The winner by a nose................

"You can observe a lot by watching people." Yogi Berra / New York Yankees
People are truly creatures of habit and it always seems to come out on Survivor at the bitter end. Why is it that almost every year when it comes down to the end of the season people get so bitter and mean in a game that they have watched on television through the years that requires people to do things they normally wouldn't do? More on this later.
Day 35
I wrote down two things before the show started last night. Albert wouldn't give back the idol to Brandon last week at tribal council shortly before Brandon hit the bricks and Coach continues to play the honor, integrity and loyalty card.
Redemption Island
Brandon comes out and tells Ozzie he got blindsided. Ozzie says exactly the same thing I thought, dude you gave away the idol, you made a stupid move and tried to blame it on someone else. Did you not learn anything from the ice cream guy from Michigan a few years back? The only difference this time was you didn't have three blondes with big boobs asking for the idol, you simply gave it away. Ozzie wins the competition by holding onto his pole longer than Brandon could hold onto his pole.
Go ahead and read that last line again, you know you want to because its a lot like that racy picture you just got through email and you look at it alone and say this is gross, but you keep looking at and finally send it to someone else. You then discuss it at the water cooler in low tones and laugh. See, you know you do. It is quite apparent that Ozzie needs to win all the challenges to make it to the final as everyone watching was openly rooting for Brandon to win.
Tetuna Night 35
Sophie points out that Albert not giving the idol back to Brandon will come back and haunt him. Did I just not say that same thing? As I said last week, sometimes it's what you don't do that will hurt you more than what you do. Albert could have really built up points with the jury by giving the idol back to Brandon and took on Ozzie in the Redemption Island challenge. That would have shown guts and loyalty. Oh yeah, Coach calls out Albert for lying. WOW dude, really? The king of the convenient truths calls out someone else for lying.
Day 36
Ozzie rejoins the tribe and Coach talks about giving him his hidden immunity idol if he happens to win the next challenge. Coach then says it is his game to lose. Talk is of taking out Sophie or Rick at the next vote.
Day 37 Challenge
Use one hand to balance a plate while building a stack of dominoes with the other hand. Cool challenge I must say. One by one each player manages to take the lead and then dump their dominoes. Ozzie wins once again though. Back at camp Ozzie's idea is to pit the other four against one another. Coach and Albert talk about taking Rick out and then Coach tells Rick that Sophie is gunning for him. At this point I wrote down in my notes, get rid of Sophie now because she will be tough to beat at the final.
Tribal Council
Albert pleads his case that they should keep him around because he is a viable threat to beat Ozzie in a challenge. Again, the group is openly discussing their plan to get rid of Ozzie as a group. Sophie says she has won a couple challenges and can beat Ozzie so they should keep her. Rick opens up about how he hasn't won any challenges and that Ozzie needs to look at people who won't beat him, good point. Ozzie then speaks up and tells everyone that Coach promised him a place in the final. WOW, talk about putting someone on the spot. Sophie breaks down when Ozzie then calls her condescending and that other people have said things about her. Right then and there I would have called Ozzie out and simply asked this: "You know what you are right I can be. Let me ask you this Ozzie, I would like to apologize to those people who called me names, exactly who said what about me?" Put the emphasis back on him. By a 3 - 2 vote, Rick is sent packing and he wants nothing to do with Coach's attempt at a hug.
Tetuna Day 38
Ozzie says he can sense victory. Coach calls Ozzie for spilling the beans last night, using the honor, integrity and loyalty card again. Coach should have set up a digital swiping system on the island for at many times as he keeps pulling out his loyalty card talk. Maybe he can use it to get a free Slurpy at the corner store. After all this talk about Russell Hantz hurting him last time around, he is playing the game exactly like him. The talk turns to having Sophie and Albert tie after the next challenge so they have to build a fire.
Final Challenge
Run through five obstacles to get five bags of puzzle pieces. Ozzie jumps out to a big lead but soon Coach and Sophie catch up. Albert is dead last and for someone who claims to be a great challenge person, he was never is this. Sophie comes from behind and wins the challenge.
Pre Tribal
Ozzie laments about not being able to put the puzzle together. Coach kisses up to Sophie and so does Albert. Ozzie wants to make it a tie and get into a fire building challenge. In me notes I write down, don't give Ozzie another chance.
Tribal Council
The million dollar puzzle does Ozzie in as he is voted out. I think Sophie is going to win.
Back at camp
An Ozzie free camp says Coach. Albert asking Sophie what she is going to say at final tribal council, nice try dude, no soap. The camp gets burned but no fallen comrades journey to burn the torches of the other players.
Final Council
Sophie talks too much about the obvious. Albert talks like a butt kisser and Coach once again uses his gas station rewards card to speak about honor.
Ozzie lashes out once again calls Sophie condescending. Jim asks a question and Albert says he was the leader and not Coach and that Sophie doesn't know how to play a social game. Dawn was very nice as I expected calling Coach a girl. Rick was simply pissed off at everyone including the guy who pissed in morning flakes. Brandon asks Albert about ten times if he knew they were voting for him. Whitney didn't say anything nice about anybody. Keith was distracted by a squirrel. Cochran all but went up and gave Coach a big wet kiss. Edna said the rest of the jury needed to grow up as this is how Survivor is played and they knew what they signed up for.
Sophie wins by a vote of 6 - 3.
Final Thoughts
You had three of the final four who could have won this game had situations been different which is unusual. Jeff asked for a show of hands that proved Coach would have won had Rick been in the final against him instead of Sophie. Jeff also asked how Ozzie would have done had he made it to the final and it was all but unanimous that he would have won. Another great season. Next time on Surivovor. Both tribes will live in the same area this time around. It will be interesting to see what happens when one team wins a challenge and things like fire, blankets and food and see if they share it.
Give me your thoughts.