First, I just have to talk about the Bromance Coachy Boys. What is with Tyson and Coach? Is it feelings? Is there something we should know? You have Coach with his mullet and high ponytail topped off by dorky knee socks, shorts, and quasi-bowling shirts. Sheesh, he makes me think that Little Lord Fauntleroy has turned to the dark side or something. Throw in Tyson who wants to emulate his hero Jonny Fairplay, and you have more than odd bedfellows. "Oh, I'm going to make them call ME Coach after the merge!"

Okay, so we have Coach and Assistant Coach (who wants to be Coach). That's just plain odd. Coach likes to be the leader of it all, and I find it surprising that people seem to listen to him! Now, I'm not saying they should pull a Candace and snark back at him in public. But, geez, at least knock him down a peg now and then. Don't be lemmings, you silly castaways! Tonight Coach talked about Erinn being evil and trying to capitalize on Jerry being ill. But he was as bad about her as she was about Jerry. If he wants to talk the talk, he shouldn't live in glass houses and throw stones ... or something like that.

Tonight's challenges
Ah, we finally got separate Reward and Immunity Challenges. It's too bad that Timbira did absolutely horribly in the Rewards Challenge. I didn't get their strategy in staying together as a group when pairs being directed by the callers seemed to do better. Well, maybe not Brendan and Jerry. Lemmings, I say. At the end, they were lemmings all leading each other into oblivion I'm sure Jeff Probst's running commentary about how poorly they were doing didn't help any.

At least the Immunity Challenge was a teensy bit better matched up. Timbira mainly fell apart there because they didn't work together as a team. I don't blame Erinn for trying to direct the stair puzzle -- someone has to step back and try to figure out which puzzle part goes where. But, did they listen to her? Nope.

Exile Island and a new alliance
This is where the new twist (sending one from each tribe to the island) is getting juicy. When Timbira lost the Rewards Challenge, Jalapao decided to send Brendan there once again. And he chose Taj to go with him again. Not only did Taj and Brendan get a second clue which helped Brendan later find the hidden idol at his camp, but the bond is getting stronger. Taj plans to bring in Stephen while Brendan is going to get Sierra -- a cross-tribe alliance of four for after the merge. Now, if these four last into the merge, this is a most unexpected alliance. It could just work!

The tribe has spoken
Although Little Lord Fauntleroy was still pushing for an Erinn ouster, Jerry's illness made him the weakest player on the team. I couldn't read his card, but I could tell it didn't say "Erinn." So, while the editing tried to make it seem like they'd try to keep Jerry, I think it was another unanimous vote except for Jerry's own vote. He went out with class.