"Survivor: South Pacific": "Boston" Rob Mariano sizes up the competition

(CBS) "Boston" Rob Mariano may have finally won the $1 million prize last year on "Redemption Island," but the four-time player isn't done with "Survivor" yet.

Mariano, who is appearing next on the History Channel show "Around the World in 80 Ways," tells Celebrity Circuit that he and his wife, fellow "Survivor" winner Amber Brkich Mariano, watch the show together and comment on it.

"Thank God for DVR because we pause, we'll have a discussion and then it goes about two-and-a-half hours to watch the show," he laughs. "Sometimes we agree, sometimes we don't. That's what makes it fun, to have the perspective of who people who have played and won. We love it."

Mariano tuned in for last week's season premiere of "Survivor: South Pacific," and sized up the competition for us.

Pictures: "Survivor: South Pacific"

Celebrity Circuit: We're only one episode in, but what are your impressions so far?

"Boston" Rob Mariano: It's going to be tough for either ["Survivor" veterans Ozzy Lusth and Benjamin "Coach" Wade] to win, I think - even tougher because of the fact that I won last year.

I think right now they're doing a good job. They're, for the most part, staying low-key, not causing crazy waves, which you don't want to do in the beginning. They have to make themselves useful, so that [the other castaways] want to keep them. They can't teach them everything in the beginning, because if they do, then they don't need them. They need to save a few nuggets.

I think Ozzy is going to have a tougher time than Coach, only because I think he knows how to play the game better. I think he knows what he's doing and I think the other people realize that. Ozzy is sometimes a little bit oblivious to the surroundings and what others think of him, and that may actually work to his advantage.

Celebrity Circuit: What other advice would you offer the castaways? Does the "Redeption Island" aspect of the game change how players strategize?

RM: It definitely puts a new twist on things, from a strategic point of view. It doesn't really matter at this stage of the game, because it's early. But once the jury, starts you have to be really conscious of who you're sending to Redemption Island, who is going to sit on the jury, and start counting your votes before you even get anybody there. Because that's where the game changes. And unless you really figure that out, you can send someone to Redemption Island that you don't want there.

Celebrity Circuit: Are there any contestants who  stood out to you?

RM: There are a couple of people that stood out to me, but...it's still early. You don't know who's going to be able to stand the test of time, not only mentally but physically as well, because it's tough out there. Three days in is not the same as 39 days in.

The guy Jim seems to have a good handle on things. I think Ozzy's gotta watch out. I understand exactly why Ozzy wanted to get rid of Cochran in the beginning. It's smart of him. It's actually the exact same reason I targeted Rob Cesterino in "Survivor: All Stars." And that's because he knows so much about the game, and that can come back to haunt you in a big way. You don't want smart, strategic players in the game. You want to surround yourself with people that are not strategic to you, and he recognized that.

But having said that, I wouldn't have pushed the issue much. I don't think [Ozzy] did, because the vote was unanimous, but the reason why is because you know at this point where he stands. You have him figured out. You know he has to go, but it's better to know your enemies than the unknown quantities. So, I think it was smart of him to do that. At the same time, I think that Jim is on to what Ozzy is doing, and it's going to be interesting to see if they can hold off on each other or if they can actually come together and work together. I think they would be strong.

Mikayla knows what she's doing, too. I worry that if she's too aggressive with her mouth, it's gonna come to hurt her.

Celebrity Circuit: You went head to head with Russell Hantz last year. Do you think his nephew stands a chance?

RM: I don't know. I don't know at this point. It's early. The game changes all the time. It's really, really difficult and I try not to "Monday morning quarterback" "Survivor." Because I know what you see on TV is a good representation of what's going on out there, but you don't see everything. There's just not enough time to show everything that's going on. And it's only three days in - you have to make assumptions, but at the same time you have to be flexible.

I think the player that's going to be able to adapt the best is going to go far. I think Cochran may have hurt himself by talking so much at Tribal. He should have shut his mouth. But they never learn. They never will.

Celebrity Circuit: "Survivor" winners Ethan and Jenna are following in your footsteps and competing on "The Amazing Race." Have you talked to them about it?

RM: No, I haven't spoken to them. I heard about it though.

Celebrity Circuit: What advice would you give them?

RM: I don't know that I'd give them advice, they seem to know what they're doing. But I think the one thing that's different about the rules from Survivor is that, in "Survivor," I feel like, what happens, happens, and you're up to your own ability... In the Race, it's not about coming in first. It's just about not being last - until the last episode, of course. Not to be last should be your focus, instead of trying to be first.