On Martyrs, Saints and Weasels

It's being billed as one of the biggest, riskiest moves in Survivor history.  Substitute "risky" with "ballsy", "gutsy", "crazy" or "stupid" - the choice is yours.  Let me know what you guys think... !!

If you didn't see it... Ozzy thoughtfully, then reluctantly, then wholeheartedly (more on this later) threw himself on his sword for his team (more on this later) so that he could go to Redemption Island, beat Christine, and return back to his tribe to have even numbers in the merge.  OK.... there's SO much to discuss.

1) I was so excited that someone (even if he does seem stoned) has FINALLY thought of this.  If you read this blog regularly, you'll know that I said last year that eventually they're going to figure out that some thought needs to be put into who goes to Redemption Island.  If you don't want them back, they should be weak & therefore easy to beat.  If you DO want them back - as in this case - you send a strong competitor.  Now, none of that takes into account crazy strength & willpower of people like Christine, who I'm sure was not expected to do so well. 

2) What are your thoughts on Ozzy's motives?  On one hand, he says he's doing it for the tribe.  He's just an altruistic guy who wants to do what's best for the group.  Do you buy it?  I don't think I do.  My feeling is that Ozzy loves Ozzy.   But, I don't think it's in the Boston Rob way of, damn it, I'm going to do anything I have to to further myself in the game.  I think it's more narcissistic than that.... I think Ozzy really digs being the "Survivor Guy" who's kinda worshipped.... He still feels stupid for how he left the game last time, so yeah, there's the Redemption angle (cue Mark Burnett jumping up & down) but also Ozzy wants to be that guy who saves the day, rides in on the white horse and gets the credit.  I'm not saying it's entirely wrong, as a little credit goes a long way in this game... but I honestly don't think he's doing it for THE OTHERS like he's trying to make you believe.

3) So... another point, but still on Ozzy.  Can we all agree that he's a bit of a baby?  He's that guy... we all know someone like that. Outwardly calm, but the bad temper when he doesn't get his way and super good at blaming others.  This relates to point #2, because if he really wanted us to believe it was all for the good of the team, he wouldn't have waffled.  The team lost the immunity challenge - and it was pretty much Cochran's fault.  Immediately Ozzy throws a hissy fit (becoming all to common, non?) and punches & kicks a wall and goes off about it to Jeff and back at the camp... and right away points the finger at Cochran for losing it.  So right after telling Cochran about his plan to volunteer himself for Redemption, Ozzy turns on him and has the whole tribe (even Dawn!) saying, "Yeah, you should go, Cochran.  And don't worry, you'll do fiiiiiiiiine against Christine."  Uh, what?  Then later, Ozzy flip-flops again back to his original idea, but by now he's got to convince everyone because they're all ready for Cochran to go.  Sigh.  If it was really about the team, Ozzy would have acted more like a true leader and shared the blame for the loss.  He could have fixed the stupid rope a lot sooner, he could have called someone else in to help out... Jim didn't help sooner, why wasn't it his fault? Everyone loves a scapegoat.

4) Why does no one believe that Christine will join with team Ozzy if she wins and re-joins the game?  Uh, it's pretty much common knowledge (remember, people have been to see the Redemption Island challenges) that Christine HATES her old team.  Remember her going off on 'Benjamin' and giving Rick the finger?  Even if Cochran lost the challenge, they'd get Christine... and have even numbers anyway.

5) How can you not love the risky/stupid nature of Ozzy's plan?  If it works and he beats Christine, he's going to look like the awesomest Jesus of the Jungle EVER.  There will be little anyone can do to stop him (uh, did anyone think of this?)... 'cause who's going to suggest voting out the dude who saved the tribe?  At the end, he IS the saviour on the white horse who did everything "for his tribe"....  Now... there are a couple of ways this could go wrong.  First, and most obviously, he could lose the challenge.  He's not perfect and Christine is pretty fantastic at every challenge so far.  She's got the determination and the momentum and the belief in herself for doing so well so far.  If she beats Ozzy, he goes home - I don't think he even gets to be on the jury.  That would suck & he'd look like a big, huge idiot.  The other scenario is that he wins, but there's no merge and his team has to go into another challenge an important man down.  They could lose it, have to vote another person out and he'd still have to face another challenge to get back in the game, but now they'd be down a man, so what was it all for?  Part of me hopes that his decision comes back to bite him in the ass just a little bit.  Oh yeah, is it certain that Ozzy would be able to re-join his team?  What if there's no merge and Ozzy has to go to the other team?  Huh?  What then, smarty pants?  My boyfriend Jeff and the other producers like to shake it up a bit just when people are feeling sure they know what's going to happen. 

OK, so the other two things we need to talk about are Cochran and Team Coach.  Let's start with Cochran:

In some respects, his team was right - he should have taken responsibility and gone to Redemption Island. It would be his chance to win it for his team and man up.  Right?  On the other hand, Cochran knows he stands very little chance of beating Christine, so why on earth wouldn't he jump on Ozzy's suggestion?  I can't really see how this turns out good for Cochran, though.  If Ozzy wins & comes back, he's the boss again and well, see point #5 above.  If Ozzy loses, the team resents Cochran for being there while their strong competitor Ozzy is gone.  Right?  Then again, Cochran's got the immunity idol, which he doesn't have to give back if Ozzy doesn't come home.  That's pretty nice, but only gets you so far.  Remember, these people will be your jury and they think you just weaseled your way into Ozzy's spot.  Then again, if I'm Cochran, I think to how none of my team really had my back when push came to shove... oh, hey, blue team.... what up?

Right... and then there's the blue team.  Sigh....  I've got nothing against people being religious, but this is getting a bit much, non?  The group prayer sessions.... Oh Father, please help us win this challenge, Father, and blah, blah, blah, Father.  Yes, I do feel like I may be catching the express bus to Hades just by writing this, but ugh... it's uncomfortable to watch, isn't it?  First, you get the feeling not everyone is as into it as the others, right?  Sophie's just going along with it.  Albert... hard to say.  Edna, for sure just going along.  Coach and Baby Hantz are the main drivers of this scheme.  So here are my thoughts why it's icky:

1)  I adore that Sophie pointed out that Coach was ummmm... fibbing in his own prayer... asking God to help find the immunity idol, when he knew he already had it.  Funny.  Baby will not take kindly to that when he sees the show.  Lo & behold & amen!  After praying, they found the immunity idol!  Hallelujah! 

2) Does anyone else find it icky when people pray so hard for themselves?  "Help me win" just doesn't seem like the stuff you're supposed to pray for... but I'm on that express bus, so maybe I'm wrong.  I was reasonably sure you were supposed to pray for spiritual guidance to important life matters and well... for others, right?  You'd think God has some pretty big issues to sort out at the moment....It seems like, "Dear Jesus, let me win a new truck" isn't quite what it's supposed to be about, is it?  Am I getting preachy right now?

3) The other icky part - to me anyway - was when their team won the challenge (thanks of course to the power of prayer - cut to Coach praying in the middle of the challenge saying he'll get down on his knees for Jesus if they win) and Coach starts YELLING at everyone on his team to "Get down on your knees! Get down!"  It's one thing for him to pray and for him to fall to his knees in thanks, but to order everyone else to do it?  Ick.  If I'm Sophie, I'm like, uh, yeah, whatever.... and play along, but in my head, I'm thinking, "Freak."  Again, just me.  What do I know?  I do think it's interesting that religion has played such a large part in the last couple of seasons that have been called "Redemption Island."  Pretty sure redemption is a fairly Biblical theme, and now we've got Jesus of the Jungle who's martyring himself, you've got Mary Magdalene of the lingerie football league, and you've got a Christian Samurai warrior and his blind, baby follower (they were in the Bible too, right?)  Cue to Coach on the beach doing his special form of tai chi that's so top secret you can't even google it - and somewhere an eagle cries (in the South Pacific? What?) 

Fade to black.