| You'll find a large segment of the bull riding community | | | | byproduct of pretending to be an immortal. The best |
| that simply hates the idea of wearing a helmet in | | | | of the best understand the danger and come to terms |
| practice or competition. You can show them photos of | | | | with it. They don't pretend as if it doesn't exist. |
| heads split open like ripe melons and they won't | | | | When you come down, you don't know how you're |
| change their position. You can hand them a stack of | | | | landing. Your control is minimal to nonexistent. Even if |
| reports on traumatic brain injuries that reaches higher | | | | you can avoid a nasty thunk on the noggin when |
| than a saddlehorn and they'll ignore the unmistakable | | | | you're hitting the dirt, you certainly can't control whether |
| conclusion: Helmets save lives. They'll resist the idea of | | | | or not that animal is going to going to decide that his |
| a bull riding helmet with every stitch of their jeans. | | | | hooves or head needs to try to occupy that same |
| A helmet doesn't look cool. It's not traditional. It doesn't | | | | space. You don't need to be a theoretical physicist to |
| feel comfortable. The odds are against needing a | | | | figure out what's going to happen if that happens. You |
| helmet. The greats never wore a helmet. There are a | | | | know how that story ends and it isn't pretty. |
| million and one excuses to avoid donning one. | | | | If you've been riding for any length of time, you've |
| Let's cut through the excuses for a moment. After all, | | | | seen bad injuries. Even if you haven't seen a traumatic |
| we all know they aren't as persuasive as the | | | | brain injury, you've undoubtedly witnessed more than a |
| rock-solid medical evidence favoring the use of a bull | | | | few broken or crushed bones. On some level, you |
| riding helmet. No matter what you might say you think, | | | | recognize the risk involved in getting on the back of a |
| or what you might claim to believe, the facts line up | | | | bull without protective headgear. Now it's time to put |
| behind helmets. That's not open for argument. You're | | | | the "cool factor" on the shelf and to admit that the fact |
| entitled to your own opinion. That doesn't mean you | | | | that a bull riding helmet isn't as comfortable as your |
| get to make up your own facts. | | | | favorite hat isn't a good enough reason to risk |
| Now, you may believe that you need to pretend to be | | | | scrambling your brains. |
| untouchable in order to succeed. You may think that | | | | Take off your Stetson. Put on your bull riding helmet. |
| you're air of invincibility is a key to getting the job done. | | | | It's that simple. |
| It isn't. Bull riding is a matter of skill and heart. It isn't a | | | | |