showing in the comp (apparently she didn't recognize her own face?) than her zing. Of which we have heard none yet. Boo.

 

ETA: Oops, nope. Zingbot made fun of Meg for her comp performances and then she didn't recognize herself. 

Edited August 23, 2015 by Callaphera

[Brian Cronin]

What's weird is that Vanessa winning locks in Meg's safety for the week, so why the fuck is she mad about Vanessa winning? Did she seriously think Austin was going to backdoor her? And even if she DID believe that, who the fuck publicly lets on that they are pissed that someone avoided a backdoor? 

[yankee1151]

I think it had more to do with her having a shitty showing in the comp (apparently she didn't recognize her own face?) than her zing. Of which we have heard none yet. Boo.

I'm sorry but that is so fucking hilarious. She didn't recognize HER. OWN. FACE. 

 

That being said, I would SUCK at that comp. Poor Grandma.

[pennben]

 

I think it had more to do with her having a shitty showing in the comp (apparently she didn't recognize her own face?) than her zing.

 

That's exactly what it was, or what she was just telling Vanessa and one of the twins.

[Brian Cronin]

Ugh. Well, that IS less dumb but it it is still pretty damn dumb. 

[Callaphera]

Maybe it's the booze but watching Meg with cry face as she straightens her hair after her shower is really funny.

[kathybgd]

I'm done. I just can,t watch anymore with how this show is turning out, BUT I have been wanting to bring this little tid bit up. Every time I see James wearing that cute little beanie ( unlike Vanessa's filthy green one), I can not help but think what an absolutely adorable baby he must have been!

[pennben]

Okay, a bit ago Steve was talking to one of the twins, saying that he was okay staying on the block because he has the twins votes and Vanessa's vote and that is enough for him to stay.  Subsequently, Vanessa and the twins were talking about how fake Steve was being so happy about Vanessa winning, discussing how he is sketchy, seems like they are leaning to voting Steve out, but haven't talked to Austin yet.  Also, apparently Vanessa told Meg that she didn't think she would use the veto, and that seemed to cheer Meg up initially, so I think in addition to being upset with her comp performance, Meg was afraid either she or James was going on the block.

[BlackMamba]

Vanessa has won her 2nd veto!

Steve is scrambling.

Meg is crying.

Great night.

[yankee1151]

Steve can scramble and Meg can cry later, damn it! I want to hear the zings! *stomps feet*

[Callaphera]

The only hint of a zing has been Steve saying something about how he's being a baby about missing his mom. And Austin hit a button so hard he broke it. Other than that, it's been Vanessa telling Johnny Mac about how she got her period for the second time in two weeks and the poor guy thinking "I'm a dentist, not a gynecologist..." And Liz skipped hers, so now I'm waiting for pregnancy rumours online. 

[Callaphera]

I can't anymore with Vanessa. She's floating around the house, moaning "I don't feel well" and absolutely no one in hearing range cares or even looks at her. So she plops herself down and tells her latest victim how she doesn't feel well and she's nauseous and she requested to see the doctor. The conversation dries up so she walks through another area and moans and groans some more until she gets another victim to listen to her tale of woe. 

 

Before that, the twins were having a conversation in the HoH room about how Austin is selfish and figure he was spoiled as a child because it's all about him and he never listens and he has an attitude all day today. 

 

The wine is done and so am I.

[Cutty]

Twins bitching about Steve being sketchy and how they want him gone. Still sounds like JMac is the target this week but they wanna hear what he says about Steve. (Spoiler: he won't say anything because he's fucking awful.)

[bobthefrog]

Yeah, John has pretty much given up: "If I go home, I go home. I've been on the block so many times, I'm kinda dead".

[Cutty]

Vanessa got her A+ manipulation game back. Mind fucking the shit out of Austin right now. Austin trying to keep target on JMac, saying he was going to put her up if he won HOH.

Vanessa asked if the twins ever doubted her, Austin saying maybe a little. Idiot.

[lasandi]

One BB player lied to another!?!?   STOP THE PRESSES!!!!!! 

Nashville! Bwahahahahahahahahahaha

[pennben]

Okay, Vanessa had a long talk with Austin and convinced him (I think, who ever knows) that John/Steve/Meg/James are actually working together and that they wanted Austin to take out Vanessa this week so that whoever the returning player would be, would come back and be on their side so it would be 5-3 against the twins/Austin.  Now, as we all know, that was not the plan, but it makes so much sense that Vanessa believes it to be true, has convinced Austin and now Liz seems convinced. 

 

That SHOULD have been J/S/M/Js plan, instead, they all seem quite happy to have aligned their respective duos (and not talked to each other) with the trio. 

Edited August 23, 2015 by pennben

[yankee1151]

Sounds like Vanessa is finding her game again. Love this. I hate that it involves Austin, but it always has so oh well. I still have this crazy dream where Julia backdoors him, but it appears she's as useless as Meg in comps, so.... 

 

Still no zing talk? If I have to have insomnia I want some entertainment to go along with it :(

[Cutty]

Once again Vanessa giving the other side way more credit than they deserve.

It's actually a good thing Vanessa is a good manipulator because she's constantly wrong about what's going on in the house. I suppose it helps that Austin, Liz and Julia don't have three brain cells between them.

ETA - LOL. They kicked Steve out of the HOH. He went down and told James that it looks like he's going home this week.

Edited August 23, 2015 by Cutty

[Cutty]

Vanessa: "Meg just gave her whole game away by crying that way."

LOL.

Also says JMac is an actor who plays a dentist.

Also a bit of manic genius here. Austin asks who Steve will put up if he wins HOH and Vanessa says James and Meg. Not five minutes earlier she said they were all in a secret alliance with Johnny Mac.

[loki567]

Vanessa's back in charge so the strategy discussion between Vanessa/Twins/Austin has swung back and forth between targeting Steve, John, and James about a dozen times. 

 

I think the biggest thing to break is that Austin/Twins told Vanessa that JMac has had a hate boner for her since their fight. That clearly disturbed Vanessa.

[pennben]

 

Still no zing talk?

 

The only scraps I have heard are:

1.  Meg bad at comps;

2.  Liz said she has no comment, it is a sore subject (maybe Austin's girlfriend?);

3.  Vanessa is masterful but always crying.

 

I wish Vanessa would go to bed, she's been up with Austwins for awhile.  Now, they are trying to figure out how to break the other side so someone squeals on the masterplan that wasn't:)  I'm dying to know whether Austin/Liz/Julia are really buying this.

 

ETA:  One more zing I had forgotten, I think something about Steve missing his mommy.

Edited August 23, 2015 by pennben

[Ceeg]

Leave it to Vanessa to win Veto the one week she's NOT at risk. :)

Still, good for her. Better to be safe than sorry!

Earlier, Julia and Liz told Vanessa that Steve said he thought it was funny that Vanessa thinks she can beat Steve in the Days # comp. Vanessa was kind of offended and pissed, to have her intellect dismissed, so I think that has lit her competitive fire. Edited August 23, 2015 by Ceeg

[pennben]

Okay, Vanessa finally to bed.  Austin/twins, Austin thinks that this all could be speculation or it could be real.  Julia leaves, just Austin/Liz in bed in dark in HOH room (I deserve hazard pay here) targets remain John/Steve, undetermined which to go.  Will pull people up tomorrow to see if they can suss out plan, or whether there is a plan or not.  James isn't target unless they get credible information tomorrow. Glad they have Vanessa fully back in the fold now (presumably as shield). Still trying to figure out whether to go with J/M, S/J.

Edited August 23, 2015 by pennben

[Nashville]

Good lord but I'm burnt out on V's bullshit.

Meg is crying - so of COURSE it has to be centered around some kind of nefarious plan to BD Vanessa, right?

Because God forbid someone should have an actual non-strategic emotion in this House.

V's narcissism has pushed me firmly into the who-really-gives-a-flying-fuck zone.

Austin, with his unwillingness to engage an independent thought coupled with his willingness to swallow whatever shit V is shoveling, has garnered my vote for Subhuman of the Year.

Strategy this season has devolved into the most facile; every "decision" is little more than either popularity contests, or knee-jerk emotional responses to whatever ridiculous "what-if" scenario was the last to get dumped into an empty head.

Dunno about y'all, but I'm about done with this season. It's no fun trying to debate this bunch's strategy, because their gameplay has become virtually devoid of strategy. I've seen monkey shit fights in the zoo which have employed more/better strategic thought. They're wasting my time. :P

[Cutty]

It sounded like Vanessa wants James gone this week. Austin is such a useless fuck that I'm just gonna assume Vanessa will get her way and James will go up and out.

Edited August 23, 2015 by Cutty

[loki567]

Potentially this week could come down to who between John and Steve get caught last in a room with James. I wish I was kidding.

[BlackMamba]

Well, Steve's game is fucked all kinds of up.

He wanted Vanessa on the block so bad because he knew he was the swing vote if she was up against JMAC. Steve would had floated where the numbers were and would had rolled with whoever came back from jury. And would it been 5-3 and the Austwins been sitting ducks and Steve been undetected. Meg also blew her game when she acted too emotional post veto.

Austin also showed his cards to Vanessa in the comic room talk when he said he was considering Bd'ing her most of Saturday before veto and he has James/Meg in his backpocket. Vanessa was successful in planting the seeds of doubt in Austin's head that James and Meg cant be trusted.

Liz also claimed she would had never voted out Vanessa. Which we know is a lie because shes been talking shit About Vanessa regularly and often the last week or so. It wouldnt had taken much to persuade her. Julia also said earlier today she doesn't believe in voting with the house with Vanessa AND LiZ. The same Liz who voted to keep Jeff.

All these hgs have shown their cards to Vanessa. She's basically riding solo and being one hell of a puppetmaster. Vanessa needed that veto so she could get the information she wanted since the other hgs were being real sketch. She has 4 comp wins and her resume if she makes F2 compared to everyone is looking great.

Edited August 23, 2015 by BlackMamba

[pennben]

Oh, lord, just rewound and was listening to James/Meg talking.  They were counting on Steve/JMac to break up Austin/twins.  Now nervous about being two in a final five with a trio.  Think Austin/twins are using Vanessa as a shield, but they still want Vanessa out. James wondering if V/A have some sort of deal where they would take out a twin (they wouldn't agree on which twin), or something crazy like a final 2 deal.  I can't get over the whole, we know three are using one as a shield, but we'll go after the one.

 

 

Well, Steve's game is fucked all kinds of up.

 

What screwed up Steve is that he was so insistent that he didn't want to go up against John (I'll go up against anyone but John), that it made it quite clear that he was working with John, and Vanessa was able to work that angle to question his loyalty and find a path back in with Austin/twins and now it is part of her, what I call "master plan that wasn't" theory that puts her closer to Austin/twins and makes them question him.  Also, didn't help his game that Vanessa won veto and will always be a bigger target than him.

 

Thus far, and that's as far as I get this evening, I think John is still the target, with thought they pull Steve back in because he has no where else to go if John goes; although Austin is open if he gets convincing evidence against James (which I don't think is there). 

Edited August 23, 2015 by pennben

[BlackMamba]

Steve messed up his game 2 weeks ago cutting bait on Vanessa for Shelli and John before she could get a foot out the door. Hes an awful liar. You can almost see he hates it. It's like he's the kid that keeps lying to his mom and she bust his chops everytime.

Steve's game is being exposed is good for me. Hes floating where the numbers are. It reminds me of Andy in BB15. How he hid behind big targets like Mccranda and Mom Squad then when those got picked off he went to the bigger alliance in The exterminators. Not to mention Steves been throwing comps like no one's business until recently.

Austin on the other hand, made the worst mistake winning hoh. Vanessa crushed any chance of him playing both sides of the house freely. He even threw Steve and the twins under the bus too:

https://twitter.com/LynchMgm/status/635366111572307968

https://twitter.com/Smash_Bros_Boss/status/635368802092494848

https://twitter.com/LunaCee73/status/635384262624043008

https://twitter.com/Clio_the_Leo/status/635427540585312256

https://twitter.com/89razorskate20/status/635372940930912256

https://twitter.com/BigBrotherPsych/status/635383454067068928

Edited August 23, 2015 by BlackMamba

[Ceeg]

I can't get over Meg being unable to identify her own face. She really is the perfect final 2 goat.

Edited August 23, 2015 by Ceeg

[Stinamaia]

I watched a whole movie since this comp began!

A couple of things regarding Liztin. First of all, based on what I've read here over the past few days, and what I've seen myself on the show and a few BBADs, I don't think Liz feels any differently about Austin than she did when she said she liked him but "didn't feel that way about him." Part of the reason I think she's acting like (and saying in DR) that she does is the current game sitch (i.e. meat-shield), but I think that conversation between L/A about possibly being as popular as Brenchel is telling. I think Liz might think that her showmance might lead to other reality show gigs like future All-Stars seasons, TAR, etc. In that case, would she possibly take Austin further in the game than Julia? I don't think so; I certainly hope not; but I wouldn't discount it.

Secondly, Liz has the perfect excuse to stop Austin pawing her: "My parents are watching!" I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that young people today would be just as mortified at the thought of their parents watching them engage in sexual activity as my generation (known historically as "if it feels good, do it" generation) would have been. And yet Liz is allowing it. See above re: showmance.

Because it can't be said enough, thanks to feed-watchers who share here. I don't know how you find the time to do so and also work, sleep, enjoy friends and family and, most importantly, watch other TV shows. :)

The Liz.conundrum.

I think there are a few things going on, but it's difficult for me to sort out because I have to put my distaste for Austin aside to make a fair assessment. I do think at first Liz was just using him although she had no distaste for him the way Julia does. It seems to me that Liz is find of the way Austin adores her, and has some pride that he dumped his girlfriend for her, see e.g. Liz's response to the Zing (I got a compliment.) The house is also a place where one feels exposed and Liz feels sheltered by Austin. I think that wins her affection too. She might be laying it on thick, but she told Austin he was the only one she could couldn't do it without him, and she couldn't rely on Julia. I think she meant more for power than loyality. I don't think she could allow the access to her body if she didn't have some affection /attraction to him.

She also muses about how her parents will feel about his tattoos.. (She might well wonder about how the feel seeing her being pawed and fingered and possessed by a man in is thirties whose professional life seems dim and whose appearance is strange even without tattoos.)

On the other hand, she clearly isn't as into him as he is to her. Liz wants to pull away although he seldom honors that wish. That would annoy me beyond anything. Apparently, it doesn't bother Liz as much. Liz seems to want to stay as attached to him as she can. It's hard for me to believe that she would have a serious attachment to someone who her sister does not like in any level.

If Austin wins the game, I expect Liz to remain in his orbit for some time. The realization that Austin is not popular and that people find their relationship repulsive will end things more quickly if someone else wins. Either way, the mysterious aura of the house will dissipate.

Did anyone see the You Tube clip of Austin saying he was in love with his girlfriend?

Edited August 23, 2015 by Stinamaia

[Lady Calypso]

I can't get over Meg being unable to identify her own face. She really is the perfect final 2 goat.

 

I don't want Meg anywhere near final 2. I want it to be James vs Vanessa, and I want Vanessa to win, goddamnit!

 

Ok, that would be the perfect scenario in my head, as both of these houseguests have played the best game, Big Brother wise. But knowing my luck, it'll be Austin and Liz. 

[mooses]

Good lord but I'm burnt out on V's bullshit.

Meg is crying - so of COURSE it has to be centered around some kind of nefarious plan to BD Vanessa, right?

Because God forbid someone should have an actual non-strategic emotion in this House.

V's narcissism has pushed me firmly into the who-really-gives-a-flying-fuck zone.

Well, the house has been talking about her pretty much all the time the last couple weeks. But I agree, I think she'll get in Austin's nerves again if she doesn't pull it back.

[mooses]

Oh, lord, just rewound and was listening to James/Meg talking. They were counting on Steve/JMac to break up Austin/twins. Now nervous about being two in a final five with a trio. Think Austin/twins are using Vanessa as a shield, but they still want Vanessa out. James wondering if V/A have some sort of deal where they would take out a twin (they wouldn't agree on which twin), or something crazy like a final 2 deal. I can't get over the whole, we know three are using one as a shield, but we'll go after the one.

Oh, man. Helpless. The thing is, if you think Vanessa is a master manipulator, take out the giant three headed monster she's controlling! You already have the Austwins with a fifty percent chance of winning Veto, which they absolutely can't win from here on out.

I think James will be all in on getting out Vanessa. She's his new Shelli. She's weaseled her way out of a couple evictions so I don't blame him for focusing on her.

Edited August 23, 2015 by mooses

[peachmangosteen]

Good lord but I'm burnt out on V's bullshit.

Meg is crying - so of COURSE it has to be centered around some kind of nefarious plan to BD Vanessa, right?

Because God forbid someone should have an actual non-strategic emotion in this House.

V's narcissism has pushed me firmly into the who-really-gives-a-flying-fuck zone.

 

I can't even listen to Vanessa anymore. Her narcissism and insanity and voice and personality stopped being entertaining like at least a month ago.

 

I don't so much care about strategy tbh. I watch BB to be entertained. And really, I don't know how anyone can still watch this show that's watching for gameplay. There hasn't been good/interesting gameplay (by more than maybe one player) in years.

 

I think the only way this season will end in any way I find entertaining or rootable is if Becky comes back and then her and James just alternate HOHs. But actually James/Meg would probably end up targeting Becky because they're stupid. So maybe if it's Jackie that comes back and then her and James suddenly become not terrible at comps and win everything until the end.

Edited August 23, 2015 by peachmangosteen

[blixie]

 

Meg is crying - so of COURSE it has to be centered around some kind of nefarious plan to BD Vanessa, right?

 

Well, but one of Austwins options WAS to BD Vanessa, she ain't wrong there, I have no idea if she actually believes half the shit she says, (the gay picture thing HAHA) but that shit amuses me rather than angering me, I think this was her way of saying I see what you're doing, and please understand it's better to have me on your side than NOT on your side. I think she throws everything at the wall to see what will stick because these people are SO not predictable from a strategy/game play context, some of it lands well, and a lot of it blows up in her face.

 

Having said FUCK YEAH go  Vanessa for winning that Veto, I feel like the face morph always takes a long ass time to complete, glad she pulled it out, she was on comp losing streak.

[TheRealT]

[sHOCKER ALERT] I'm disappointed with where this season is ending up. There are too many people who aren't really playing/are playing really badly and those who are playing well annoy me. Vanessa is obviously the best player left, but I'm so. fucking. tired. of. her. She's fucking ex.haust.ing. As someone upthread said, I'm sick of her horrible eye makeup and I'm sick of her green toque. I'm sick of her endless investigations of every goddamn thing where she has to interrogate everyone about every fucking conversation they've ever had in the house over and over and over until it "makes sense" to her. I'm sick of her manicness and paranoia and thinking every thought, action, and conversation in the house is about her. I'm sick of her elaborate conspiracy theories that she obsesses over until the next crazy theory pops into her head. I'm sick of her telling everyone how honest and loyal she is. I just can't anymore; I just can't. The other players who are doing well, the Austwins, aren't really good/interesting players, they're just insanely well positioned, and they're annoying as fuck as well, though more tolerable than Vanessa. Everyone else is playing really badly and they're also annoying.

 

 

I think the only way this season will end in any way I find entertaining or rootable is if Becky comes back and then her and James just alternate HOHs. But actually James/Meg would probably end up targeting Becky because they're stupid. So maybe if it's Jackie that comes back and then her and James suddenly become not terrible at comps and win everything until the end.

This is exactly how I feel. Of the people currently in the house, I want James to win based on personality and least terrible game. If Becky or Jackie came back and didn't play like a total dumbass, I could root for one of them.

[Ceeg]

The other players who are doing well, the Austwins, aren't really good/interesting players, they're just insanely well positioned, and they're annoying as fuck as well, though more tolerable than Vanessa. 

Hmm, I don't know if I fully agree with that. I think the Austwins are playing a pretty good game. They're well positioned because they set themselves up to be. It helps that they're surrounded by idiots, but they can only work with what they're given. The fact that they've managed to navigate almost a month, completely intact and without anyone even throwing out the idea of breaking them up, indicates to me they're playing a good game. They can win comps, they have a great social game, and they're aligned with everyone left in the house.

I don't want Austin to win, but that's just based on personal preference. 

I don't mind all the crazy shit Vanessa comes up with, as long as it hopefully keeps the Austwins from sticking with their 800 alliances. And maybe it will be something like a self-fulfilling prophecy, and James/Meg will buy a clue and decide to target the Austwins first rather than Vanessa.

Edited August 23, 2015 by Ceeg

[Skittl1321]

 

Now nervous about being two in a final five with a trio.

Well good. They should be.

 

Anyone who made a final 5 deal (which I think is everyone left...) with the Austwins was an idiot.

Edited August 23, 2015 by Skittl1321

[blixie]

 

without anyone even throwing out the idea of breaking them up,

 

But James did thow it out, during the his big move on Clelli he rationally identified the Clelli power of 2 and Austwins power of 3, Jackie wouldn't have him take his eye off Clelli, because she considered them a three strong alliance with Vanessa which fine, but none of those three are blood related TWIN SISTERS. I'm honestly not sure if he would have been better off going after them that week, but then focusing on the same alliance (Clelli + Vanessa) two weeks in row while letting the Austwins grow in power was the whole houses downfall. I still say Becky should have nommed Liz and Vanessa during her HoH and then actually listened to Vanessa instead of blowing her off. If she had she might still be in the game and Liz wouldn't be.

 

 

I can't get over the whole, we know three are using one as a shield, but we'll go after the one.

 

Right it's the same thing they did during Becky's HoH!! They've even done the MATH work, but still have the wrong answer. 

[Wings]

No feeds here.  I don't know the personalities first hand but this is what I want to see/read.   I don't care who goes between Steve and JMac.  James wins HOH, Jackie comes back, James puts up Austin and Liz.  That threesome must be broken next week for viewing pleasure.  Liz goes.   

[BlackMamba]

I don't want Meg anywhere near final 2. I want it to be James vs Vanessa, and I want Vanessa to win, goddamnit!

Funny once more Meg and James wake up at and realize they wont be in the top 4 slots of they cant get past the Austwins.

This was revealed at 3am BBT.

Vanessa has successfully managed to make Austwins the targets and they have no idea. She managed to also break up the budding ship between James and Austin as well.

[BlackMamba]

I think James will be all in on getting out Vanessa. She's his new Shelli. She's weaseled her way out of a couple evictions so I don't blame him for focusing on her.

What has Vanessa wealsed James out on! She simply figured out he and Austin were trying to bond and possibly go all the way together. Those two would be scary pair if it stayed intact. Vanessa masterfully broke that shit real quick. I cant blame her. Shes protecting her ass and her numbers.

Lastly Why would James, who still has a F7 deal with Vanessa. waste his time to target her when he can go after big fish - Austwins!

You go after the power of 3 not a power of 1. James likes big fish! Look at Shelli and Clay. He would target Liz and Austin and if one came down Julia would be the pawn.

That was Becky's problem and she recognized that in her Julie interview. You take out Liz, Austin is crippled and Julia is definitely Vanessa's ride or die since she has a better relationship with her.

[blixie]

 

Vanessa has successfully managed to make Austwins the targets and they have no idea. She managed to also break up the budding ship between James and Austin as well.

 

I hope you're right (I think it's what V has planned all along re: Austwins), but given the track record of the Austwins changing their minds every five seconds and James/Meg forgetting what they know is in their best interest every two seconds I can't believe this will survive today's wake up, much less the next HoH week. 

[TheRealT]

Hmm, I don't know if I fully agree with that. I think the Austwins are playing a pretty good game. They're well positioned because they set themselves up to be. It helps that they're surrounded by idiots, but they can only work with what they're given. The fact that they've managed to navigate almost a month, completely intact and without anyone even throwing out the idea of breaking them up, indicates to me they're playing a good game. They can win comps, they have a great social game, and they're aligned with everyone left in the house.

I agree that they have good social games and I get what you're saying in that, de facto, the Austwins are playing great games because they're almost a lock for F4. On a certain level, everyone in the house is playing a good game because they've made F8. However, I wouldn't say that Meg (for example) has played a better game than Shelli (for example), though, technically, Meg has gotten farther. I would say that Meg has been lucky and well positioned in the terms of the overall makeup of the house and the way the game has progressed. There's a huge element of luck to the game and people who are "good" players often go out early and people who are "bad" players often make it far and even win.

 

In terms of the Austwins' specific games, I don't think they've lasted so long as an obvious trio because they're such great gamers, though they have made good game moves (good social games, getting into strong alliances, winning comps) for which they deserve credit. I think they were lucky the first half of the game when they were allied with the people in power and/or there were bigger fish to fry. When the game shifted to the next phase, which we're in now, they were in power for 2 weeks, which, good for them for winning those comps, but I haven't been super impressed by their strategy. Austin is actually playing poorly in that he is getting all the blood on his own hands and throwing away his entire game for a showmance with a woman who's not that into him and who he knows would pick her sister over him. If he succeeds in leading the Austwins to F3, he's out if he doesn't win HOH after doing all the heavy lifting for the twins. Liz in in a great position, largely because she has a blood relative in the game and lucked into a showmance with a guy dumb enough to throw his game away for hers. I am actually fairly impressed with her strategic work using Austin to protect herself and her sister, but apart from that not so much. I don't think Julia's done much of anything but have a good/ok social game and be lucky enough to have a blood relative with a dumb showmance.

 

Also, strategically, the Austwins should be planning to go to F4 with Meg, not Vanessa (which seems like their current plan). They're almost guaranteed F4 at this point and the only way they wouldn't make F3 is if the non-Austwin in F4 wins HOH or Veto. Meg is the obvious best candidate to lose all the comps. Even if Meg miraculously went on a comp run and one of them ended up in F2 with her, she'd be way easier to beat than Vanessa (who should beat them all in a landslide in F2, though I could see Austin beating her because of his penile advantage). Also, Vanessa is just too crafty and too much of a gamer in general and they should realize that it's not in their best interest to take her so far. Knowing how she thinks/plays, they should be suspicious that she wants to go to F4 with a tight threesome (though I think she's sincere about that at this point because she has no other options). If they were strong gamers they would use their current position of power to hand pick their F4 and Meg is a WAY better choice than anyone else.

Edited August 23, 2015 by TheRealT