Diary Room: Adam Poch’s Player Rankings: Big Brother 17 – Week 11

It’s day 84 inside the Big Brother house and we are just 14 days away from the Vanessa Chronicles ending. There are still so many questions left.

Adam Poch on Big Brother 13
Adam Poch on Big Brother 13 – Source: CBS

Which twin will go home this week? Will Vanessa’s overscheming ever catch up to her? Will Johnny Mac be the first person ever evicted and come back to win the game? Are James & Meg “camping” in the jury house? Only time will tell – but first, lets see how the final 6 will dine this week, Bacon or Tofu?

Austin Matelson – 5 strips of Bacon – if you have been reading my column every week, you know I usually give someone 5 strips of bacon if they are on the block and win Veto. Now that only 6 people are left, the Veto is actually more important than HoH. Renom choices are all but eliminated and without that Veto around your neck, you goose could be cooked.

Austin has been a very flaky player this entire game. One minute he seems willing to throw himself on a grenade for his beloved Liz, the next minute he is plotting on how to break the twins up and get himself to the end. He was finally nominated (34 people had been nominated before he had his first taste of those chairs) but was not on the block too long. Austin may have some votes if he gets to F2 – but he will most likely have to win out.

Steve Moses – 3 strips of Bacon – we have been asking all season, who would have the balls to put the Austwins on the block against each other – and while it made him freak out, Steve won the HoH and took a shot at them. While his main target Austin ended up saving himself, Steve stuck to his guns and put Julia up as a renom.

Yes – a lot of us sat at home praying that Julia won Veto so we would see what Steve would do in that situation, but he still did what others didn’t and with 2 HoH wins & 2 POV wins, he’s building up his resume for the jury. Think back to week 1 – if he does not win that Veto, he probably would have been out the door.

John McGuire – 2 strips of Bacon – just 2 weeks ago Johnny was sent packing and never made it off the studio lot before winning his way back in. Since returning he is in a pretty good spot, he has a tight ally in Steve, a strong bond with his old nemesis Vanessa, and somehow survived on the block last week vs James. As Steve pointed out on the Sunday show – the house was stupid by not getting rid of him again.

Sure John has not won an HoH and will probably have to do so in the next 2 weeks, but like I said in Austin’s recap, as long as Johnny Mac wins a Veto or two – he could possibly end up in the F2 and with no real enemies in the jury, and then he could end up winning it all.

Vanessa Rousso – 1 strip of Tofu – without a doubt the star of this season has been Vanessa – her green hat & suspenders will end up in the Big Brother Hall of Fame one day – but this week we are finally.. FINALLY… seeing everyone comparing notes and they are on to her. Wait, didn’t we see this a few weeks ago when Becky & John blew up her game? Yes we did – but she had so many people blinded by her manipulative ways that it didn’t stick.

If Vanessa can pull another Houdini next week – she’s the odds on favorite to win it all. But now, as these last few people are sent to packing, with their bitterness carry over to the other jurors? Either way, Vanessa has played a great game but may have overplayed for the last time.

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68 Comments

  1. Part of me wants Liz to leave, because she’s the bigger threat and I’d like to see JMac and Steve drag Julia to F3. But, that F3 is unlikely with Austin & Van in the house.

    Part of me wants Julia to leave, because she is the most worthless player left in the game.

    If Liz stays, there are 2 chances for Van to go next, since I don’t think that JMac is ready to target her and Steve can’t play in the next HoH. If Julia stays, that leaves only Austin to get Van out next, although it may entice JMac to put up Van next to Austin.

    • Julia says she’ll never align with V. So does Austin. One can only hope. If V is true to form this season, she may end up pulling them back in, I’m afraid. Maybe not but at this point, I don’t doubt her ability, regardless of what they know.

      If twin & Austin & Jmac & Steve all conspire, only then would I believe they have a solid plan to get V out of the house. And to ensure she doesn’t talk her way into staying then, I think Jmac has to put her up against a twin to guarantee Austin VTE Vanessa; worst case: it’s a tie & HoH Jmac casts VTE.
      I’m afraid if Austin wins HoH, he either won’t nominate her for eviction or won’t put her up at all, even renom. Maybe he would – IDK. But I’m still not convinced that she wouldn’t talk herself out of that scenario.

      If either side thinks they want her to stay to help them weaken the other side (take out Austin or twin – or Steve or Jmac), they’re really gambling that V won’t win the next HoH, which we all know she is capable of doing.

      • But at the same time, Austin, Liz and Julia ALL say they are going after Steve first for putting them on the block… Go figure!

  2. Imagine if Austin somehow ends up winning this whole thing, and wins the heart of Liz, let alone, with the blessing of Julia ??
    Considering, where he was after week 2/3, both game and Liz / Julia ??

  3. I don’t know why people keep saying James made a mistake voting out Shelli. After all the time in the jury, when Shelli came back for a second chance, she still said she would target James for voting out Clay. He was screwed either way with Vanessa or Shelli, but back then, it appeared Shelli was running the house. No one had a clue how Van would unfold as the weeks went on. Either of them was after him, he just didn’t know the extent of Van’s in with other HG. It could have gone either way, but the Shelli/Clay duo was definitely a force that needed to go. Break up a showmance FIRST, unless you let a damn twin come in the house. SMH. I don’t think anything anyone has done this season compares to the bone head move of knowingly letting a twin in the house.

    • Cuz Jackie, Becky, Meg then James all went home with direct direction from Vanessa lol. Voting out Vanessa they could have still all gone home, but it couldn’t have been any worse, and everyone knew Vanessa was a snake. The goblins were all morons to keep Vanessa. Funny how people still can’t comprehend that lol.

      • That’s very flimsy reasoning. Why should James keep one snake in the grass over the other?
        Snake A – Shelli admits to wanting him out
        Snake B – Vanessa wants him out as well but not as vehemently as Snake A.
        Rational people would keep Snake B.

      • Snake A – Shelli – only is a threat to James if she wins HoH.
        Snake B – Vanessa – is just as threatening without the HoH as she is WITH the HoH

      • Exactly, and I love how people point out ‘James’ to defend there argument. They don’t mention Becky, Jackie, Meg or JMac who was evicted. Nope, they focus on the one player that helps prove there point, and it still doesn’t make sense lol.

      • YES! To you and Titom!! How is this not common sense to other people?
        And James was clearly not as good of a player as some people seem to think.

      • So glad when James went to jury. He made a couple moves but he and Meg floated on a lot of days. I think he was way overrated.

      • James was not a floater.. I think he should have aligned himself up with a stronger partner who could win things.. He was the only one who wasn’t afraid to put strong players up..

      • He kinda was. He said on several occasions, even right up to the end, that they were not an alliance. He only really talked game when he was HoH or on the block and slept the rest of the time.

      • James wasn’t a good player most of the time. But it doesn’t make sense under ANY circumstances to keep your biggest enemy rather than your second biggest enemy.

      • By James doing what was best for HIS game he caused Becky, Jackie, Meg and himself to be evicted.
        It’s a numbers game and James lost any chance of superior numbers by going against Becky’s HOH wishes.
        If James had been paying the least bit of attention he would’ve noticed that Vanessa was much more dangerous to him and his alliance than Shelli.
        James was a nice guy and fun to watch but he should have spent more time thinking instead of playing.

      • Numbers games don’t help you when you’re in jury. James lasted 4 weeks after Shelli. That’s 4 weeks where she could have won HOH and 4 weeks where she would have targeted him (based on her explanation of who she would target).
        Getting rid of Shelli didn’t hurt his game. Not having an actual alliance that won competitions hurt his game.
        Getting rid of Shelli hurt Becky, definitely.
        I don’t think getting rid of Shelli made an impact for Jackie or Meg, they were disposable either way.

      • Can you not see that James lost the numbers battle when he burned Becky’s game?
        By not bringing a strong Becky into his alliance and losing Becky the next week the surviving Goblins could not win a comp and continued to be picked off one by one. Becky was very loyal and wanted to join the Goblins.
        Keeping Vanessa kept the SS alliance strong and further weakened the Goblins alliance with James being the last one standing. He had no chance against this bunch without an alliance.

      • I guess I don’t see Becky as an alliance member to James. I see her not as a direct enemy and a temporary friend.

        I think if Shelli stayed Becky would have dumped the Goblins in 2 seconds flat and James would have been toast. No numbers would have helped him when he was sitting in jury

      • So you are going to excuse James’s stupid behavior toward Becky because you don’t see Becky as an alliance member?
        No, Becky told the Goblins she would be going with them from now on since there really wasn’t any other option. She wins HOH and tells the Goblins all of her thoughts and what her plans were.
        Fate just dropped an intelligent and athletic comp winner into their little alliance and instead of working hard to keep her in their alliance they decide to stab her in the back instead?
        Whether you see Becky in their alliance or not they lost the game when they didn’t take advantage of adding another number to their alliance giving the superior numbers to the SS alliance.
        As well as not having superior numbers anymore the remaining Goblins couldn’t win a comp to save their BB life. Gosh, if Becky had stayed I imagine she might have been able to win. But no, James is scared to death of Shelli.

      • So then why did James go after Clelli when the biggest target was or at least should’ve been Vanessa since SHE was the actual person that sent Jason home?? And actually, not even just Vanessa but the Austwins as well were HUGE targets. Again big targets, big moves meant nothing to James, it was all personal. He just disguised it as a “big move”. Your biggest enemy should be your biggest threat and that was Vanessa and Austwins. So he should’ve went after them, then Shelli would’ve never been his enemy.

      • I totally disagree.. Jason and James trusted Chellie more.. That’s why he was so upset.. Shellie should have spilled everything on Vanessa when she had the opportunity to, when James won Pov, he gave them a chance and they refused..

      • James was never gonna use the PoV for a fact. So they could’ve spilled everything and it wouldn’t have mattered, he would just keep the info and use it for later.
        Him being “so upset” is just proof it was personal. Vanessa made it sound like Clelli twisted her arm to put up Jason. Anyone with common sense knows no one can make the HoH do anything they don’t want to do. So for her to say that, you’d have to know its BS. But James believed it 100% and went after them instead of the obvious big targets sitting right in front of him.

      • James would have used it… He said it in his diary room session, that if Chellie could give him something good he would have.. I just don’t understand why Shellie was so loyal to Vanessa when she was throwing them under the bus..

      • I think he was just saying that just to say it. He passed up $5,000 and a trip to Ireland for that veto. He wasn’t using it.
        I could never understand her loyalty to Vanessa either.

      • I don’t blame him for being upset about the Jason eviction but if he was so close to Clelli shouldn’t he have listened to them as well as Vanessa? Vanessa conned James as she conned everyone else this season.
        I do wish Clelli had spilled the beans though. The minute Shelli was ready to do that she was called to the DR and when she exited later she no longer wanted to spill the beans. Make of that what you will.

      • Ok so if Shelli stayed the 3 women wouldn’t have been evicted (let’s pretend for a moment I believe that, I don’t but let’s go with it) but James would definitely have been Shelli’s target and her alliance’s target. So that means James should have torpedoed his game to save the girls’ game?
        That doesn’t make much sense either.

      • James would’ve had a chance to return to the game from jury and the 3 women could’ve continued working together without being on anyone’s target until then since they weren’t threatening to anyone at that moment.
        James move was extremely selfish.

      • So basically you’re saying James should have torpedoed his personal game at the expense of the alliance.
        Selfish or not, I am doing what’s best for my game. I wouldn’t say “well this person only hates me but would be good to my alliance so let’s keep them.” I would want that person out.

      • Without an alliance James’s game was over. He screwed over his alliance which led to all of them being evicted.

      • His alliance couldn’t win anything.. I wish he had better players on his side, that would have helped

      • Exactly Erin, James alliance couldn’t win anything so why didn’t he welcome Becky to his alliance instead of stabbing her in the back?
        Becky could and would have been able to win comps, along with James.
        So why exactly was it a good idea for James to stab a needed ally such as Becky in the back?
        This is the point where you have to realize that James only played in the moment; was unable to make long range plans and only went with his emotions. He was afraid of Shelli (rightfully I admit) so instead of thinking ahead to plan his next move and weigh out all the options he destroys his alliance instead. But at least he got rid of Shelli. I think he really believed that Vanessa wanted to work with him in the future too but I can’t hold that against him.

      • I personally wasn’t a Becky fan at first, because she went right to Chellie and told them what James was going to do.. Her playing both sides of the house caught with her.. If she hadn’t done that Vanessa wouldn’t have had anything on her.. I did like that Becky stood up to Vanessa though and called her game out

      • Becky and JMac were in an alliance with Clelli at that time so they should’ve been bringing them back any and all info to help them survive.
        In fact, Becky proved how loyal of an alliance member she was by sticking with Clelli till the bitter end.

      • Because Becky was not loyal to James. It was an alliance of convenience . Becky would have aligned with JMac and Shelli leaving the goblins to fend for themselves. That would have been fair because everyone needs to look out for themselves.

        James had two real allies, Jackie and Meg. Neither went home because of the Shelli staying decision.

        Vanessa had already told Steve about him being Jackie’s target and if he won that HOH and Shelli stayed he would have gone for Jackie anyway.

        The only person who would ah e benefited from Shelli staying was Shelli and Becky.

      • Your argument makes no sense. If Shelli stayed and aligned with Becky and JMac they would have been able to join with the Goblins to take out the SS alliance. Shelli would’ve no doubt ratted out the SS alliance to the remaining HG’s and they would’ve realized the need to get rid of the SS first.
        They would have had superior numbers to the SS alliance and the SS alliance would’ve been toast.
        Instead James gave up the numerical advantage by being afraid of Shelli when he should have been afraid of the SS alliance.
        The fact that he wasn’t able to realize this even when Jackie and Becky tried to pound that into his brain he couldn’t grasp the fact that he was making a huge mistake.
        Do you realize now how important it was to keep superior numbers in the game?
        Along with Julia tonight, James made one of the worst moves in BB history by giving up the superior numbers to the SS alliance. I don’t understand why this is so difficult to comprehend.

      • Shelli would have aligned with Meg and Jackie (maybe) but not James. She would have gone after James.
        So let’s just admit that you think James should have kept her so he could be eliminated and his alliance would stand a chance.
        Keeping Shelli wouldn’t have given him an advantage, it would have given Becky one and maybe Jackie one but NOT James. Shelli would have gone after him first time she was HOH, no deal would have held.
        I don’t blame Shelli but let’s not pretend keeping her would have kept James safe.

      • Another ridiculous premise that Jackie or Meg would leave James for Shelli.
        If Shelli had stayed she would’ve had to put getting rid of James on the back burner until the SS alliance would’ve been dealt with, simply because she was powerless and only had Becky and JMac.
        .
        Shelli wouldn’t or even wanted to go back with the SS alliance. She was unhappy with the Austwins as you will recall.
        .
        Once again you have to count the numbers. Keeping Vanessa strengthened the SS alliance. By not protecting Becky the Goblins lost any chance of having superior numbers. Plus they lost almost every chance to win HOH.
        James was in deep trouble either way no matter who stayed but by giving up the superior numbers James lost any chance of him or his alliance surviving in the game. His best move would’ve been to heal the breech with Shelli and for them to work on getting out the SS alliance. James had no idea about the SS alliance and still didn’t during his exit interview so he was a sitting duck.
        All I’m saying is that by keeping Shelli he would’ve had a better chance of staying in the game than by choosing Vanessa.
        .
        Do you understand how James strengthened the SS alliance by keeping Vanessa?

      • I think you are absolutely wrong that Shelli would have put getting james out on the backburner.
        Moron came back 4 weeks later, with 4 of the 6S still in the house and said she would target James.
        Do you understand that we can only go by what contestants say and not what we want them to do,
        Anyone who thinks she wouldn’t have gone for James is making up facts.

      • Do you realize that James strengthened the SS alliance by keeping Vanessa?
        Do you see why ruining Becky’s HOH caused Becky to be evicted?
        Do you understand that Becky was a much needed number and comp player for the Goblins?
        Vanessa was a much bigger threat for everyone including James.

      • Was the decision bad for Becky? Of course it was.
        Was the decision bad for James? Don’t think so. With Vanessa atleast he had a chance that she would focus on other people (as she did) with Shelli he was her numero uno.
        Shelli would not have held any deal (as evidenced during her return from jury) and he would have been gone the moment she won HOH.
        Weakening 6S at the expense of his own game would have been stupid.
        I want to weaken 6S, so let me keep one of the only people in the house who says I am her top target. Do you see how ridiculous that sounds?

      • What I think is ridiculous is that some of James’s fans refuse to admit how many, many mistakes the guy made in the game and made one of the worst moves in BB history by keeping Vanessa.

      • However, Shelli was a lot closer to the twins than Becky or John. She would not have sided with the goblins or with Becky and John over Julia. Shelli used both Becky and John and they were her puppets. I really do wish they had gotten Van instead of Shelli out when they had the chance but Shelli was just as manipulative as Van is. With those two it really was six of one, half a dozen of the other.

      • They were all threats to each other. Shelli would have aligned with Becky and John if she stayed. Becky was working to keep Shelli because she wanted an alliance. JMac was like a freaking puppy dog with Shelli and Clay. If they had won their nominations would have been affected by Shelli. Let’s not forget that she wasn’t some moron who had no influence, she had influence on both JMac and Becky.

      • Not only would Shelli join up with JMac and Becky that trio could’ve joined with the Goblins to get out the SS alliance since they would have superior numbers.
        Vanessa went right back to the Austwins and Steve strengthening the SS alliance.

    • If Shelli had been voted out as planned the week before instead of Clay, it would have been a moot point. I was surprised Clay was sent home that night during voting. Don’t have the live feeds so assume Vanessa helped make that happen. I know he asked people to vote him out but that shouldn’t have mattered.

  4. I wish both were leaving but sadly only one. I guess Liz should stay just to give the others competition. However I want Julia to leave so JMac has a chance to make F2.

  5. Austin hasn’t been flaky at all. I’m definitely not what you’d call a fan of his, but game-wise his strategy has been consistent: appear weak and unmotivated. Playing up the wrestling injuries, making people think he’s only there for TV time & to make jury, etc.

    His willingness to cut Liz only further proves that he is there to win. Vanessa (another one that I’m definitely not a fan of) and Austin are the two people that, in my opinion, deserve to win. It’s not about who is a good person and needs the money, or any of that for me. It’s about who’s ACTUALLY played the game, and played it well.

    • I had respect for Austin playing to save himself. He can pursue Liz in real life after the game and enjoy her company while in the house. It’s time to go to work for half a mil. I don’t begrudge him that. I was disappointed that Clay did that. I had high hopes for him Week 1. Pursue love – but of course! – Just hold that thought til after the game. :)

  6. I’d take out Liz now. She’s the bigger threat to “my” game (if I was playing) and there’s not “later” at this point. Get while the getting’s good.
    If Austin aligns with Julia – ok.

  7. Agree with everything in the list, I always enjoy reading them, except for James and Meg. It didn’t matter Shelli or Vanessa they would have been out of the house. James should not regret the decision because voting out Vanessa would not have changed anything.

  8. Liz has to go! I don’t know who I want to win, except it can’t be Austin or one of the twins. Nasty creatures! Well, the game has become very exciting – quite a change from the first 3/4 of the season. Enjoy your ratings and can’t wait for tonight.

    • Did you really call them ‘nasty creatures’? LOL They suck for SO many reasons but THAT is the funniest one that I’ve read!

  9. I really will lose it if Liz stays. The monster known as ‘Austwin’ is one big cluster…headache. Seriously. They give me headaches. I am SOOOOOO frustrated that breaking this up is even an issue in SEPTEMBER! Not end of July…SEPTEMBER! It is killing my enjoyment this season. Usually, at this point, BB takes the edge off of the end of baseball season & the playoff stress. I actually look forward to playoff stress this year! I mean, twins? They were an alliance in utero. And a showmance (the grossest one ever)? The ONLY, TINY, DWARF of a justification for keeping them is the ‘human shield’ defense. And that is bull because jeeping two of those dummies instead of three would keep a large enough target to hide behind! UUUGHHHCCKKK! I’m just skeeved by the whole thing…and I have a headache, now.

  10. Can you spike Steve’s with some anti-anxiety medicine? He really needs to do some breathing or meditation or something. I think, underneath it all, he has the stuff to pull this off. He just needs to deal with his self perceived social issues & mother obsession (he’s giving off a real ‘Norman Bates’ vibe; good luck to this kid’s future wife) and do the dam thing. Even with Jmac sitting next to him, he has a real shot: good amount of the RIGHT comps, breaking up Austwins, and HE was never evicted. Vanessa gets the busiest bee trophy and world class mind effer award but her dom-sub sort of bullying of a guy like Steve has me kind of disgusted; the rest of them seem to have the ego to handle it. She’s smellin’ a little like a terrible human being behind that. It exceeds game play & becomes a bit demaging and she’s a good enough read of people to see it.

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