By: Justin Felisko
AUSTIN, Texas – Two-time World Champion Jess Lockwood was surprised practically speechless on Friday afternoon contained in the Moody Center.
The 24-year-old has discovered all through his seven-year profession, particularly within the final two years, that every time Dr. Tandy Freeman takes a seat, it normally means unhealthy news.
Lockwood had limped his approach into the house of the Austin Gamblers round 4 p.m., hoping that Dr. Freeman would inform him the knee harm he sustained within the follow pen at house in Volborg, Montana, on Wednesday afternoon was not that critical.
Instead, Lockwood was given probably unhealthy news simply hours earlier than what was supposed to be his extremely anticipated season debut for the Oklahoma Freedom.
Dr. Freeman defined to Lockwood that he doubtless has a torn PCL, and presumably another injury to his left knee, and that he’ll want to endure an MRI on Saturday morning to study the complete extent of his accidents.
“When I got off, I landed on my knees and got up and ran normal, but I guess I tore my PCL,” Lockwood instructed PBR.com. “I landed just right, I guess. Literally got off like I have a thousand different times, and I guess landed literally as perfect as you possibly freaking could. I rode a bull and got off like I have a thousand different times. I couldn’t have torn nothing. I don’t know how I freaking could.”
Freeman defined that Lockwood may very well be out 6-8 months if his harm wants to be fastened surgically. Without surgical procedure, Lockwood may very well be sidelined for up to 12 weeks and presumably see his PBR Teams season over earlier than it even began.
Lockwood was admittedly defeated and disheartened by the sudden news Friday. He had been out of competitors for the final six months due to a left shoulder harm and had been working in the direction of being an impression rider for Oklahoma.
The knee harm is simply the newest within the ongoing harm saga for Lockwood, who has missed 19 months of competitors within the final three seasons.
“I don’t even know how to put that into words,” Lockwood mentioned. “First to come again from the large harm, and I can’t experience shit, and I’m questioning why I can’t experience, and it seems my pelvis is cut up in two, and my core muscle tissues had been ripped off ever since I’ve come again (in 2020). Then, come again from that in 2021, my groin has all this scar tissue. Just unhealthy, can’t experience. Finish out the season, begin this new season. Start sluggish, getting a brand new really feel for the physique. Kind of begin catching a rhythm and freaking get damage there at house.
“It’s just never-ending.”
Freedom coach Cord McCoy admitted the Oklahoma brass was additionally bowled over by the news. The staff watched Lockwood’s experience within the follow pen with pleasure on Thursday night time on the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel and thought he had some swelling and knee soreness from touchdown awkwardly on his get-off.
“We were like slapping fives on his 90-point practice ride,” McCoy mentioned. “We were like, ‘Wow, he’s back.’ ‘Which of your two gold buckles are you going to wear this weekend?’ kind of deal. So today, the 4:15 call was a pretty tough phone call. He did a group call, and I guess Tandy, you’re not going to surprise him. He knows bull riding. He knows injuries. So when he kind of stated what it was, we were like, crap.”
The Freedom didn’t crumble with the unlucky Lockwood news, although.
Oklahoma (4-7, Gambler Days 1-0) rallied to defeat the Ariat Texas Rattlers (3-8, Gambler Days 0-1) 253-83.75.
Coincidentally, the rider who changed Lockwood within the lineup final minute was the person who clinched the Freedom the win – Briggs Madsen.
The 22-year-old locked up the W by using Mike’s Effect for 83.5 factors. Oklahoma acquired rides earlier within the sport from Casey Roberts (85.75 on Siroucho) and Eli Vastbinder (83.75 factors on Walking Tall).
Madsen had bucked off six bulls in a row to begin his Teams profession.
“I just had to be patient with myself,” Madsen mentioned. “When they are saying that these are the best bulls on the planet, that’s the reality, and it’s been fairly a studying curve for me. But I went house this week and simply bought my thoughts off issues, roped some calves, bought on a bull at a professional rodeo (Friday night time) in Utah, and regrouped.
“I just had to tell myself to just quit thinking. I climbed in the chute – I wasn’t worried about what the bull was going to do. I didn’t even know what the bull was. Didn’t watch a video. Just got to focus on my own job.”
McCoy mentioned the Freedom have to stay assured even when they obtain unhealthy news about Lockwood this weekend. McCoy has religion in his roster to preserve pushing ahead, particularly now that Vastbinder, Chase Outlaw and Derek Kolbaba returned to the lineup this weekend.
Oklahoma takes on the Carolina Cowboys (6-5, 1-0 Gambler Days) on Saturday night time on the Moody Center (7:45 p.m. ET, RidePass on Pluto TV).
“You almost hope it’s a little bit of a dream on Jess and that he gets an MRI tomorrow, and they say no, it’s not as bad as we think it is right off the bat,” McCoy mentioned. “But we nonetheless really feel like, beginning at present – we felt like we had extra depth. We had six guys coming. Even after Jess is out, if we preserve these 5 wholesome, we’ve nonetheless bought a superb shot, which sounds loopy, sitting on the underside of the stack.
“It’s going to be a fight all year to get back.”
SATURDAY GAME SCHEDULE (7:45 p.m. ET, RidePass on Pluto TV)
Kansas City Outlaw (4-7, Gambler Days 0-1) vs. Missouri Thunder (7-4, Gambler Days 0-1)
Oklahoma Freedom (4-7, Gambler Days 1-0) vs. Carolina Cowboys (6-5, Gambler Days 1-0)
Arizona Ridge Riders (7-4, Gambler Days 1-0) vs. Nashville Stampede (3-8, Gambler Days 0-1)
Austin Gamblers (8-3, Gambler Days 1-0) vs. Ariat Texas Rattlers (3-8, Gambler Days 0-1)
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
Photo courtesy of Bull Stock Media
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