‘Survivor: Cagayan’ castaway spotlight: Will David Samson score a home run?
The castaway spotlights and bad puns continue for “Survivor: Cagayan,” and that brings us to David Samson. As the President of the Miami Marlins, he knows baseball just like Jeff Probst knows denim shirts or Boston Rob knows baseball caps. He’s one of the most successful guys on the season, and what is interesting about him is that even if he is wealthy and has a famous job, he’s not a face that anyone would recognize. This could allow him to at least be somewhat under the radar if he chooses to.
The issue with David, and what will be interesting to watch unfold this season, is whether or not he is going to be fully willing to go under the radar and play that kind of game. He’s so used to leading that we’re sure he will try to take over at times, and he will have to try and ensure that everyone within the game is treated like they are an equal, and not some sort of piece in a puzzle. He should know a thing or two about dealing with a roster of people … but then again, the Marlins haven’t exactly done a great job when it comes to their roster at times. (Granted, that’s not all his fault, since his job is more on the business side of things.)
Name – David Samson
Age – 45
Tribe – Luzon (otherwise known as the Brains tribe)
Occupation – We imagine that we’ve spelled it out for you already; he mentioned in his casting video that he has been a part of the baseball world since “Survivor” first began.
Location – In his video, he says Fort Lauderdale, whereas he specifies nearby Plantation as his residence in his print bio. Both are nearby cities to Miami.
What he brings to the game – First and foremost, intelligence. He knows how to work with others, and shows in the video that he understands the point of the game: You have to be able to make the moves necessarily to get rid of people, and then have them turn around and want to vote for you in the end. He also may be a surprising asset physically. He’s competed in an Iron Man Competition, and you cannot do that unless you have a ton of stamina.
What he needs to work on – Blending in, and being okay with not being the boss. His tribe has three guys who all think that they are the smartest guy in the room, and that could lead to some pretty serious conflict. He’ll need to be able to relate to other people, share his story, and not look like a threat. Early on “Survivor,” the game is almost stop-and-go. You want to make the moves early to ensure that you have an alliance, but not do so much that people think you are paranoid.
Past “Survivor” comparison – This guy is almost a perfect reincarnation of Jonathan Penner (minus some of the entertainment) and Marty Piombo, with maybe a little bit of a later Boston Rob or a Jeff Kent in there in that these two are in at least a little bit better shape. He’s a mature player who obsesses over strategy, and is aware of what needs to be done in order to win. Like Marty, it’s also not like he needs to win the money; he just wants to play the game.
Prediction – It’s going to be hard for David to win, since we don’t think he will be able to endear himself to other players; however, we could see him having a finish similar to Marty or Penner, where he makes it a few weeks into the jury and then gets voted out, as he tries to make too many moves and threatens other players. We just hope that he lives up to our expectations of being entertaining.
How well do you think that David is going to do on “Survivor: Cagayan”? Share some of your thoughts below, and also visit the link here if you want to check out the rest of our castaway spotlights from this season. Also, be sure to sign up for our CarterMatt Newsletter if you want to get even more TV updates from us.
Photo: CBS