Margie and I are huge fans of the BFTS (Built Ford Tough Series), the highest level of the PBR (Professional Bull Riding). It's surprisingly addictive.
I first started watching it when we lived in a small apartment in Illinois, in the middle of our worst year together. We got along great, but the world seemed against us. We were both miserable in our jobs. Margie had a new boss who unreasonably claimed that she'd soon be fired, despite her great reviews. She's have to stand and wait for a bus to take her to a crowded train that would often leave just before the bus got her there. She once stood outside in 25-below temperatures, waiting for a bus that was late. Standing there with a back that was getting so bad that it required major surgery. For me, I had a comfortable commute, but I still cried half the days I worked at this particular high school that ended up cutting my job at the end of the year. Back then, it was so comforting to curl up on the couch, under our unicorn blanket, watching guys like Ryan Dirteater getting thrown around the ring by these massive bulls.
I think we caught every showing last season. This year, they're on more channels with a haphazard schedule, and some of the events aren't on TV at all, but on pbr.com instead. Stinks to be other people who don't get some of the other channels, but I digress.
What I want to discuss here is the dominance of the Brazilian riders. Last year, five Brazilians set atop the final standings. Valdiron de Oliveira, known for riding a very high percentages of bulls, led for most of the year but was overtaken by youngster Silvano Alves. Alves has taken some flak for choosing bulls that are not "rank," meaning difficult to ride. Yet he stays on more of them then anyone else. His bull choices has ruffled the feathers of the old guard, all of them subscribe to "the cowboy way," which apparently translates to "make it as difficult as you possibly can."
Last week, Silvano stayed on a bull that had a bad ride. After his eight seconds, Alves received 7.5 points for his effort. 73.5 points is not at all a good score. A good score is 86-89 points, with 90-plus-point rides typically reserved for the final round. The highest score in the history of the PBR is around 96 points.
Alves is poised to win again, and he likely will, barring injury. He doesn't win as many rounds or events as you'd think, because someone will likely have a better weekend than he. But overall, he'll win in the end. It's not "the cowboy way," and too many of the old guard claim that he can't win that way. But he does.
The top five are Brazilians? Yes, they are. They're good at staying on. They won't pick Bushwacker when they get the chance, nor will they intentionally choose to ride any of the other strongest bulls. Americans pick 'em, and they fail. I wonder how essential Adriano Moreas is to the Brazilian mentality. Adriano is the only three-time winner of the PBR, winning a world title at the advanced bull-riding age of 36. I don't think anybody currently on tour is that old. I don't know his bull choosing, but I think that if anyone has the best idea of how to win, it's him.
The PFTS came up with a new rule, to be used about eight time this year. On specific nights, the top 15 riders in the world that year are obligated to ride the 15 rankest bulls. I believe that this is PBR's way of stopping the Brazilian dominance. By forcing Alves to ride Bushwacker, or Guillerme Marchi to ride Asteroid, the PBR is forcing the Brazilians out of their comfort zone.
it may work. But it's sneaky as hell of them to do that.
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