First night of the X Games

Cafe Society
1

Oh man, what a great first night. The tricks were awesome and the spills were enough to make me hurt.

Bestwick was definitely ON last night. He owned the half pipe during the BMX vert competion. I hated to see Dave Mirra take such a bad tumble, but I’m glad he had the good sense left to bow out of the rest of the BMX vert. I think they said this is the first X-Games that he hasn’t medaled in the BMX vert. John Parker…what can I say about his crash? I was afraid the guy was going to be eating from a tube for the rest of his life. I was glad to see he was concious when they were wheeling him out of the half pipe.
MotoX Best Trick was out of control (literally in some cases). I just knew that when Travis Pastrana’s front wheel and handle bar assembly fell off during the landing on his first run, he was going to be hurt bad. I couldn’t believe it when he got up and was smiling. I mean the guy was trying to do a backflip with a bar spin on a specially designed 220lb motorcycle. These guys are insane. I really thing Travis got robbed out of the gold medal. I think his second trick of a saran-wrap/backflip/no handed landing was the best trick of the night.

Chuck Carothers, trying to repeat the body varial trick he used to win last year’s Moto X best trick contest, crashed on his second run, his head whipping back as his chin struck the top of his motorcycle. He didn’t move for at least a minute, but was helped up and waved to the crowd. Kenny Bartram landed a crowd-pleasing sidesaddle backflip and judges were booed for their low marks.

All in all, I think it was a great opening night to the games. What did you guys think?

2

I’m not a hard-core BMX fan, and have seen a few X Games on TV over the years, but once I surfed to ESPN I was riveted to this show. Unbelievable how real and intense these guys push themselves, and the crashes were both real and spectacular.

The motorcycle jump stunts are nuts!

3

I don’t usually watch either, but this was pretty good stuff.

Also, what night do they do that “how high can you jump your motorcycle over the bar a-la pole vault” thing? That’s also pretty insane.

4

The “Step Up” Competition is tonight. I can’t wait for that.

5

Oh yeah, Mike Deagan was not competeing last night in the Motot X best trick due to an accident he had 8 weeks ago which left him missing a kidney. He will be competing in the Step Up tonight though so it should be good.

I don’t think he’ll be able to win it, but I’m rooting for him anyway. I like that guy. He’s got ice in his viens and is completely nuts on a motorcycle.

6

I always forget to watch this since I never watch ESPN, so thanks for this thread! I’ll have to check it out tonight.

(I wish they would come back to New England. They had the Gravity Games in Providence, Rhode Island a few years back and it was awesome.)

7

I’ve never seen any of these things live. I would love to though.

I always hear about the Boom Boom Huck Jam after it’s sold out. :smack:

8

Strange how things change. I remember when the Skateboard Best Trick was the headline event. Now it doesn’t even get on TV, as far as I can tell. And they finish off with Super Moto, which is barely an extreme sport in my book.

9

Since someone else bumped this thread I’ll go ahead and take this chance to correct myself. The rider’s name is Brian Deegan, not Mike Deagan. :smack:
I can’t believe I missed the skateboard big air comp. I had to buy school supplies for my son and forgot to set the DVR.

10

Is there anywhere I can watch video clips of some of the stuff? I never watch TV anymore so I always forget to watch stuff like this. I was just on expn.com and saw the 70 ft skateboarding jumps… that’s just plain crazy.