PUEBLO, Colo. – Rivalries run deep in Texas. And have for a long time.
From the college football world to the National Football League, Major League Baseball and beyond, there always seems to be a few contenders in the sport-forward state.
So, it shouldn’t surprise the bull riding community that the Austin Gamblers and Texas Rattlers are taking their in-state rivalry to the next level in 2024, via the Texas Cup.
“Austin’s weird. Fort Worth is authentic cowboy and cowgirl. It’s natural that the two best teams in the league would become rivals,” Rattlers General Manager Chad Blankenship shared.
“We entered the 2024 season as one of the strongest squads from last year. Now we prove it for the new season.”
With the Rattlers continuing to serve as the defending 2023 PBR Teams Champions and the Gamblers remaining the two-time regular season victors, we couldn’t ask for a spicier set of squads looking to earn some additional bragging rights.
And when you consider these were the final two teams battling inside T-Mobile Arena last fall during the 2023 playoff gauntlet, you know there’s some lingering feelings.
On both sides of the chutes.
“Sports have always been the foundation for rivalries, and even more so when the teams competing against each other are so good,” Gamblers General Manager JJ Gottsch shared.
“With the Rattlers and Gamblers, you have the two best overall teams from the first two PBR Teams seasons: the Rattlers are the defending postseason champions and the Gamblers are back-to-back regular season champions.
The best-of-three series was officially kicked off Saturday night inside Amerant Bank Arena as the teams put a little bit of extra skin on the line.
While the squads and PBR fans alike will have to wait until Aug. 24 for the series’ next installment, arguably the most dramatic matchup of the approaching Gambler Days schedule…
…It was the Gamblers who took advantage of the neutral-site showdown in Sunrise, Florida, as the Florida Freedom hosted each of the league’s contenders for the very-first Florida-based meet-up.
RELATED: Florida Freedom earn thrilling walk-off win against Oklahoma Wildcatters Saturday in Sunrise, Florida
Coming into the Week 3 showdown with a 5-3 record against Texas, the Gamblers improved that mark to 6-3 overall as they outlasted the defending champs during the teams’ first clash of the season.
Reloaded with the likes of 2018 World Champion Kaique Pacheco in 2024, thanks to a preseason swap with the expansion squad Oklahoma Wildcatters, Austin understands they have one of the league’s top-tier trios on the roster.
The team just needs them to consistently deliver. And with Dalton Kasel doctoring out of competition, they watched on as Pacheco provided the game’s first score Saturday night, a contest-high 88.75-point dance with Big Chili.
With Marcelo Procopio Pereira turning in a qualified ride (86.5 points) for the Rattlers moments later, the spicy showdown began to unravel. A fellow veteran in Ramon de Lima upped the ante in the No. 4 spot for the Gamblers, regaining the lead courtesy of his own 84-point effort.
In similar fashion to when he clinched the team’s 2023 Championship honors in dramatic fashion, Daniel Keeping reminded fans, and Austin, how much he likes to deliver a clutch ride. Throwing down a rather rank 88.5 points atop Mighty Mike, Keeping and his Rattlers were back in front with just one out remaining.
Naturally, it ended up coming down to a two-time PBR World Champion turned two-time PBR Teams MVP in Jose Vitor Leme being tasked with bailing his squad out late.
And Champ did what Champ does … Make the 8 in walk-off style!
“When Leme rode back in October (at the 2023 PBR Teams Championship game), the game was already won by Texas. He just puts another one on the board, but the Gamblers lost,” Kate Harrison said on the Merit Street broadcast.
“This time it was in his hands, and he delivered. That is why you deal him in, every time.”
As the congratulatory chaos ensued, Leme couldn’t help but showcase some extra fire on the dirt. He’s been a little quiet this season with post-ride celebrations for the most part. But this one meant more.
Now 6-for-7 and ranked No. 3 in this year’s PBR Teams MVP race as the weekend concluded, this is the Leme we’ve been waiting to see. This is the Leme the Gamblers have been waiting to see.
“Winning Game 1 is huge,” Gottsch said.
“Statistically speaking, the team that wins the first game has a 75% chance of winning the series.”
Capturing the contest 259.5-175, this wasn’t just a huge game in regard to Texas Cup implications.
This was a huge game for Austin’s season-long outlook.
Entering the game with a 2-3 record after picking up a win Friday night to help offset its initial 1-3 stretch to open the season, the Gamblers needed this game to get back to .500.
They needed this game to restore some confidence.
They needed this game because it was the latest test to showcase their ability. Their try.
They needed this game … but they’ll need to win at least one more in the head-to-head series if they want to bring home the Texas Cup, itself, with the brand-new trophy and bragging rights belonging to the victors until the 2025 season rolls around!
The hardware will change hands, if necessary, after each regular season contest, but won’t debut until Gambler Days, later this month, as the teams want to showcase the new interstate accolade in the Lone Star State, itself.
Knowing their next opportunity to pick up another win against the Rattlers will come on home turf, Aug. 24 during the green and black unit’s homestand inside Moody Center, Gottsch and company enjoyed the win Saturday but are ensuring they keep their eye on the prize.
Better yet, make sure they put on one hell of a show when the Week 6 showcase comes to town.
“You always want to defend your home dirt – especially in a young rivalry like this,” Gottsch concluded.
“You need to give your hometown crowd something to be proud of.”
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Rattlers, who have yet to suffer a regular season loss inside Dickies Arena, will look to even the series at 1-1 in an effort to bring the best-of-three series back to Fort Worth, Texas, Sept. 27 for what would be a “Winner Takes All” decider.
“The Ariat Texas Rattlers are the only team in the league undefeated on home dirt,” Blankenship added.
“We intend to keep it that way – especially against our arch rivals.”
The Gamblers closed out their weekend inside Amerant Bank Arena with a 258-87 victory over the Nashville Stampede while the Rattlers dropped a close 259-256.25 decision to the Kansas City Outlaws.
Photo courtesy of Todd Brewer/Bull Stock Media
