Ep. 1 - "It's a One in Seven Shot"

8 bloggers, 7 nights, 1 Surblogger!

HOST

Love that they got KFC (Kevin Clancey) to host but am disappointed it isn’t Portnoy. I know it probably can’t be and Portnoy would probably be a better cast member than host, but I had to say it. KFC is like Chad Henne. He is able to move the chains and get the job done in a big spot but is not Mahomes aka Portnoy.

OPENING SCENE

Two minutes into Surviving Barstool we see “Luggage Guy Trent” from The Bachelor. I did some half assed internet research to find that this guy DMed producers at The Bachelor saying he would love to be the luggage guy. In the end he became the luggage guy on the show and our first random reality tv cameo for Surviving Barstool. Good for you Trent.

Second thing is KFC starting the game off inviting players into the bar area for the “New Amsterdam Brunch”. Drinks, food, and promotions have started. The games have begun and Tommy is blazing out of the gates first. He knows to look for an advantage and finds a clue in the utensil holder. The clue reads that “GOAT is not on the menu tonight but would help you in your stay” which makes him think of the GOAT and hopefully after Feb. 7th, the 7 time Super Bowl winning Quarterback Tom Brady. Barstool was born in Boston. Brady is a legend in Boston. Brady stuff is all over the Barstool office and already Tommy has a leg up and as he put it is “running circles around these idiots” .

Youtube/Barstool Sports

WHITE SOX DAVE TURNS COWBOY

White Sox Dave clearly came into Surviving Barstool with some objectives. He wants to win the money, he wants Trysta out, he wants to be “friendly guy” and make everyone drinks, but also he wants to seize the opportunity and win the attention of viewers. Enter the cowboy hat.

On top of that, Dave is a sleepwalker! Apparently he called Donnie and Nick, went outside, and came to being somewhere else besides the office. Sleepwalking is downright scary. Sleepwalkers are scary and must be scared of themselves. Lastly, in a game centered around trust, a sleepwalker cannot even trust themselves. Combine that with a cowboy hat, I think I know who I would be targeting first.

TOMMY FOLLOWS THE CLUES

Tommy wakes up after a very non Survivor night of 7 hours of sleep on the PMT couch picking up where he left off. He followed the clue to the “Clear Eyes, Tom Brady, Can’t Lose” and “Brady, Belichick, and Portnoy” wall hangings to find a second clue and then the NAV Safety Idol. Tommy now has protection in the form of a a safety idol playable up until the final 5. Huge advantage for him and makes me feel like the Survivor fan has a gigantic advantage in Surviving Barstool.

Also, I like how New Amsterdam Vodka’s personal bottle was used as the safety idol. It’s clever and makes sense. On top of that, I like that there was two clues to find it and that the clues were written on the burnt parchment looking paper. Authenticity and quality content. Just like I thought we would get.

FIRST CHALLENGE

The first “tree mail” clue for the first challenge makes you stop and think about what the challenges could look like. They are in an office. You can’t have challenges involving fire, climbing, swimming, diving down for puzzle pieces, and most other Survivor challenges.

The first challenge is “Bobbing for Nips”. Each contestant has 5 New Amsterdam nips to bob for in a tank of water. They will also put 3 nips into other peoples buckets before the challenge. Strategy is huge here because the prize is 1 night in the New Amsterdam Lounge which includes their luggage, a shower, and luxurious office night stay and the New Amsterdam necklace which keeps you safe from the vote.

Everyone ganged up on Zah putting his total to 15. My guess is that everyone knows he didn’t want to be there or he is just the easy target because he had to give out extra nips first. Aside from that, Kelly and Trysta traded nips between each other raising their totals to 10 and 7. Somehow Tommy ended up with only 5 nips, the least of anyone. Advantage again to him.

The major twist is that they will be blindfolded and cannot use their hands. This is definitely a lot harder than it looks and a lot messier that it looks. Zah has absolutely no chance. hahaha

YouTube/Barstool Sports

WINNER - Trysta

Big odds stacked against you win for Trysta. She came into the challenge fearing that everyone would try to vote her out, but for tonight she can rest easy because she is the winner of the New Amsterdam necklace making her safe from the vote on night 1. Trysta won easily. Everyone else seemed to be struggling greatly and never got close to winning the challenge.

Though she won the challenge easily, Trysta is faced with the next twist of the game by choosing one other person to join her in the NA Lounge for the night and share the benefits of their luggage, a shower, bed, and some vodka. Then, Trysta executes a twist of her own. She calls for a truce between her and Kelly and picks her to join her for the night in the NA Lounge.

YouTube/Barstool Sports

Great move! Keep your friends close but your enemies closer. You’ve got to throw an olive branch out there to Kelly and Brianna, play the all girls alliance, and keep winning challenges. Michael Corleone would be proud of Trysta’s strategic move, especially this early on in the game. Well played.

“TRIBAL COUNCIL”

They gave everyone torches with NA personal bottles on top with fake candle flames lighting them up. They have a whole bamboo and palm fronds backdrop behind the contestants. They are sitting on tree stumps. And, they each get a NA cocktail from the tiki bar to enjoy. Awesome stuff, authentic, on brand, fun, and comical.

Heading into the vote it seems clear who will be the first one voted out. Cowboy Dave seems to have the biggest target on his back. People are seeing through his facade, the making drinks for everyone, and the one on one chats with everyone. Not looking good cowboy.

Voting

White Sox Dave/Cowboy - 6, Brianna - 1, Kelly - 1

In an unshocking outcome, Cowboy Dave is the first person voted out of Surviving Barstool proving that if you are a sleepwalker, overly nice to people at the onset of the game, and change into a cowboy hat, you will be the first one to go. You earned it Dave.

“When it’s down to the final 2 and I have a say, I will be playing mental warfare games with you!” - Dave

So, Cowboy becomes the first member of the jury in this abbreviated game and undoubtedly the most bitter member that there will be.

YouTube/Barstool Sports

FINAL THOUGHTS

After one episode, I’m in. This works. They have done enough work to make this a worth while substitute for the real Survivor. There are all the components of the real game and some added Barstool touches to make it their own. Looking forward to the abbreviated format and tuning in to watch all this week.

RANKINGS

1 - Tommy - found the advantage

2 - Trysta - proven competitor and extended the olive branch to her enemy Kelly

3 - Kelly - not Trysta so less target

T-4 - Donnie, Nick - under the radar, barely mentioned

6 - Brianna - newbie, lacks confidence

7 - Zah - definitely will be messed with by everyone but maybe that makes him the best ally to make.

Thanks for reading. Be sure to outlke, outcomment, and outshare the rest.

The blog has spoken!