DISCLAIMER: The following contains my
personal opinions and recollections of both recent and past incidents.
They might be correct or incorrect--accurate
or inaccurate. You must remember that as a bull rider who rode sorry--
I had lots of injuries---- some of which were to the head.
Note: Unless you
take the time to read Dilemma part 1… this won’t make any sense to you…
and even then it may not.
Background Information:
The PRCA board is currently structured as follows:
2 Riding Event Directors,
2 Timed Event Directors,
2 Stock Contractor Directors,
2 Rodeo Committee Directors,
1 Contract Personnel director,
2 supposed-to-be Independent Businessmen Directors. A total of 11 voting members.
For months, the unscrupulous stock contractor and rodeo committee PRCA board members (two of each) have been plotting to oust the two independent businessmen directors because they feel like they only can control one of them’s vote. They would keep the one but figure he’s on the buddy system. For COMPLETE control of the board (i.e. the rodeo business) they feel that they must have BOTH of the independent votes. Presently the board is thought to be at checkmate… with neither the (4) contestant directors, or (4) contractor/ committee directors having enough power to push through any legislation which might significantly change rodeo.
They also feel they are OUT NUMBERED by the contestants in the board meetings. Any event representative who isn’t a voting member on the BIG BOARD is allowed to attend board meetings and participate in discussions. At the present time the PRCA has a total of 9 contestant directors or contestant reps in the room. 2 of the 4 Contestant Directors who have a vote on the board—aren’t elected event reps.
That means that we have an extra timed event rep in the room and an extra bronc rider since the guy with the vote on the big board didn’t get reelected as the bronc riding rep. Add to that the calf roping rep, the steer wrestling rep, the steer roping rep, and the bull riding rep. So let’s count… that’s 4 +1+ 4. A total of 9 contestant type guys versus only 4 stock contractor/committee reps ….( actually they waste two extra bodies since you could just sew a contractor head and a committee guy head on one body. Yes, just like Frankenstein—they are monsters. )
Even though they out weigh us by a couple of thousand pounds of guts and butts, in order to make the body count more equal they allow another stock contractor and another committee guy to come to meetings, participate in discussions, and scarf down slime-y lunch meat. So now the count is 9 to 8.
Still not good enough… so they decide to allow another Contract Personnel guy to attend the meetings. And who employ the Contract Personnel? It is interesting to note that over the years whoever got elected as the Contract Personnel rep SUDDENLY got lots of jobs. His employers? The stock contractor and rodeo committee board members and their close associates. One contract act went from almost NO jobs to EVERY good job and then after he went off the board… back to NO jobs.
But now they have 9 + 8 + 2 + 2 = 21 board members and reps at the meetings. Each board member or event rep gets $500 per meeting plus airfare and room. Add to that…
1 Commissioner,
1 Comptroller,
1 Circuit System/Procom guy,
2 Rodeo Administrators,
1 Judging program guy,
1 or 2 lawyers,
1 or 2 accountants …
and they can have as many as 31 people at a board meeting. That’s not only expensive—it is crazy. You can see how the nuclear weapon stockpile developed during the Cold War era. You add a missile—we’ll add a missile.
Being a penny pincher, I wonder why they didn’t meet in Colorado Springs at Ranch Headquarters instead of Las Vegas last week. In addition to the staff, 4 board members or event reps live in Colorado. In the old days the staff worked for the Board. For several years now some board members have felt that it’s been just the opposite.
But anyway, at the October 3rd board meeting the Stock Contractor and Rodeo Committee directors proposed a by law change where there would be a new board structure with 14 voting members:
1 Contract Personnel Director,
3 Stock Contractor Director
3 Rodeo Committee Directors,
3 Riding Event Directors,
1 CR and 1 SW director,
and either the TR or SR would have a vote or split a vote but both could attend board meetings. So instead of 21 non-staff members, they’d have 13 people there instead of 21. Bye bye business guys… took my Chevy to the levee…but the levee was dry.
So anyway after a hot meal (beanie weenies and lasagna)…. me being the observant type (which is necessary for survival based on my position and personality type/disorders ) notice that the conspirators are passing notes like grade schoolers …. unsure of themselves… some thinking that they don’t have enough votes to get the restructure passed and some thinking “what the hell—let’s take a run at um”.
A discussion/argument ensues. Their presentation was well thought out… eloquent…. they looked sincere... tears in their eyes… you know… the old “lets do it for the good of rodeo” deal. (If you are a contestant anytime you hear “for the good of rodeo” in any sentence, you may as well bend over and grab your ankles. )
One timed event director who isn’t an event rep was doing most of the contestant hollering. Basically it was “That sucks because the contract personnel voter represents people who work for you guys.” Right on, time-ee dude.
I don’t recall either of the riding event voting directors saying anything at all. Not speak unless spoken to--types of guys. During a potty break the bareback guy voter did come over and ask me if I thought a 7-7 structure would be okay… every event having a vote. “Sounds good to me,” I whisper back. Sneaky… I like that. Better check the inside of that guy’s riding glove.
45 minutes later…. if possible it’s getting even more stupid….
The conspirators toss in a new wrinkle…. they propose a 14 person board only this time it’s 3 stock contractors, 3 committee guys, 1 contact personnel person, and 7 event reps ( BB, SB, BR, CR, SW, TR, SR). Now the kicker…. The Commissioner would have a tie breaking vote if the board was ever deadlocked. HMMMM.
The contestant directors (particularly the one doing most of the arguing) had always whined that every event should have a vote. So now they were offering it. HMMMM. Must be a trap. A Trojan horse? An ambush perhaps.
But… let’s see… I’m not on the BIG board… the bull riding event doesn’t have a vote even though it’s participants may number more than the BB and SB combined. In every survey EVER conducted, the bull riding has shown that it is THE event that sells tickets. We wouldn’t have to worry about a new business guy somehow getting appointed that might be anti contestant…. Hmmmmm.
But the timed event argue-er isn’t buying into this deal either, even though the timed events would have 4 votes versus the riding events, stock contractors, and committees—which each would have 3.
More arguing. Still not a peep out of the two riding event directors. Then the Commissioner says something like … “Look, fellas, this board structure isn’t working… I can’t get anything accomplished… we don’t have many board meetings just because of this idiotic behavior…. before the NFR I’ve got to make some big moves. In fact I need an even smaller group to work with…. 8 people max.”
I say “said something like” because it was difficult to understand him since most Commissioners can talk out of both sides of their mouths. Least I think I read that somewhere. Not saying that this Commissioner does. (Is my butt covered yet?) But anyone who calls me “fella” deserves watching. Don’t EVER call a bull rider “fella”.
Then the timed event guy counters with… “Look the board has given you the authority to do any dammed thing you want to… you’ve had it for over a year…what’s the problem?” Good point. The board HAS told the guy to do whatever he felt he had to do. Riding event tour… eliminate timed event slack… limited tours… count points….no jerking over calves… whatever. Good point there, Time-ee guy. Give it to him, yeah Baby.
So the timed event guy turns to one of the independent business guys (the one who’s posterior I’ve saved numerous times) and says “He’s just trying to get back on the board” The Independent smiles and nods in agreement.
Then my bestest buddies the stock contractor and committee guys throw right in with me…. suddenly we’re pals.
More arguing.
Then the lawyer says….
”Guys, you need to think about giving an employee a vote… that may
not be such a good idea”.
My new friends and I tell him all the reasons why the C needs a vote… that we’d be right back in checkmate without that.
He says… “Okay”
…….but I can tell it isn’t sitting very well with him. Good guy… looks like he’s 12, but pretty
smart. Actually he looks like he’s
10. My personal legal representative
is a whiskey drinkin, big, mean, obnoxious sucker who’ll get right in your
face… no mouthwash either. And
language? He can make paint peel. He’s
such a Richard Head he should wear a condom for a cap. But he NEVER loses.
Have you ever asked
yourself why rodeo hasn’t ever really taken off? Here’s one reason why.
Instead of doing something… RIGHT THERE… RIGHT THEN…. they postpone the
restructure issue until a couple of days before the NFR. They tell the Commissioner to pick himself
an 8 person committee and (again)—do whatever he wants. Two hours of good arguing frickin’
wasted.
So I’m really FOR this
deal… right?
Maybe not.
To be continued…