Not everyone is planning a Super Bowl party.

        People who gave Cincinnati the second-highest ratings in the nation for Survivor are eagerly preparing parties for the Survivor: The Australian Outback premiere today (about 10:30 p.m., Channels 12, 7).

        The Pina Colada Tribe of Pleasant Ridge will reconvene Sunday in Jodi Collins' home to watch Survivor, as it did last summer.

        “We're thought about switching the name from Pina Coladas to Foster's Lager tribe in honor of the Outback,” Ms. Collins says.

        Norwood resident Susan Wenner has organized a big Australian-themed bash. “We'll be watching Crocodile Dundee (instead of) the Super Bowl, eating Vegemite sandwiches and drinking Two Dog beer,” she says.

        David A. Levy of Cheviot may skip a “should-be-great” Super Bowl party because he knows “they won't be interested in watching the first episode of S2 afterward,” he says.

        Amy Grace Shelton of Cherry Grove plans to slip away from a Super Bowl party during the fourth quarter so she doesn't miss a minute of Survivor.

        At AP Technoglass in Florence, employees have drawn the names of the 16 Survivors in an office pool, as they did last summer. In addition to the $5 entry fee, participants pay $1 a week until their person is voted out of the TV show. When CBS' Survivor wins $1 million on April 26, one lucky worker will win more than $150, Brian Janocik says.

        “We're all pretty excited about it,” says Mr. Janocik of Independence.

        Several huge Survivor fans admit they're skeptical about whether the second series will be as good as the first.

        “I'm afraid these people will try to copy Richard, Susan and the (original cast) and it will just come off as a copy cat. There's one ad I've seen where some Susan-esque chick is babbling on about alliances already. Been there, done that. But I am ready to embrace the Outback for sure,” Ms. Shelton says.

        “I'm very excited about the new Survivor. But this cast is much younger and more attractive than the last, and I am wondering how this will affect the outcome of the game and what the interaction between cast members will be like,” says Erin Fahey of Clifton.

        “I also want to see how the man from Kentucky (Rodger Bingham) fares,” Ms. Fahey says. “It is nice to have sort of a hometown person to root for.”

        Tristate Friends fans also say that Survivor will be the “Must See TV” when the two shows go head-to-head starting 8 p.m. Thursday, the first day of the February ratings sweeps.

        “Once it is on Thursday nights, we'll tape Friends and watch Survivor,” says Jeff Martin of Cheviot. “There is no way Friends could ever try to compete.”

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