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I had intended to spend this week's column writing about college football's Bowl Championship Series, better known as the BCS.
Instead after watching part of the National Finals Rodeo last night I am writing about among other things the Bull Championship Series. For those of you keeping score after the first of 10 straight nights of the NFR it's Bulls 9, Cowboys 6.
Most of the bulls used as stock in the NFR apparently come from a breeding program called "born to buck," and the title seems like it really fits.
Several of the cowboys seemed to never have a chance as they were bucked off shortly after leaving the chute.
I have played sports of one kind or another for most of my life, and I can not even begin to imagine what it takes to strap yourself to two tons of ornery, get thrown off, and then do that again for nine more days in a row. It seems that one of the Cowboys, who stayed on last night, but got a no score because of a rules violation actually went 0-10 last year at the finals.
When you listen to the list of ailments that cowboys go out and continue to compete with, it is very impressive. Last summer several Major League baseball players missed games because of serious injuries like a blister on their throwing hand. They make millions of dollars for what they do.
Last night there were cowboys competing with broken bones, torn muscles and a host of other injuries that would put most normal people on crutches, or worse, and the winner of each event was given $16,394. While only the top six receive any money at all.
Local cowboys struggled last night. Bareback rider Jason Havens finished 14th with a score of 75, while all of the team ropers also finished out of the money. Charly Crawford and Britt Bockius were the highest finishers with Crook County ties finishing ninth, while Speed Williams and Dean Tuftin were 12th and Mike and Brandon Beers were 13th.
The good news is that in each case they did get a score so they are still eligible for the average.
And it was good to see the Beers competing again after some of the difficulties they have experienced this season.
For those of you that haven't noticed I am carrying on a long tradition for Central Oregonian sports reporters. I have successfully mired myself in last place in the Fearless Forecasters football contest. Defending champion Buzz Williams, who retired last week after years as a local UPS driver is currently leading the contest.
In other sports news of local interest several Crook County High School graduates are succeeding in college athletics.
Sophomore Peter Bjorvik is playing tight end for the Idaho Vandals. He finished the season with 17 receptions and two touchdowns for the 1-11 Vandals.
Redshirt freshman Ryan Smith is starting to see some wrestling action at Oklahoma University, and recently finished third at 165 pounds in the Oklahoma open wrestling tournament.
Kelli Lindley, (formerly Kronberger) is the head women's basketball coach at Northwest Nazarene University and is assisted by another Crook County High School graduate, Ryan McCarthy.
Kahki McClean is the head volleyball coach at Eastern Oregon University and one of her stars in Grace-Renee DeBoodt who has received a number of post season honors this year. In addition to playing volleyball DeBoodt is also on the basketball and track team.
There are several other CCHS graduates who are also doing well in college. We will try to update you on them at a later date.
Lon Austin is the sports reporter for the Central Oregonian. He can be reached at: laustin@eaglenewspapers.com |
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