March 11, 2009

Episode 7 Recap: Semi-Final Playoffs, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN

We open with the familiar scene of the pre-tournament locker room visit from Commissioner Tommy Joe Lucia, Spike TV host Brandi Williams and cowboy coaches Pete Hawkins and Cody Snyder. Tommy Joe and the coaches wish all the competitors good luck, and with a final look around Tommy Joe states, “Let’s do this.” Identical to the Quarter-Finals, three cowboys will compete in the Knockout Round this week and only one of them will be in the final four that advance to Chicago for the Finals. Everybody knows what’s at stake.

Bareback Bronc Round
Veteran Bandy Murphy gets the draw first. Murphy needs to start off good to prove he’s the one to beat. Which he does, announcing his presence with a solid 78 point ride. Charlie Barker is next up, and draws a fairly weak horse that under-performs, allowing Barker only 73 points. Frustrated, Barker just shakes his head, stating, “What do you do?”

Chad Eubank has a lifetime worth of goals in his grasp if he can put together a solid showing tonight. Eubank is well on his way with a respectable 77-point ride. Mark Fisher has spent the last four weeks clinging to life in the Knockout Round. Fisher has not performed well in the horse riding events since tournament 1 in Raleigh. Maybe Fisher is back in his groove, because he turns in a 70-point ride and for the first time in weeks is in contention.

Everyone is waiting for a drastic change in the leaderboard as the newly-engaged Erik Wolford grabs a hold of his bareback rigging. Wolford has excelled at bareback riding all season, but tonight is off his game, turning in 75 points. With his fiancée looking on, his performance is well below his ability and he knows it. The final rider of the night is Steve Woolsey. Woolsey has flapped and scratched his way through the bareback riding all season, relying on his bull riding to play catch-up. It looks like tonight is no exception as Woolsey takes a header on the gate coming out and never really gets set, bucking off early for only 53 points. After round 1, Toughest Cowboy veterans Bandy Murphy and Chad Eubank are atop the leaderboard.

Saddle Bronc Round
Bandy Murphy is always looking to win. Regardless of the circumstances, Murphy has an all-business approach when he snugs down his hat and nods his head. Murphy’s saddle bronc ride shows his business-like attitude as he finishes very strong and the judges award him 82 points for his efforts. Chad Eubank doesn’t fare as well. Eubank has a stirrup break, causing him to lose his seat early for only 63 points.

Charlie Barker makes up for his poor showing in the bareback bronc riding by tuning in a 77-point ride and he leapfrogs Eubank into second place. Underdog Mark Fisher performed well on his first bronc, but never gets things going on his second as the horse runs down the arena, affording Fisher very little opportunity to get in rhythm with the animal. This reflects badly on his score and he ends up with only 50 points.

Steve Woolsey generally turns in a respectable performance in the saddle bronc riding. This evening he has trouble keeping up with a very fast horse and manages merely 71 points. With one ride left, the Knockout Round is not out of the question for Woolsey.

Erik Wolford’s acrobatic wrecks and unbelievable ability to ride through injuries have endeared the little Michigan cowboy to Toughest Cowboy fans for three years. This night Wolford is matched up with a huge, wild bronc that launches him 15 feet over its head, knocking him out cold as he lands. As the sports medicine team arrives, Wolford comes to, but is still dazed.

After two rounds Bandy Murphy is still in the lead with Charlie Barker right behind him, while a vicious wreck has landed Erik Wolford in last place.

Bull Riding Round
Bull riding has been the Achilles heel to the majority of the competitors all year. Favored to win the ranch, Bandy Murphy is one of the cowboys fighting the bull riding demons, only riding 60% of his bulls. But, in true Murphy style, he rides when he needs too, handing in 75 points and clinching a spot in the Finals. Charlie Barker is on the bubble, a good ride here and he’s on his way to the Finals, a bad one and he’s in the Knockout Round. Barker slips away from his seat quickly and is bucked off with only 21 points to show.

Steve Woolsey has not suffered the ups and downs in bull riding as the other competitors have — until now. Woolsey gets matched up with a trashy bull that twists and drops, separating Woolsey prior to the 8-second whistle. Frustrated with the bulls performance, all Woolsey can do is wait and see how the other match up against his 61 points. Mark Fisher has a perfect opportunity to make up ground after Barker and Woolsey’s low point rides. Fisher has drawn well, but can’t rise to the challenge and gets bucked off at 4.6 seconds for a total of 46 points.

Chad Eubank knows it now or never. A bull rider for 10 years, Eubank has not excelled at the discipline during his entire Toughest Cowboy career and right now he needs to ride his bull. Eubank starts out good, then gets strung out, slung up over the front of the bull and catches a horn in the face. As the blood pours from above Eubank’s eye, all he can do is hope his 46 points are enough to keep him out of the Knockout Round.

The final rider is Erik Wolford. Suffering from a concussion acquired earlier in saddle bronc riding, the still-groggy Wolford hunkers in for his ride. Wolford manages to stay aboard for the full eight seconds, but slaps the bull with his free hand, stopping the clock at 4.0 seconds. Wolford has done all he could, but staggers away with only 37 points.

Knockout Round
The only thing that is sure as the cowboys line up to face host Brandi Williams is that Bandy Murphy has won the Semi-Final tournament and is on his way to the Finals. The other five competitors are beaten and bleeding, and three of them must ride again to win their way into the Finals. Brandi slowly calls out the other two cowboys who are safe from the Knockout Round and will be joining Murphy in Chicago. Chad Eubank, sporting a couple of Band-Aids over his left eye, has survived to ride another day, as has Steve Woolsey, who just sneaks by Charlie Barker.

Charlie Barker, Mark Fisher and Erik Wolford will square off in the Knockout Round for the last spot at the Finals in Chicago. It is the fifth visit to the Knockout Round for Mark Fisher. Not the kind of experience you really want in sudden death elimination. Fisher rides first and can’t get it done this week, as he’s bucked off for only 45 points.

The little engine that could, Erik Wolford is far from 100% as he takes his turn in the Knockout. All the toughness he can muster can’t keep him on for the full eight seconds, and Wolford hits the dirt with 33 points.

Charlie Barker holds his destiny in his right hand. If he can hold on long enough to best the other two cowboys, he has secured a spot in the finals. Barker stay aboard for 7.9 seconds, loosing the bull rope as the buzzer sounds. It’s enough however, as Barker secures 68 points and a shot at the grand prize ranch in Wyoming.

The Knockout Round finally dispenses of Mark Fisher and the fan favorite Erik Wolford. Fisher vows to be back next year, better and ready to make another run at the title. Wolford, in his characteristic style, quietly hangs up his jersey, packs up his gear and say he’ll heal up and get ready for next year.

Quarter-Final Summary – Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN

Quarter-Final Winner: Bandy Murphy, 235 points.

Overall Results: 1. Bandy Murphy, 235 points; 2. Chad Eubank, 186 points; 3. Steve Woolsey, 184 points; 4. Charlie Barker, 171 points; 5. Mark Fisher, 166 points; 6. Erik Wolford, 140 points;

Knockout Round: Charlie Barker, 68 points; Mark Fisher, 45 points; Erik Wolford, 33 points. Fisher and Wolford are eliminated.

Injury Report
Competitor: Chad Eubank
Injury: Laceration
Location: Left Hand/4th & 5th Fingers    
Status: Will compete

Competitor: Chad Eubank
Injury: Laceration
Location: Face/Above left eye    
Status: Will compete