A Given Sunday
As we open the chute on another class of NFR competitors,
I’m excited to see what unfolds. Like
all armchair quarterbacks who throw in their two cents on how a game is going
to go down, I’m going to pitch mine. And,
like all sports analysts who make game predictions based on their season-evaluations,
leaving no stone unturned, so they can have all the answers why they know how a
game will go, I will suppose with great scrutiny my NFR-champion hunch for the
2013 team roping.
Ninety-nine point nine percent of the time we are astonished
at a game’s outcome because it didn’t pan out the way we expected, the way it
looked like it should have on paper. This
is because nobody ever factors in the drama.
Drama like happened with the Cardinal’s quarterback, Kurt Warner, in the
2008 super bowl. The “Cinderella” Cardinals
were a wildcard that snuck into the super bowl to face the NFL season’s pack of
killers, Pittsburg Steelers. On paper
the Cardinals were out-matched and on the field they were outplayed practically
the whole game. It was a David-and-Goliath
match when one man’s outstanding-ness brought the big dogs to their knees. Kurt Warner’s heart-driven talent was exposed
for the first time, and Super Bowl fans were mesmerized by the miraculous
happenings. Accurately firing
darts/lasers, to his precise target (Cardinal’s wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald)
with no hesitation, Kurt drove his team to an amazing comeback nobody predicted. Through sheer composure he worked it like
poetry in motion and set a record for highest passing yards total in the
history of super bowls.
The Cardinals were on top with only a minute left in the
game, when the big, southern-community Rottweiler—I mean, Roethlisburger, came off
the porch. “Big Ben” was the Goliath of NFL quarterbacks who bombed a bone to
his wide receiver, Santonio Holmes, who miraculously caught the ball in the
farthest east-corner, 1 slim inch inside the end zone, to score the final
touchdown. It was unbelievable. An unbelievable play that you had to watch
over and over, (to this day) to be convinced happened. Talk about drama! Who can predict that stuff?
In regards to team roping, if you were to tell me “Clay and
Jake are leading. I’d say, “There it
is. The writing is on the wall. It’s obvious they’ll be the World’s Champions. They rope the best. They are the best. It is what it is.” But, how many times does the obvious ever
happen? If it were that easy, would
anybody go to the show? Would anybody even
be interested? Kansas City (Chiefs),
Denver (Broncos), New England (Patriots) are clearly the best of the best AFL
football teams at this time. All three
teams are deserving of the title, yet two of the teams won’t be going to the
Super Bowl because they only take one. As
with any sport, on the day that determines the best, on that “given Sunday”, contestants
have to contest to their fullest best, and since ultimately it’s a challenge
between human beings, we have to factor in the circumstantial:emotional
reactions ratio which can change the complexion of everything.
With that in mind, I’ll first acknowledge this year’s
team-roping NFR obvious, Tryan/Corkhill & Driggers/Graves. I expect a two-team, neck-&-neck, race to
the end between these two. Championship
odds are in either team’s favor; statistically they’re sitting
head-&-shoulders out in the lead. All four are experienced NFR guys, so if they
get tapped off there’ll be no catching them.
However, close contenders: teams Beers/Cooper, or Rogers/Petska
can pull one out on any given day.
Rogers/Petska are an obvious threat if they’re hot and Cory’s on his
game. Should Cory refrain from throwing
and roping that fast leg, and Eric stick without waving it off like he
sometimes does, this team will ignite an upset.
What happens with Eric though, is he gets so quick, it comes off quick.
Composure will be to this team’s benefit.
Of course, the exception could be Sartain/Skelton. Nick Sartain is a World-Champion veteran, as
is his partner, the-champ Rich Skelton. Factoring
the circumstantial:emotional reactions ratio, if this team can subdue their
personal issues and stay focused on business, they are the next best chance. Rich is a past-champion, been-there-done-that
player, and with a little luck he and Nick can be the “Big Ben” (Rosslingberger)
of this year’s NFR. It’d be no surprise to
me if this team has that “given Sunday”.
What I’m anxious to see, is this year’s potential “drama” team: Begay/De la Cruz. If this team pulls through, it will be the drama
of the dramas. Like I mentioned with Kansas
City, Denver, and New England, I’m now talking about the best ropers of our day
competing against the best. While
Ceasar is an aggressive, hungrier-than-a-desert-coyote, can’t-wait-to-throw-his-loop
beast, fully primed, pumped and firing on all cylinders, Derek is totally
not. Unfortunately, Derek is a broken,
wounded soldier heading (literally) into battle on one leg. Sure, one could assume roping with a broken
leg possible, but we’re talking about modern-day NFR combat. Today’s style of extreme arena team roping
requires extreme competition-riding skills as well. Though Derek is young, talented and full of
heart, I expect this is going to hurt
all the way around.
Since the fat lady ain’t even in the building yet I
anticipate great game changers. All
teams are capable of having a “given
Sunday”, so let’s go boys! Bring on
the blood, the tears, the drama and your mama.
I’m amped for another year’s 10-day, team-roping spectacular.
That’s all I know…
Rope Smart!
The Lion
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