Sam's Opening/Closing Statement

[Deleted]

Sam, please post your Opening & Closing Statements Here.

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[Sam]

Hey everyone!

Before we start I want to thank Sandy and Tucker for their hard work and dedication to this game. They kept things running smoothly throughout the last 39 days with unique challenges, live tribal councils, and answering our questions. They made a truly awesome game.

Second, I'd like to thank all the players who put their heart and soul into this game. It was seriously a cast filled with the most dedicated, passionate, and intelligent players I've seen. I was blown away by how smart and active you all were, and how you all were playing to win. I am honored to be in the position here tonight to sit before you and talk to you about why I think I should be the Sole Survivor.

I feel like me being here at the Final Two is an achievement. Who would have ever thought I'd make it here tonight! There were so many times in this game where things looked bleak, so many times I was down and out, and so many times it looked like I had no hope. But each and every time, I picked myself up, and I worked hard, day in and day out, to keep myself alive. Every round I worked as best as I could to give myself an advantage.

I got to know almost everyone in this game through chatting on AIM and voice chatting on Skype. I enjoyed talking to all of you. I was truly impressed by your lives and goals. One of my favorite parts of the game was just relaxing and chatting with you all.

But while I was enjoying talking to you very much, I was also constantly playing the game of Survivor, each and every round. I would ask that you give me a chance to explain what I did throughout this game, from start to finish. Some of you might be unsure at exactly what happened at merge, and I want to tell you all about what happened because it is truly fascinating haha.

I was constantly on my toes playing with you all in a very intelligent and strategic game, and there was so much strategy and dedication that went into each and every round. Additionally, a lot of what I did was behind the scenes that you might not know about. From my successful time on Kwele, to Chris and I's secret strategies at merge, to the incredible endgame with myself, Dave, and Joe... I feel like there was a lot I did that maybe didn't get into the public eye.

I'd like to talk about my general strategy in this game. You might be thinking, "what strategy?!? You had no idea at Tribal Council who was going almost every time!" And you'd be right on that one haha. I was constantly surprised by Tribal Council results. I was clearly not the Master Puppetmaster, with my hands on the strings of everyone. I did not control the game from the beginning of merge like Dave and Adrian did. I didn't seize power in the middle of the merge like Ryan tried or Joe/Dave did. I was not the one to control everyone's strategies on who was voted out.

However... controlling everyone is not truly what Survivor is all about. There is no mandate to control every person in the game to win Survivor. Just ask Sandra haha.


There is only one requirement to win Survivor....

Survive.

And that's exactly where all of my strategies went.

I might not have known who was being voted out every round. But I knew for sure someone who wasn't being voted out every round: Me.

That's all I needed.

My self-survival strategy at the start was decided based on the big twist of this game. On Day One we found out that everybody had a Hidden Immunity Idol in their back pocket. That certainly changed the game for all of us!

When I found this out, I realized that I could go home with one vote at any Tribal Council. If there was even one person who didn't like me, I could be voted out of the game. From there my plan was simple: make friends with everybody! Don't ignore anybody in the game. Include everyone and make friends with everyone, so even if they play their idol, it isn't you who they choose to send home.

It is this idea I used in Kwele from the start. Even when Renee, Kim, and Jeb were separated from the group, I still kept in close contact with all of them, got to know them better, and played the game with them. Kim never signed on AIM or Skype, so instead I went to facebook messenger to strategize with her. The rest of our tribe spent our time only talking on AIM, except Renee, who couldn't get AIM to work, so she logged onto Skype. So then I started using Skype just to talk to Renee and get her valued opinion and ideas into things.

Then the merge game, and I was faced with five Mbochi members who I didn't know very well. I hadn't talked to Tomas, Joe, or Dave at all, and I had only had 2-3 days with Adrian and Ryan. But important votes were coming up in a few days! I knew at that point that I needed to get to know all of them as they all would be important. So I started talking to them on Skype.

And then when time zone differences made it difficult for me to talk to Tomas when I got home at 1AM his time... I went to private messages to talk to him. I sent a random message saying hi to Tomas at the Final 8. Starting our friendship then would be crucial to my game down the line when both Tomas and I looked to be in danger.

Each and every round, I worked actively to get one step further. I overcame many obstacles and hopeless situations. I came up with my own strategies and gameplans, and actively worked to implement them.

I feel each of those three things above separate myself from my opponent.

I feel I was able to play the game intelligently, but also kindly. I surely wasn't as upfront and honest as Dave haha, though I tried to be. I did make up a story bout someone not liking someone else at merge, but I didn't fake entire Skype screenshots. I feel like I struck a good balance between Survivor gameplay and being real.

I feel like I succeeded in the social aspect of Survivor. I won a few immunity challenges. And I think I had a good overall strategy.

But me just saying that isn't going to convince anybody of anything. I have the opportunity to demonstrate that to you by answering your questions. I can't wait to talk to you all and get your true thoughts about what happened in this game. I know some of them might not be complimentary, but that's okay. I have a thick skin, I can handle it. =) I'll answer any question you have for me with all the information I have.


Finally... I want to congratulate Tomas for getting to the Final Two. I very much enjoyed getting to know him near the end of the game and wished we had a chance to talk earlier. I wish you the best of luck as this game enters its final chapter.

Sorry if this got long and a little bit pompous lol. And now... my last school Final Exam is over, and I have napped enough to recover from it haha. It is now time for me to go out and celebrate with friends! Talk to you all soon. =)

[Sam]

Sam's Closing Statement

Hey everyone. This season has been one wild ride. More ups and downs than I ever imagined! I want to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for your dedication, intensity, and strategy that made this season as successful as it was. I loved playing this game because you all were a part of it.


I feel that the person you choose as winner should represent the amazing strategic and underdog season that iSurv1vor 16: Congo turned out to be. Congo was full of amazing underdog moments from start to finish:

• Mbochi, who came back from a devastating 5 to 7 deficit, to gain control of the game at a crucial moment.
  
  
• Adrian and Ryan, who fought as the underdog minority on New Kwele, to keep themselves safe.
  
  
• Renee, who fought endlessly against all odds to keep herself alive.
  
  
• Myself, Sagar, and Chris, who worked together tirelessly, coming up with all the strategies we could ever think of, to give ourselves a fighting chance.
  
  
• Ryan, who realized he was on the outs of Mbochi, and took a stab at surviving.
  
  
• Joe aka Susan Lucci, who was at the bottom of the totem pole and was targeted more times than I can count, who never gave up and always made the smartest decisions.
  

And myself, knocked down more times than I can count, who picked himself up from the floor and came back swinging each and every time.

--> Hash out-of-nowhere using idol on Renee at switch? I never gave up.

--> In a 7-5 majority, to being down to 4 to 5? Keep on trying.

--> Allies Hash, Kim, Jeb, and Chris voted out one by one? Never give up.

--> Plans to overthrow Mbochi not working and friend Ryan eliminated? Keep on keepin' on.

--> Sagar wins Immunity and you are targeted? Never give up.

--> Final Five looks bleak with Dave winning Immunity, and Tomas and Sagar missing each other on Skype by 20 minutes? Pushing forward.

--> Dave and Joe want you gone at Final Four? Never, ever give up.

--> Finals week kicking your ass and you have no time whatsoever to compete? Find time. Don't give up!

I worked hard each and every round to get myself one round further. I couldn't be around as much as some of you due to my busy schedule, but I made every moment count. I reached out to Tomas early on to develop the relationship that would take me past Final Five and Four.


I actively played the game each round. I won four individual immunities, and three tribal immunities. I won immunity for getting the most iS points for writing confessionals. I won the Mastermind game and a four-hour endurance. I won the Final Four trivia game and the Final Three endurance, each during the middle of a medical school final exam week.


I feel like all of you guys never gave up too, and that's why I think this season should be represented by someone who is like you. Someone who never gave up. Don't get me wrong, like Dave said, Tomas was heading to the end no matter who was in control. Tomas was safe, and played well. Tomas survived, and is an amazingly nice guy. I mean seriously, this is one sweet man haha. Nobody doubts that. He had an easy and safe ride to the end, though, without much obstacles in his path. I feel like when you are safe the whole game, it's easier to be nice than when you have your back up against the wall.


But also like Dave said, "I can’t tell if that was great gameplay on your part or if you just got lucky that you found yourself in the F2. I always saw you as a follower in the game and that you never made any moves for yourself. I always assumed you’d do whatever Adrian wanted you to do and you’d be happy with a 2nd place finish." Joe and Adrian asked Tomas similar questions, asking what active steps did you take? what key moves did you make? They wondered that themselves. It's up to you to evaluate Tomas's responses on that matter.


But let me tell you how I feel through an analogy.

A rich man and a poor man are both tasked with making a million dollars. It's hard to make a million dollars, for sure.

The rich man borrows $100,000 from his father. He goes to his mother's banker friend for a loan. He goes to a family friend for investment advice. He invests the money in his rich friend's business. If he loses the money, oh well. His father can afford 100K.

The poor man works three jobs all hours of every day, seven days a week. He has to educate himself on how to invest money. He has to make new friends with inexperienced investors and take gambles without previous financial experience. If he gambles and loses, five years of hard work is down the drain.

In the end though, both men make one million dollars. It's hard to make a million dollars either way, for sure.

But for one of the two, making a million was a much more daunting task. And as such, a much greater achievement.


In the end, it's up to you to make your decision on who you think should win and win the (fake) million dollars! Thanks again to all of you for all that you've brought to this game.


I think we'll never forget it!