Many votes were cast. No, I'm not going to bother with how many. It's a large number. Aww, hell; 219 seasn ballots were cast in the early rounds, 1,782 were cast in the first five knockout rounds, and 23 votes were cast in the final round. As usual, some good players may be knocked out early by tough opponents, but the best of the best won't be, and that's who we're going to crown.

First, I'll display the entire knockout round results. All 62 of the matchups that have been decided and announced plus the last one.

CHAPERA REGION

Rattana

1. Kelly Wigglesworth vs. 16. Bruce Kanegai (17-14)
8. Kim Powers vs. 9. Andrew Savage (10-21)

Alinta

4. Sandra Diaz-Twine vs. 13. Helen Glover (26-5)
5. Rafe Judkins vs. 12. Ian Rosenberger (16-15)

Jacare

3. Elisabeth Filarski vs. 14. Gervase Peterson (20-11)
6. Eliza Orlins vs. 11. Cindy Hall (18-13)

Barramundi

2. Rob Cesternino vs. 15. Shii Ann Huang (25-6)
7. Chris Daugherty vs. 10. Gina Crews (18-12)

SABOGA REGION

Balboa

1. Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien vs. 16. Christy Smith (25-6)
8. Gretchen Cordy vs. 9. Stephenie LaGrossa (14-17)

Rembrandt van Rijn

4. Brian Heidik vs. 13. Matt von Ertfelda (23-8)
5. Rudy Boesch vs. 12. Danielle DiLorenzo (22-9)

Amaryllis

3. Ethan Zohn vs. 14. Gregg Carey (24-7)
6. Michael Skupin vs. 11. Vecepia Towery (24-7)

Soliantu

2. Terry Dietz vs. 15. Jenn Lyon (24-6)
7. Jon Dalton vs. 10. Ami Cusack (14-16)

MOGO MOGO REGION

Gitanos

1. Danni Boatwright vs. 16. Ryan Opray (26-5)
8. Amy O'Hara vs. 9. Chad Crittenden (18-13)

Viveros

4. Cirie Fields vs. 13. Jake Billingsley (19-12)
5. Teresa Cooper vs. 12. Burton Roberts (10-21)

Bayoneta

3. Colby Donaldson vs. 14. Julie Berry (27-4)
6. Greg Buis vs. 11. Angie Jakusz (21-10)

Exile Island

2. Richard Hatch vs. 15. Hunter Ellis (18-13)
7. Sally Schumann vs. 10. Jenna Morasca (18-13)

CHABOGA MOGO REGION

Xhakum

1. Tom Westman vs. 16. Christa Hastie (28-2)
8. Twila Tanner vs. 9. Brandon Bellinger (14-16)

Outcast

4. Colleen Haskell vs. 13. Tom Buchanan (20-11)
5. Rob Mariano vs. 12. Austin Carty (25-6)

Moto Maji

3. Aras Baskauskus vs. 14. Dave Johnson (22-9)
6. Rodger Bingham vs. 11. Gary Hogeboom (15-16)

Chuay Jai

2. Tina Wesson vs. 15. Deena Bennett (24-7)
7. Paschal English vs. 10. Rupert Boneham (14-17)

CHAPERA REGION

Rattana

1. Kelly Wigglesworth vs. 9. Andrew Savage (15-11)

Alinta

4. Sandra Diaz-Twine vs. 5. Rafe Judkins (15-11)

Jacare

3. Elisabeth Filarski vs. 6. Eliza Orlins (19-7)

Barramundi

2. Rob Cesternino vs. 7. Chris Daugherty (21-5)

SABOGA REGION

Balboa

1. Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien vs. 9. Stephenie LaGrossa (20-6)

Rembrandt van Rijn

4. Brian Heidik vs. 5. Rudy Boesch (17-9)

Amaryllis

3. Ethan Zohn vs. 6. Michael Skupin (15-11)

Soliantu

2. Terry Dietz vs. 10. Ami Cusack (18-8)

MOGO MOGO REGION

Gitanos

1. Danni Boatwright vs. 8. Amy O'Hara (21-5)

Viveros

4. Cirie Fields vs. 12. Burton Roberts (17-9)

Bayoneta

3. Colby Donaldson vs. 6. Greg Buis (17-9)

Exile Island

2. Richard Hatch vs. 7. Sally Schumann (12-14)

CHABOGA MOGO REGION

Xhakum

1. Tom Westman vs. 9. Brandon Bellinger (21-5)

Outcast

4. Colleen Haskell vs. 5. Rob Mariano (10-16)

Moto Maji

3. Aras Baskauskus vs. 11. Gary Hogeboom (14-12)

Chuay Jai

2. Tina Wesson vs. 10. Rupert Boneham (13-13) (0-4)

CHAPERA REGION

1. Kelly Wigglesworth vs. 4. Sandra Diaz-Twine (7-20)
2. Rob Cesternino vs. 3. Elisabeth Filarski (17-10)

SABOGA REGION

1. Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien vs. 4. Brian Heidik (18-9)
2. Terry Dietz vs. 3. Ethan Zohn (12-15)

MOGO MOGO REGION

1. Danni Boatwright vs. 4. Cirie Fields (20-7)
3. Colby Donaldson vs. 7. Sally Schumann (20-7)

CHABOGA MOGO REGION

1. Tom Westman vs. 5. Rob Mariano (19-8)
3. Aras Baskauskus vs. 10. Rupert Boneham (15-12)

CHAPERA REGION

2. Rob Cesternino vs. 4. Sandra Diaz-Twine (14-13)

SABOGA REGION

1. Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien vs. 3. Ethan Zohn (16-11)

MOGO MOGO REGION

1. Danni Boatwright vs. 3. Colby Donaldson (19-8)

CHABOGA MOGO REGION

1. Tom Westman vs. 3. Aras Baskauskus (21-6)

FINAL FOUR - COOK ISLANDS

Danni Boatwright vs. Rob Cesternino (14-11)
Tom Westman vs. Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien (14-11)

ULTIMATE TOURNAMENT FINAL - COOK ISLANDS

Danni Boatwright vs. Tom Westman (??-??)

That last matchup has now been tallied. There were 23 votes, and the final margin of victory was a single vote. I didn't vote inthis matchup, but if I had, the only change would be that the winner's margin would be two votes, not one.

So, in another close decision, I crown the 2006 Ultimate Tournament champion to be...

**drum roll please**

**someone shut that guy in the back up who's coughing**

**and will someone fix my microphone already?**

**and get me something for my throat?**

**I open the envelope**

**Take out the name**

**The spotlight goes over an audience member for no particular reason**

The winner, and STILL champion of the Ultimate Tournament...

Tom Westman.

Tom's victory means this is the second straight Ultimate Tournament he has won. Congrats to Tom; you're still the best, even if someone gave you an F in the grading portion of this.

Congrats to Danni; except for one A-, she had a perfect A average in the grading round and beat some tough opponents to get here, including manhandling fan favorites Cirie and Colby. However, in a rematch of last year's semifinals, Tom won a resounding victory over Rob Mariano and also rolled over fellow winner Aras.

I'll see you next year when we have 30-plus more castaways to add to the ballot.