There is a debate raging on various ESPN shows as to whether certain sports at the X-Games are becoming too dangerous. This is, of course, in response to Jake Brown's horrific 50-foot fall last night during the Skateboard Big Air competition. Surprisingly, given the fact that they are TV people, I think that they have missed the biggest point to be made: these sports are not too dangerous for the athletes, but for the live TV audience! All of the talk I've heard so far focuses on the athletes going too far and putting themselves in real danger, and most have said "no; the athletes know what they are getting into." This is true. The athletes can do what they want, and there are people who do much crazier things than are shown at the X-Games. My question is, does the audience know what they're getting into? We want to see big air and huge tricks, but do we want to see someone die? What if Brown comes off his board a bit different and can't help but land on his neck? I think ESPN would have a pretty tough time defending itself against the FCC if millions of kids watch a dude die right in front of their eyes on a TV G or PG show. There are crazies out there who die every year doing deadly stunts and climbing mountains, but there are usually only a handful of people who actually have the burden of seeing them die. And when it comes to race car drivers, it's different because they are in a car. I watched Dale Earnhardt's lethal crash at Daytona live, and although it was very sad, it wasn't particularly scarring in any way, because I didn't actually see him, just the car. Brown's fall was gruesome enough without it being particularly damaging; just imagine if it had been.
It's also a double-edged sword. Even though we're all very glad that Brown ended up in such great condition considering the severity of the fall, what message does that send to the kids who want to attempt their own stunts? After that, they're gonna be sayin, "Man, after that, what's the worst that can happen if I do...?" I'm certainly not saying that trying out new stunts on their bikes and boards is such a horrible thing, but they can definitely get a distorted sense of reality as to what is really dangerous when watching these events.
As these events become riskier and more extreme, accidents like Jake Brown's are going to create a lose-lose situation for the general public, and one that the FCC is not going to like. You run the risk of either showing a deadly accident and sending images to millions of people who don't want them, or sending the message that even after having an ugly accident, you can always get up and walk away. This is the real risk the X-Games and ESPN run when packing stadiums and showing events live.
Chelsey Buhler
Jessica Gomes
NFL Cheerleaders: Week 11
Best Players 6-5 and Under
Comments (7) Add A Comment
I think thats the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Do you watch MMA... Pride, UFC? Now that is brutal and savage ( personally I love IT!!!). Guys get nasty TKO's, break bones, bleed all over the place. Football is also a brutal sport, in high school I personaly witnessed a teammate die on the field from a head injury and that was the last thing I expected to have happen playing the game. We watch dead bodies on CNN all the time, world craziest video's show some hardcore stuff.
The X-Games is what the X stands for... X-treme. You have got to have extreme balls to be doing that stuff and at the same time every person who is out there doing it has been practicing and is a professional, they know the dangers involved.... I'm sure we all have a lot better chance of dieing in a car wreck tonight then we do of witnessing someone dieing on tv.
It is a person's choice to watch or not and they to should know what is about to happen, maybe ESPN should add a disclaimer like JACKAS.S does.
Here is the BIG problem I have with it. Last night the random guy who entered to try the double back flip should not have been let in... he definatly wasn't a professional, but some random rookie. It was his 1st ever competition, and he was going to try a feat only the best rider in the world has accomplished, and one that most likely will result in SERIOUS SERIOUS injury if you mess up.... to back up this even more if you were watching during the introductions he couldn't even hit the ramp to go off the jump and land normal like all the other rider's were doing... he just drove around it. Also in his video he wasn't even riding or landing in dirt. It was all new to him and I think they let him in to try to pull viewers or something like that.. the kid crashed really hard and is lucky he walked away.
They made a huge mistake by letting that kid do that, you should have to demonstrate your riding skills on dirt in front of a panel, and must be able to hit all the jumps in the contest to be able to perform... he brought some random piece of carpet and a spraypainted homemade ramp. They are lucky he didnt die
zY
Pullman, WA
Total Comments (498)
You have to have more than "extreme cojones" to do those stunts -- you have to have such severe brain damage already that there's really nothing more that can be done for you.
I know there are people who are going to defend the X-Games ethic, but I find the whole thing absurd and stupid. as I keep wanting to tel those idiots doing inane tricks everywhere in downtown Portland, "Skateboarding is not a crime -- YET." ESPN and the idiots who participate and watch these events were lucky there wasn't a fatality, but if this continues someone will inevitably get themselves killed, especially give how little regard is placed on participant safety. The FCC has very little input in what goes on on even basic cable, but it's time to put the brakes on extreme sports.
MPH in Portland
Portland , OR
Total Comments (156)
How many people have died at the X-Games?...None. While I think it is crazy and dangerous they are professionals at it. People have died playing football, racing cars had heart attacks on the floor during basketball... crazy things can always happen. What do you think of MMA?
zY
Pullman, WA
Total Comments (498)
How about the recent first base coach getting line drived in the head and dying on the field. should they put glass pope mobile's up for the box so noone can get hurt?
zY
Pullman, WA
Total Comments (498)
OK, zY. I wonder how many times in your life you've said "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard in my life." Whatever, dude. All I'm sayin is that I think there's a difference between UFC on HBO or Spike or whatever, and ESPN, which is as close to a network as there is on cable. With UFC, you're obviously watching for the sole purpose of seeing brutal violence, and I don't know how many parents are sitting and watching that with their kids. With ESPN, you're there to watch sports. I completely acknowledge that the danger raises the interest level, but I think they're flirting with a PR problem if they have someone die on them. I'm not saying that I'm gonna get pissed or that people not expecting the violence aren't stupid, I can just see it happening, that's all.
aglebagel
Provo , UT
Total Comments (78)
Look, I understand that it would be a freak accident, and that it's very unlikely to happen. The only point I'm trying to make is that these type of guys are going to do crazy things no matter what, but that in the future as these events become even more extreme, it's going to become riskier for the network. I totally agree with you that they need to make sure that the guys who participate are true pros. I love watching these events, and I just don't want there to be a controversy someday.
aglebagel
Provo , UT
Total Comments (78)
I watched Jake Brown take that fall LIVE...I really thought it was impossible to get up from that. It just looked like he slammed his head and a** on the floor, and I was thinking: Concussion and shattered pelvis, and yet he gets up.
We see this type of stuff all the time in sports. Pitchers getting hit in the head by a hit ball, hockey players getting their faces smashed into the glass, soccer players getting kicked in the face, football players breaking their necks, basketball players torquing their legs and ankles, boxers getting lit up as the ref watches, etc.
Its nothing new...
Mac is the Demon of…
Fort Hood, TX
Total Comments (9404)
Comment
Remember to keep your posts clean. Profanity will get filtered, and offensive comments will be removed.