Rob Mariano

Robert Carlo "Rob" Mariano (also known as Boston Rob) was a contestant in, , , and in which he claimed the Sole Survivor title.

He is the series first (and so far, only) four-time contestant, regarded as one of the strongest and ruthless males to ever compete, Rob is renowned for his leadership, strategic mindset and challenge prowess.

Profile
Robert Mariano was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. An avid sportsman, he attended Xaverian Brothers High School where he played on the varsity hockey team and helped his golf team win the state championship in 1991-92.

He currently works as a foreman for a construction company while also serving as head coach for Boston University's Inline Hockey Team. In 2001, he coached the team to their first League Championship followed by their first National Tournament where they proceeded to defeat the two-time defending national champion Michigan State Spartans in overtime.

Mariano attended Boston University where he boxed and played rugby. In 1999, Mariano graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology. He aspires to one day become a doctor. His hobbies include hockey, fishing and playing cards. In 2000, he woke up the day of the Boston Marathon and decided to run it as an unofficial entry with absolutely no training. He stopped along the way to eat burgers and drink beer. He ended up walking the last 13 miles of the race and finished in 6 hours and 20 minutes. He couldn't walk for three days afterwards.

Robert Mariano currently lives in Pensacola, Florida, with his wife Amber Brkich and two daughters, Lucia Rose and Carina Rose. He has one brother, Mike, and one sister, Heather. He is a fan of the Boston Red Sox.

Survivor: Marquesas
Mariano was initially lambasted for not doing much at Maraamu camp, despite his physique. But he made a strong alliance with Sarah Jones, Vecepia Towery and Sean Rector. When Maraamu suffered three consecutive Immunity Challenge losing streak, the pact targeted weak link Patricia Jackson first in Day 6, while eventually turning to Hunter Ellis, the tribe's de facto leader and perceived strongest member. After Ellis' elimination, Rob assumed the leadership position at Maraamu, but it was short-lived, when he was transferred (along with Rector and Towery) to Rotu after a tribe switch in Day 10.

Since the switch, the four-person alliance crumbled. After Jones' elimination (she was left at Maraamu who lost yet again), the four original members of Rotu decided to gang up on the new members, because they felt that Sean and Rob took their poor work ethic at their camp, while Vecepia was castigated as preachy and pretentious. After losing the Day 15 Immunity Challenge, the original Rotu members planned to vote Rob out first, but it was their fellow original member Gabriel Cade's apathetic approach toward the game changed their minds. Rob was spared, thanks to John's lobbying, and Cade was eliminated instead.

After Rotu's first Tribal Council, Rob confronted the original members to confirm if they had alliance. With nobody giving an impressive answer, Rob lashed out at them, but John halfheartedly stated that they would vote Kathy, Paschal and Neleh (fellow original Rotu members, but switched at Maraamu) first. Despite the tension, Mariano led Rotu to a comeback by winning the Day 18 Immunity Challenge.

In Day 19, Mariano volunteered to be Rotu's ambassador for the merge summit, where he tried to turn Maraamu's ambassador Kathy against her former comrades by telling that Zoe (a perceived friend by Kathy) is plotting against her. When the tribes were officially merged, Rob tried a to throw the Rotu Four alliance under the bus by initiating a conversation about the foursome wanting to get rid of Kathy. Despite his valiant efforts, Rob's scheming sent him packing in a 7-2-1 vote (with votes coming from the Rotu Four alliance, Neleh and Paschal and Rob's ally Vecepia).

Survivor: All-Stars
Boston Rob is one of the eighteen returning contestants in Survivor: All-Stars and was placed at the red Chapera tribe. In the beginning, Rob quickly made an alliance with tribemate Amber Brkich, which gradually turned into romance. While this gesture placed the two in trouble, Rob led the Chapera tribe into a winning streak, winning four of six challenges in first place, making Chapera the most dominant of the three competing tribes of the season.

After a twist that dissolved the rival Saboga tribe, Rob recruited the two new additions to his alliance, Rupert Boneham and Jenna Lewis. Any strategizing were put on hold for several days, as Chapera won the next three Immunity Challenges.

After a surprise tribe shuffle in Pick A Tribemate, the whole Chapera tribe, minus Amber were swapped to the Mogo Mogo tribe, while Amber was grouped with the remaining members of Mogo Mogo, much to Rob's dissapointment. With Amber's absence, Rob fortified the alliance with Tom and Alicia. After winning the next Immunity Challenge, Rob sensed Amber was in trouble, so he proposed a deal with Lex van den Berghe to spare Amber, in exchange for his safety. After much deliberation, Lex, and the remaining former Mogo Mogo members disposed one of the own, Jerri Manthey.

When the tribes merged in Mad Scramble and Broken Hearts, Lex approached Rob if their deal was still in effect. Much to the former's chagrin, Rob has reneged on his promise, sending him home. The former Chapera members then eliminated the next former Mogo Mogo, Kathy Vavrick-O'brien, Rob's former Survivor: Marquesas tribemate. With the last Mogo Mogo (Shii Ann Huang) immune, the Chapera alliance are forced to turn on each other. But after promising not to write her name down, Rob swerved Chapera's votes to Alicia's direction, eliminating her. Shii Ann failed to win the next Immunity Challenge, and soon followed.

In Day 35, Rob won the next Reward Challenge, winning himself a car and a drive-in film viewing experience. He chose Amber to join him, only to find out Amber would receive a car as well. Returning back to camp, Rob was suspicious that Tom and Rupert plotted against him and Amber during their absence, and as a solution, he pitted the two against one another. After winning the next Immunity Challenge, Tom was torn between two dyads, Rob and Amber and Rupert and Jenna. Rob and Amber assured Tom they are on his side, and they would vote Jenna altogether. But much to Tom's surprise, he was blindsided with an unanimous vote, but not before leaving Tribal Council without giving Rob a piercing stare.

In Day 37, anticipating a tie vote between himself and Amber and Rupert and Jenna, Rob lobbied Jenna to eliminate Rupert, stating he was a threat to collect more Jury votes. Threatened by the possibility of pulling out rocks, Jenna sided with Rob and Amber, sending Rupert home. After winning the final Immunity Challenge, Rob chose Amber to join him at the final two, sending Jenna to the Jury.

In Day 39, Rob and Amber enjoyed romantic moments. At the final Tribal Council, Rob was blasted by several Jury members for his numerous deceptions. Ultimately, Rob lost the title of Sole Survivor to Amber after a 4-3 vote.

Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains
Assigned to the Villains Tribe following his All-Stars appearance, Rob quickly became the de facto leader and helped his tribe achieve early success against the Heroes. Despite his work ethic and popularity within the tribe, Rob became angry at the fact that none of his tribe mates wished to contribute towards a camp or fire.

Newcomer Russell Hantz with the help of his all-girl alliance opted to eliminate him after a conversation between Rob and Russell determined that Russell would eliminate his own alliance before any outsiders, although kept orders clear to his alliance, Tyson Apostol was swayed by the Samoa runner-up and changed his vote, effectively eliminating Tyson (The original plan of Rob's would have caused a tie between Tyson and Russell, which would cause Russell to leave in the tiebreaker). The villains then lost the next Immunity Challenge. Coach proceeded to make a deal with both Rob and Russell, and wanting to make good on his promises to both men, threw his vote at Tribal Council and voted Courtney (Had Coach stuck with Russell, Rob would have left, and had Coach stuck with Rob, there would have been a 4-4 tie), causing Rob to be voted out. When Coach attempted to say goodbye, Rob whispered in his ear;

"villains"

- You're a little man

At the Reunion, the feud between Russell and Rob was mentioned and later put to rest in Survivor: Redemption Island

Survivor: Redemption Island
Unlike his archnemesis Russell Hantz, Rob was warmly received by his tribe. It didn't take him long to be accepted into an alliance, which consisted of Andrea Boehlke, Matt Elrod, Grant Mattos, Natalie Tenerelli, and Ashley Underwood. His first target was Kristina Kell, who was looking for the Hidden Immunity Idol. But later they decided to vote out Franchesca when Ometepe lost the first immunity challenge. At that tribal council, Rob saw an oppurtunity to manipulate Phillip who was a loose cannon. When Ometepe lost the second immunity challenge, Rob made a deal with Phillip that he would protect Phillip and welcome him into the Ometepe Alliance if he followed the plan and acted as if he was getting voted out, but he told him that it wasn't Phillip going home. Rob and the Ometepe Alliance then blindsided Matt, a member of their own Ometepe Allaince. They did this because they feared Andrea and Matt would develop into a power couple, very much like Rob and Amber did in Survivor Allstars. They then voted out Kristina but split the vote with Phillip, just incase she had the Idol. Rob then finds his own Idol, when he lies that he has bowel problems and goes and looks for it. Ometepe then wins all of the immunity challenges left until the merge. When Matt re-enters the game as a result of Redemption Island, he decides to keep with Rob who again votes Matt off. The Ometepe Alliance then starts a pagoning of the Zapterra Tribe, voting off Mike, David, Julie, Ralph, and Steve. After Steve is voted out, there is no more Zapaterra tribe left and the Ometepe Allaince are forced to turn on themselves. Rob continues to be in control, and convinces everybody to vote off Andrea instead of Phillip, who he conspires to take to the final three with because of his unpopularity with the jury members. When Ashley wins the Immunity Challenge, Rob is forced to eliminate his good friend in the game, Grant. Rob uses his Idol in that vote, as it is the last night he can use it Andrea then comes back into the game via Redemption Island and is then voted off again by Rob and his minions of Phillip, Nathalie, and Ashley who is starting to open her eyes to Rob's gameplay. . Rob has destroyed all other clues or evidence to other immunity idols in the game. Rob then wins immunity from the second to last tribal council, and wins a spot in the final three. Rob then decides to take Phillip, and Nathalie to the final three with him. He believes he can win against them because Phillip is disliked by the jury especially by the Zapterra members, and because Nathalie has done nothing in the game and around camp, and has just been one of his minions. Ashley, realizing that she is going to get voted off, tries to convince Nathalie to vote for Phillip, forcing a tie, but Nathalie stays loyal to Rob, consequently voting off Ashley. In the final tribal council, Rob delivers his arguement to why he should be the Sole Survivor, which is much more developed than Phillip's or Nathalie's which were both very weak. Rob then wins an easy victory, mastering his survivor stratagy, and finally becoming the Sole Survivor.

Post-Survivor
Rob was cast along with wife Amber Mariano on The Amazing Race as an engaged couple on the show's seventh season, where they finished second. They returned as newlyweds in the Amazing Race All-Stars, where they dominated in the first three episodes, but only to be eliminated on the fourth, finishing eighth.

Rob is currently a co-host on The History Channel TV series Around the World in 80 Ways which first aired on October 1, 2011. Rob, along with professional monster truck driver Dennis Anderson, travel around the world using 80 various forms of transportation.

Trivia

 * Mariano currently holds the record of most number of seasons competed, playing in four different seasons.
 * Mariano won 4 individual immunity challenges in both Survivor: All-Stars and Survivor: Redemption Island, coincidentally, he made it to day 39 in both seasons. Because of a double tribal council on day 15 of Survivor: Heroes vs Villains, he won individual immunity, and won 2 reward challenges in All-Stars (also he was taken on reward by Tom Buchanan), and even though there were few individual reward challenges in Redemption Island, Rob (along with Andrea Boehlke) was given part of a reward by Grant Mattos. Survivor: Marquesas was the only season that Rob did not win an individual challenge.
 * Mariano has the most tribe affiliations, with nine.
 * Out of the four seasons Mariano has played, he has never been on the jury. In Marquesas and Heroes vs. Villains, he did not make it to the Jury phase of the game while in All-Stars and Redemption Island, he made it to Day 39, facing the Jury. Coincidentily, his rival, Russell Hantz, has had the same pattern.
 * Rob is the only four time player.
 * Rob's luxury item in Survivor Marquesas, was a Football.
 * Both seasons where Rob reached the finals the show featured 18 castaways (Survivor: All-Stars and Survivor: Redemption Island).
 * Mariano became the fourth recurring contestant who reached 100 days playing the game, following Amanda Kimmel (108), Parvati Shallow (114) and Rupert Boneham (100). Rob's 100th day was on Day 22 of Survivor: Redemption Island. Rob now owns the record with the most days ever played at 117, breaking Parvati's record of 114.
 * Mariano is the second male player to make it to Day 39 more than once, the first being his rival Russell Hantz.
 * Jeff noted in the Survivor: Redemption Island live reunion show that Rob's game play on that season was one of the best strategies a Sole Survivor has done.
 * Mariano appeared in the live reunion show of Survivor: Nicaragua, likely hinting his inclusion on the next season. Rob also helped bring the reunion show to a commercial break at one point.
 * Mariano is the fifth returning player to make it to Day 39 more than once, following Amanda Kimmel, Russell Hantz, Parvati Shallow, and Sandra Diaz-Twine.
 * Rob is part of a "Sole Survivor family". He and his wife Amber both won the title of "Sole Survivor". Amber back on All-Stars in 2004 and Rob on Redemption Island in 2011.
 * Rob is the first person to return in a season in which there are only two returning players, make it to the Final Tribal Council, and win.
 * Rob is the second returning player to make the Final Tribal Council when there is only two returning players following Stephenie LaGrossa in Survivor: Guatemala.
 * Rob is the third and latest returning castaway to earn the title of Sole Survivor in a subsequent attempt at the game (he suceeded both Parvati Shallow in Micronesia and his wife Amber Brkich from All-Stars).
 * Rob is the first male player to win a season where there are returning players (Previous returning player seasons had been won by Amber Mariano - Survivor: All-Stars, Danni Boatwright - Survivor: Guatemala, Parvati Shallow - Survivor: Micronesia and Sandra Diaz-Twine - Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains).
 * He was nominated in Survivor: America's Tribal Council as Sexiest Male but lost to Colby Donaldson.
 * Rob was inducted into Xfinity's Survivor Hall of Fame in 2010.
 * In the four seasons Rob has competed, he never participated in a Survivor Auction.
 * Rob holds the record for the most Indivdual Immunity wins, with nine.