Number one draft pick

One of the things I've really enjoyed watching in the 2008 season is the draft rounds. When I first heard of it, I wasn't sure how it would go over, but I think it has made for some interesting watching.

Being a statistics guy, the most intriguing aspect of it to me is the short go draft. Statistically, luck of the draw in any short round has always been much more of a factor than it is in the long rounds, even though the bulls are usually more evenly matched.

Having a bull that you can ride in a short round means a lot, and usually among the 15 best bulls at an event, some are more apt to be ridden than others, and those are the ones you really want. And you don't just want one that you can ride, you need one that can be ridden and is worth a lot of points. Typically, all short round bulls are, but if there are two such bulls available when you pick, you sure want to grab the highest marked one.

So at the first of the season, I noticed one bull in particular that I figured would be a lock for the number one pick in every short round, but at New York City, he was picked last. The bull? Copperhead Slinger. And after Greg Potter nearly stole the short go on him, the next week in Worcester Travis Briscoe took him early in the draft and was 95 on him to win the event.

Like his daddy, Copperhead Slinger definitely has number one draft pick potential. He's been marked high enough to contend for Bull of the Year this year, and his record shows that the top riders are often able to ride him. The downside is... like a paranoid train engineer, he has big horns and is quick to use them.