Post by jwrox on Dec 22, 2007 16:04:49 GMT -5
Found this article...talks about Justin competing with the injured shoulder and his CD
McBride savors year in which he dominated PBR competition
By MIKE SPENCE
THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN
Justin McBride won't be able to pursue his passion for a while. Shoulder surgery in late November is likely to sideline the Professional Bull Riders Inc. reigning world champion for six months, maybe more.
Yet, with Christmas fast approaching, McBride's attitude this holiday season is remarkably positive. He realizes he has plenty for which he can be thankful Ñ a year in which he won won his second world title in three years, earned more than $1.8 million and launched his career as a recording artist.
With success like that, it's easy to see the silver lining even in the darkest of clouds. McBride is no different. He even sees a positive in his convalescence. It's allowing him to give his wife, Jill, and 20-month-old daughter Addison a most-precious gift.
"I'm going to just stick around the ranch and spend time with my family," said McBride, 28, of Elk City, Okla.
Family time is a luxury in rodeo, bull riding included, because unlike other professional sports, when cowboys don't compete, they don't get paid.
McBride can afford to stay at home for now thanks to, perhaps, the most dominating season produced in PBR competition.
En route to his 2007 world title, McBride won eight events, breaking the record of six.
"In 2005 when I tied the record of six wins in a season, I thought that was a dominating year," McBride said. "But this year, winning eight, I think this year I was truly dominant."
How dominant?
McBride rode a PBR-record 57 bulls in 2007. He won $200,000 on just one ride when he conquered the bounty bull Scene of the Crash. Putting an exclamation point in his performance during 2007, McBride was the only rider to last the full 8 seconds on the PBR's 2007 bull of the year, Chicken on a Chain.
What makes McBride's year so amazing is that he continued to compete and win despite suffering a shoulder injury in August and coming down with an illness on the eve of the PBR Finals, that forced him to take complete bed rest.
"The injury was to my free arm," McBride said. "That made it worse, because that arm is swinging around. It would have been easier if it had been the other arm, because you keep that close to your body."
McBride missed three weeks, but quickly proved that he was the rider to beat by winning the first event he entered upon his return.
Then, just as the season was winding down, McBride suffered a bout of viral meningitis. He couldn't ride or even train in the days leading up to the finals. The late setback didn't even faze McBride. He entered the PBR finals brimming with confidence.
"I had had such a good year, I had a little cushion," McBride said. "The only thing that bothered me was I would get winded a lot easier."
The rustiness showed early in the competition, but with each succeeding round, McBride's form returned and he was able to fend off all challengers to his title.
"The first half of the finals I really struggled. I fell off my first three bulls," McBride said. "Then I started riding them."
Did he ever start to doubt himself?
"No," he said emphatically. "There were still a lot of rides left and I had some room to play with."
While McBride sits at the top of the bull riding world, he also branched out in 2007, recording his first album.
Does he want to be the next Chris LeDoux, the world champion bareback rider who became a popular recording artist?
"Oh, no," McBride said sounding almost embarrassed. "I made a record. I enjoyed doing it. If people like it, we might consider doing another one."
McBride wrote only the title song of the album, "Don't Let Go," about - what else? - a bull rider. But the other songs on the album are basically autobiographical, including "Tumbleweed Town," "Beer Drinkin' Songs" and "That Was Us."
For now, the CD may be purchased on the PBR Web site.
"On that album, I didn't want to get outside of myself," McBride said. "I wanted people to know who I was and what I was about."
Perhaps as a singer, people needed to know who McBride is. As a bull rider, however, McBride needs no introduction.
He's the best in the world.
McBride savors year in which he dominated PBR competition
By MIKE SPENCE
THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN
Justin McBride won't be able to pursue his passion for a while. Shoulder surgery in late November is likely to sideline the Professional Bull Riders Inc. reigning world champion for six months, maybe more.
Yet, with Christmas fast approaching, McBride's attitude this holiday season is remarkably positive. He realizes he has plenty for which he can be thankful Ñ a year in which he won won his second world title in three years, earned more than $1.8 million and launched his career as a recording artist.
With success like that, it's easy to see the silver lining even in the darkest of clouds. McBride is no different. He even sees a positive in his convalescence. It's allowing him to give his wife, Jill, and 20-month-old daughter Addison a most-precious gift.
"I'm going to just stick around the ranch and spend time with my family," said McBride, 28, of Elk City, Okla.
Family time is a luxury in rodeo, bull riding included, because unlike other professional sports, when cowboys don't compete, they don't get paid.
McBride can afford to stay at home for now thanks to, perhaps, the most dominating season produced in PBR competition.
En route to his 2007 world title, McBride won eight events, breaking the record of six.
"In 2005 when I tied the record of six wins in a season, I thought that was a dominating year," McBride said. "But this year, winning eight, I think this year I was truly dominant."
How dominant?
McBride rode a PBR-record 57 bulls in 2007. He won $200,000 on just one ride when he conquered the bounty bull Scene of the Crash. Putting an exclamation point in his performance during 2007, McBride was the only rider to last the full 8 seconds on the PBR's 2007 bull of the year, Chicken on a Chain.
What makes McBride's year so amazing is that he continued to compete and win despite suffering a shoulder injury in August and coming down with an illness on the eve of the PBR Finals, that forced him to take complete bed rest.
"The injury was to my free arm," McBride said. "That made it worse, because that arm is swinging around. It would have been easier if it had been the other arm, because you keep that close to your body."
McBride missed three weeks, but quickly proved that he was the rider to beat by winning the first event he entered upon his return.
Then, just as the season was winding down, McBride suffered a bout of viral meningitis. He couldn't ride or even train in the days leading up to the finals. The late setback didn't even faze McBride. He entered the PBR finals brimming with confidence.
"I had had such a good year, I had a little cushion," McBride said. "The only thing that bothered me was I would get winded a lot easier."
The rustiness showed early in the competition, but with each succeeding round, McBride's form returned and he was able to fend off all challengers to his title.
"The first half of the finals I really struggled. I fell off my first three bulls," McBride said. "Then I started riding them."
Did he ever start to doubt himself?
"No," he said emphatically. "There were still a lot of rides left and I had some room to play with."
While McBride sits at the top of the bull riding world, he also branched out in 2007, recording his first album.
Does he want to be the next Chris LeDoux, the world champion bareback rider who became a popular recording artist?
"Oh, no," McBride said sounding almost embarrassed. "I made a record. I enjoyed doing it. If people like it, we might consider doing another one."
McBride wrote only the title song of the album, "Don't Let Go," about - what else? - a bull rider. But the other songs on the album are basically autobiographical, including "Tumbleweed Town," "Beer Drinkin' Songs" and "That Was Us."
For now, the CD may be purchased on the PBR Web site.
"On that album, I didn't want to get outside of myself," McBride said. "I wanted people to know who I was and what I was about."
Perhaps as a singer, people needed to know who McBride is. As a bull rider, however, McBride needs no introduction.
He's the best in the world.