Actually that bit where he said that was from his exit one in Tocantins, because after that he said "Now I know how Brendan feels".
Here's an exert from an interview with him that aired after that episode, if anybody cares to see what was going through his mind on that topic.
Question: I know you've been talking to reporters all morning and I know you've been getting this question, so I hope you have a good answer... Dude, what were you thinking?
Tyson: [laughs.] OK. So on my way to Tribal Council, this is what I thought: Danielle, Parvati and Russell know that we're splitting the votes 3-3 and I know they're voting for me. But I want Parvati gone, so I'm willing to take the risk, because I was thinking that if Parvati and Danielle are smart enough, they'll vote for Russell just to save themselves, which seems like it would be a smart play. But I guess now, looking back, too smart. I would think that if you pit 'em against each other, you would think that the one side would be like, "OK. I'll vote him out." So that's what I was thinking. I was like, "But I want Parvati gone more, because I feel like she's a bigger threat right now, so I'm going swap my vote from Russell to Parvati and regardless of if Parvati votes Russell or not, she'll be the one going home." I knew Russell had the Idol and I knew that there was a chance that he could give it to her, but you wouldn't think that that would happen. I mean, I shouldn't have taken the risk, because I didn't need to, but you know... What happened happened. It was kinda like the stars aligned for everybody but me.
Question: When would you say you finally made up your mind to do the vote your own way?
Tyson: You know, the whole way to Tribal Council, I was just thinking about it. It just occurred to me like, "Parvati and Danielle could vote for Russell and then he'd be gone." But I know he has the Idol, which I want in my hands. And I know that if I get Parvati out, Russell will be my puppy dog and so I was like, "OK. It's a risk, but if it works out, it's going to put me in a super-powerful position." And so I contemplated and I kept going back and forth and then on my way up to vote, I was just like, "Do or Die. Gotta make a decision." So I just went with that. Really, I think Russell knew he was going home and I think it didn't matter to him whether he went home this week or next, but he knew that the numbers were so stacked against him that he couldn't win. Really, I think he was giving up and just kinda saying, "I'm gonna go out with a little dignity and give my Idol to my alliance and then just go home." I really think that he felt that he was done.
Question: Well, the editing of the show certainly made it look as he had...
Tyson: Tricked me?
Question: Exactly. No?
Tyson: Well, that conversation actually went more like this. Me to Russell: We're gonna vote you 3-3 and you either have to vote Parvati out with your vote or play the Idol. And he said: I can't vote Parvati out. And we left there and I knew that they were going to vote for me and he knew that we were going to split the votes. So that's why he went up. I think he was going to play it for himself and then he was like, "Naaaah. I know I'm gonna go sooner or later now. Nobody likes me. Here you go Parvati. I want to be honorable and noble like Coach." The shock on their faces was too genuine. I knew that they had no clue. They were definitely more surprised than me, because I knew the moment the Idol came out of Russell's pocket and into Parvati's hands that I was done.
Question: How did that moment feel?
Tyson: It felt about the same as the last time as I got voted out. A lot of viewers at home don't know that you can tell when you're going home as the votes are being read. Last time, I knew the moment that my name was read twice. I was like, "They got me. I'm out." You have a moment to kinda reflect and pull yourself together. So this time, as soon as it was played, I was like, "I screwed myself and I also screwed my alliance." I mean, we had planned this plan and we had all promised it and it benefits everybody to go further in the game and so for me to do that was probably a pretty selfish move. Had it worked out, had I been there with Russell and him not being there with Parvati, he would have had to come to me and I would have another option in my cards. That would have been beautiful for me.
Question: Going back a bit, the episode was absolutely edited to make what happened last night look like a major triumph for Russell. It doesn't sound, though, like you viewed it that way? You think it was a desperate last move on his part?
Tyson: Yeah. That's what I think it was.
Question: From your point of view, Rob, Russell and Parvati, are they as smart as they all think they are?
Tyson: You know, I definitely don't think Russell is. I think he plays stupid and ended up lucking out. On top of that, Parvati and Russell have distanced themselves from the tribe so much... You can't do that in "Survivor" when there's nine people there. You can't push yourself away and say, "I'm only going to be with these two." They didn't try very hard to befriend other people or align with other people. You can do a half-***** attempt where you're like, "Uh, let's be allies" and then you both turn away and are like, "That was ridiculously stupid." That's what they were doing. They were just on the bottom of the totem pole and they were fine being there.
