Yes, the PBR World Cup was this weekend. No, I did not get time to write up much information about it. Sorry. Too busy taking notes for the podcast and watching the bulls. We will have a complete review on this week’s podcast. Plus more photos and stories to come over at ThePBRLasvegas.com.
I can tell you this: The format for the World Cup is different than the World Finals. You cheer for a team, not a player. That is a big change in fan mentality. This is not normally a “team” sport. Like asking a NASCAR fan to cheer on the all the Chevrolet cars against the Ford cars… it’s not the same.
Scoring is best 3 out of 5 rides will count toward the final team score and the ride must be accepted or declined at the end of the ride, not the end of the series. It’s not cumulative.
This rule almost cost Brazil the win on Saturday. They were hot. The first rides were covered with high scores. Adriano was about to turn down an 88.0 point ride. The lowest of the two nights. He decided to finally keep it. Thankfully he kept it because the last two rides were no score.
Because of the team, not individual scoring, the energy level was different. More subdued. And the crowds were much smaller. Under 10,000 in attendance each of the three nights.
On the good side, we saw some major kicking ass rides. I think better rides or attempts to ride than we normally see at the World Finals. These are the meanest, wildest bulls the PBR could find and the rides were either short rides to the ground or some major, nail biting 8.0 seconds of sheer agony and nervousness. With a few injuries thrown in for good measure.
As the Australian team Captain said on Saturday when Ben Jones, one of the team members were literally knocked out. “He’d been unconscious a few hundred times before, he’ll be alright. That may have been true for Ben Jones, but not for the Sports Medicine people. They ruled him ineligible for the last day.
The Brazilians lead the race from day one and clinched the title half way through the final on Sunday. My money was on Canada. Not because I am married to one, but I just thought they had the best team all around. They ended up placing 4 out of 5.
Australia actually showed the most desire and ambition to win. But Brazil was just a tough team. They had the one for all and all for one mentality. Their team leader was 3 time World Champion PBR heartthrob and all around nice guy, Adriano Moraes. So how could they lose??
As usual, we found those newbies. People who had friends dragging them kicking and fighting to see some po-dunk cowboy ride some bull for a measly 8 seconds. One round later, they are on their smart phones looking up package deals for October and the World Finals and calling their mothers… Screaming in the phone “MOM!! I AM AT THE PBR!! OH MY GOD!!”
You don’t want to miss the podcast for more information on THAT phone Call!! It was hilarious…. That was some serious entertainment…
After seeing all this talent in both the riders and the bulls. This early in the season…. I can not wait until October and PBR World Finals (tickets) …It’s going to be an awesome 5 days of Bull Riding!! And of course, we will be there.
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