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 a 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 shear 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 was 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.

Phil Ruffin welcomes you to the new Gilley's

Back in 1998, Phil Ruffin wandered into Las Vegas and plunked down $100 million for the New Frontier hotel and casino.   Ten years later he sold most of the property and the hotel for over $1 Billion and left town, smiling all the way.

The biggest concern most people had with the transaction was “What about Gilley’s?”  The famous countrified Honky-Tonk inside the old place.  What about the Gilley Girls and the riding bull?  Where will the cowboys be, come PBR and NFR?

Well, when the city hit the skids and MGM management was dumpster diving, trying to find cash in every seat cushion, plastic bottle return deposit and coin slot they could, Phil came back with cash in hand and an idea.

The Treasure Island could be had for a song and just the right amount of cash that Phil happened to be dangling.  MGM kissed the pirate show good-bye and Phil went on a remodeling spree.

Now all is well with the cowboys, buckle bunnies and wanna-be Bull Riders.  Phil opened Gilley’s front and center of the place.  Literally front and center.  Right next to the pirate show.  He even put a front porch out there so you could see the pirates and his girls.

Phil is never one to miss an opportunity to show off HIS place… he invited the boys from the PBR over to the new 22,000 square foot digs and introduce them back to the Gilley’s Girls and to let the world know he is back in business.

PBR Founding member and President Ty Murray

Sometimes its nice to be a cowboy!

For all the PBR in Las Vegas updates. Go to http://thepbrlasvegas.com

The bulls are gone, the cowboys are healing and the cards fell silent.  Thus we come to the end of a very long and wild week of events here in Las Vegas.

The interesting thing is what ties the PBR and WSOP together.  Bull Riders and Poker Players.  A collective agreement of the minds, as it were.  What the winners went after and what they received verses what the public perceived they played for and in the end, what we all got out of it.

First The PBR

What was accurately billed as the tightest race in the sport’s history came down to the wire and the numbers.  The top two contenders are the best of friends, yet the best competitors.

When I say it was a battle to the end, it really was.  They were THAT close together.

Kody Lostroh and JB Mauney gave the 17,000 fans in the Thomas and Mack Center every dime they paid for the tickets as they entered the last round almost dead even for the top spot.  Each riding one of the toughest bulls in the world.

Kody came out the 2009 Pro Bull Rider’s World Champion.

The WSOP
This was billed as youth verses age.  Both players being new to the World Series of Poker. Both having beat out some of the best known names in poker to be here for the final round.

Devine Moon, the lumberjack and Joe Cada, the college drop out turned poker pro. One simply wearing his favorite NFL team’s hat, the other decked out in his sponsor’s clothing line.

Cada came into the final round with a unbelievable chip lead.  Almost 3 to 1 against Moon.  Cada showed up with a large fan base where Moon came with a few friends and relatives.

Moon is a very stoic, cold-faced player against a usually very animated and a bit jumpy Cada.  Except the final round saw two men seriously focused on a game of poker.  In fact they never really exchanged any conversation until an hour into the game.

With some amazing swings in chip counts and plays, it took three hours of play before Cada finally swept the pot and took the prize.

And that’s where they all run together.  Where the two biggest events in Vegas this weekend share a moment.

In post game interviews, the winners all said the same thing.  While everyone was asking them about the money, it wasn’t the money they were after.  They came here for the jewelry.  The money was secondary.  They wanted the buckle/bracelet more than the money.  It’s about the bling!!

The Vegas Tourist sends out our warm congratulations to the winners for giving us fans a very exciting weekend of sports competition and enjoy the bling!! (now we can get some sleep!)

This is a strange weekend for us and Vegas events.  Never sure if poker is a sport or an event. Either way, this weekend is wrapping up with some strange results.

Sazzy and I are trying to cover the World Series of Poker, over at the Rio.  That went into record overtime.  The November Nine played for a record fourteen hours that brought them down to the strangest matchup in years. David Moon and Joeseph Cada.    A self employed logger verses a overly hyped up 21 year old poker pro. Cada is out of his element here, but seems to have the magical touch.

Over at the Thomas and Mack, we are covering the bull riders who are pulling off  their own nail biter to the finish.  The race for first is closer than Mayor Oscar Goodman is to a martini glass.  Last night was the 6 of 8 rounds and ended up in a five way tie for first place. A first.

Kody Lostroh, (who is in the running for first overall) Arron Roy, Cody Nance, Robson Polermo, Brian Canter all rode for eight seconds and a score of 89.25.

PBR finishes today
WSOP will resume for the final match up on Monday night.

tvtsports.com should have more updates coming.

Feel free to leave your comments and questions…

I tried to add some Vegas Tourist stuff, but was out numbered.  Sorry… I really did try!!

Here are some of the highlights and links….

Dr Lonnie is a no show for annual Halloween open house

The Ford Raptor Global warming be damned, I want one!!

Believe in Tomorrow – A wonderful foundation that the PBR is supporting.  Helping kids with cancer realize their dreams.

Danny Gans bio is released

PBR updates can be found here

This year we will be well armed and ready to cover the events and excitement.  The PBR has their own website that gives you their view and play by play updates…  We want to give you OUR view.

To really do that and not overload the rest of you here who could give a rip about PBR,  you will need to follow us on Twitter or sign up for email updates at our PBR dedictaed website thepbrlasvegas.com. We will also post recaps of PBR related events and other interesting tidbits here daily.

With Twitter and a few Twitter apps, we can post pictures and stories right from the scene of the crime… I mean the event, as they happen…  As we post pictures and updates, twitter sends out an update and a link back to the website.  Even if you are not on Twitter, you can keep up with us as we post via email.  Just go to the upper right hand corner of thepbrlasvegas website and sign up for Enews and updates.  As we post, an alert will be sent to your email giving you a brief synopsis of the actual post.  Plus  a link to the website.

Kickoff

The official kickoff to the event happens tonight downtown on the Fremont Street Experience.  That’s where they will have all the riders and many of the die hard fans…  The events start off at about 5pm with the introductions and the draft starting at about 7pm.  The draft is where the riders pick the bulls they will ride the first night.  The higher up yo are on the list, the better selection you have of the bulls. This should get interesting.

So sign up for the emails or look for TheVegasTourist on Twitter.

Mark Anthony

Is it just me, or has this year flown by a little too fast?  I just got my media updates for the 2009 PBR World Finals.  The World Finals are already coming?

That means that in less than sixty days, Vegas turns country for six weeks.  I mean really goes country.  The hottest Nashville stars come out, tight Wranglers on the barmaids, Stetson hats and cowboy boots for the bellmen.  Cowboys are the original gamblers and they attract a lot of other big time gamblers.  After a year like this one, The PBR is a welcomed sight and much needed moral booster for the casino workers!

The neat thing is that 2009 will be the second year for the new format.  With all the events being at the Thomas and Mack Center, instead of half there and half at Mandalay Bay like they used to.  That drove us nuts….   As like last year, the kick-off ceremonies and first draft will be held down at the Fremont Street Experience and the Golden Nugget.

Everything starts on October 30 and runs until November 8.

For us, part of the fun is talking with the first time fans.  The ones that never thought they could watch a cowboy related sport.  They all say basically the same thing; “Never thought I would like this until I saw it live in Vegas.  Now I’m hooked.”  From not knowing a cowboy from a cow bell, to becoming a bull loving, chute chasing fan….  One taste is all it takes.

I always tell folks that even if you think you have no passing interest in this sport, you really need to check it out.   Go to Google or wherever and look it up.  Then come out and see it Vegas Style.  See the World Finals.  Where the best bulls and the best riders compete equally for the championship.  Once you do that, you will be hooked on it.

Like last year, The Vegas Tourist is gearing up to give you our very unique perspective on the events.  From the fans arrivals to the casinos hosting the after party’s, to the arena, we will be there.  Maybe even get Sazzy up on a bull just for the fun of it….

Once the PBR rolls out of town,  the city settles down for a week or two.  Enough time to get the Wranglers cleaned and pressed and ready for next event.  The 2009 National Finals Rodeo happens the first week in December.  Are you coming????

Get Your PBR Tickets Now