# Survivor Finale and Reunion 17 May **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 17, 2009, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale-and-reunion-17-may/496772 "2009-05-17T19:13:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale-and-reunion-17-may/496772/61 "2009-05-20T16:52:05Z")
Stephen tried to blindside JT. He broached the subject cautiously with Taj, but she didn’t seem to go for it. That was Stephen’s best shot of winning, and in hindsight, Taj’s best shot, too. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale-and-reunion-17-may/496772/62 "2009-05-20T17:18:10Z")
> [@spoke-](#): > > Stephen tried to blindside JT. He broached the subject cautiously with Taj, but she didn’t seem to go for it. That was Stephen’s best shot of winning, and in hindsight, Taj’s best shot, too. It didn’t end up mattering because JT won the challenge immediately following that conversation (the spider web slash puzzle challenge). If JT had lost I have no doubt Stephen would have pushed hard with Taj and Erinn to vote him out. He basically had to if he wanted any hope of winning. I think Taj and Erinn would have gone for it. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale-and-reunion-17-may/496772/63 "2009-05-20T17:20:54Z")
Thinking back, I think Steve’s biggest problem was trying to win over the ENTIRE jury. The only way he could win was to highlight his differences from JT, and his only difference was Coach. Half the jury hates Coach. His best chance was to just give up Coach’s vote and explain to everyone that he never followed the “take the strongest” strategy and he only used the warrior alliance to save himself. ---
**Author:** ![sohvan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sohvan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sohvan)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale-and-reunion-17-may/496772/64 "2009-05-20T17:29:29Z")
JT won 3 immunity challenges in a row at final 5, final 4, and final 3. He would have been in high danger of being voted out for at least the final three and final four tribals, and possibly the fifth as well. Taking him out at 3 would have been an obvious thing to do. Taking him out at 4 would have still left Stephen and Taj a strong alliance, so they would have only needed to win the final immunity against Erinn. Taking him out at final 5 would have been a bit dangerous, as there might have been an unlikely but possible Coach and Erinn alliance against Stephen and Taj. None of those were ever an option because of the immunity though, and taking him out at 6 would have been very dangerous. Didn’t Stephen once talk with JT about Tyson being a possible threat for an immunity run, and maybe JT could be that person this year instead. It’s a bit ironic to look back at that comment now. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2009, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale-and-reunion-17-may/496772/65 "2009-05-21T02:35:15Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > You know, we’ve seen a LOT of buxom blondes come on this show swearing up and down that they were going to use their looks to make their competitors think they were dumb blondes and underestimate them, then smack everyone else out of the competition with their cutting wit and sneaky ways. And there has so far only been one who’s actually done it, reaching the Final Tribal Council and then basically deliberately giving the prize away to one of their allies, and that’s the last season’s Sugar. All the rest of these “stealth survivors” have foundered when they forgot to use that “wit” and “sneaky ways”, relying instead on fascinating the men with their looks. > > Well, we have the first man to follow up Sugar. JT came into this game knowing exactly what he looked and sounded like, and knowing how that image would work in his competitors’ minds. And he rode that all the way to a million dollars. This is a really savvy analysis – I think you’re absolutely right about this. What a rascal! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale-and-reunion-17-may/496772.md?page=3)