New 'Survivor' Castaways: A Closer Look at Aras Baskauskas

It's time to take a closer look at Aras Baskauskas. (Backwards, he's Sara! :::grin::: Whatever you do, please do not ask me to say his name three times fast.)

He looks like he should be another strong player in the game. He's young; he's athletic and it seems that he's smart. Ah, but will he make the grade?

He's 24, always good for competitions. In a quick Google on him, I see articles like this and this. He's 6'4" and his sport of choice was basketball. Now, I don't know that court skills themselves will work well on 'Survivor', but being part of an organized team should help a bit.

Onto his bio from the official CBS website:
He completed his undergraduate studies in three years and, in 2003, was named UC Irvine's Most Eligible Bachelor. Oh, la la! He has an MBA (ohhh!) and played professional basketball overseas. He is a yoga instructor in Santa Monica, CA and his hobbies/interests include meditation, golf and surfing. He believes he's outgoing, compassionate and genuine. But are those good traits for 'Survivor' where backstabbing, manipulation of others and sneakery are more likely to get someone into the Final 4? Yeah, I invented "sneakery." It's self-explanatory, right?

Hmmm... checking out his favorites:
UC Irvine's team is called the ANTEATERS! Heehee!
(ahem)
Parcheesi, Warcraft II... good taste in music (Miles Davis, Norah Jones, Jack Johnson)... I'm not familiar with his books/authors chosen. The book he lists may or may not play into how he plays the game -- THE WISDOM OF INSECURITY. He likes Trader Joe's granola cereal. I agree with him on that one. He doesn't seem to drink.

My overall prediction based on just what I'm seeing about him in the bio, favorites and bits on the Web (no spoilers)...? I think I want him to do well. I bet he's going to be one of the Good Guys on the cast. He seems so cleancut and boy next door and all. But those aren't necessarily what makes a 'Survivor' winner. He could come across as a physical threat to others or he could fly under the radar with goodness and light. I predict the latter part of mid-season, just shy of Final Four.

I hope I'm wrong.
Your thoughts?