105 replies to this topic

[Jyn]

Hi. Think Probst will be able to stand having another Jeff on the show?

Given his sports career, I could see him going a decent way, but I think he'll be one of the earliest vote-offs once the merge hits.

[Marq DeCarabas]

This is going to be interesting. He has a reputation for being a bit of a jerk and not a real. That started as far as I know when he was with the Giants and conflicted with Bonds, so who knows.

[legaleagle44]

Then he'll be Jeff's new mancrush for sure.

[Yogurt Baron]

His profile talks a lot about surviving the wilderness, so...not sure he knows what show this is. But, agreed: Probst will love him.

Edited by Yogurt Baron, Aug 20, 2012 @ 9:43 PM.

[Shali]

Wow. Wow wow wow. Can't believe Jeff Kent is going to be on Survivor!

I live in Northern California & am a big Giants fan. Jeff Kent played on the Giants from 1997-2002, and was very instrumental in getting them to the World Series in 2002 (which they lost). He always had a reputation as being prickly and a bit of a diva. He and the other big diva on the team, Barry Bonds, apparently had great dislike for each other and even got into it in the dugout a few times.

Never much of a fan favorite, and he lost even more fan support when he was injured at prior to the 2002 season. He said that he was washing his truck, slipped, and broke his wrist. It later came out that he hurt himself riding a motorcycle, which was apparently restricted behavior as per his contract. A lady saw the accident and called 911, and he came at her, cussing and angry, telling her to hang up the phone. Yeah, classy behavior, dude.

He later went to the hated Dodgers, which endeared him even less to Giants fans. But then when he retired, he gave major props to the Giants, saying how he was a Giant for life, loved playing there, etc. etc. So I can't hate on him too much.

Ok! Way more info on Jeff Kent than needed, but there ya go! I haven't watched Survivor since the 2006 season, when Yul won and the tribes were racially divided, but dammit, I'm watching this one!

[OwlsGo]

I know nothing of him other than his videos on CBS but has he ever taken a speech class in his life? Why is he whispering like a creepy old man?

Donating $15,000 to fight gay marriage isn't making him any more enduring to me, either. He can go early.

Edited by OwlsGo, Aug 21, 2012 @ 3:32 PM.

[Lantern7]

I'm guessing he would want the title more than the $1 million, because he paid a ton of dough as a star player. Right now, I'm sympathizing with him because he had to deal with The Barry Bonds Experience. Remember the 2002 World Series? Giants went up, 3-2, and the Angels rallied when Bonds plodded and misplayed a ball . . . and after they lost the Series, Bonds snapped at the press about it. Just saying that a. Jeff wasn't the biggest a-hole on that Giants squad, and b. anytime he's chopping wood, he'll probably imagine it's Bonds' steroid-inflated skull.

[El Guapo]

He later went to the hated Dodgers, which endeared him even less to Giants fans. But then when he retired, he gave major props to the Giants, saying how he was a Giant for life, loved playing there, etc. etc. So I can't hate on him too much.

Believe me, as a Dodger fan, I hated him even more when he was on the Dodgers than when he was on the Giants. One of the very few players wearing a Dodger uniform that I have ever actively despised. Kent and Bonds deserved each other; the two surliest players ever.

The guy was a joyless, wet blanket and clubhouse cancer, entirely capable of wrecking team morale singlehandedly. Given an opportunity that millions would have traded their limbs for, he instead played baseball like he was going to work in a salt mine, and tried to share his misery by yelling at all the young players to pipe down and act like sweatshop workers too.

Funny story: in 2008, the Dodgers entering July were a team in disarray, the promising rookies and kids angry and stifled by Kent and his permanent buzzkill. Then they traded for the goofy Manny Ramirez, who made them his team and lightened up the atmosphere. Then Kent injured his shoulder for the rest of the year, and (liberated, I guess)the very next day, the Dodgers went on a huge hot streak and won the division and the division series out of nowhere.

Needless to say, I hope they vote this jackass out early, before he wrecks Ponderosa too.

[Raider Duck]

It'll be an interesting dynamic. No doubt the buff young males will treat him as just another "old guy," and Jeff Kent can't stand not being the alpha male in any group (which was the source of his conflicts with both the Giants and Dodgers). He could get that respect back instantly by revealing his past, but of course that would be the dumbest thing he could do. Depending on how the chips fall, we may be in for an all-time battle between a man's ego and his brain.

Or Jeff could piss everyone off and be the first one gone.

[myriadphalanx]

Possible severe knee injury and Dawson recognizing him aside, this was a pretty solid episode for Jeff. He seems to have settled into his tribe nicely, already may have an alliance partner in Dana and Penner is there to be the lightning rod of criticism.

Of course, the knee could cut him short early, and Dawson's knowledge could hurt him depending on how he rolls with the information. Jeff hasn't technically lied about himself yet --- he does own a ranch and work on motorcycles, so he just left out that part of his life where he played baseball. Depending on when/if Dawson spills the beans, it might actually help Jeff get taken to the end as an 'easy' person to beat in a final tribal council vote.

[superpole2000]

I thought Jeff did a great job of Barry Bondsing Penner. He made a solid speech to his tribe, subtly but clearly targeting Penner right off the bat. The difference here is that Jeff's tribe doesn't need Penner to win, whereas the Giants always needed Bonds to be a contender.

[NilesSobek]

Not sure how I feel about him, but I think he seems to know what he's doing in this game, so maybe he'll do well.

[ReiMehari]

He didn't seem so bad this episode.

He even came off as likeable.

[CletusMusashi]

They spent an awful lot of time talking about that knee. Can't be too long before it becomes a factor in the game. Could be interesting to see how conflicted Penner feels about gunning for a guy with a bad knee.

[Shali]

I thought Jeff did a great job of Barry Bondsing Penner.

Hahaha! Well said!

Yep, I also liked him more than I thought I would...at least for this episode. I find myself rooting for him to go far. I totally dug how excited he was when his tribe won the immunity challenge - check him out in the background as the puzzle is being built, jumping up and down like a little kid. I liked it!

[Dee Clutter]

Well, his knee injury couldn't be too bad if he's jumping up and down.

[Darth Kittious]

I like him from his days with the Astros and anyone against Barry Bonds is okay by me for the most part. I thought he was pretty likable in the first episode too. And he was pretty good in the challenge if his knee was indeed hurting him. I'd like to see him stay awhile.

[MotoMagic]

Really enjoyed him in the premiere, hope he lasts.

[SilentMinority]

Another person I wish I could evaluate without all the off-screen baggage. On-show he seems like a decent person and possibly rootable. Off-screen/clubhouse, he's a douche. I'm going to try to ignore what I know about him, but as with Lisa and her views on child-rearing (and Prop 8-type issues in both cases), that's going to be difficult. Also I know he's loaded, so I just don't think it's going to be possible to pull for him to make the endgame.

[ratgirlagogo]

From the episode thread:

Funny how Jeff Kent showed more joy and celebration for winning 2nd place in an IC than he did in the entire 17 years of his baseball career.

It was his sour attitude more than anything else that made me dislike hm when he was a Met. At least he's learned how to pretend to be a nice guy since. The big jerk.

[ReiMehari]

Funny, I found him to be likeable in the first episode.

Then my father, who knows more baseball than me, called and informed me that he was a grade-A jerk.

I don't know if my perception has changed any, but I have to admit, I'm waiting to see if any of his jerk-ish behavior comes out.

[dakeel]

I wonder why they keep bringing up his knee issues. I mean, that basically means he'll get evacuated or that may be the reason he gets voted off. I hope that's not the case but i don't see any other reason for it.

[SilentMinority]

I wonder why they keep bringing up his knee issues. I mean, that basically means he'll get evacuated or that may be the reason he gets voted off. I hope that's not the case but i don't see any other reason for it.

I imagine it would make a wonderful red herring in a season whose signature is 3 vets returning from medevacs. I'm guessing they will milk every injury anyone sustains just to play up the subtext. (see: Mike and his death by a million cuts).

Edited by SilentMinority, Sep 30, 2012 @ 8:51 PM.

[Yogurt Baron]

I've been assuming half "red herring", half "big strong athletic man powers through injury, is still great" storyline like when J.T. lost his tooth.

[ratgirlagogo]

half "big strong athletic man powers through injury, is still great" storyline like when J.T. lost his tooth.

Barf. You're probably right.

[JabuXevioso]

Well, good on him for figuring out that Jonathan had the idol. Even better on him for pretending to agree to an alliance.

Points will be taken, though, if he indeed goes all-in with it next week. Mainly because I despise Jonathan.

[sully26]

From the preview, it looks like that knee injury's going to come back to haunt Kent, which is a shame since he was not only a favourite ball player of mine during his brief time in Toronto, but he's also been a decent contestant so far (particularly compared to the other dull members of the tribe).

I'm only hoping that the "We only evacuate contestants if their life is in jeopardy" line from the preview means that Kent, while hurt, is still able to continue on.

[Yogurt Baron]

he was not only a favourite ball player of mine during his brief time in Toronto...

Hooray, somebody else remembers that! A friend of mine has been heard to joke that, if Kent doesn't shape up, Penner should trade him for David Cone (which is what Toronto did).

I'm only hoping that the "We only evacuate contestants if their life is in jeopardy" line from the preview means that Kent, while hurt, is still able to continue on.

Yeah, me too. I don't like Jeff's play so far, not at all (the four-fingered handshake? Come on!), but I hate medevacs. I hope Jeff wins or loses on his own merits.

I agree with your read, sully - they wouldn't foreshadow a medevac on the season of bringing back medevaced contestants. This is just going toward his "strong alpha male" edit - he'll be looked at and not be evacuated, because he's just that tough.

[OwlsGo]

Wow, so you dislike that the girls aren't "married" or socially presentable like a woman should be?

Hi, Colton's dad!

[sully26]

A friend of mine has been heard to joke that, if Kent doesn't shape up, Penner should trade him for David Cone (which is what Toronto did).

You don't need to remind me of that! The day he was traded, I had tickets to the Jays/Brewers game and was going to finally see Kent live - I was damn near in tears when I heard the news (though the trade worked out rather well)... Mind you, I was 8!