Cody Custer groaned and removed an ice pack from his aching
back. Clad only in his underwear, he began the laborious process
of taping a brace to his right knee. He had a trainer tape his
right ankle, then wrap a huge Ace bandage around his thigh,
waist and groin. He donned a truss before the trainer wrapped
more Ace bandage around his waist and lower back.  Cody tugged
his blue jeans over all the elastic and tape, pulled on his
boots, buttoned his shirt and limped off to ride a cream-colored
Charolais bull named Mighty Whitey. It was the second round of
the National Finals Rodeo, and Las Vegas' Thomas and Mack Arena
was full to the rafters, 17,000 strong. The Wickenburg cowboy
was the favorite to win the world title. The leading money
winner for the year, he would ride last, the premier rider in
the premier event.  Bull riding is the last event in rodeo
because it's what people wait to see. It's the only spectator
sport in which a man faces an adversary so capable of inflicting
mortal wounds.  In a few minut