Challenges: MPF percentile
11%
Seasons: 1 | Days played: 37 | Wins: 0 | Jury: 1
- Survivor 23: South Pacific (2011) - 5th place, 14th out - 8th juror.
- Voted out in Episode 14, "Loyalties Will Be Broken" (Day 37).
Rick Nelson on social media: None found
| Challenge stats | Tribal council stats | Jury stats | Overall stats | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | ChW | ChA | ChW% | VFB | VAP | TCA | TC% | wTCR | JVF | TotJ | JV% | SurvSc | SurvAv |
| S23: South Pacific | 0.55 | 9.98 | 0.05 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 0.82 | 1.86 | - | - | - | 0.88 | 2.10 |
| Career | 0.55 | 9.98 | 0.05 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 0.82 | 1.86 | - | - | - | 0.88 | 2.10 |
Rick Nelson - Performance ranks
Tribal: VFB% percentile
84%
Tribal: rVAP percentile
56%
Performance ranks are a quick visual measure of the contestant's season vs. historical data from all prior contestants, in three basic (scorable) categories:
1. Performance in individual challenges (MPF), as a measure of "physical game";
2. Ability to vote people out consistently (VFB%, or VFB/TCA), or "strategic game"; and
3. Ability to avoid being voted against (rVAP, or TCA-VAP) - which scales better than a percentage would - for "social/strategic game."
See also: Full glossary for all these abbreviations.
Rick Nelson - Challenge record
S23:
South Pacific 
Tribal/team challenge record (4-for-7; 1 sit-out):
- South Pacific Ep. 1 IC: "Coconut Conundrum" - Digs, chops the ropes, Upolu wins.
- South Pacific Ep. 2 RC/IC: "Crate Escape" - Helps work the slide puzzle, but Upolu loses.
- South Pacific Ep. 3 RC/IC: "Hitching A Ride" - Turns the big wheel for Upolu, and Upolu wins.
- South Pacific Ep. 4 RC/IC: "Shoulder the Load" - Sits out, as Upolu loses.
- South Pacific Ep. 5 RC/IC: "Pig Out" - Gnaws and spits pork, Upolu wins.
- South Pacific Ep. 6 RC/IC: "Losing Face" - Assembles, pushes the wheelbarrow for Upolu, but Upolu loses.
- South Pacific Ep. 7 RC/IC: "Family Ties" - With Coach, a caller/director for Upolu, and Upolu wins.
Individual challenge record (0-for-9; 1 sit-out): (Mean % finish: 39.8%)
- South Pacific Ep. 8 IC: "Coconut Cradle" - Out in second round, third man to drop out (5th/8).
- South Pacific Ep. 9 F11 IC: "Get Crackin'" - Eliminated in first round (tie-5th/11).
- South Pacific Ep. 9 F10 IC: "Bow-Diddley" - One of seven who opted to eat instead of compete (tie-10th/10).
- South Pacific Ep. 10 F9 IC: "Price on Your Head" - One of five far off of Sophie's winning pace (tie-5th/9).
- South Pacific Ep. 10 F8 IC: "C.A.T." - With Edna and Albert, eliminated on the first question (tie-6th/8).
- South Pacific Ep. 11 IC: "Second Chance" - Advances to final round, loses to Albert (2nd/7).
- South Pacific Ep. 12 IC: "Flip Out" - Third person eliminated (4th/6).
- South Pacific Ep. 13 IC: "Batman Wall" - Finishes behind Brandon and Coach (3rd/5).
- South Pacific Ep. 14 F5 IC: "Teeter Tower" - Ends up tied for last (tie-4th/5).
Hero challenge/ duel record (0-for-0):
- South Pacific: None.
Career totals - challenges
| Wins: | 4 |
| Played: | 7 |
| Win%: | 0.57 |
| Sat out: | 1 |
| Wins: | 0 |
| Played: | 9 |
| Sat out: | 1 |
| Win%: | 0.00 |
| Mean% Finish: | 39.8% |
| Wins: | 0 |
| Played: | 0 |
| Win%: | - |
| Mean% Finish: | - |
Rick Nelson - Tribal Council record
S23:
South Pacific 
Idols held/played: (0/0)
- South Pacific: None.
VFB - Votes for the person booted (10/12):
| Tribal | Voted | Boot (totals) | VFB? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ep2 | Stacey | Christine Shields Markoski (voted out, 4-3-1-1) | - |
| Ep4 | Stacey | Stacey Powell (voted out, 7-1) | Yes |
| Ep6 | Mikayla | Mikayla Wingle (voted out, 4-3) | Yes |
| Ep8 | Keith | Keith Tollefson (voted out, 6-6; 6-4) | Yes |
| Ep9 (F11) | Ozzy | Ozzy Lusth (voted out, 9-2) | Yes |
| Ep9 (F10) | Jim | Jim Rice (voted out, 7-3) | Yes |
| Ep10 (F9) | Dawn | Dawn Meehan (voted out, 7-2) | Yes |
| Ep10 (F8) | Whitney | Whitney Duncan (voted out, 7-1) | Yes |
| Ep11 | Cochran | John Cochran (voted out, 5-2) | Yes |
| Ep12 | Edna | Edna Ma (voted out, 5-1) | Yes |
| Ep13 | Brandon | Brandon Hantz (voted out, 3-2) | Yes |
| Ep14 (F5) | Sophie | Rick Nelson (voted out, 3-2) | - |
| 12 | TOTALS | 10 | |
VAP - Votes against (11):
- South Pacific, Ep. 8: Six votes, from Ozzy, Keith, Jim, Dawn, Whitney, and Cochran.
- South Pacific, Ep. 12: Two votes, from Cochran and Edna.
- South Pacific, Ep. 14 (Final 5 vote): Three votes, from Sophie, Coach, and Albert (voted out, 3-2).
Jury votes made (0/1):
- South Pacific, Ep. 14: Voted for Coach Wade, who finished second (6-3-0).
Career totals - Tribal Council
| Advantages held/played: | 0/0 |
| Idols found: | 0 |
| Idols played: | - |
| Votes voided: | - |
| VFB: | 10 |
| Tribals: | 12 |
| VAP: | 11 |
| Made: | 1 |
| For winners: | 0 |
| Received: | - |
Rick Nelson - Pictures
S23:
South Pacific -
South Pacific intro shot -
South Pacific intro shot -
CBS pre-game interview -
Pre-returnee lineup, Ep1 -
The temporarily Coach-free Upolus -
Ep1 confessional mocking dragon slaying -
Listening to Probst, pre-Ep1 RC -
Watching Coach, Ep1 RC -
That went well -
Day 1 meet-and-greet at Upolu camp -
Night 1, forming a Final Five alliance -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep1 IC -
Listening to Probst -
Crossing the barrier -
Releasing the coconuts -
Surprised, Ep4 Tribal Council -
Watching Mikayla shoot, Ep6 IC -
Starting line, Ep7 IC -
The reward "winning" Upolus, learning they have to watch 'Jack and Jill' -
Watching the Final 9 IC as Brandon celebrates -
Mmm, half-eaten baked goods -
Listening to Brandon, Ep9 Tribal Council -
Still going... -
Moving rice along, F9 IC -
Challenge at Tribal, F8 IC -
Watching the Ep11 duel -
Second chance with a slingshot, Ep11 IC -
Starting line, Ep12 IC -
Still going, barely -
Fun times at Upolu -
Starting line, Ep13 IC -
Ep13 Tribal Council, pre-Brandon's necklace giveaway -
Snuffed, Final 5 Tribal Council (Day 37)
Rick Nelson - Interviews
S23:
South Pacific Pre-game interviews
- Gordon Holmes at MoreWhatnot.com (8/22/11): "Pre-Game Interview: Rick Nelson"
- CBS pre-game interview (YouTube)
Post-game interviews
- Rob Cesternino at RHAP (12/19/11): "Post-Finale Interviews with Sophie, Brandon, Rick, Albert, Coach, and Ozzy"
- SurvivorOz podcast interview (1/25/13): "Rick Nelson interview"
Rick Nelson - Bio
S23:
South Pacific Excerpts from his official CBS South Pacific bio page:
"Personal claim to fame: My family and my ranch.
Pet peeves: Quitters and lazy people who don’t keep their word.
Survivor contestant you are most like: J.T. He played a great game and won. He is country, strong-willed, a great competitor, good to get along with, not a quitter and true to his word in the end. I’d like to think if you put 15 years on him, he would mirror me - except I’m better.
Why you think you will be the sole Survivor: After applying 14 times, I am driven and very determined to win the game. I will stop at nothing!"