I see these X type sporting events on ESPN and cable all the time. I am not a fan of these sports but do find them interesting. Mainly, how do all these odd sports come to be. I can't believe they are so organized like they are with beer sponsers and such. Seems someone ties a skateboard to the back of their head and jumps off a building it becomes an official sport overnight. Can someone explain to me how and why they become so organized and official? Guess I'm old fashion.

It sells advertising.

It think it's pretty simple. This day and age, the younger people of this country are not a conformist type of generation in the sense that they want to be a part of the cool football player group(or what have ya) in High school. There is a huge group of kids and new adults that grew up skateboarding and participating in activites in a more solo atmosphere, hence the motocross and bmx and skateboarding and such. Now for the simple answer. The beer sponsers and such realized early on that college age people have a huge pull in the market due to their willingness to spend cash they don't have for the sole purpose of enjoying life. These X-sports are just that kind of lifestyle and culture. So, hence they say, sure, wear our lable and we'll let you have money and let you do what you want. This generation is a generation of thrill seekers, and the ones that don't necessarly have the balls to participate still like to watch, and it gives them a sense that life is exciting this day and age. I hope that made some sence.

This is one of the most stiflingly conformist periods I can ever recall. Why do you think it's so easy to predict what will be the number one CD and the number one movie in the country each week? Yeah, like they're all buying Britney and Jay-Z CD's for the music. MTV (read: corporate) culture has eliminated any divergence from acceptable teen norms. Yeah, jock culture is on the wane, but X-games culture uber alles is the new norm.

Thank God I'm now over the hill and pick and choose what I like because I like it.

Many people who participate is these type sports chose them precisely because of the individualistic or non-conformist aspect and resent seeing those sports corporatized, organized, sanitized, marketed, etc. I guess the phenomenon bespeaks of the power of corporate America to co-opt or swallow anything that poses as a challenge to its absolute hegemony.
As examples I can cite two sports in which I participate--snowboarding and kayaking. (Having returned to S.C., though, I have been doing a lot less of the former & more of the latter.) Though I grew up in a very sports-oriented family (dad played college football back in the day; 2 of my uncles are HS football coaches & one cousin plays football at West Virginia), I realized early on that I didn't fit into the high school jock culture. As much as I like to play sports, I felt awkward on the varsity teams and completely out-of-place among the F.C.A. types. And I had no desire whatsoever to conform to the arbitrary rules of some dictatorial coach. Hence I took up snowboarding and then whitewater paddling--intense & demanding sports even if no score is kept and no winners & losers emerge. Through (often frustrating) hours of training and practice, reading and watching videos, I gradually raised my skill level & improved my strength and endurance. I acquired a much greater attention to detail. I learned the value of persistence, of never giving up. I am still trying to get better. But I watched helplessly as these sports became organized, infused with corporate dollars and sponsorships, and eventually became Olympic sports. Some might take this as a sign that a sport has "arrived", but others don't see it that way. Occasionally the best athletes in these sports have opted out of organized competitions. Other times the best efforts to sanitize the sport's image have blown up in the organizers' faces. I remember laughing out loud over the Ross Rebagliati affair in the 1998 Olympics (too much appreciation of the B.C. dank), watching the media bemoan how the sport had Kind of rambling here . . . just my thoughts.

I guess I could be wrong, but I would rather think that I didn't form my thought fully.

There are a couple of ways these X-games come into the spot light, and a couple of ways to view their popularity and the benefits of them.

I guess my thought is that these days, the way kids think is kind of a "the weirder the better", and they are willing to take some very high risks in the name of fun. The ad companies see a thriving market so they capitolize on it.

Now for my own little kicker on it. I think that in a way, these X-games have a positive effect on the kids these days. What in a sense they are doing is bringing togeather a group of kids that until recently only did stuff by themselves (ie skateboarding, kind of a loner sport in a way, at least not a sport with a whole lot of built-in comradrey(sp?)) and giving them a group with which to socialize and by making it legitimate it takes away the stigma of being a total rebel that was associated with it.

Even in my small Montana town we had a group of kids and parents get togeather and lobby for a skate park. Before this you would see the skaters everywhere and they were basicly just a bunch of punks. Now that the skate park has opened, they are all getting togeather there, parents included and there is usually a pretty large group of people just watching. It's interesting to see, what was a hobby when I was growing up, being turned into something more these days, and these kids are actually a good bunch of kids. Also the role modles that they develop out of the pro side of these sports actually seem to be pretty upstanding individuals from what I have seen on TV. So, Over all, I guess I'll just say that I'm kind of glad that some of these other sports are getting some air time. Also, I'm a firm believer in the fact that it doesn't matter what you do as long as you do SOMETHING that gets you out from behind the tv, and if it's getting kids to go out and skateboard or what have ya, I'm all for it.

Oh ya, in addition to that. I just love seeing a pair of boxers sprouting above a set a jeans, and the happy trail climbing out of the boxers when they raise their arms up and their shirts rise up enough to give a peak. Those skaters are kind of fun to watch in more ways than one. (I'm speaking of the ones that are over 18, just for clarification)

Just thought I would share. Love you guys. Thanks for the discussion.

Yes indeed, total turn-on for me too. BTW, no need to check ID--if he's got a happy trail, he's old enough for me.

I like the way you think! Furry men Rule!

The short answer to this question: Clear Channel and Radio One. I would rather think of this as an indictment of the Telecommunications Act of 1995 rather than an indictment of young people.

Like this?
http://www.magnatude.com/ska/ska10-18/ska1...es/k173n643.htm

Or this?
http://boxersarecool.tripod.com/images/top...ate_oct2000.jpg

Thanks guys, this gives me some better insight on these sports. These sports were invented by the thrill seeking rebel youths then madison avenue took over to make a buck. Now all the athletes have been brainwashed into comformity losing the initial idea of what the sport represents. Happens the the best of us I guess.

The X Games that ESPN holds are definitely big business. Local officials were thrilled that ESPN decided to bring the Summer X Games to Philadelphia--and for two consecutive years to boot, which is apparently unprecedented. So if you're into these events, make sure you look me up when you're here next summer.

Ummm.... The "father" of the snowboard is Sherman Poppen, who invented the Snurfer while living in Michigan in 1965. He now lives in Steamboat Springs CO. Jake Burton Carpenter participated in Snurfer competitions, making a variety of improvements that let the Snurfer evolve into the snowboard. Tom Sims made a snowboard as an 8th grade wood shop project. Meanwhile, Dimitrije Milovich started making Wintersticks.

Oh, wait; just go here:
http://expn.go.com/snb/s/snowboard_timeline_60_70.html

Jake Burton Carpenter, now known as Jake Burton, went to business and worked to the bone building the company. His bio is online somewhere.

twin58

You know me and how I like to promote Montana! By the way, when are some of you guys going to come and visit me??? I'm waiting. LOL

Anway, here's a cool article that was in our local paper about the possiblility of bringing the Gravity Games to my town of Helena Montana. I though it was cool to read.
http://helenair.com/outdoors/1C1.html

Hi MSU: Guess what Spokane is trying to do the same thing. I guess the guy who founded ESPN, who also lives in Spokane, is trying to put togther a deal as we speak to get them or some of them here too. :-)

How big is Helena, out of curiosity.??

Helena is roughly about 40,000 in the city limits, and 60,000 if you count the valley, I believe. Not exactly sure on those numbers though.

Interesting article. And it goes to show that it's not just the big cities that are trying to build tourism.

As for visiting, I'm off work between Christmas and New Year's. Had you invited me about a week or so ago when I had no plans, I might have taken you up on your offer--but now I'll be spending New Year's with a friend in Texas. Oh well...it's probably too cold for me there anyway. I'm not a winter kind of guy. So which two weeks of the year do you have summer?

Actually Montana has 2 seasons, Winter and July 23rd. LOL

Just kidding. It's not bad here right now, high in the 40's today, and then the 30's for the next couple of days.

I'm sure you could have handled the weather, that is unless you're just a sissy boy! LOL

When it comes to weather, I am a sissy boy. I dislike the cold very much. So while others are moaning about the 70-degree weather we had here last Friday and Saturday (and will have again by mid-week), that it's not "Christmas weather," I am loving it.

Interestingly enough, I'm now not sure that I'll be getting to Texas for New Year's after all...