Sometimes, Jeff will ask "what if". It would have been interesting to see if Ashley had won the final immunity challenge. Would she have tried to vote off Rob? She was pretty adement about getting rid of Phillip because she just couldn't stand him, but that could have been talk since she wasn't the one in a position of power. Once you win the final immunity, you start thinking about the money.
If think if it had been Rob, Ashley, and Natalie in the final 3, Rob would have still won. Yes, Ashley did some strategizing, but nowhere near the level that Rob did. She rode the coattail's just as much as Natalie did right down to the end when she tried to shake things up a bit. Perhaps they would have recognized that and given her credit for it, but Dave's plea wouldn't have changed I don't believe. I just think it wouldn't have been so unanamous (discounting the one vote for Phil as a bit crazy).
But a final between Ashley, Natalie, and Phil is tough. Not sure who wins then. Probably Ashley for her final power plays and winning challenges, but I wouldn't call it.
Personally, I think Rob deserved to win. He definitely outwitted and outlasted. Would have been a shame to lose because he didn't quite manage to outplay in the last 3 immunity challenges. Normally, I like to see a shake-up of the alliance, but for some reason, I've always respected the way Rob plays. He gets arrogant, but he doesn't alienate anyone.
Honestly, though, I think the best part of Rob's strategy was hand-picking who he would be in the finals with almost right from the start. Natalie was completely loyal and couldn't possibly win. Phil was loyal out of necessity since Rob was the only one that didn't want him gone, and he couldn't possibly win, either. How many other competetors would have just eliminated Phil because it was an easy vote? But not only did he keep Phil, he kept the rest of the team on board with keeping Phil. They all wanted him gone, but they never felt like getting rid of Phil was more important than whatever reason Rob gave for the person they did end up eliminating.
Not only that, but he managed to do it all without anyone really feeling like their getting voted out was personal. Possible exceptions being Grant and Matt, but they both respected the way it went down. Ashley felt more betrayed by Natalie than by Rob, as did Andrea (since the girls didn't vote with her, nor explain about the idol). By letting the girls have their "alliance", he actually solidified himself even more. And truth be told, he did reward loyalty. Natalie could have turned on him right at the end, but any time before that and she likely wouldn't have been in the finals either.
The only thing I regret is that Natalie didn't confide in Ashley that she was being voted out. If she had, I think Ashley would have given her vote to Natalie. I'm not sure how they handle "second place", but I would have much rather seen Natalie get that than Phil. I know second place gets $100,000 and it goes down from there. What I don't know is if both of the others in the finals are considered "second place", or if it goes by votes. Really annoying that Phil gets that honor just because of one random vote.
The only other thing is the I wish Matt had gotten the popularity money. He definitely earned that, so seeing it go to Rob also was disappointing to me. I like Rob, so I don't begrudge it, but I just wish there was a rule that if the winner was voted most popular that they would get kudos, but that the money would go to the next most popular. Honestly, you are handing the guy a million dollars. At that moment, only a complete jerk is going to complain that someone else got the $100,000. And anyone that is that big of a jerk probably wouldn't be voted most popular anyway. When they announced that Rob had won that, he thanked the audience, but I'm guessing he would have been high-fiving Matt had it gone the other way. That's just my take, though.
As for the next season, the only person I think it would be interesting to bring back would be what's his face who won the first season. I wouldn't want him to win again, just to see how quick he would be voted out. But he's going to be tied up with too many legal issues on his tax evasion for that to happen anytime soon, I think.