'The Bachelorette' star Emily Maynard eliminates Ryan Bowers and Travis Pope

The Bachelorette star Emily Maynard sent two bachelors home and narrowed her love search to six men during last night's broadcast of the ABC reality dating series' eighth season.


Ryan Bowers, a 31-year-old pro sports trainer from Augusta, GA, and Travis Pope, a 30-year-old advertising sales representative from Madison, MS, were both eliminated during the sixth episode's one-on-one dates, while Emily asked for an extra rose and ousted no one traditionally during the Rose Ceremony.

"She is making the wrong decision. I don't know if she'll find the right guy for her here. I really doubt that at this point. Right now, I can't imagine how shocked the guys are to find out that I didn't come back, but we built great friendships and I'll see those guys again soon. Losing sucks. Nobody wants to be a loser. When you look at me, you're looking at a winner. Oh man. That's shocking man," Ryan said following his ouster. 

"Getting the axe this evening, that's definitely a blow, but I think some of the greatest men in the world get down -- something causes them to fall down -- and they get back up. The one thing I definitely hope in all of this is that the way that I am portrayed is for who I really am and not confident for the wrong things. Because you spend five minutes with me and I'll tell you that while I've been blessed with many worldly gifts, hell, those are not worth being confident in. So, for the guys who are cutting this up, do a good job of portraying me exactly how I am and not as an arrogant ass."

The Bachelorette's sixth eighth-season episode began with the remaining eight bachelors traveling to Dubrovnik, Croatia for the next week of dates with Emily.


Once they arrived and got settled into their hotel suite, Emily met up with the men and told them there would be two one-on-one dates and a group date over the course of the next week. There would be a rose up for grabs during each date -- and if the bachelors on the one-on-one dates failed to receive a rose, they would be ousted immediately.

Emily's date card then revealed Travis would be accompanying Emily on the week's first one-on-one date. Travis said he desperately needed the date, because since other guys were already forming very strong connections with Emily, he'd probably be better off packing up his things and going home otherwise since he had only been going on group dates.

Emily and Travis then explored Dubrovnik together, and Travis said he felt like "the luckiest guy in the world." He believed they had a lot in common and felt as if they had been dating for years. Emily thought Travis was very sweet and liked the fact she could be silly around and comfortable with him. They walked around, danced to music and had a great time together.

Travis was ready to "bust out" of the friendship zone and discover whether love was there with Emily. He was prepared to fall in love with her and wanted to exceed expectations in a future relationship with Emily.

"My date with Travis so far has been so much fun. I feel like I can be myself around him and be silly and be serious, and tonight, I'm really looking for that romance. I'm just trying to figure out if we have any kind of connection beyond just friends," Emily explained. "I feel like the stage has been set for romance, and if it's there, I'm going to find that tonight."


The couple then enjoyed dinner in a castle, and Travis told Emily he hadn't dated anyone in two years since his prior engagement was called off and he split from his ex-fiancee. Travis told her he was ready to open up again and thought she was an amazing woman. He loved that Emily was willing to listen to him and understand where he was coming from.

Meanwhile, back at the suite, the other bachelors learned who would share the group date with Emily.

Chris Bukowski, a 25-year-old corporate sales director from Chicago, IL; Arie Luyendyk, Jr., a 30-year-old race car driver from Scottsdale, AZ; Doug Clerget, a 33-year-old real estate agent from Seattle, WA; John "Wolf" Wolfner, a 30-year-old data destruction specialist from St. Louis, MO; Jef Holm, a 27-year-old entrepreneur from Salt Lake City, UT; and Sean Lowe, a 28-year-old insurance agent from Dallas, TX, discovered they would not be getting a one-on-one date with Emily.

By process of elimination, Ryan realized he was going to receive the next one-on-one date with Emily and he was thrilled.

"I feel like Ryan's confidence is starting to rub some of the guys the wrong way," Doug said.


"I see myself as an absolute frontrunner. I could jump into a romantic connection with her. I can manipulate the situation. I can go get the girl. I know how to go get the girl. I can come across somewhat arrogant, but that's just me being truthful," Ryan explained.

Back on Emily's date, Travis said he could see himself with Emily "now until forever," but Emily just wasn't feeling the same way.

"From Day 1, you've been somebody who has brought so much light to every situation, and every time I look over at you, you're smiling. I can't tell you how grateful I am for that. I feel like we have that friendship foundation that's so important to me, but at the same time, I don't know if we have that romance. You know what I mean? That's the one thing I felt like we were kind of waiting on, and I wanted so badly for that to happen, but I don't know -- I can't say that it did," Emily told Travis.

"I don't want you to think that you did anything wrong. I wish more than anything that I could pin this rose on you and be the happiest girl, but I just can't give you the rose. I'm sorry."

Emily said it was the hardest decision she had to make so far in her journey, and while things were perfect between them, "it just wasn't there."


"That hurt. That hurt a lot. Rejection does suck, no doubt about it, suck with a capital S-U-C-K. I am so ready to find someone. There's gotta be someone out there for me. There's gotta be somebody to settle down with. I've got a [big heart]. I really do, and I don't want to waste her time. I don't know. It's just -- it hurts. It is a different kind of hurt. Man," Travis said in tears following his ouster.

The following day, the six guys on the group date and Emily went to a theater to watch the movie Brave. Afterward, the men learned they were going to compete in their very own Highland Games, which would be inspired by the movie's events. The bachelors were pretty excited about competing in some classic sports, but they weren't jumping for joy when Emily told them they'd have to wear kilts -- traditional Scottish Highland skirts -- the entire time.

"The difference between a dress and a skirt is nothing," Sean joked.

Emily's suitors were forced to ride into the Highland Games on donkeys. Once on the battlefield, the men were instructed to compete in archery, the caber toss and maide leisg. In caber toss, they had to throw a long pole or long as far as possible, while in maide leisg, two men faced off and had to pull their own weight to retrieve the pole held on by both parties.

Chris performed poorly in all three of the Games' events, while the rest of the men did quite well. However, Chris never gave up and he kept his spirits high, still choosing tough competitors and trying his best. Therefore, despite how he had finished in last place, Emily gave him a trophy for being the "bravest" due to his great attitude.  


"Bravery to me is doing your own thing despite what everybody else is going to think. I don't care about big muscles and showing, 'I'm a tough man.' That's not what's impressive to me. I just want somebody that is brave enough to try and give it their best," Emily said.

Chris and Emily then walked off and shared a kiss. He felt like the winner even though he had lost the Games.

That night, Emily and all the guys enjoyed drinks on a dock. Emily wanted Sean to know where she stood in their relationship and asked him not to lose his confidence along the way. Sean understood and then he kissed her.

Meanwhile, Arie was "freaking out" about his place in Emily's heart.

"We left each other in a place where it was uncomfortable. I had to think about that all way. I know she was kind of shaken up about the whole [Kalon McMahon] thing and it cast some doubt in her mind about me, so I'd love to talk to her tonight and really assure her that I'm here for her," Arie said.

Arie then apologized to Emily for not standing up for her more. Emily said she held him up to a different standard than the other guys and said sorry if he thought she was too hard on him. Emily didn't want Arie to worry or be concerned, while Arie didn't want Emily to question their relationship. The couple seemed to get over the hurdle in their relationship, and then they kissed while walking alone in the street together.


Afterward, Jef pulled Emily aside and told her that he got excited around her and knew something good could between them. Jef said he was "scared to death" to kiss Emily at first, but Emily liked how he kept her guessing. Although Jef wasn't the easiest guy in the house for Emily to read, he assured her he was there for her and on the show for the right reasons.

"Can I tell you a secret? I'm fricking crazy about you," Jef told Emily while kissing her.

Jef then told the cameras he was falling in love with Emily, but he wasn't the only guy who was beginning to develop those powerful feelings for Emily. Chris told Emily he could fall in love with her and love her forever as long as she gave him the chance to fall.

Emily decided to give the group date's rose to a guy who gave her butterflies.

"Chris, you have, from Day 1, been a standout in my mind and this rose has to do with the fact that you are one of the kindest and sweetest, most handsome men I've ever met. So nothing makes me happier than to say, 'Chris, would you accept this rose?'" Emily asked.

Chris felt that getting the rose would allow them to take their relationship to the next level and continue building their connection.


The next day, Emily picked up Ryan for their date and she was hoping to find the answers to her questions, because she was still a little confused over what his motives and intentions were.

"Today, Ryan and I are just going to go on a road trip. I don't really know how I feel about Ryan. Ryan has told me that he wants a trophy wife and that does not sit well with me," Emily said, adding that Ryan was "trouble" although she thought he was playful and believed they had chemistry.

Emily and Ryan went "oystering" on their date, and Ryan said he could see himself with Emily as if God had chosen her for him. Ryan then called Emily a trophy wife and said every man should view his wife that way. However, Emily was still stuck on the negative connotation of Ryan's "trophy wife" phrase.

"I go back and forth with Ryan. One minute, I'm feeling really comfortable and he makes me feel really good about myself, and then the next minute, he says to me, 'I want a trophy wife and you make a great trophy.' It makes me kind of question everything he says to me. It's like, if I knew one way or the other, it would be so much easier to make my decision. But the fact is that I go back and forth hourly," Emily explained.

That night, Ryan said he felt like he had a very good shot of making Emily his girl. He wore turquoise shoes to dinner to impress Emily since that was her favorite color, and then he told Emily that he saw things in her he had always wanted in a woman. Ryan also tried to explain that he called Emily a trophy not because of her looks or what she was wearing, but because of the person she happens to be.

After Ryan read a list of 12 things he wanted in a wife, Emily seemed to realize his hopes and goals didn't exactly match up with her own. While Ryan sought perfection out of his wife, life and family, Emily simply wanted love and happiness, knowing that the situation may not always be perfect. She then told Ryan she felt the need to be perfect around him all the time and didn't want to end up in a relationship where she'd have to fit into the guy's mold. 


"You are so funny and great looking -- one of the best looking guys I've ever seen -- and God knows you're a good kisser... While I do have so much fun with you and see so much in you that I absolutely adore, I don't know if what we want out of a relationship is the same. That is why I can't give you the rose tonight," Emily told Ryan.

"That is very shocking, because I would not have seen that coming. I think that the time we've spent together, and after today, the potential for growth and to have something was and is definitely there. I'm very, very surprised and I just feel like things you talk about wanting and desiring are things that I want and desire. I can't help but think that maybe you're making the wrong choice, because I think that I'm probably just right for you," Ryan said. "But you don't get to see that.

"This is the first time that I don't know if I'm making the right choice and that's what makes this so hard. I feel like I really have formed a true relationship with you," Emily explained.

"Why at this point would you not give me the opportunity to show you the man that I am at this point, you know?" Ryan asked.

Meanwhile, Jef thought Ryan was in it for the "prize of Emily," whereas Chris felt Ryan would survive the date because he was a great salesman. Arie believed Emily would know better and send Ryan home after seeing his true colors.

Back on the date, Ryan was still "baffled" and refused to give up. He wondered why Emily wouldn't give him more time to get to know him. Emily didn't know how to answer his questions and she hated that feeling, but she admitted she was following her heart and just didn't know if she could make Ryan happy.


Emily wasn't sure if she was letting Ryan go due to her own insecurities or a difference in their personalities and character, but regardless, she ultimately decided to deny him the rose despite his intense pleading.

"I'll miss seeing you, you know? You're going to make somebody very happy for sure, without a doubt, but I hate the fact that what I'm hearing you say is that you wouldn't make me happy. I'm disappointed because I like everything that I see in you and I enjoy our time together, and I don't really want that to end. Today was everything that I wanted it to be. I'm just surprised that you're giving up on the potential of what could be," Ryan explained.

"It's always hard to say goodbye to everybody, but especially Ryan, because he makes me laugh and I feel comfortable around him. Yeah, he said some things along the way that have really bothered me, but at the end of the day, he's funny, charming -- he is a great looking, successful guy. And I don't know. Tonight is the first night that I can say I am not 100% percent confident in my decision," Emily told the cameras.

Ryan reminded her that she was making the wrong choice, and then he walked away upset and disheartened. 

That same night, Arie wanted to comfort Emily after having a tough week, and so he broke the rules by showing up at the house she was staying at. Arie told Emily she was a very good judge of character because Ryan would not have been a good husband or someone good for her in general. The couple talked as they lied in her bed together, and Emily laughed about how she basically put Arie in his place by giving him the last rose at the previous Rose Ceremony.

To jokingly make up for the stint she pulled the week prior, Emily gave Arie a rose and told him to hide it. They kissed and Emily knew she really liked him. At that point, Arie had fallen into Emily's spell.


"So tonight was amazing. We had a great time together and I can't wait for the next moment to see her. It's just, everything is perfect right now. When I look at Emily, I really picture her as my wife. I really feel at this point that I'm definitely in love with Emily. I'm really convinced that I'm going to be the guy for Emily after all this is over. I'm definitely in love. I can ask that girl to marry me tomorrow and it's a crazy feeling, but it feels good," Arie explained.

The next night, the cocktail party preceding the Rose Ceremony took place, so each of the bachelors would have one last chance to steal some personal time with Emily.

Emily had a feeling she was going to end up eliminating John at the end of the night, but it seemed to be a toss-up between him and Doug in Emily's heart and mind. They were on the "bubble" for Emily that night.

Emily then sat down with John and hoped to see something deeper in him. John came through for The Bachelorette star, as he pulled out his grandparents' funeral cards he had been keeping in his wallet since they had passed away. John told Emily their love was incredible and his grandfather made him the man he was.

John went on to tell Emily that the night marked the nine-year anniversary of his grandfather's heart attack, and he told Emily his grandfather was his guardian angel who "moved the chess pieces in his life." Emily saw a lot of heart in John that she hadn't seen before, and she was really starting to second guess her thoughts.

Afterward, Emily talked to Doug and felt like their relationship was moving much slow than the others. Doug was also aware of that, but he couldn't help it because he was shy. Emily told Doug she wanted to be pursued and thought he was too self-deprecating at times.


Emily told Doug she didn't want him to be "humble Doug;" She wanted him to be "confident Doug." After absorbing her advice, Doug told Emily she should definitely end up him, because he'd be the best fit for her since he was loyal and honest. In that moment, Emily made it clear she wanted Doug to stop putting the other guys before himself.

Doug wanted to stay in the competition, but at the same time, he was missing his son terribly and broke down and cried.

Emily used the rest of the night to think about what she wanted. Taking Ryan's advice, she began to worry that she was giving up on a chance for something good to happen with any one of the remaining guys. Emily said her heart was being pulled in many directions, and therefore, she just didn't know what decision to make.

The Bachelorette's sixth eighth-season Rose Ceremony then commenced.

Emily told the guys she was taking a huge risk in her decision and wasn't 100% percent confident in it.

Emily then gave roses to Sean, Jef, and Arie. With one rose left on the table, Emily excused herself and went outside to talk to host Chris Harrison. He told her there were no rules and it was up to her. Viewers were under the impression Emily was going to eliminate both John and Doug, and Emily allowed those two men to be under that impression as well.


However, Emily decided to deny no one a rose. Instead, she asked for an extra rose and gave them to John and Doug one at a time. The guys sighed a breath of relief and then were thrilled to continue vying for Emily's heart.

"I just have so much on my mind right now. I just don't want to make any mistakes. I am really happy with my decision to give out an extra rose tonight. Even though tonight I saw so much more in John I've been dying to see, there are still a lot of things that I feel like I don't know and I still want to learn," Emily said.

"I feel like I had such a breakthrough with Doug tonight and I can see a change in his personality just as we were talking. The one thing that I saw in both John and Doug tonight was the fact they listened to what I had said to them and made an effort to show me more and give me more and move to the next step, and I feel like we did tonight.

John and Doug were ecstatic Emily chose to give them another chance.

"I'm really, really happy. I get to hang out another week! I get to spend more time with Emily," Doug said.

"I'm pumped. I am thrilled. We're down to six guys and she's only begun to scratch the surface with me. I want to be there in the end," John noted.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski