I don't know about you, but for me, in the end, it wasn't so much about who won what. It was about the smaller moments that make bull riding the thing to watch. The big wrecks and the riders who came back from them. The guys who faltered all year and came to play big time at the Finals. The new guys making their mark. It was about the bulls, who don't give a hoot about any of the glory. It was about the intensity, the crush of six rounds in five days, and the mind-boggling madness of it all.
My thoughts on the final shindig:
- Renato's win seemed almost anticlimactic. The race for the title seemed to lose steam over the course of the week, with J.B. and Austin out of it.
- We all know that Bones won the title of Champion Bull of the Year, and that the formula for choosing that winner probably needs revamping. Major Payne and Bushwacker tied for second and Uncle Buck came in third. The other four contenders were eclipsed by six other bulls that had higher total World Finals scores: Spit Fire, Black Pearl, Carillo Cartel, Perfect Poison, Say When, and Gunpowder & Lead. See the left sidebar for scores. Chicken on a Chain seemed to be missing in action last night.
- Cowboy moment: Ned Cross. Broken nose. "I'll go to the hospital later." Thumbs up.
- Moment when you shook your head, rolled your eyes, or pulled your hair out: NBC sports guy saying with great authority that pushing the button on a fellow rider was "a no-no." Craig Hummer and Ty Murray performed some diplomatic repair work after the fact.
- The Versus and NBC broadcasts were otherwise excellent, with a good mix of announcers and commentators, humor and information.
- Bull riding is mentally and physically stressful. It takes its toll and the World Finals added to that. But for a look of pure "happy" you couldn't beat the smile on J.B. Mauney's face after he rode Braveheart.
- Chris Shivers, Ned Cross, Dustin Elliott, Aaron Roy, Ross Coleman, Pete Farley, Paolo Lima. Who would have bet on those guys to have the Finals they did? And where has Pete Farley been? That guy is fun to watch.
- As for my predictions, two things I got right: Jeff Robinson got Stock Contractor of the Year, and the rider who won the title was someone we least expected.
I may well add to this list as the week wears on, but that's it for now. Thanks to the PBR, to the riders, the stock contractors, the bulls, and Versus, for bringing us such a great season.
For a list of all my World Finals articles, click here.
