I Made The Cut Again!

Well, once again, the PBR didn't cut me from the tour. Maybe some of you wish they would move me down to the Challenger Tour and give someone else a chance, but you're stuck with me for awhile longer. "The cut" is always a hot topic when the time rolls around, and even though I started this blog on that subject, I pretty much just show up the next week and see who is and isn't there.

I know, I know, you're thinking that this is my livelihood and I should have more concern.

Sorry! Fact is I've never really even understood the point system. Before you start typing your comment to tell the PBR, "See, Flint doesn't even know what's going on," let me explain my position.

Most of these riders are my friends at some level. We get to know many of them pretty well and even get acquainted with their families. It just seems easier for me to keep a little distance from the pressures of these young guys staying on the tour.

Like you, I miss some of the guys when they are off the tour for awhile. But if they're the top-tier riders, like we know some of them are, they will be back.

We all have our favorites. I think Beau Hill should just be on tour all the time because he is a Montana guy, he's hilarious, he's a great friend, and his wife just had their third child. But he just didn't quite ride well enough.

The passion of the fans really does come out every five events when the cut happens and that's what we love. Even if it ticks you off that your favorite guy got cut, can you look at the list and say, "That guy sucks, he should go home?"

Okay, some of you might actually answer yes, but true fans know the cream rises. The best thing to do is encourage your favorites and get them back up where they should be.

The great thing about this whole deal is the fact that when I started with the PBR there were about 5 or 6 riders that the crowd knew as stars of the sport. Those were the guys that would get a reaction from the live audience. Now our great fans are fighting for their favorite, who happens to be number 41 in the standings! I love it.

I do know this about the points system and the BFTS tour. We are touring around the country to put on a great show and to crown a world champion at the end of the season. The guys who ride the best are on the tour and the individual who rides the very best is the champ. That's it.

This ain't youth soccer, folks...not everybody is going to get a trophy.

I hate to touch on this topic, because it gets people all hot and bothered, but here goes. I have consciously paid attention to whether our shows have been affected by going to 40 riders instead of 45. I have not heard ONE negative comment by any fans at an actual live event.

We have had some of the best live shows in the history of our sport in this last month.

The economy stinks and our ticket sales are up. There were 15,000 fans on Saturday in OKC! Are you kidding? Sold out in Anaheim? Cool! Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers told me that he's hooked and that he's coming to as many as he can. Luke Perry was just squirrelly with excitement.

So now we need our diehards to get back on the positive bandwagon and come have some fun with us.

I went to a George Strait concert a couple years ago. When it was over, I realized he didn't sing "The Chair", "This is Where the Cowboy Rides Away" or "You Look So Good in Love," three of my favorites. Oh, well, I guess he had some new ones he wanted the crowd to hear.

It was still a great show.

We'll Pick You Up...in St. Louis!

It's off this week to one of our favorite events, the Enterprise Invitational. We talk all year about the crowds at St. Louis. Not just in the arena, but also in the lobby of the hotel. It is some great people watchin'.

I always said that if you've ever had your beer cooler signed by a clown in the lobby of a hotel at a PBR event, you might be a redneck. I'll guarantee it will happen this weekend.

Our friends at Enterprise are always great hosts and you fans should know that they are huge supporters of the PBR. I am not just talking financially. The people in that company are fans of the sport and do everything they can to support all the riders.

Thanks to all the fans at the events in the last month that have made me look forward to going to work every weekend. I even sang "All Season Long" in Oklahoma for the first time at a BFTS since the World Finals. I had a blast.

To the person who sent me the link to the girls on YouTube, singing their song about Harve and Reese: hilarious! I always love a good laugh over coffee in the morning.

Whaddaya say we set an attendance record in St. Louis this weekend, too?

Laugh Always, Flint.