Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Random Notes on the Git-R-Done Invitational

1) I don’t quite get what Larry the Cable Guy’s relationship was to this event. Did he co-sponsor it? Just lend his name? Tater said he called Larry because he “needed some money,” so I suppose cash must have changed hands, but I’m hazy on who paid whom, and for what. And I'm pretty damned sure I'll never find out.
2) I have been watching the PBR a long time, and I have seen a lot of injuries, but I have never seen one that affected me as much as Paulo Crimber’s in the first round. I could have cried for him.
3) Perhaps it was because of events in the political arena last week (I won’t say another word), but I found the boys in the booth even more tiresome this week than I have in weeks past. Several things they were laughing about struck me as adolescent at best and sexist and offensive at worst. For instance:
a) Larry’s comment about Sarah Jessica Parker starting to look like Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Dee_Snider_on_stage.jpg).
I am giving you guys fair warning—just get up off Ms. Parker. Not one of you are exactly Miss
America material yourselves. The day any of you looks as good as she does, I’ll be happy to listen to you. Until then, like Nicole Baker in The Executioner’s Song, I don’t want to hear a goddamned word you have to say on the subject, or for that matter, on the subject of any woman’s looks.
Of course, it was pretty revealing that J.W. had absolutely no idea who Dee Snider is, but since he probably hasn’t listened to anything but Toby Keith since 1993, I guess we can cut him some slack.
b) All of the boys sniggering suggestively about Kasey Hayes’ girlfriend. Would you want somebody to talk about your sister like that? Just cut it out.
c) J.W.’s remarking that one of the riders drawing a bull owned by his girlfriend’s dad was the contractor getting revenge. That’s beyond tacky.
4) In a related matter that I can’t blame on the commentators (I don’t think), the
Zantrex-3 Insta-Shot Grudge Match sounded like a good idea—till I figured out what Zantrex-3 is. I cannot believe that the PBR has stooped to taking on a sponsor that sells this kind of crap, but clearly that’s what’s happened. Did they cut a deal for free samples for the cowboys, maybe? The commercial for it, with the gal in her red negligee trying to wake her snoring lover up, led me to advise her to smack him with the champagne bottle, which led Montana Barn Cat to bark, he laughed so loud. If I were in her marabou-trimmed boudoir slippers, I’d have beaten him just about senseless.
Really, it makes me long to have Bob back, Bob who was “doing well, very well,” and proved it by carting around a wheelbarrow with a log and two boulders in it. Awful as Bob was, his commercials at least showed an occasional flash of wit. Of course, I can’t remember the name of the product he was peddling to save my life, but of course I can’t forget what it was for. All this leads me to speculate about whether a bunch of male PBR fans are suffering from this malady. As much as I am tempted to comment on that prospect, I think I will hold my tongue, just this once.
5) I also could have cried for Cord McCoy, who looked uncharacteristically solemn while he was waiting for Sean Willingham to ride, and then waiting longer while Sean challenged the judging. It would have been great to see Cord win an event.
6) And while we’re on the subject of crying, I was about in tears when Guilherme bucked off for the second time. He looked really, really tense all weekend. All in all, it was a weepy few hours around the Stockyard.
7) I am willing to concede that perhaps Sean Willingham did have a qualified ride to end the short-go, but would it be too much to ask the judges to show us what led them to reverse themselves? From the angle I (and all the rest of us) had, it looked like Sean just about slapped El Gato into next week. Maybe if the judges weren’t so damned secretive about the process, and were willing to show us whatever video they are reviewing instead of just the damned stopwatch, some of us might be a little less critical when it looks like somebody is getting shafted.

10 comments:

shannon said...

I don't feel much different than you do about this week's event, so I'll just comment on each of your comments:

1) I'd read about Paulo's injuries before I saw the event, so while watching his interview with Leah, I was definitely tearing up. Normally, while I do think they replay those accidents too many times, I'm immune to them, but I had to turn away from his whenever they replayed it. Once was enough for me.

a-c) I don't like Larry the Cable Guy, so I was even less inclined to listen to the commentators this time. I did hear what Justin said about Kasey being "just fine" and knew it was in regards to his girlfriend and that one didn't bother me too much. Sounds like I missed a few, though. Personally, I think she's beautiful and I'm happy that he's happy and doing well. I was glad to see him there.

4. Zantrax! I had the same exact reaction you did. Almost word for word. I could not believe they were promoting that drug and wondered how it was that an organization for a bunch of cowboys thought it was a good idea. Doubtful the majority of them have a problem there.

5) I was happy for Sean, but then, I didn't know that Cord had never won an event. Now, I'm sad that he didn't win.

6) I hated seeing Guilherme bucked off, too.

7) I agree. That was really odd. And? He was so out of control at the end that I was surprised that the score was so high. Oh, I knew that if they gave him the 8 seconds, he'd still get enough points to win, but 84+ ? I don't know about that.

I don't need to tell you that I laughed through a lot of this. Thanks again for keeping us entertained!

Stockyard Queen said...

My dear, I'm always happy to hear I can be sort of entertaining. I do think Kasey's girlfriend is beautiful, too.

shannon said...

I just read some sad news. Apparently, Paulo's x-rays showed that he broke his neck for a second time and this time it's worse. For the full story:

http://www.pbrnow.com/release/?id=3968

I can't believe it. I'm so sorry for Paulo and his family. I'm grateful, though, as I'm sure everyone is, that he is still able to walk and even moreso that he's still alive.

My prayers are with them.

Stockyard Queen said...

That is terrible! I'll go check it out right now. Thanks for the link.

Jean said...

1. I am SO sick of those male performance inhancement commercials I could scream. It's like the spam that used to be confined to my spam email folder has now been vomited onto my TV screen. I can't see one of the commercials without thinking of time spent in motel hell while waiting for our house to be finished. The walls I swear were made of cardboard and we'd have to listen to someone's headboard banging against the wall most nights. One night we could not contain our guffaws when we heard one woman ask "Are you DONE yet???" after a couple of hours of headboard banging. We'd truly been watching the clock and planned to dial 911 if it had gone on for more than 4 hours. Yeah, I'm definitely for smacking the snorer with the champagne bottle, as well as that company's advertising department and CEO.

2. We got aggravated a few weeks ago when the commentators were all asked for their opinions on some bull/rider subject or another. When it came to Leah, she had a well thought out and detailed opinion on the subject. All the guys in the booth had to say regarding her opinion was "She sure is purttier than any of us." AAAARGH!!

3. I'm sick to death about Paulo's injuries. I'm going to continue to think positively. I left what I hope was a kind and amusing message on that announcement page. I got a tad growly over Ty Murray saying that a comeback depends upon how much Paulo wants it. I'm sure Jerome Robinson WANTED it pretty bad Ty, but sometimes no amount of WANT can fix what's BROKEN.

4. Regarding He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's highly touted return in Dallas, I plan to watch the event with the mute on. On the other forum someone was mentioning all the many ways he is NOT the greatest cowboy that ever lived. I'd like to add one more to the immense list of better riders. Ty Murray, who was 8 TIMES the World's Best ALL Round Cowboy while competing in the rough stock events.

5. My husband has a theory regarding the Sean Willingham win. With He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named out, Versus has been desperately trying to paint some cowboy or another as the year's super great. First it was Travis Briscoe, then it was Chris Shivers, then Kody Lohstroh, etc. During round one, the wakeboarding featured Sean heavily and lo and behold the points fairy musta really liked his legs or something because no Brazilian I know would have gotten an 84 for riding a bull's ribs for 3 out of 8 seconds. Cord just isn't the This Years Super Great Rider of All Time type. A reasonable score of 79 would have done the trick but this weekend's superstar wouldn't have looked as fab with a 79. You'd think the OBVIOUS choice for This Year's Super Great Rider would, of course, be Marchi. But, well, he's from "Mexico".

Stockyard Queen said...

I wasn't going to comment on Ty's remarks, because sometimes I feel like all I do is wait for one of the boys to say something stupid and then pounce on it, but really! Paulo and his family need to concentrate on his getting well right now, not worrying about whether he'll be riding bulls again this time next year.

I like your observation about Sean Willingham. Is it possible we're seeing the "fairy tale ending" school of judging here lately?

Anonymous said...

The way I see it, Sean slapped the bull right at 8 seconds, so his ride was legit! I'm happy for Sean. He's the only rider who isn't a real "cowboy." He may be a country boy, but he was raised riding a bike and roller blades, not horses and bulls. I liked that his dad was with him for this win! He came home from school one day and told his dad he wanted to ride bulls, so his dad made him a bucking barrel! Last year Sean wore #4 on his vest and this year he wears #10. Cord wears something like #39 and we know that his performance hasn't been up to par. Second is fantastic for Cord and we should applaud it! Maybe it will inspire him to ride like we all know he can! I'm hoping for a World Title for Sean in the next few years. I don't think Cord will come close--and I really like the guy. Cord just doesn't seem to put out the effort.

shannon said...

"I got a tad growly over Ty Murray saying that a comeback depends upon how much Paulo wants it. I'm sure Jerome Robinson WANTED it pretty bad Ty, but sometimes no amount of WANT can fix what's BROKEN."

What?! I didn't see that comment. I don't know why I'm surprised given the source. I can't even print what's on my mind right now.

I, too, like your assessment of Sean's scores. How frustrating that that could be the situation.

In regards to this:

"You'd think the OBVIOUS choice for This Year's Super Great Rider would, of course, be Marchi. But, well, he's from "Mexico"."

But they think he's such a great guy! *eyeroll* That's not enough, imo. You know, you may have the right idea in watching the Dallas event on mute.

Stockyard Queen said...

Out of all the PBR types, Ty Murray is the one I'd most like to have a conversation with, because I think he's a pretty thoughtful guy, but like all of us, sometimes he shoots his mouth off when he should just hold up for a minute. This comment is a good example of that. Maybe he was out feeding the cows when his cell phone rang and he just started talking when he should have been thinking.

Anonymous said...

I'm sick about Paulo and Kasey's injuries. I wish them both the best of recoveries.

But more so, I am totally sick and tired of the sexist remarks by the commentators. They get worse every week. They don't seem much like the country guys I know. Perhaps I've just been lucky...