This was a great season. Lots of contrast. I saw heros, rats, and nobodies - it was like EVERYONE was one of the 3, profoundly.
So we wound up with 3 rats.
Coach was a backstabber and a politician. If any of the 3 really deserved to win, it was him. The other 2 rode his coat tails, he dominated the game. It all fell apart, though, because of his hypocrisy. There must be a want to do whatever it takes to get as far as possible, but if you really want to play for #1, the first thing you have to do from day 1 is play honorably. Otherwise, you won't have the jury. This is why Coach got 2nd place.
Sophie hung around in the background and casually played a solid but typical game. Not a clean record as far as honor goes, no big moves. Her best claim to victory is winning 3 individual immunity challenges. That's impressive.
Albert was a little rat and everyone knew it. He quietly rode Coach's coat tails the whole game. Lucky him, but then again he didn't win.
The heros were Brandon and Ozzy. What's brilliant about it is that neither of them really grasped at the million dollars like the others. They both made big moves and played the game from the heart, putting their dignity first and doing what they thought was right, not what would keep them safest. I was inspired by their strength and courage. It was great to see them both hold their heads high all the way through the end of the series. They were the true winners. The ones who made it to the final three will always have that bittersweetness of knowing that sure, they made it pretty far but no one really respected them and that's worth more than a million dollars. Seeing those 2 heros play is what made this season worth watching.
Another big player was Cochran. He came from a unique standpoint, and really wound up making the most of it. He didn't play perfectly, but he wound up making big moves and really playing the game like he hoped he could. That's why he went out with a smile, and it was touching. I also agreed with his final assessment that Coach should be the one to win the million. Coach may have been a rat, but he dominated while others who were also rats rode behind.
This has solidified my appreciation of Survivor, anywho. It is more than just a competition involving petty drama between people. It reveals character like few other scenarios. There will always be rats, heros, and nobodies. The day it's not, there will be no show. I think it is particularly interesting to see the ones who return for a second or third run, and how they change. Survivor seems to build character, from what I've seen, and that's cool. I think people like Ozzy and Boston Rob, and even Brandon vicariously, have shown how Survivor can turn someone into a winner. I think even Coach, if he came back for another season, would definitely change his game and play more gracefully.