The order in which players left the game and the impact they left behind:
- Nadiya (Natalie/Coyopa) This former Amazing Race contestant, along with her twin sister, made no impact at all, except in the fruitful void she left in Natalie's game.
- Val (Jeremy/Coyopa) Much like Gervase's niece in the original Blood vs. Water season, seemed to have affected her loved one in departure not at all, even though John Rocker tried to express to Jeremy his attempt to save her.
- John Rocker (Julie/Coyopa) It will probably puzzle me indefinitely as to why he was even cast. Except for direct provocation from Natalie, which gave Jeremy all the ammunition he needed to vote her as winner of the season, John was on good behavior for a baseball veteran known for the opposite. I think the producers just wanted a little controversy, which wasn't really fair to John. He was actually a pretty good player, and might have done much better if he hadn't had stigma attached to his name.
- Drew (Alec/Hunahpu) A hilarious example of the kind of strategizing that went on basically throughout the whole season except for a couple of players that should have between them produced the winner (more on that later).
- Kelley (Dale/Hunahpu) I have no real impression of her.
- Dale (Kelley/Coyopa) I remember having an impression of him, but he lost the Interesting Old Man title to Keith the longer Keith stuck around.
- Julie (John Rocker/Hunahpu) The most unfortunate player of the season, and the real victim of casting John Rocker. Of course she ended up quitting. Although if she hadn't, she would certainly have had a good story to tell the jury.
- Josh (Reed/Coyopa) One of two players who were really playing, but didn't have a significant alliance with which to actually go anywhere.
- Jeremy (Val/Hunahpu) I think he let himself get in his own way, but otherwise another clear player this season. He and Josh could probably do better given another shot.
- Wes (Keith/Coyopa) Other than being Keith's son, was a completely nonentity, aside from being one of the rude young boys.
- Reed (Josh/Hunahpu) Completely nailed Missy's true character twice, including in the finale, which surely ranks with Sue's famous "snake and rats" speech as one of the finest ever. Might have gone further, once he proved he might actually have been better than Josh, if he were better at forming alliances. Which basically makes him the same as Josh, actually.
- Alec (Drew/Coyopa) Proved to be less crazy than his brother, but not distinctive enough in "finally beating his brother at something" to compete with Natalie's constant sob story.
- Jon (Jaclyn/Hunahpu) He and Jaclyn dominated the season. But like everyone else couldn't form a decent alliance to make it all the way.
- Baylor (Missy/Coyopa) Of the mother/daughter team, actually did more to deserve making it to the finals, but she ultimately doomed herself by depending too much on her mother (and vice versa).
- Keith (Wes/Hunahpu) Other than being inexplicably good at challenges, clearly had no real mind for the game. Indicative of the general act of attrition that characterized most of the season.
- Missy (Baylor/Hunahpu) Hey, Missy: after the first two or three, you might begin to assume it's something you're doing wrong. You're not the victim. Stop thinking of yourself that way. And you should definitely have been pulled after the injury. Reed was right about your gameplay.
- Jaclyn (Jon/Coyopa) Deserved to win. She's what Julie should have been, and exactly what Amber was in All Stars (or possibly only what Amber seemed to be because that jury wouldn't vote for Boston Rob), the other half of a real power couple, the epitome of what the season set out to discover, if existing relationships can excel in this game.
- Natalie (Nadiya/Hunahpu) Not one of the least deserving winners ever, but pretty close. She won because Jeremy liked how she handled John Rocker, and was bitter about how Jon and Jaclyn voted him out. Four other jurors ended up agreeing with him, basically just because. Most certainly not the best player, just someone who outlasted her sister (as we heard often enough so that it lost its flavor) and a lot of other people. Her biggest move saved Jaclyn. That should have helped lead to a different result.
