Challenge Final Reckoning Team Preview: Da’Vonne Rogers and Jozea Flores
Expect the unexpected is the Big Brother moniker. Da’Vonne and Jozea enter the Challenge universe as seasoned rookies. Jozea competed on Champs vs Stars 3 and was not very good, but he made some connections and starts off on a better foot than other rookies would. Da’Vonne loves reality television and was a Big Brother superfan who had two experiences in the Big Brother house. While neither has been particularly good at any of the shows they have attempted, both players have learned from their failures and are ready to give their best effort. Or they might fail again, you never know, expect the unexpected.
Introducing the Rivalry: After becoming a fan favorite on Big Brother 17 with her social media presence, Da’Vonne was able to return to the Big Brother house on season 18 as part of a twist. Da’Vonne became team captain of a group of four. Jozea was on her team and along with some other rookies plotted to overthrow the veterans. Unfortunately, Jozea proved himself a clueless player by having secret meeting with over half the cast and naming himself the Messiah. He became an easy target and was the first person to be voted out of the Big Brother house. Two years later, they will be reunite as teammates on The Challenge. I expect no bad blood between the two as they have bigger problems to deal with.
However, it would not shock me to see Da’Vonne get frustrated with enigmatic Jozea. The team will be a hit when it comes to confessionals and memes.
Player Vitals:
Jozea Flores: 27 years old, Rookie, 5'8, 160 lbs, Former Make-Up Artist
Da’Vonne Rogers: 30 years old, Rookie, 5'8, Former Poker Dealer
Skills & Physical Strength: Expectations for Jozea were very low going into Champs vs Stars, and he still somehow managed to disappoint us. He was never at the top of the pack, could not go up the slippery oil slide to the start the show, was awful at flip cup, and could not swim. Jozea’s single bright moment came during elimination, when he lifted a giant solo cup with ease and was putting pressure on Casper Smart. Thankfully, the real Challenge is more physical and he is in good shape. He has the desire to not suck as well. Jozea spent his Champs vs Stars appearance cheque on private swimming lessons after he was eliminated. At least he is trying, which is all you want out of someone.
Da’Vonne never won anything on Big Brother, therefore, expectations are low for her as well. She is expected to be hilarious and give good confessionals. However, Da’Vonne is not a tiny woman; she has got some size and in a physical game, I would love to see her go one on one with another girl in a pole wrestle. Big Brother is about speed, balance, and endurance, you never get the chance to get physical with another person. As rookies, we should expect little from them. Any good performances will be major positives for them.
SSMP (Social, Strategic, Mental, and Political) Game: It may be difficult for Da’Vonne to navigate the social landscape of The Challenge. She is a mom who is playing to win money for her family and to help her brand. I do not expect her to be drinking and partying with some of the crazy personalities of the show. Da’Vonne will definitely not be buddy-ing up with someone like Angela. Jozea is a more natural social creature, but Da’Vonne needs to handle their social and strategic game.
Da’Vonne loves Big Brother and is a superfan. The thing is, she sucks at Big Brother because of her knowledge of the game and her naturally big personality. She cannot play a low-key game and she is not a competition threat to play a high-key game either. The Challenge is a game of survival and advancing no matter what; playing the middle or playing an overt game can actually take you far. Mentally, Da’Vonne might be one of the stronger people on the cast. On Big Brother 17, she played with many intelligent people. Three players from the top four actually worked as a genius poker player manipulator, a nerdy salutatorian, and a rock-star dentist. respectively. In The Challenge, she ranks much higher on the list. Bring some Big Brother social shadiness and she could get them far.
Eliminations & Winning Potential: Going out on a limb here and predicting that Jozea and Da’Vonne do not win this season. Can they make the final? Honestly, yeah. There is a universe where Jozea and Da’Vonne quietly stay under the radar and where Jozea’s friendships from Champs vs Stars carry him through the first couple of episodes. They play up the lay-up role as much as they can to be a non-threat, they do not finish last in any purges, and if they have to win an elimination late in the game, then they go in and compete to earn their spot in the final. Will that happen? Probably not, but there is a universe where that happens 3 out of 100 times. This duo is simply not ready for a Challenge final as much as they have trained for it.
The last season true rookie(s) won was Season 23 Battle of the Seasons, a season where majority of the cast were inexperienced or rookie players.
I do not want to see Jozea in any eliminations because he is one of the smaller guys in a game where raw physical size matters. He also struggles under pressure. I do want to see Da’Vonne in one because she has the size and fire to compete, along with pure mom strength. You never want to get into a fight with an Inglewood mom, especially not with a million dollars on the line.
Jozea’s Rating: 61/100
Da’Vonne’s Rating 71/100
