S18.E42: Finale, Winner Revealed

[Gemma Violet]

I hope Paul and Victor get to go on The Amazing Race.  

[Chrissytd]

Nicole, it's finale night and that's the dress you choose?

Even though I didn't like Nicole, she deserved to win. She played the game very well despite having the Vet target on her back.

I think Paul would've had a slightly better chance had he taken James. For some reason, I think James would've faired worse during the jury questions.

I'm happy Victor won AFHG. How did James get in the Top 3?

There was absolutely no purpose in showing Jozea/Jason.

[Cutty]

Just now, Chrissytd said:

Nicole, it's finale night and that's the dress you choose?

Looked like a waitress at a cheesy BBQ restaurant.

[simplyme]

4 minutes ago, lids said:

I think Paul's idea of taking Nicole was that he felt he was making a statement. I'm sure the statement was all about giving it your best, not taking the easy route, bootstrapping, blah, blah.

Whereas I think he just really dislikes James, has for a long time, and was therefore emotionally influenced to take Nicole.

[CrazyDog]

I bet Paul cares now. Boned.

Glad this horrible season is over. 

[Wandering Snark]

Glad we got one last cry out of Meech, was hoping she could work one in as she cast her vote but she probably forgot...

I too think Nicole over James cost Paul $450,000 but only partially as his being, no matter the list of 'accomplishments' he rattled off he couldn't avoid the fact he was a real dick a lot of the time, and then chose to play the 'Well, that's just the way I am.' card instead of apologizing.

Did I hear right that OTT is going to be "all live"? That would mean no DRs, right? Wow. I kinda hate when shows go on season after season with no chance for us to breathe though and believe me one week will not be long enough for me to recoup after this and head into another season I have to pay for and watch sitting at my computer... see ya next summer Big Brother!

[PaperTree]

8 minutes ago, Chrissytd said:

Nicole, it's finale night and that's the dress you choose?

I smell production.  I can't buy she brought that in the house with her 99 odd days ago.

[Wandering Snark]

Just now, PaperTree said:

11 minutes ago, Chrissytd said:

Nicole, it's finale night and that's the dress you choose?

I smell production.  I can't buy she brought that in the house with her 99 odd days ago.

Actually, thinking of the other options she's shown this may have been her "best" look. At least she didn't wear her 'lucky' yellow sweater. It could have been worse. Speaking of that she at least looked decent having decided to take more than 5 seconds to put her hair up.

[SevenStars]

35 minutes ago, ottoDbusdriver said:

The Final HoH was as stupid as ever -- on the 2nd question both Paul and Nicole were basically calling bullshit on the answer on Zakiyah's answer.  At that point you know the answers were rigged by the 

Actually the Zakiyah one was true because her and Paulie talked about him not using the veto on her if he believed he had the votes to save her without revealing his side alliances. Paulie trusted James, so he totally believed he had the vote to save Zakiyah without using the veto. That’s why Zakiyah wasn't surprised when he didn't used it and was confident she would stay in the house despite that until things turned the day before the live eviction and she told Paulie that morning she thinks she's  going home. Paulie didn't believe her intuition,  which is why he almost fought with James during the live eviction when James told him he was going to evict Zakiyah.  According to Paul/Corey they had to hold Paulie back from going after James that night. 

[stcroix]

I don't know why everyone is so thrilled a woman finally won over a man.  This could have happened for many of the  past seasons IF the women would have banded together and not felt like they needed the protection of a man or men.  And Nicole wouldn't have been there tonight if she hadn't latched onto Cory and his competition winning long body.  I still don't think we've had a true win by a physically capable, intelligent, and  conniving woman like I'd want it to be.  Nicole just squeezed her way by and even she seemed shocked when Julie announced the jury vote. 

[ZSweetJane]

11 minutes ago, Wandering Snark said:

Did I hear right that OTT is going to be "all live"? That would mean no DRs, right? Wow. I kinda hate when shows go on season after season with no chance for us to breathe though and believe me one week will not be long enough for me to recoup after this and head into another season I have to pay for and watch sitting at my computer... see ya next summer Big Brother!

DRs will be shown but the format is different.

Were the final 3 dressed in the clothes they wear in the opening credits?

[SevenStars]

31 minutes ago, delicatecutter said:

 

The annoying thing is that Paulie had 2 votes as Zakiyah was nothing but his slave.

How ???? Zakiyah made it clear from her exit interviews that she wouldn't vote for Paul because he betrayed her by voting her out when she believed she was part of his alliance. Nicole fought to keep her, even when she knew the majority of the house wanted Z out,  she still voted to keep Z. I don't care how Paulie voted, base on Zakiyah's interviews and how she was in the house with Nicole I would have been surprised if she voted for Paul against Nicole. 

[lids]

33 minutes ago, lids said:

I think the jury had already decided their votes and the final questions and speeches didn't matter. Paulie was going to vote for Nicole because voting for her is the closest he could get to voting for Corey. So already Nicole had Paulie and Corey. Then Zakiyah was going to vote with Paulie. That's 3 votes. Plus he should have known that Nat was going to be mad that Paul had just voted out her boyfriend. That's 4 votes.

I think Paul's idea of taking Nicole was that he felt he was making a statement. I'm sure the statement was all about giving it your best, not taking the easy route, bootstrapping, blah, blah. This reminds me that Paul was right there beside Josea when Josea was saying that everybody in the game should refuse to compete and that would send a message. Paul just keeps showing he ultimately doesn't understand the game. I think a big part of it is that Paul's family is rich. He's playing the game to make a statement and everyone else is playing because they really need the money. He insulted his fellow players with his whole, "I'm taking Nicole because everyone should go against the best." How patronizing! Plus, if he wants to just send a message, win the big money first and then fly a plane or something.

 

29 minutes ago, simplyme said:

Whereas I think he just really dislikes James, has for a long time, and was therefore emotionally influenced to take Nicole.

This may be true, he probably also disliked James. It's just that in his speech for why he was voting James out, Paul started out with, "I've had to fight my whole way through this game..." Basically insinuating that James took it easy and floated. 

Paul never let the jury know he was making a personal decision based on James' bad social skills. Maybe Paul should have just said that. Instead Paul's holier than thou message was grating.

[slasherboy]

1 hour ago, lids said:

I'll be honest. I am loling that Paul played himself. That last shot of him hugging his family and crying... Haaaaaahaa!!! I think we all learned a valuable lesson today.

What do you mean, he was playing himself?  ALso, what was the valuable lesson we all learned today?  Not following you.  Thanks.

[Petunia13]

Dayvonne just said that the jury had their minds up and were voting that was regardless of the speeches 

[Blissfool]

1 hour ago, ottoDbusdriver said:

The Final HoH was as stupid as ever -- on the 2nd question both Paul and Nicole were basically calling bullshit on the answer on Zakiyah's answer.  At that point you know the answers were rigged by the Producers.
 

Nah, i totally believe that Zakiyah would refrain from saying anything negative about Paulie.

Other thoughts:

Davonne is dead to me.

Paulie aggravates no matter what! The way he  acted all gentlemanly by helping Z down the steps. The ways he struts scross the stage. The way he tried to wrap his legs around Cory. The way he continues to shave the sides of his head. The way he votes for Nicole to win.

Why does that haircut look fine on Paul, but horrid on Paulie?

I really hate Nicole and I don't know why as I'm willing to admit to myself that she's probably a very nice and approachable person in real life. I think I hate that she clings to the men and they reciprocate. She's a dorky man-magnet in the BB house. I can't see her being this "popular" out in tbe real world.

Edited September 22, 2016 by Blissfool

[laprin]

Paul lost for one reason - he's an ass.  It was satisfying seeing him come to the realization that he would have probably won against James. 

Speaking of James, I am so happy that he didn't win anything!  That certainly seems in keeping with his "strategy."  I was a little surprised that he was so bitter, but I find even that satisfying. 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, PaperTree said:

I smell production.  I can't buy she brought that in the house with her 99 odd days ago.

I also think it's the outfit she's wearing in the opening credits.

Blah season.  All I watched was the last 15 minutes of the finale.  Why did James vote for Paul?  I'm wondering if production told him to once they realized (1) a 5/4 split is more suspenseful than 6/3 and (2) it'd put an end to his plan to share winnings if he or Nicole won, since why would she pay him off when he didn't even vote for her.  Or at least why would a court think she did, or the FCC.  

[simplyme]

52 minutes ago, lids said:

 

This may be true, he probably also disliked James. It's just that in his speech for why he was voting James out, Paul started out with, "I've had to fight my whole way through this game..." Basically insinuating that James took it easy and floated. 

Paul never let the jury know he was making a personal decision based on James' bad social skills. Maybe Paul should have just said that. Instead Paul's holier than thou message was grating.

Oh, I'm not saying Paul realized that was the reason he took Nicole instead of James. I'm sure he justified it to himself, or I could be wrong. (It happens, I admit.) But Paul is a more emotional player than he realizes, and he's made strategic mistakes this season because of it. (Example: It would have been in his best interest to keep Natalie over James, and Victor realized this, but Paul was set on Natalie going and didn't even try to manipulate things to save her rather than James. Granted, it worked out to his advantage in the end, but it could have bit him in the ass.)

I was just saying that I thought Paul took Nicole because unconsciously his dislike of James influenced his decision.

[Meatball]

Poor Glen.

[Joimiaroxeu]

Yay Victor!!!

Day! Why???

James, you kept using that word "bougie". I do not think it means what you think it means.

The jurors may have already decided their votes but I think that at least a couple of them changed their minds after the Q&A and the speeches. Paul's arrogance to the bitter end may have flipped some votes. Even if he felt insincere he probably should have expressed some remorse for the ugly ways he went at several of the women HGs during the game. It didn't jibe with the "friendship" thing at all unless he has a completely  nonstandard  understanding of the concept.

[Wandering Snark]

1 hour ago, Blissfool said:

I can't see her being this "popular" out in tbe real world.

Well, she has said that she never thought outside of the house that she could "get" a guy as gorgeous as Corey...

I was just thinking, I bet James voted for Paul so that he didn't "vote for another girl" and also that he really wasn't 'working with' Nicole who Nat sees as the downfall of their game. Maybe Nat voted for Nicole in a 'no hard feelings' kind of proof in which they were kinda caught in a Gift of the Magi thing vote-wise.

Edited September 22, 2016 by Wandering Snark

[scrambled eggs]

Paul was robbed. He was one of the best players I've ever seen on this show. 

[backformore]

Quote

James, you kept using that word "bougie". I do not think it means what you think it means

I was kind of hoping James would win, until he said something was FUSTRATING  - then he lost me. 

Yeah, I'm like that.

[Wandering Snark]

13 minutes ago, scrambled eggs said:

Paul was robbed. He was one of the best players I've ever seen on this show. 

The jury did say they all respected his gameplay but couldn't overlook that personally the guy was a Grade A D-bag. So I wouldn't really say "robbed".

[Racj82]

I'm so tired of gender lines being drawn constantly. But, I'm really gearing it towards the show right now. I couldn't possible care less about gender won the show. What I care about are the best players to win. The deserving players. Nicole ain't one of those people. She just lucked out that Paul's social game is absolute trash. Her and James barely did any good game play. Weak sauce to the fullest. 

[candall]

As Julie pointed out, Paul was certain he'd win against either James or Nicole.

So I give him credit for "deciding" that Nicole had been more of a $50k player than Lame James ever had been.  And I also give him credit for coming up with an alternative reason to say out loud.  Even if "one of you showed more loyalty" was a stretch of wtf proportions, he managed to wrap things up without crapping all over James' game in public in the final moments.  (If James and Nicole had been the final two, she would have pulled that trigger in a heartbeat.) 

 

In other words, I have some respect for Paul for taking Nicole instead of James . . . but wow, SERIOUS MISCALCULATION.

Edited September 22, 2016 by candall

[Dewey Decimate]

7 hours ago, Petunia13 said:

i wish I could get handed half a million dollars for laying in bed with being a douchebag all summer and squeeking shouting airhead repetitive comments in an vocal uptick inflatable pelican.

Fixed that for ya. :)

6 hours ago, Wandering Snark said:

Actually, thinking of the other options she's shown this may have been her "best" look. At least she didn't wear her 'lucky' yellow sweater. It could have been worse. Speaking of that she at least looked decent having decided to take more than 5 seconds to put her hair up.

Yes! I actually thought the little ol' farm girl look was one of her better ones. It looked good on her frame (allegedly 100 lbs? Fer real?), and was a fucklot better than that mauve prairie monstrosity shirt or pink printed babydoll nightgown thing.

ETA: And speaking of fashion, how about having some fucking CLASS, guys, and not wearing backwards baseball caps for an event that all the women get gussied up for. Fuckin' A, even Bridgette put on her secretary heels. I cannot STAND the baseball hat glued to the head thing, and hate that we're so very critical (myself included) of the women's sartorial choices when the men generally fly by.

5 hours ago, Blissfool said:

Paulie aggravates no matter what! The way he  acted all gentlemanly by helping Z down the steps. The ways he struts scross the stage. The way he tried to wrap his legs around Cory. The way he continues to shave the sides of his head.

His "gentlemanly" propping Z as she teetered down creeped me the fuck out. As did his partial hump of his true romance's leg.

During jury questioning, I assumed Paul was gonna roll to victory and just wanted it to be over with. Not that it was a bad option - I think either one could make an argument - but the inevitability just sucks. Michelle (she doesn't deserve a "cool" nickname) showed her true charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent, and I kinda saw why Paul called her that. That whiny little snowflake needs to grow the fuck up, or at least learn to cry more convincingly. Wailing because someone as vapid and featureless as Corey looks at her? For fuck's sake. Even the amazing Plastic Man Dr. Will finally gave her a smirky side eye. (Or tried to beyond the botox.)

I feel like Day in that I cannot believe I'm making a case for Nicole, but damn if I wasn't pretty darn excited during the vote count. I think they both could make a legitimate case for the win. And Paul WAS a douchebag to many people in there, unnecessarily so to boot. With honey instead of vinegar I think he may have made it. And unlike last year, I'm not really disappointed with the conclusion. She's not anywhere near the best woman to play the game, but I'm glad the "no woman has ever won against a man" type thing has been broken. Queef free, Nicole! Now just go back to Ubly, make some calendars with your temporary boy toy, and never grace my screen again.

Edited September 22, 2016 by Dewey Decimate

[CreamedPeas]

Boo at Nicole winning. I don't want anyone affiliated with an animal abuser winning anything. Corey's cross eyed ass is disgusting to look at. 

Edited September 22, 2016 by CreamedPeas
Autocorrect. Always autocorrect.

[ghoulina]

Ugh, I'm honestly just glad this is over. Bring on Survivor! I zoned out during all the HOH comps, and really am not a fan of the jury collaborating on questions. Let each person get up and ask whatever the fuck they want, not read some lame question off a card. YAWN. 

I am obviously unhappy with Nicole's win. I, personally, don't see her as deserving. That being said, part of that is on Paul. He absolutely should have taken James to the end. I think he would have beaten James. But he made a petty, personal move by taking Nicole because of her perceived "loyalty". Fuck loyalty, this is the final two! There are no more chances to prove loyalty. Pick someone you can BEAT!

So yea, don't be surprised when half the jury votes for petty, personal reasons. Hey, it's the jury. No one ever said they had to vote a specific way. If you want to pick the person you like best, that's your right. But the contestants in the house should be aware of that and factor it into their game. I think Paul played the best game of the season, hands down. But the last choice cost him. 

I'm just glad Vic won AFP. I would love to see Paul and Victor on the Amazing Race, that might actually get me to watch again. 

[NYGirl]

I would give anything for a season of all newbies.  I think it would be funny to have all contestants that are not super fans.  Imagine all newbies who never studied the game?  It would be the best thing to reboot.

[JudyObscure]

8 hours ago, Wandering Snark said:

Actually, thinking of the other options she's shown this may have been her "best" look. At least she didn't wear her 'lucky' yellow sweater. It could have been worse. Speaking of that she at least looked decent having decided to take more than 5 seconds to put her hair up.

Nicole doesn't think of herself as hot or beautiful, she thinks of herself as adooooorrrable and sooooper cuuuuute.  So she wears purposely messy hair and  little girl clothes. I hope I never have to see or hear her again.

Paul may or may not have lost the jury with his answers, but he lost me.  I was waiting for as sincere apology to the women and all I got was, that's just me.  Well then you're just a jerk, Paul.

I can only say what I've said at the end of every season, "I'll never watch this show again."

[TaraS1]

God, I hate Paulie.  Who would think that the simple act of helping someone down from a platform would cause me to have a rage stroke?  That guy is so sickeningly phony.  And Zakiyah is too stupid to live.

I was rooting for Jamesy all season, and I hated Nicole, but I did take a little pleasure in her beating Paul.  He was way too arrogant and sure that he had the game in the bag when he made it to final two.  

[SevenStars]

Paul  played a good game but he didn't play like he knew that in the end he needed the jury's vote to win.  He played like all he needed to do was make it to the F2 and there he would get his money without the jury input, that was his downfall. 

20 minutes ago, NYGirl said:

I would give anything for a season of all newbies.  I think it would be funny to have all contestants that are not super fans.  Imagine all newbies who never studied the game?  It would be the best thing to reboot.

This is what I would love. I think it would be interesting, frustrating, annoying and entertaining. 

[ghoulina]

1 minute ago, JudyObscure said:

Paul may or may not have lost the jury with his answers, but he lost me.  I was waiting for as sincere apology to the women and all I got was, that's just me.  Well then you're just a jerk, Paul.

I was rooting for Paul, and I don't watch feeds, so I have no idea how his behavior was outside of what we were shown. That being said, I agreed that his jury answers were horrible. He was very smug and didn't seem to really put any thought into anything he said. For someone who had a pretty strong social game all season, I was a bit surprised by the way he handled himself. 

[Cherry Cola]

Do you think Paulie and Corey consummated their relationship yet? ;)

[Chrissytd]

I don't think it is a gender issue. If that were the case, Liz would've won last season.

I actually think Paulie was the deciding vote here. I thought he would've voted for Paul.

[TaraS1]

ITA, I thought Paulie would vote for Paul just because he was a dude.  And I knew Zakiyah would inevitably vote however Paulie did because she appears to have no mind of her own when she's around him.

[Eolivet]

9 hours ago, simplyme said:

I still don't like either of them, but I think the view that Paul played a better game has some holes in it.

Not better -- more strategic. But again, if strategy and "keeping it real" were candy and nuts, people who were jerks in the game would all have a Merry Christmas.

9 hours ago, lids said:

I think a big part of it is that Paul's family is rich.

I think a big part of it is Paul is young, and it is literally a game to him. I hate throwing around the word "entitled" (especially in light of this current Survivor season), but I think Paul has been entitled to say whatever he wants, whenever he wants, and it's never come back to bite him in the real world. This is his first taste of it.

And I do think Nicole ultimately played a fine game -- she did win competitions and HoHs, and made decisions. Yes, she floated her way to the middle, but that's a legitimate strategy (and part of the reason Rachel always hated floaters). She didn't play a low-key Andy Herren game like last year's winner ("I got out the strongest person, so vote for ME!").

Plus, there's a part of me that really liked that Nicole ended up using all the boys as shields and then took the money for herself. I've been waiting for someone to make a mockery of the Brigade strategy for years, and if Nicole's the one to do it...good on her.

[laurakaye]

It's over.  We have closure.  Even if many of us were over this group of dim bulbs weeks ago, it's finally over.  It's like getting your hands on a book you've been dying to read, only to find out that it sucks, but you have to finish it as a personal mission.

Nicole: please go away now and take Jingle Balls with you.  You are not Jeff and Jordan.  You are not even Brenchal.  Corey was going to dump you until you won, so congrats on that, I guess?

Paul: so much for FRIENDSHIP.  LOLZ.

Paulie: I hope New Jersey locked you out and threw away the key.  Good luck finding a date ever again in your life.

Z: please don't be pregnant.

YAY SURVIVOR!!!

[choclatechip45]

Paul knew that Nicole might have Paulie's vote because of the Cody connection. Nicole and Paulie spent all season talking about Derrick and Cody. 

I like the fact Dayvonne and Natalie were able to put personal feelings aside and appreciate Nicole's game. Being a female I hate that females on this show never appreciate other females gameplay. I do think it's funny that Nicole wanted to be surrounded by all the boys and be the last girl standing and somehow it worked for her.

Edited September 22, 2016 by choclatechip45

[JayeEmm]

*Paul wins final HOH*
Me: FRIENDSHIIIIIIII -

*Paul evicts James*

Me: .......P?

Idiot. $450k mistake right there.  I was a little surprised Nicole won but figured it would be close - if Paul had taken James, in my mind no question he would've won.  Meh. At the very least I can hope they won't put Nicole on any future shows.

If I never hear a whiny, baby-talking, squeaky,  extraaaaaaaaah vowelllll eaaaaddddiinnnnggguh voice again, it will be too soon. (and that goes for Nicole AND Natalie AND Meech half the time AND whatever weird giggly baby talk Brigitte did) Women: for the love of everything,  speak like normal humans. Deliberately speaking in a creepy whiny little girl voice is not cute.

[TaraS1]

5 minutes ago, JayeEmm said:

If I never hear a whiny, baby-talking, squeaky,  extraaaaaaaaah vowelllll eaaaaddddiinnnnggguh voice again, it will be too soon. (and that goes for Nicole AND Natalie AND Meech half the time AND whatever weird giggly baby talk Brigitte did) Women: for the love of everything,  speak like normal humans. Deliberately speaking in a creepy whiny little girl voice is not cute.

Amen times a billion.  You are all grown women, with professional jobs and careers.  That crap isn't adorable.

[simplyme]

6 minutes ago, JayeEmm said:

Women: for the love of everything,  speak like normal humans. Deliberately speaking in a creepy whiny little girl voice is not cute.

But apparently it does get you cast on BB. I'm pretty sure it's on the casting checklist for potential female HGs.

[Dilandau]

Quote

Interesting how Julie pulled out the keys in such a way (four for each finalist) that it was the last key that determined who won (IMO was given the win).  Again, I think something smells about the whole thing.

I was always under the impression that the jury already knew who they were voting for and told the production ahead of time, and then they would have them vote in the order that was the most interesting.

[Boilergal]

I was screaming at my TV - TAKE JAMES!!!!! TAKE JAMES!!!!!!!  NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Not Nicole!

It really really pissed me off that Nicole claimed the strategic move of going to Natalie to put up Paul and Victor as hers.  James had pretty much planted and watered that seed immediately after Natalie got the HOH room, long before Nicole was able to pull herself away from Corey's magic fingers.  

I have to say I was really surprised that James voted for Paul, but then again his wounds were fresh, and Paul pretty much told him that Nicole threw him UTB and that is why he wasn't getting $50K.

Before SnaCole even made it out of the house I yellled  YES!!! SHE WILL NEVER BE ON MY TV AGAIN!!!!!!! Then I seethed for a little bit

Really happy that Victor won AFP!   I would love if Paul and Victor did TAR!!!

[DEL901]

8 hours ago, laprin said:

Paul lost for one reason - he's an ass.  It was satisfying seeing him come to the realization that he would have probably won against James. 

I LOVE that.  Paul and is "James doesn't deserve $50K" ... who is he to judge who deserves what?  And his arrogance thinking that he had an easy win against either of them...  He cost himself $450,000.  Enjoyed seeing that.

[Mreid]

I did NOT want Nicole to win by any means, but looking back at this season overall, the reason big brother fans did not want Nicole to win the game was because she didn't play the game the way we wanted her to play. I think we all wanted Nicole to really work with Fatal Five, and not get into another showmance like she did with Hayden. But Nicole got into a showmance with Corey who no one liked because of the goat story earlier in the season. People that don't like Day are gonna find any reason to blame her for anything that doesn't go there way, but I think Day voted for Nicole because Nicole did a great job at answering her jury questions, Nicole bringing up her move of convincing Natalie to turn against her allies and sitting back watching things go the way she wanted and only being nominated once in the final 4 was really brilliant game play. I love Paul but like him reminding the jury he was nominated 6 times may not have been the best thing for him to say sitting next to Nicole. This Paul vs Nicole thing really just comes down to a matter of taste there was no right or wrong decision. If you like the underdog vote for Paul if you like someone who was more in control of the game vote for Nicole. And really Day and Nicole were the only two female vets so despite their differences that was still a bond those two had from day 1 only two female vets I guess Day said let me suck it up and just award Nicole with the win. Overall I think this has been the best season since season 14 but that's just my opinion. 

[Racj82]

41 minutes ago, choclatechip45 said:

Paul knew that Nicole might have Paulie's vote because of the Cody connection. Nicole and Paulie spent all season talking about Derrick and Cody. 

I like the fact Dayvonne and Natalie were able to put personal feelings aside and appreciate Nicole's game. Being a female I hate that females on this show never appreciate other females gameplay. I do think it's funny that Nicole wanted to be surrounded by all the boys and be the last girl standing and somehow it worked for her.

Changing alliances or at least trying to and hiding behind dudes sure is impressive. What I see is someone's social game clobber his chances for a win. Paul played a better game. A less disloyal game. He won when he needed to. But, he also offended a lot of people. The game only gets you so far. You have to live in that house with the jury on your mind. Other than Michelle, Nicole didn't actively piss anyone off. That's counts for a lot 

[nkotb]

My dear husband, who is "literally" - tm Nicole - the nicest person I know, said before the show started that if Nicole wins, we're done with "Big Brother" & we're saving the 3 TV viewing hours next summer. Not because he's a sexist pig, but because of the final 3, in his opinion: Paul played the best all-around strategic game, James played the worst game, but was by far the nicest (he doesn't know about him dissing Nat on the feeds in the past few days, but even with that, he's probably still nicer than those 2 immature, heartless jackasses), & Nicole did step it up at the end, but she laid in bed with Corey all summer, and was shown to be super-catty on tv numerous times, plus, she was called a snake by a few of the housegeusts, which tells us something. He was furious that she won, but Paul's mouth sank him during the game, and during the jury questions. Don't worry, I'm magical & will get him to come around. 

Speaking of jury questions, as much as I somewhat-embarrassingly love this show, the finale almost ruins the entire season for me every year, so I honestly may boycott just so I'm not disappointed in the finale, which has nothing to do with the winner. Here are my ways to fix the finale:

1. Have the finale just be the final 2. Showing the comps takes way, way, way too much time. I should've checked the DVR when we were watching last night, but I bet they didn't even start the final comp until 9:20 or so, which only left 40 minutes left, about 25 with commercial breaks.

2. Please, after the final person is evicted & it's down to the final 2, please, have the jury question them before the finale. I remember in season 5, Marvin asked Cowboy if he was a "lying racist or a racist liar". It was shocking (I hadn't seen any evidence of him being racist, but I didn't follow the feeds then), & would never fly on a live broadcast. I think the jurors are much more likely to be honest & form a non-rushed opinion when they have a bit of time to decide, especially if they already know whom the final 2 are. Plus, those stupid questions are just filler for the show if they've already decided whom they're voting for.

3. For the love of God, the season is made up of 16 or so players. It would've been so nice to hear from Glenn, especially, Tiffany, Frank, Bronte & to see, but not hear, from Jozea. I hate that with this format they have no time to talk to the houseguests who don't make jury. They actually don't have time to talk to the houseguests at all, I guess, save for the jury questions, but the game is basically over at that point, let them have a moment. I would've loved for the winner to be announced, say around 9:40, then for the non-sequestered houseguests to make some remarks about what they saw. It would've been great TV for Frank or Tiffany to give Z a heads-up that people hate Paulie, partially on her behalf. Or, to give Corey a subtle mention of a goat at the end (he'd never have gotten that, but we would have). 

I know there's no way to know in advance if they'll change the format of the finale, but it is so disappointing every year. Just my 2 cents!