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Ring of Honor Members Discuss Coming Out of Retirement

DECATUR, Texas – It may have been an exhibition on paper for the eight PBR Ring of Honor members that competed at the Built Ford Tough Ring of Honor: Unfinished Business, presented by BlueDEF, pay-per-view event on Saturday night, but one thing still remains the same:

No rider likes getting bucked off, and every rider wanted to see their fellow competitors succeed in a special night in PBR history.

Here is some immediate reaction from the six legends that came up just short of a qualified ride after attempting one more bull in their illustrious careers:

Ross Coleman (5.95 seconds on Gigolo Beau)

“Could have, should have, would have. We all showed up here and we all don’t have anything to prove, especially guys like Justin (McBride) and G (Michael Gaffney), but I was this close from really taking it to that bull. He was a strong bull. He didn’t move ahead. He just kept on bringing it and I was just a step behind. That is the way it goes. Being 36 and being off for a long time, I was a little step behind. I tried my butt off and that backdoor stuff don’t work. It was fun and I enjoyed everything about it and we all were here to have fun and try our butt off. We really don’t have anything to prove, but I tell you what, I wish I could have proven the world I could’ve rode one more bucker. He was a bucker and I knew he was a bucker. I knew he had good timing and I knew he was going to be alright, but I swear he is a little bit stronger than I thought and that is part of it. He got ahold of me a little bit and got my chin up a little bit.”

Mike White (4.66 seconds on Closing Time)

“I think the bull cheated. He wasn’t supposed to go back to the left. He was supposed to stay to the right. I really think if he would have stayed to the right I would have had him whooped, but he pulled a trick on me. I guess that is the reason I quit riding bulls – I kept bucking off.

“It was fun, but I’ll tell you what, I was really nervous. Just not doing it in so long and getting on a bull that I was kind of overmatched for where I am at in my lifetime.”

“Chris made an outstanding ride. He called me and asked if I had a bull for him that went to the left. I found that bull for him and thought it would be a great bull for him and it was. It worked out. I brought him.”

Cody Custer (4.6 seconds on Buster)

“Well here is the thing, I have been getting on some bulls at the house, but that bull was stronger than anything I had been on. I felt like I got around the first corner good, but then he lifted me up a touch, and rather than pulling my foot out of him, which would have got my shoulder in front of me and my head in front of my rope, I ran my knee at him and it just sat me on my butt. It is one of those deals where when you are sharp and riding all the time you don’t have to think of things like that, but I am still sharp enough that I knew as soon as it happened I was in a bind. I don’t know, I tried hard and that is what you have to do.”

“The whole deal was one of them deals where you look at the magnitude of this whole thing. I was kind of glad I was the first guy because then I could get it over and watch them guys. I just wish I put a little pressure on them guys instead of leaving the door open.”

“It is a pleasure to be a part of it and I really did think I was going to ride him. At 49 years old, it probably wasn’t the smartest thing to be riding bulls. At this moment right now, I am 30 minutes too old to ever get on another one. You won’t see me on anymore.”

Justin McBride (3.26 seconds on Oyster Creek)

“The fun part was being around these guys again. That was definitely the fun part. The bull riding, that bucking off, even after you haven’t done it for a long time, is still not easy to accept. That is the thing about bull riding. I don’t feel like you are ever competing against anybody else. You are trying to ride a bull. It is all on you and it is something you take pride in. When you don’t do very good, it makes you very mad.”

“No more. No more. I told (Tater) Porter I might just go throw my stuff in the trash can on the way out so no one can ask me about it anymore. Yeah, that is it. I am glad this one is over. It was fun to see these guys and everything, but I am glad it is over and I am done.”

Tater Porter (2.68 seconds on Moose Juice)

“I wish it could have been better for everybody, but it builds on your nerves and whatever. We just needed to keep slowing down. Our motors were revved up so high and the bull riding happened so fast. When I hit the ground, I went back to the rest of them and said, ‘This happened fast.’ This caliber of bulls we got on is a step above. A man has to keep riding every day to keep up with these kinds of bulls. We stepped in the ring and had been out for a while and we were kind of behind. It showed.”

“We had a lot fun, but it was a little nerve-racking. I don’t think my son has ever seen me sweat that much. I am glad we did it for everybody.”

“I was just happy to get out of there. That is what I wanted to do. Get on another bull for all of our fans, for J.W. here at his event, tip our hat to the crowd, walk away, throw my rope back in Justin (McBride’s) bag and told him he can have that for now on. I don’t need that.”

Michael Gaffney (2.3 seconds on RMEF Team Elk)

“You would think after all of these years, even after being off, I would know better. That bull always goes left and what does he do? He steps around and goes to the right. What a good bull, too. He just kicked really good. I still have my teeth, so I should be happy.”

“Tater (Porter) came up and told me, ‘It is fast. Real fast.’ I let him get there and I thought he was going to go back left and I just stayed there instead of moving. I just anticipated the wrong thing. My wife was really stressed about it and I am glad it is just over with. I am glad it is over and we are alright.”

*Event-winners Chris Shivers and J.W. Hart will be profiled on PBR.com on Monday and Tuesday afternoon.

Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko

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