What 2 Watch 4: Price for Glory Brings to Life Rivalry Between Team USA and Team Brazil
By: Justin Felisko
PUEBLO, Colo. – Two juggernauts pushing the other to be better.
Not just better, but rather great.
It takes greatness for a country to be a Global Cup champion, and the last two international team events have featured exactly that from Team Brazil.
Barring anything unforeseen or a Cinderella-like run from Australia, Canada or Mexico, it is safe to say that the Team USA Eagles and Team Brazil are preparing for another high-octane collision at the 2020 WinStar World Casino and Resort Global Cup USA, presented by Monster Energy.
“If you look at the rivalry between the USA and Brazil, and you look at the last Global Cup, that is the heart and soul of what the sport is,” nine-time World Champion Ty Murray says during Price for Glory (CBS Sports Network). “I am thankful for the rivalry that we see between Brazil and the U.S. It keeps making the level of riding keep going up.”
Price for Glory is an eight-part docu-series documenting the trials and tribulations of the world’s best riders attempting to be selected to ride for their national teams at the 2020 WinStar World Casino & Resort PBR Global Cup USA, presented by Monster Energy.
The first episode premieres on CBS Sports Network on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET before the second episode airs immediately following at 8 p.m. ET.
The second episode, which is dubbed “Clash of Titans,” goes into each team’s identity and takes a look at what stands in their way of achieving superiority.
The episode is bookended by the rivalry between Team Brazil and Team USA, which has become a focal point of the Global Cup since its inception two years ago. Episode 2 of Price for Glory speaks of the rivalry through the perspective of each country’s coaching staff, as well as past PBR World Champions and industry insiders.
“It is like having two great football teams meet up in the Super Bowl every year. That is not a bad thing,” Team USA Eagles coach Justin McBride says. “That is a great thing. It is something that pushes our guys to be better as it should push the Brazilian guys to be the best they can be.
“If our guys aren’t at their best, Brazil is going to beat them. If Brazil is not at their best, our guys are going to beat them.”
After underwhelming performance at the inaugural Global Cup in Edmonton, Alberta, two years ago, Team Brazil has claimed the last two Global Cup championships.
“Brazil is going to do great like they did in the last couple of Global Cups,” Team Brazil coach Guilherme Marchi says. “The Brazilian guys ride more strong.”
However, Marchi knows it is going to be tough to pull off a dynasty-solidifying third consecutive Global Cup win.
Brazil has only won the last two Global Cups by two rides – or 16 seconds.
“It is not going to be easy,” Marchi added. “The United States is right there. It is going to be tough for me. It is going to be tough for (assistant coach Robson) Palermo. We are going to ride strong. We want to take another title, but it is not going to be easy.”
The Americans could have been rattled by their past shortcomings, but the coaching staff knows they have been right there on the doorstep.
That doesn’t mean Team USA Eagles coach McBride or assistant coach J.W. Hart are satisfied, though.
“Anytime there is a Global Cup, we want to win it,” McBride says. “We are not a team that is happy with being second or third or making a good showing. It is either we win it, or we failed.”
The competition has been that tight between the two bull riding powers.
The 2020 Global Cup at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, could very easily be about Team USA being a Global Cup dynasty instead of Brazil.
All a viewer needs to hear is McBride and Hart’s tone of voice to realize how bad they want to see the red, white and blue back on top.
“If we ride the same number of bulls as Brazil, we win,” McBride says point blank. “That is just cut and dry. I love the guys on their team. They are some great bull riders, but point for point, bull for bull, they can’t match our guys on scores. Jose (Vitor Leme) is the only guy they got that can match our guys score-wise – if we can ride the number of bulls they can ride.”
Hart adds, “It is a heavy-set rivalry. Both sides take it very seriously. If we meet our quota of rides, I don’t think anybody can beat us.”
If.
That is the big question for the Americans, and for Brazil, too, heading into the fourth edition of the Global Cup.
Can each team get the necessary 10 qualified scores before they can start dropping lower options?
“They are all threats if they stay on, but are they all going to stay?” Team Canada coach Scott Schiffner asks. “Probably not.
“That is why I am so confident, and I truthfully believe Tanner (Girletz) and myself can put together a team that can go down there and compete, because I think if we can stay on every one of our bulls we can beat them on points. We have guys in Canada that are showy and dominant.”
Team Australia coach Troy Dunn says the Aussies will be up to the challenge of being tough underdogs.
“The Team USA Eagles are the superstars, of course along with the Brazilians,” Dunn said. “We are up against the superpowers. To get past those fellows is a mammoth task. I don’t think too many people expect us to, but all things are possible.”
The last two Global Cups saw the winning team need to get to 12 rides instead of 10. Therefore, it should be easier this year for the countries to be able to drop lower scores.
Team Brazil picked up 11 rides last year at the first Global Cup USA, and the Eagles posted 10.
There is another big IF addressed in the second episode of Price for Glory.
Will Team Brazil see a step back without previous coach Renato Nunes?
Nunes had to step down as coach due to time constraints, and Marchi now takes over the role as head coach.
“The situation about Renato stepping down because he is so busy in Brazil, that is why I stepped up to be the coach of Team Brazil right now,” Marchi said. “The last two Global Cups he had great success. Everything’s changed now. Guilherme Marchi is the coach of Team Brazil and my brother Robson Palermo is the assistant of Team Brazil.”
Three-time World Champion Adriano Moraes believes Brazil will be just fine under Marchi’s tutelage.
“I don’t think the change from Renato to Guilherme will change much,” Moraes said. “I know both of them. They are leaders in their own ways and they are both World Champions. They are both tough. They never give up. They encourage everybody. Renato is way too busy. He could not commit the way he wanted to.”
Nunes created a winning standard for Team Brazil, and it is now Marchi’s responsibility to help keep his country on top.
The 38-year-old smiles and brushes off any nerves on camera, but he knows there is a heightened level of expectation with him taking over at the helm.
To do so, Marchi and Team Brazil will need to hold off a hungry and rabid American team that is sick of losing.
COMPLETE SCHEDULE FOR PRICE TO FOR GLORY
Episode 1 – “Road to the Global Cup” – Wednesday, December 11, 2019 – 7:30 p.m. ET
Episode 2 – “Clash of Titans” – Wednesday, December 11, 2019 – 8:00 p.m. ET
Episode 3 – “Building Dynasties” – Friday, December 20, 2019 – 7:00 p.m. ET
Episode 4 – “Wolves & Underdogs” – Friday, December 20, 2019 – 7:30 p.m. ET
Episode 5 – “International Community” – Sunday, January 5, 2020 – 7:30 p.m. ET
Episode 6 – “Music City Cowboys & Punching Up” – Sunday, January 12, 2020 – 10:30 p.m. ET
Episode 7 – “Clearing the Air” – Sunday, January 19 – 7:30 p.m. ET
Episode 8 – “Countdown” – Sunday, January 26 – 9:30 p.m. ET
The episodes will also re-air on RidePass, PBR’s digital western sports network, following the airing on CBS Sports Network.
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
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