Diary Room: Adam Poch’s Player Rankings: Big Brother 18 – Week 11

The Houseguests only have 15 more wake-ups before this season crowns a champion – and it’s getting down to the nitty gritty. So far 10 people have seen their chance to win half a million dollars go down the tubes (well, 11, but Victor keeps coming back), and the final 6 are trying to figure out a way to do what the others couldn’t.

Adam Poch during Big Brother 13

We have seen a very unique style of campaigning this week – as both nominees have been going back and forth asking to vote them out, then back tracking wanting to stay. Ultimately the 3 voters will have to make their decision tomorrow night, although it sounds like they have had their minds made up all week.

In just 3 weeks we will get a season of the new Big Brother Over The Top. This is a blessing & a curse to us super fans. Blessing because whenever a season wraps up – we complain that we miss it. Curse because this means more sleepless nights watching feeds & a whole bunch of new houseguests for us to love/hate. BUT FIRST – let’s take a look back at how each player did this week, and what it means for their end game.

Nicole Franzel – 5 strips of Bacon – two weeks in a row now Nicole has occupied the top spot. Nicole had to do the hardest thing an outgoing HoH could do – and that is break a tie. While Michelle was probably the lesser of two evils, this move showed she was 100% with Paul & Victor (for now), and not being able to play in the following HoH – she had the 3 strongest players on her side to keep her safe this week. Even if James or Natalie won HoH, I do not think she would have been their target.

All of this aside, I am giving her the most bacon this week because she is already thinking about flipping the script AGAIN and targeting Paul / Victor next week. She realizes she needed their protection, but she probably will not win against either one, so she planted seeds in her boy toy Corey’s mind that they need to go after them next instead of whoever stays this week. She may not be playing the best game in Big Brother History – but she has still yet to be nominated, and has had a hand in every big eviction. The only thing that would stop her from winning the $500K would be a bitter jury.

Corey Brooks – 4 strips of Bacon – quietly Corey is actually building a pretty good resume with his 3rd Veto win this week. When it’s down to the final 6 – the Veto is actually more important than the HoH. He guaranteed the nominations would not change, and no chance that he or Nicole would even go up on the block and be in harms way. His bromance with Vic & Paul has been flourishing – the 3 of them are already making plans for after show meet & greets around the country. I just wonder how that will sit if Nicole’s plan to flip on them happens. Regardless of their after-show plans, Corey is still there – and has a 20% chance of winning!

Victor Arroyo – 3 strips of Bacon – The COMP BEAST of this season won his 3rd HoH, all after his first eviction. He did show his loyalty to the Final 4 alliance and nominated Natalie & James without any hesitation. Sometimes in this game being a straight shooter in important. Paul is still his eyes and ears around the house which is the only part of the game he is lacking. Trusting Nicole & Corey could be his downfall if they turn on him next week, but if he does not win it all, he will not be sad or bitter as he’s already had 2 dates with Julie.

Paul Abrahamian – 1 strip of Bacon – Paul had a VERY quiet week, and for him, that is VERY rare. He lost his buddy Pablo when Michelle stole him as she was walking out the door*, so maybe that’s why he has not been as loud and obnoxious as previous weeks. Look for him to do some jury management as Natalie (or James) gets ready to walk out the door. Out of all the people left in the house, he can make the best argument for the money if he is in the Final 2. He’s had to navigate through rough water the entire season, with & without a pool floatie around his waist.

* – for the record, I am actually happy that Michelle stole Pablo. No, not because it got Paul sad, but she threw it into the crowd – and some lucky superfan who got into the live taping, walked away with a souvenir. That’s like catching a home run ball at a baseball game. Something that has never happened for me, despite going to hundreds of baseball games over the years.

(Editor’s Note: According to @MissCleoBB who was in the audience, Pablo was recovered by production. I’d expect Paul to get it back after the season.)

Natalie Negrotti – 3 strips of Tofu – Early in the game, Natalie was quiet and just listening and observing everything going on around her. Once she started speaking up and playing, she made a name for herself as legit player. But her downfall was listening to James, and doing his bidding. Natalie painted herself into a corner, and now she is probably walking out the door this week because of it.

This week her wishy washy way of campaigning to stay / campaigning for James to stay has led to constant bickering between them. It looks like she has officially put James in the Friend Zone – which does not seem to sit to well with him, but it is what it is. I am sure she will be just as moody once she gets to the jury house. I am looking forward to her & Paulie being reunited this week. PLEASE show us that footage CBS!

That brings us to the Tofurkey of the Week – and it’s a tie… James Huling & James’s Gut. All season James has been playing a different game than the rest of them. He has been trying to win the girl, not the game, and now it looks like he may not get either. You know he is still kicking himself for dropping to Nicole in the HoH last week – and he has now put Natalie in harms way. The way he followed her around most of the week as a love struck fool was also quite pathetic. DUDE, she has used the word FRIEND so many times.

James’s Gut has been wrong the last 2 weeks & that caused his ally Michelle to go home last week, and Natalie will (probably) go home this week because of it. This is a carbon copy of his game last year and another great opportunity to make a better life for his daughter is slipping through his fingers. He does understand the basics of Big Brother – team up with people that can protect you. But time & time again, he did the opposite and turned on the people that were protecting him. His talk with Victor & Paul about when he flipped on them after they kept him safe has really left a bitter taste in their mouth. You know if Paul wins this HoH, James is in danger. The only chance of him staying is if Nicole/Corey win and flip.

OK – let me know what you think of this week’s rankings in the comment section below. Our time together is almost done for this season – and I am sure most of you will agree, lets just end it now, and get ready for Big Brother Over the Top coming to us on Sept 28th. My question of the week is “Will you be watching the online season, or after this season, you will take a break from BB until next summer?”

From outside the Big Brother house, I am Adam Poch, have a great day!

Follow me on Twitter to get more updates as the season progresses twitter.com/heavymetalteddy.

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57 Comments

  1. Agree with all of your rankings this week. Not a Nicole fan this season but am appreciating her game play the last 2 weeks. She’s like an athlete who doesn’t want to peak too early in the season. She has been able to coast along but now that time is running out she is stepping up her game and strategizing( is that a word?) more than anyone else. She has surprised me. As far as James and his gut, didn’t care for him last season and feelings the same this year. You’re right, he hasn’t learned a thing.

    • Hmmmm – maybe James did learn something if it’s true that he made a pre-game alliance with Nicole. I doubt we will ever, ever know for sure, but if it’s true, it would be the reason Nic would flip against V/P and keep James. Just a thought.

    • I genuinely dislike Nicole but after seeing Adam’s assessment on her, I do agree she’s playing a pretty good game. i still think she’ll lose because of a bitter jury though, unless she can get her boy toy to get in the final spot with her!

  2. As much as it irks me, I agree with your assessment of Nicole’s game. I do disagree about the vacuous Corey. Without Nicole, his game would be zilch. If he would be the one to win the F4 veto and evict Nicole, give the guy the 500k check. Victor and Paul’s fate in the game depends if Paul can win HoH this week. I think Victor would be the casualty if he were on the block against Paul or anyone else, as NIcole and Corey see him more of a threat than Paul. As for James, a huge disappointment. I feel that his pregame talk with Derrick did him no favors. The same old shtick this season has been boring and not at all entertaining. Depending on how things shake out, he could fumble and stumble to the F3.But I don’t see him winning up against any of the remaining players.

    • Totally agree! James has been as useful as a BB lounge chair this season! The only thing he has successfully completed is embarrassing himself…AGAIN…over a girl. If he wins AFP I will seriously doubt the sanity of the people watching this game!!

    • Here’s a thought… Nicole needs to go after Paul next week, use the fact that Victor has a crush on her to get Victor on board so that he doesn’t come after her.

  3. I agree. Nicole has been playing a quiet sneaky game.
    She makes sure to be on the right side at all times and it has paid off. I am waiting to see who is going to get rid of Nicole, but it seems everyone wants her at the end with them.

  4. Another great article, Adam, as usual. But I have some additions to make about Nat-Nat. And that is her failure to take responsibility for her own actions. She keeps pushing the blame onto James. It wasn’t completely his fault they’re in this situation now. Nat-Nat put Victor up on the block. Nat-Nat did nothing for the past 2 weeks but trash talk both Paul and Victor (right alongside Michelle last week). Honestly, 3 strips of Tofu is being too kind.

    • How quickly Natalie forget she was the one telling everyone how SHE wanted to make a BIG move by getting out Victor. Those were her words and actions NOT James.

      • Right? Well, when you make BIG moves, sometimes there are BIG consequences…It’s called BB Gnat-Nat!

      • Be my guest Sharona…If I said no, it might make you angry…and I never again want to see you angry (Mrs. Hulk) especially after last night and the mama tiger way you protected Cy! You scare me girl! LOL!! :)

        Seriously tho, that was good looking out. She’s still having problems getting her avatar back tho. :(

      • LMAO!! You’re funny! I am SO non-confrontational, it’s not even funny. Even when I’m defending myself, sometimes I’ll feel badly later. Lol…but if you mess with my friends (and you are now included in that group—we’re a family here) I’ll do everything I can to try and fix things and stand up for what’s right. I didn’t really do anything except try to bring it to Matthew’s attention.

        *SIGH* Cyril STILL hasn’t been able to straighten out the mess with the avatar or passwords and everything. It was straight up identity theft. “That person” better not ever show up here again. At least we all know what to look for…in fact I think I’ll switch my avatar back to an innocuous one, in case he comes after me.

  5. So glad to see that more and more people are beginning to respect Nicole’s game this season.

    • She’s making strategic moves, and imo, anyone who says she isn’t is just biased. Nicole, far more than James, is actually playing BB! However…Please Vic pull it together! :) I would not mind seeing Vic & Nic next to each other on Finale night.

      • She’s definitely being a snake but that’s how you play big brother is it not? The Paul and Vic fan in me wishes she wouldn’t flip but from an unbiased perspective it is a smart move. *crosses fingers* cmon Paul please win this one!

    • I wouldn’t have said it before the past 2 or 3 weeks but she has impressed me. I’m still hoping for a Vic and Paul final 2 but if she’s there with either of them it wouldn’t be the worst thing anymore.

      • If people truly want Victor to win they should want Paul out. Paul is the only one I don’t think Victor could win against.

      • I don’t care which one wins as long as they are both in final 2. If they are both in final 2 I think Paul deserves to win more than Vic. Personally I would prefer Vic to win but only because he probably needs the money more than Paul.

      • I agree. Those two are lumps on a log. P/V/N are actually playing the game. I want them in the final 3. Then Paul and Vic would be faced with the dilemma of either staying loyal to their F2 or taking Nicole and garaunteeing themselves a win.

    • she’s starting to win me over a little… I don’t like her obsession over Corey but it’s hard to deny that her dirty gameplay isn’t working out for her. If she gets to the end and she’s up against James or Corey, she deserves it in my eyes. Her main issue will be jury management. A bunch of people dislike her so she needs Corey in the finals with her

      • Corey is her best choice to go up against but it will almost be a crime if he advances that far.
        James is having problems with jury management as well, remember when the jurors returned to the house briefly before the buy back comp and Day was telling everybody to get rid of James?
        I don’t know what James did to Day but she hates him more than Nicole now.

      • I’m glad Day and Z figured that all out about James and realize it wasn’t Nicole being the snake all the time :D
        With James’s calm demeanor it’s so easy to trust him and believe his word is gold but time and time again he has gone back on his word more than anyone playing this year; and he doesn’t show one bit of remorse for doing so either. Just by looking at him you wouldn’t realize what a sneaky player he is.

      • Only thing that annoys me is even if she’s up against James or Corey she still might not win due to certain jealous, bitter, females sitting in jury. I’d root for her over those two guys but if she’s up against Paul or Vic I’m pulling for my boys. Nicole’s currently got the third place slot in my faves out of who’s left.

      • Well you also got to think that Nicole was also part in ruining the girls’s chances (along with Day). Nicole has played a good game as of now but her jury management has been really bad

    • It’s frustrating because it’s so contemptible. She’s lost my respect, even if — especially if — she whines and connives her way into the F2 on the back of Big Dummy.

    • I hate nicole because she is so annoying but has been playing a good game whoever i hate corey and his gameplay comeone he hasnt done anythinh

  6. I totally disagree with Michelle leaving being James’ fault. She did nothing to help herself but stay in the bed and whine wanting James to talk to Nichole. She’s grown and should’ve got her grown tail out of bed and talked to Nicole herself. It’s her own fault for trashing Nicole

    • While James was wrong in some instances it was not his responsibility to try and keep Michelle in the game…It is not his responsibility to keep Natalie in the game…Natalie and Michelle made their own choices in the and screwed up…Its always convenient to blame somebody else for ur failures in the BB house…Good/best example…Paulie..

      • It might not be his “responsibility” to keep others in the game, but if he put some effort into trying to save them, he might actually still have some allies left and be in a better position…

      • why? James was already low man on totem pole and he knew it.. Why put a bigger target on his back?? And his only so called alli (NATALIE) has turned on him.. And in all honesty I believe that Michelle had she stayed would have stuck it out with James and put the bad advice aside…Something Natalie cannot seem to do..

    • I agree, Michelle could’ve easily campaigned to stay and it probably could’ve worked. However, she depended on James and that was her own fault. I think James is a terrible player but I don’t think I blame him for this one

  7. Nic’s stock went up this couple of weeks, there’s no denying. Even BB Podcasters placed her as a front runner…………….but GO Vic for me.

    • Hey Cyril, I see you’re still using the noose…no luck with retrieving your avatar? I was worried about that since he took your name, too. Oh…my Cyril. I hope you can get this mess fixed. I’m so sorry this happened to you. I send you pho and virus. ‘K? ‘K. All better now.

    • Nicole’s playing the game and it’s working. Finally we’re starting to see a little bit of her BB16 self. I’d still rather see Victor win but if Nicole snatched it over Corey then i could probably live with it

  8. Natalie is the one who put victor and Paul up. James didn’t tell her to. Then she wanted James to clean up her mess and vote corey

  9. Agree with most of the ranking except Corey… He is just a coattail rider. You know what blows my mind is the complete difference between BBN’s popularity polls and Joker’s. There must be a serious amount of Nicole & James lovers on BBN b/c the rankings are like night and day. Nic is 12th on Jokers and James is like 7th or so… Just a weird observation since I know so many who comment here also check out Jokers as well…

    • I’ve noticed that about the ranking too. Maybe it’s because you have to join the Jokers site before being allowed to vote and anyone can vote on the polls here at BBN.

  10. Adam, you SO nailed it with Jamsie. No need to add anything…except:

    The Puerto Rican Sensation—Victor–for the WIN!! He is a BEAST!

  11. For once I agree, although. I don’t know how long I can listen to Natalie and how it is everyone else fault. I am listening right now and she is mad because James called her caddie…She is the definition of caddy.

    • I agree! James do suck… still waiting for him to pull out a miracle to become BB’s “unexpected” for this season…

  12. I agree with everything as well, except it being James’ fault for Michelle being evicted. Michelle made no attempt to campaign all week until the very last minute. James had no duty to protect Michelle. Even if they tried I highly doubt Nicole would have budged. After the way Michelle called Nicole a snake on national TV and made it pefectly clear to everyone that Nicole was her target why would Nicole even consider keeping her? The reason Michelle was evicted was because she thought she was so cool calling people out all the time. I give Nicole kudos for keeping her cool and letting karma take it’s course.

    • His “duty” to protect Michelle was for himself! Not to protect her just hurt himself! Ugh to Nicole. She got her wish, she’s now the queen bee of the house.

  13. From everything that has been written America seems to agree that James messed up Natalie’s game. Time and time again, he has been betraying her trust. He’s been more concerned about landing a girlfriend than winning the game.

    This is so true: That brings us to the Tofurkey of the Week – and it’s a tie… James Huling & James’s Gut. All season James has been playing a different game than the rest of them. He has been trying to win the girl, not the game, and now it looks like he may not get either. You know he is still kicking himself for dropping to Nicole in the HoH last week – and he has now put Natalie in harms way. The way he followed her around most of the week as a love struck fool was also quite pathetic. DUDE, she has used the word FRIEND so many times.

    James’s Gut has been wrong the last 2 weeks & that caused his ally Michelle to go home last week, and Natalie will (probably) go home this week because of it. This is a carbon copy of his game last year and another great opportunity to make a better life for his daughter is slipping through his fingers.

  14. The only reason Nic and Cor are still doing well is production. Corey with POV and now with HOH. His shoes sure have a lot of traction. All he has to do is walk and run, there is no sliding????

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