I'm not here to score friendship points.

Would you like to know more?  Read Jonathan Mahler's LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE BRONX IS BURNING, which occasionally involves baseball as well. Fantastic read.

My favorite Sitcom Final Season That Knew It Was Final?  Easy: THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW, with the whole Jon Stewart takeover plot and Larry's final show.

The game is the game.

The one and only. Also overlapped in college with former Survivor wine hoarder Bobby Mason.

The one and only. Also overlapped in college with former Survivor wine hoarder Bobby Mason.

Because I'm a practicing attorney from a fellow top-4 law school (screw you, NYU/Columbia, you're wrong), because he looks like a client of mine, and because he plays the game the way I'd play it and I want to root for him, I am compelled to select John Cochran.

Because I'm a practicing attorney from a fellow top-4 law school (screw you, NYU/Columbia, you're wrong), because he looks like a client of mine, and because he plays the game the way I'd play it and I want to root for him, I am compelled to select John Cochran.

Nearly Silent Nick from the Outback?

Nearly Silent Nick from the Outback?

@avclub-6dac3e26c4f8349dd4d90a2cbd1e7646:disqus  you're right, my bad: he's already in jail when the series begins.

I think there's always a reason to use that Idol in the end, if not for yourself than for an ally.

I think there's always a reason to use that Idol in the end, if not for yourself than for an ally.

Ok. I'm sold, with some tinkering on VTEP to account for vote-splitting, and different values pre- and post-merge.

Ok. I'm sold, with some tinkering on VTEP to account for vote-splitting, and different values pre- and post-merge.

This is well-thought, but … why award points for not-using an Idol?  What makes that better than never having one?

This is well-thought, but … why award points for not-using an Idol?  What makes that better than never having one?

I think that in that scenario, everyone who "played along" gets a VTEP.

I think that in that scenario, everyone who "played along" gets a VTEP.

The rules may not affect my decision, but we still should settle on the rules first.  For example, are there points for being on the correct side of a Tribal Council vote?