9/10 Bach Pad 3: FINALE! ** West Coast Spoilers**

[cavendish]

I'll admit, I probably was unnecessarily overwrong there. But I was feeling really sad for Rachel. Also that amount of money seems kind of simultaneously a lot and not very much-- so you might as well share it. But maybe my perspective on this is warped. I can understand wanting it all-- plus money exerts a kind of exceptional call on people's desires.

I guess if Nick gave some to charity, I'd feel a lot better. Or if he did something socially useful. His sort of self-pitying or self-justifying gloating was what pushed me over the edge.

People seem often to see these people as fictional characters-- or something-- as if their feelings and lives are just a kind of story, when they're not-- as a story, the ending was vastly superior to the predictable nice ending with the winners sharing the money. It certainly is fun in a way to be shocked, for someone to do the truly unexpected, and for one's assumptions about some otherwise unremarkable story to be turned upside down. In fiction, it's fun. But as reality, it seems to me that Nick showed himself to be a really mean-spirited and selfish person-- prone to holding things against people, rather than having a good spirit, and really lacking in kindness or compassion. That's probably why people counted him out, or didn't take him seriously. And there were enough bitter and spiteful people there for the group to react with admiration-- people like Chris and Kalon-- It's easy and understandable in a way for us-- we're just watching television-- but the people in the world of the bachelor really know one another as a group, and see one another over time. How they play the game"--ie how they treat one another-- really does mean a lot about who they are as a person.

The whole thing seemed somehow sordid to me--but I admit to not really understanding all the dynamics. I haven't been the most avid and faithful batchelorpad-watcher ever. And while I watched part of it more often than not-- maybe I would have a more nuanced opinion if I'd seen the whole thing.

[Cornholio]

But as reality, it seems to me that Nick showed himself to be a really mean-spirited and selfish person-- prone to holding things against people, rather than having a good spirit, and really lacking in kindness or compassion. That's probably why people counted him out, or didn't take him seriously.

No, I've got to disagree here. Nick was quite simply overlooked and treated as a non-entity, for entirely different reasons. He was overlooked because he wasn't a player going around lying and orchestrating things. I think it was Ed(?) who said Nick didn't say more than 10 words per day and most of those were "How's it going?" There was nothing at all mean-spirited or selfish about him, if anything he was coming across as shy.

I'll go one further and say I don't think he needs to feel compelled to give the money to charity either. He can do what he wants with it - take his parents on a trip, buy himself a modest home for cash.... whatever he wants! These people are mostly younger and starting out so I don't think there's anything wrong with him doing something that makes financial sense for himself and his future.

[CookieJ]

I totally agree that Nick should feel no obligation to give any of the money to charity. He WON this money, he can do whatever he likes! This is probably the first BP that I've felt like someone really did strategize and win. I wonder when Nick started to formulate his plan. I'm sure he didn't walk into the house thinking "just stay under the radar and outta the drama and I can take this..." I think the night that Michael left and he was left to partner with Rachel the plan started to take form. The more she whined the more people felt sorry for her, and would nudge her towards the finale because of it. He was just along for the ride, probably figuring as long as he could keep Chris and Sarah as their opponents in the final, he could take the whole freakin' thing. Again, brilliantly played. Take the money and run Nick!

[alizarules]

Now that I have watched more thoroughly.

How is what Nick did to Rachel any different than what Rachel did to Jackie? It was about winning the money.

I feel sorry for Rachel, only in the sense that a lot of what has happened is because of the choices she made.

[Fanny Mare]

There is no difference.Its all in the way its presented .All that eye rolling from Jacklyn. Micheal gasping!! how dare Nick.When Michael was the master of deceit and lying !! He wanted to sleep with Rachel and he had a GF.

I still say WTG Nick!

[wannasee]

Wow...bravo! Not saying Nick is the most stand-up guy in the world, esp. if he did say he'd share two days prior, but what an ending! Rachel never should have made it to the end, either...if she was still with Michael, I am quite sure they would've been voted off if only for the fact that he had already won; once he was gone, she got carried by Jacklyn as much as Nick got carried by her. All these shows with voting off...I just can't get too upset over those who say someone else "deserved" it more...Kalon was spot on with that one. As far as Nick making out with Donna...I'd be thrilled to hear they had something continuing. The fans got the short end of the stick on this, for sure. But I guess they didn't "deserve" to be there. And if Nick macking on Donna was so bad, what about Michael doing it to "give a fan a thrill,"? Yikes, I guess I didn't really care who won, Nick was probably the least obnoxious of them all.

[Arielflies]

I just watched and when Rachel said in the alley that they had just agreed two days ago to share, Nick should have come back with his mantra. You and I were still in the game, and because of game, I could tell you anything you wanted to hear. Wait...this isn't Big Brother...but is was a game for Nick, and should have been for Rachel right up until the moment he revealed his answer.

Good thinking high tailing it out of town, though.

[lefty]

I just watched and when Rachel said in the alley that they had just agreed two days ago to share, Nick should have come back with his mantra. You and I were still in the game, and because of game, I could tell you anything you wanted to hear. Wait...this isn't Big Brother...but is was a game for Nick, and should have been for Rachel right up until the moment he revealed his answer.

Good thinking high tailing it out of town, though.

I heard an interview Nick gave on a radio station this morning, and he said he and Rachel had agreed to share the money. However, when he got back home and watched the last couple of episodes of the show and saw how Rachel was bashing him, etc., behind his back, is when he made the decision to keep the money himself. He considered giving her some of the money; but on second thought he realized he would continue to be criticized irregardless of what he did. Rachel, on the other hand, started a twitter war against him and asked his followers to 'unfollow' him.

[cavendish]

No one said Nick should feel compelled to give the money to charity. Wanting to and feeling compelled are not the same thing. My thought was that given the obvious point that no one "deserves" the money, it would give show me that despite his behavior on the show, he's not totally selfish. I think I also said socially useful, which goes far beyond giving to charity.

As far as his being discounted by everyone-- people are generally discounted for a reason. They're not usually bashed and pushed away unless they do something to deserve it. And obviously people got the impression that Nick didn't care-- not that he was shy.

So, as far as Nick being a good guy who had every right to resent the others on the show and feel put upon and mistreated-- that's a fantasy that I hope he gets rid of because it won't stand him in good stead in life to think that way. As for his sad song that Rachel didn't stay on the show for HIM, and only because of things Jaclyn said to her-- and this somehow made it right for him to screw her over-- as far as I'm concerned, she wasn't bashing him when she told him those things, she was confiding in him how down she felt. And frankly, if she stayed there because Jaclyn was supportive -- great-- but it's just as much a statement of Nick's lack of ability to be supportive. If he had offered her more, she probably would have been more likely to stay because of and for him.

Basically I don't buy much if anything of what he said.

[Vonna]

Don't think Nick would have been in the final 2 if he would have had a partner other than Rachel. Both Nick and Rachel had their disgusting moments last night. Nick prancing around like he was so cleaver...good grief and Rachel thinking she could intimidate Nick into giving up some money....so entertaining---glad I watched this season!