Let me warn you, this is not a serious article about bulls or a statistical analysis or a genetic dissertation. This is fun. I need more fun around here. So, 101 things to love about bull riding:
1. Dirt. There are other dirty sports, but this is the kind of dirt you get when tossed off an 1800-pound bull and that's just cooler than the dirt in other sports. Plus, this is dirt on clothes, not on uniforms, and that's, I don't know, cooler.
2. Muleys. Hornless bulls have a sweet and strange look. And yes, I do sometimes almost call Black Pearl "she." It's a combination of the name and the lack of horns, and I'm really sorry about it.
3. The riders who wear the starched white shirts. I don't get it, but okay.
4. The fashion switch from dark to light cowboy hats in about May and back again in October.
5. The speed with which the riders get their helmets off and hats back on after every ride.
6. Dr. Tandy Freeman. I don't know what it is about that guy. You have to love a guy who just can't not throw around orthopedic lingo on television.
7. Red flank ropes.
8. Bulls who won't leave the arena.
9. Bulls who leave the arena immediately.
10. Statistics. Riding percentage, buckoff percentage, average buckoff time, average rider score, average bull score, riding percentage, and on and on. Thrilling.
11. The guy dressed all in black who opens the chute gate. Who is that guy? (I just found out who he is. I will fill you in later.)
12. Adrenaline. Goes without saying.
13. Injuries. I hate to say it. Since I started writing this website I can throw around some orthopedic lingo of my own.
14. Genetics. Bloodlines, oh bloodlines, sires, dams, heterozygous, homozygous, DNA, the whole nine yards.
15. Flying slobber.
16. Big rides. Monster rides. Chris Shivers on Jim Jam. Travis Briscoe on Copperhead Slinger. J.B. Mauney on Crosswired. Every now and then you see one that takes your breath away.
17. Shane Proctor's zebra chaps.
18. Okay, I am not "into" feet, but there is something about the cowboy boots/spurs/jeans conjunction that is completely mesmerizing.
19. Bull names. Whitewater, Reindeer, Braveheart. Name your favorites.
Your turn. 82 reasons to go. Feel free to ditto anyone else's.
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