Day 30 - Final Tribal Council

[Mike]

Congrats to the 3 of you ^_^ you played pretty stellar games. I'll keep this short and sweet, you know how I am :)

Mike- I think your game is criminally underrated, and right now I'm leaning towards you ^_^. Always had a soft spot for Mike, but I want to know how genuine you were being in your offer to me. About our F3 deal. Were you just fluffing my sails like the rest of them, or were you being genuine? Just how far did you want to work with me? Above all else, I feel that you played for YOU harder then the rest.

I appreciate the kind sentiments, and you know I also like keeping things short and to the point.

The F3 deal was genuine. I did want to work with you to the end and like I said to you earlier, I was a bit wary approaching you since I thought you might have had other plans already (and well, you did at the time I DID approach you, just not with the people I originally suspected).

[David]

Thank you Julie! I worked hard on that speech, so I'm glad someone appreciates it! To answer your question, I feel like it does garner some respect, but it just depends on how you look at that move. You said in your question to Mike that you feel like he played for himself harder than everyone else, and I think me flipping all the time shows that I played for myself constantly. I don't think I was ever the one that preached Ovambo loyalty, my game shows that I preached loyalty to the people that would benefit me more. At times, that was Ovambo members, at times, it was other people, but it was never to help anyone else's game but my own.

Also, I think that I could have easily just stuck with you guys after that vote, but I didn't. I made sure to talk to everyone, and let everyone know that I was with them. Me flipping at that vote ensured that I would be apart of the final 3 if I were to go with Steph and Mike, which is really all I needed. I hope this made sense!

[Stephanie]

Hi Julie! <3

I know it's been talked about several times tonight, but I feel that luck played a part in the Final 7 Tribal Council when Whitney didn't vote, was eliminated on rocks, causing her game, along with yours, Sophie's and Ashley's to go down the drain. I was immune the rest of the game regardless, but for sure I feel it was something that worked in my favor. But that's the case for Mike/David also. Did I benefit on luck more than any other person? I think Mike/David relied on it more than me in this situation, because I was immune the rest of the game regardless. David, obviously, would've left that Tribal Council at Final 7, had Whitney voted. And Mike relied on a rock pick, which is obviously down to pure luck. So I'd say I relied on it less than my competition in the Final 3 tonight.

I guess you leaving on a purple rock worked in my favor as well, rather than Mike, because he was on my side, and it gave me/Mike/David the numbers. And it was unlucky for you, of course. I guess I was lucky at the Final 8 and Final 9 votes, where Grant and Kristina were eliminated. Had you and the Nama girls targeted me, I would've been gone instead. I wasn't in control for those votes, and I'm fortunate I wasn't targeted in those situations. I do feel my strategy of using Grant/Kristina as my shields worked to my advantage, because I knew the bigger threats would be taken out eventually. With idols looming, I didn't want the target to be on me. So I feel that's a combination of my gameplay, and luck.

I don't think my individual immunity wins or Hidden Immunity Idols I found are necessarily down to luck, there's nothing "lucky" about sitting in front of a computer for over ten hours, non stop, because this game means so much for you.

I think me making it to this position is a combination of my gameplay, working hard... and of course, a little luck doesn't hurt! :P

Good luck with your decision.

[Jeff Probst]

Thank you, Julie.

Cochran, i know you've waited a loooong time for this! You're up my ginger monkey.

[Cochran]

Yeah your Damn right jeff.

Congrats to you three for making it this far. Even though I didn't get to know you guys much it was fun to watch you guys throughout the game!

Steph- Why doesnt mike deserve my vote?

Mike- Why doesnt steph deserve my vote?

And both of you, why does Dave deserve my vote??

Dave- Heres the deal dave, I'm thinking of a number between 1 and 100, if you guess right you have my vote.

But dave don't think that means I won't vote for you otherwise, You've been doing a good job in here so keep it up and you never know.

And thats it. Good luck to you all and may the best player win

[David]

Cochran, you know I'm not good at challenges!! I'll guess 72.

[David]

Cochran, you know I'm not good at challenges!! I'll guess 72.

and thanks for the compliment! :)))

[Stephanie]

Hi Cochran! <3

Mike doesn't deserve your vote because:

*Relied on two lucky rock picks to make it here
*I gave him immunity at Final 6, despite having beaten him at the challenge
*He only won one immunity challenge, didn't find any idols
*I felt I socially played it better, I feel he rubbed a lot of people the wrong way and was arrogant at times
*While I fought for over ten hours to win the Final Immunity Challenge, he didn't put in anywhere near the same amount of effort

David doesn't deserve your vote because:

*Flipped because he was too scared to go to rocks
*Betrayed his alliances and showed little to no loyalty, constantly flipping back/forth
*Would've been eliminated at Final 7 if Whitney had voted
*I essentially gave him immunity at Final 6, by playing my idol and giving Mike the immunity, so when the votes were 3-3, he was safe
*He didn't win any individual immunity challenges, didn't find any idols
*Likewise, it was only me and Ashley who put in an effort in the Final Immunity Challenge, and broke the record together. The other boys more or less just PMed me and said "Good luck, I hope you can beat her" *shrug*

Good luck with your decision!

[Cochran]

Steph I asked why dave DID deserve my vote. But its alright :D Thanks

[Cochran]

Dave your welcome. And Thanks for playing along, we'll see if your right tomorrow

[David]

Hi Cochran! <3

Mike doesn't deserve your vote because:

*Relied on two lucky rock picks to make it here
*I gave him immunity at Final 6, despite having beaten him at the challenge
*He only won one immunity challenge, didn't find any idols
*I felt I socially played it better, I feel he rubbed a lot of people the wrong way and was arrogant at times
*While I fought for over ten hours to win the Final Immunity Challenge, he didn't put in anywhere near the same amount of effort

David doesn't deserve your vote because:

*Flipped because he was too scared to go to rocks
*Betrayed his alliances and showed little to no loyalty, constantly flipping back/forth
*Would've been eliminated at Final 7 if Whitney had voted
*I essentially gave him immunity at Final 6, by playing my idol and giving Mike the immunity, so when the votes were 3-3, he was safe
*He didn't win any individual immunity challenges, didn't find any idols
*Likewise, it was only me and Ashley who put in an effort in the Final Immunity Challenge, and broke the record together. The other boys more or less just PMed me and said "Good luck, I hope you can beat her" *shrug*

Good luck with your decision!

I can't help the fact that I have previous obligations that I can't cancel on. I really appreciated both of you doing that challenge for so long, and I stayed up as long as I could. I even said that I hated to leave you, but I had to. Also, I think you may have read the question wrong?? I'll double check though...

[Stephanie]

Steph I asked why dave DID deserve my vote. But its alright :D Thanks

Whoops. >_< Can I answer it? :P

David deserves your vote because:

*I guess he did well to not be targeted early in the merge, like myself. Whether that was strategically on his part, I'm not sure.
*He did betray alliances and flip back/forth, but I guess he could argue it worked out, because he did make it to the end.
*I thought he was firmly on my side, and was surprised he voted out Kristina. So in that sense I guess he surprised me and let me know I didn't have as much of a hold over him as I thought, he was playing for himself.

I hope that's good enough!

[Cochran]

Sounds good steph, Thanks!

[Jeff Probst]

Thank you, Cochran.

Next Up: Kristina!

[Mike]

Mike- Why doesnt steph deserve my vote?

And both of you, why does Dave deserve my vote??

Glad it was a good show.

I feel strategy-wise Stephanie rode Grant, I and Kristina's coattails for most of the game and only began to have an impact once we were tied 3:3 in numbers. I also believe she ran a very similar road to David and I, but we both ran it better than she did, since I definitely feel David and I did more strategizing in our alliance, and like I said earlier in response to Grant's question, David made himself a key vote in many of the votes, and that appears to be smart gameplay to me even on the offchance it was inadvertent. Whether or not one wants to judge "good" and "bad" gameplay based on whether one person got constantly targeted as a threat and for not flipping and still made it to the end, or somebody who was never really targeted and made it to the end, is up to the individual.

[Kristina]

mike doesn't want to answer cochran's question? ok...

it's this simple. my vote, for the most part, is live. i have an idea of which way i'm leaning, but i want to be convinced. i want you to sell me on why it should be you. i just want you to be as candid as humanly possible with me. i already feel i have a decent handle on the pulse of this game. i just want to hear everything from your point of view.

david. i don't care at all that you flipped on me, i actually have a great understanding as to how it helped you, but i want to hear from you, in your own words, why that was a good move for you. why should i give you my vote when you, not ashley, sophie or anyone else, are responsible for me being on the jury? why should i give you my vote when you, 'flipped back and forth on every alliance and were just a floater', as some might think?

mike. people tonight are probably saying, or at least for sure thinking, that you are a goat. i would disagree. i'm very aware of the subtle game you played, but i want to hear from you, in your own words, why that was the best strategy for you. why should i give you my vote when you 'didn't make any big moves and were dragged to the end', as some might think?

steph. you were my girl. i had a f2 with you from eons ago it seems. but i get to the jury and find out you had that with other people too. once more, it could be argued you lucked your way to the end with challenge wins and idol plays that you just happen to find. but i don't think that's the case. i know there was a lot of multi-layered depth to your game, but i want to hear from you, in your own words, why that was the best strategy for you. why should i give you my vote when you 'just found idols like russell and didn't do anything', as some might think?

[Sophie]

'just found idols like russell and didn't do anything', as some might think?

[David]

Like I've said, I don't think it was a good move at the time, but it did end up having major benefits for me. If I had stayed with the vote, two things could have happened. I could have drawn the rock, or someone in our alliance, and we all would have been screwed. Or, we could have all survived the rock draw. The problem for me with the last scenario was that I wasn't guaranteed final 3 at all. I know that you and Steph had a good bond, and I was worried that I would just go out at the final four after having gone to rocks. This mindset along with just fear of going home, is what led me to flip.

I think how you base your vote is your decision, but I was so critical to who is on the jury I feel. I feel like a floater is someone who just floats to wherever the power is, and I don't think that describes myself well. I would say that wherever I went was where the power went as well, which is why I think I deserve your vote.

[Stephanie]

Hi Kristina! <3

You were my girl too, I was devastated when you left because I was willing to risk my game and go to rocks for you. Unfortunately, David had other ideas. I honestly wanted to go to the end with you and Grant, you were the people I felt I connected with the most, and shared the most information with, and vice versa. I don't think I really had any genuine deals which I kept from you. Mike, Grant, David and I had somewhat of a Final 4 deal, which I admit I kept from you, because I didn't want you to doubt my loyalty. You and I also had a Final 4 with Grant/Ashley, which obviously, Ashley broke away from. That was the alliance I was for sure wanting to go with, Grant and I discussed getting to Final 7 with both alliances, so we would be in the middle of both. This was back at Final 9, when we planned to eliminate Whitney and Julie. I think strategically, we were on the same wavelength, so we ensured we would be able to get to the end regardless. But the plan was always to have you and me in the end! I did have some double deals so I was worried how I was going to make it happen, but I'm sure I would've. I wasn't willing to go to rocks for you, for nothing.

Like I said, I did have working relationships with more or less everyone on Ovambo, it's no coincidence that I was voted at the top of the boot list in that challenge early at the merge, because for the most part, all of Ovambo genuinely did have me in their end game plans. I made sure of it, because I wanted to have options everywhere I turned. You say you're hearing on the jury I had deals with everyone that you didn't know about previously, well, I think that speaks for itself. I was socially charming, people genuinely did want to work with me. You and Grant in particular were appealing to me, because I knew you could be my "shields" and be perceived as bigger threats. Even though I never planned on turning on either of you, I felt if there was an idol play or a flip, both of you would be targeted before me. It's a shame the way it played out, obviously losing my two closest allies back to back, but it did keep me in the game and give me a chance to recuperate.

Yes, I found Hidden Immunity Idols and won challenges. If you take that away, I really don't really see what David/Mike did over me? To me, it just adds to my résumé. David/Mike didn't have nearly the same working relationships with the rest of the players in the game. To me, finding Hidden Immunity Idols and winning challenges, requires skill and dedication. I don't see how that's any less admirable than two lucky rock picks (Mike) and surviving because someone forgot to vote (David).

Good luck with your decision!

[Mike]

mike doesn't want to answer cochran's question? ok...

Just typing slowly

mike. people tonight are probably saying, or at least for sure thinking, that you are a goat. i would disagree. i'm very aware of the subtle game you played, but i want to hear from you, in your own words, why that was the best strategy for you. why should i give you my vote when you 'didn't make any big moves and were dragged to the end', as some might think?

I don't see this at all. It was me that created the F4 alliance which 3 of its members are sitting in the finals. It was also me that got targeted come the merge for refusing to flip, being a challenge threat, and being named the "kingpin" of Ovambo.

I firmly believe how I stuck to my alliance was the best way I could have played. Once the merge hit and I got voted first, my options got limited from there. I voted Ralph with Nama to have flipping available to me if I wanted to go down that route (and also because I suspected Ralph both had the idol AND flipped on me), which resulted in flushing his idol. Sophie's idol almost got flushed too but she posted it three seconds late. Following that and Grant's elimination, my options were limited, since the numbers were 4:4; if I flipped, I would be on the bottom and in F5 - Ashley told me if I didn't flip, I was going to be voted next, and I'm sure everybody knew the vote was going to be me. I won immunity that day, knowing I had to win or risk someone flipping on me (which eventually happened and is why you got eliminated.) Either way, it was either take my elimination at F5 or F4, or risk rocks/sticking with the Ovambo guys.

Even though I had the option, flipping with Nama at any point in the game would have just put me on the bottom and the next boot once the numbers dwindled, when my position in Ovambo was solid.

Maybe I didn't "make any big moves", but I believe I picked the options that would work the best for me, and I had the hardest road coming to the end, but yet I still stand here.