Joe, you do the all-around commentary for ten whole days; do you ever get tired of non-stop talking and analyzing? I’m sure sometimes you would like to just enjoy yourself and watch the rodeo.
Well, I’ve never sat and watched it. I’ve either been roping or commentating there for 30 years now. So, you get used to it and you just roll with the flow. The part that never gets old is that there’s no telling what’s going to happen in the events, and you really have to just wait and find out. Because it always, ALWAYS, plays out different than you had planned.
Do you have any traditions in Vegas? What’s the one thing you have to do every time you go?
Get paid somehow hahaha!! No, I’ve been there so many times that there’s only one thing I can say that I’ve done every year. When I was really young and I went out there the first time, I had a friend take me to a place called the Golden Steer. And back then in 1985, it was a big deal, and big stars showed up there all the time. It’s a really old-fashioned steak house with the leather seats and the leather booths. And we’ve been there every year since then. They’ve got the signed pictures up on the wall of Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. It’s kind of like a piece of Old Vegas, it’s a cool cool place.
Who have you seen out there this year that really stands out to you? What can we look forward to in 2019?
This is a brand-new year, and a lot of these rookies have an outstanding amount of talent. There are about 4 or 5 guys out there that I think are just cracking out. I think the guys like Ty Harris and Cooper Matthew, they’re all guys that have big chances coming up. And we don’t really know who is truly going to make it until they get into the mix because man it is a different world out there when they’re trying to make it their livelihood. To narrow it down to one isn’t possible without seeing them prove themselves consistently. I think the really interesting thing to watch will be who is going to try and take Trevor’s place. He’s had no competition for the all-around for so long, and now the crown is there for the taking.
What sets the NFR apart from other rodeos?
I think what people need to realize about the NFR is that it is the best rodeo in the world, and the most challenging rodeo in the world. It’s every night for ten nights, not just a one-time deal. It’s not just about who had the best run that day, it’s a marathon. It’s the guys and girls that learn to win consistently, night after night and overcome the fatigue and nerves all week. I think that’s what makes the NFR unique, and it will never be replicated anywhere else. I think those one-day rodeos are great, but what separates the NFR is that it’s not a battle, it’s a war.
