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Marlins' President David Samson Talks About Being Booted Off "Survivor"

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - "I always wanted to be on the show," said Miami Marlins David Samson about the CBS hit show, "Survivor."  "If you have a dream, just do it.  Don't sit on the couch.  Just go for it."

Samson practiced what he preaches and did just that last year—he sent in a three minute video to be considered for a spot in the show.

"I stepped off a helicopter on the island in a sports coat," said Samson. "They separated us into teams.  I was voted in charge because I was in the sports coat.  We were the "brains" and they were the "beauties."

Samson said he had no chemistry with his teammates.

"Too many leaders and no followers—and when you're a leader without a follower, who are you leading? So we accomplished nothing," said Samson of his brief time on the show.

Samson said he got some prize money for finishing 18th, which he compares to winnings in a bad night at the poker table.

"You get a little something but again, it was not enough. I wanted to win. Basically, there's winning and losing," said Samson. "There are 17 losers and I was just the first one."

Samson describes his time on the show, which was recorded in the Philippines last summer, as an amazing experience.

"It's pretty amazing being on an island and fending for yourself, being really hungry, really thirsty, really grumpy, and trying to start a fire, that was amazing awesome," said Samson.

The Marlins' President's primetime start and finish is all the talk at the Marlins office, but his job as team president is something he said he didn't tell his fellow cast mates.

"I told people I worked in the team's front office," said Samson. "I don't think they bought it.  But the fact is we did have time to talk baseball, and since then, we have definitely spoken baseball with the cast."

Samson's next adventure is in Community Theater with a leading role in the South Miami Dade Cultural Arts Center's production of "Not Ready For Primetime" on March 28.

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