James on the Challenges

length: 4:20

James recounts winning the Reward Challenege by relying heavily on intimidating his opponents before going in for the kill. 

Video:

Transcript by James Barber:

"The challenge today was definitely fun for me, because it was what I do best. Getting the ball, being aggressive, knocking people down, protecting others, going and pulling stuff out of people's hands. I did everything I do except thrown people out and bury them. I did what I could. When too many pillows went on one side I went and got them and brought them back to my side. I held them down when I needed to hold them down, then I figured out they weren't going to bother me anyway." 

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"I did knock over a bunch of people, but I was supposed to knock them over. I don't get kudos for that, but it was fun. It was especially fun because after a while I had three bags and nobody would come over next to me. I felt like a stinky kid or a (censored) nobody likes. They really were not having it. The best was one time I ran up on them and was like, "STOP IT!" and they put their hands up. It was the best thing. They were like trained. It was fun. It was whatever. I swallowed a little bit of ocean water, but after a while they learned not to get in my way. I pretty much chilled, and knocked people down when other people got in trouble." 

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"The win was very nice. The win felt good because not only did we get the win, we got a tarp, we got other tools. I was beating the hell out of the machete. Now we've got another machete. We got an axe. Something I can chop stuff with and just be crazy. A bunch of rope I'm untwining to make chicken traps and other kinds of traps. I'm just using the tools we've gotten to hopefully make everything more peaceful. Like I said the more food I catch, which - these people are so happy right now it doesn't even make a difference - but the more food I catch the more energy I'll have. I'll be able to work on Amanda cause she's still kind of weak. We've only been back a month, we're not at our best shape right now. Try to get Ozzy and a few of the other people who need to be strong, try to keep them well-rounded and strong with the most food and the most sustenance they can get right now." 

"We got a shovel with the survival kit. Granted I'm a grave-digger and I know about shovels. It's a spade. It served its purpose but it ain't nothing like a good shovel. I'm good with shovels. It's helping me smooth out the bed and level the sleeping area. You had a bunch of humps and the princesses didn't want to sleep on the humps, so I just chopped it up a little bit and smoothed it out, then I graded over, made the sand level. The shovel's a nice thing. I could do a lot more with a shovel. My baby's still the axe, though. I love that thing." 

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"It just wasn't our day today. They were really on fire. They kept sinking those coconuts. Our team kept trying with a strategy of underhand, and it wasn't working so much. It got to us. It was just hard to hold it. I don't know, it was just one of those things. A regular sports thing. Sometimes stuff's just not on your side. Today nothing was on our side. They were on fire. They were a little bit more hungry than we are. It's a little bit too nice over here, that's what I think it is. We're chilling, we have the cave, we're staying dry. They complain about the tarp. I mean, come on. Just the fact that they're wanting, they're out there in that rain, they're hungry, they're mad, they get to the competition mad and hungry. Heads up, we'd be able to beat them, but in certain challenges, when it's more want than athletic ability, they have the edge. They're struggling out there. They're hungry like animals right now. We're over here like dumb civilized people, upset about pebbles on our backs instead of getting up, moving the pebble, we're gonna sit there and cry about it. They had it today. It sucks. It sucks to lose. Now I have to go through all this Tribal Council stuff I don't like doing in the first place. People run up on me, people I haven't actually spoken to since we've been here, being nice and cool to me to figure out what the deal is. I'd rather avoid all that now, win, get stronger now, and deal with all that stuff during the merge. Right now we just gotta suck it up, get fired up or something. It sucks that I might have to do it, I hate doing that stuff, but I guess I will, cause we can't lose like this."