Posts
10
Joined
6/20/2008
Location
Murrieta, CA, USA
Edited Date/Time
1/27/2012 9:43am
Senseless risk is not 'entertainment'
February 16, 2009 6:00 AM
Why would someone risk his life by, as the LA Times described, "extending his body away from a motorcycle and grabbing the seat as the motorcycle is upside down, then pulling back aboard as the motorcycle is righted before landing"? Or not. In which case, as it was with 24-year-old Jeremy Lusk, he ends up dead.
Why risk your life doing a flip on a motorcycle? Best I can tell, the activity has no particularly redeeming purpose, evidences no particularly useful social skill, amounts to nothing but an electronic envelope that you're trying to prove you could push further than anyone else.
Is this sport?
Why?
The short answer to why Lusk is dead might be that the wind in the stadium was not quite right, or that the money was too good not to try, or that he wasn't smart enough or scared enough to believe that risking your life doing motorcycle jumps wasn't worth whatever they were paying. According to new reports, he had been riding motorcycles since he was 3. That should be against the law, at least.
X Games General Manager Chris Stiepock had nothing but praise for the young man who threw his life away trying and failing to hold on to a flying motorcycle. "He was really starting to emerge as one of the premier freestyle motocross riders in the world," he said. "He was a great kid and a great athlete. I think he represented his sport very well." How do you represent your sport very well by dying for nothing?
Stiepock opined that Lusk's death in no way proved the so-called sport had somehow crossed the line. "I think there's a whole lot more that can be done with freestyle motocross, and we're going to continue to feature it strongly at the X Games," he said. Just one dead. How many more to go?
Life is full of risk. Flying small planes is risky. Climbing Mount Everest is risky. Sometimes it feels like getting on the freeway in the morning is risky. Living in Los Angeles, where the weather is fine and the earth is not so solid, is risky.
But taking a risk to achieve a greater social good is different than taking a risk because you're looking at an envelope — or a motorcycle — and wondering how far it can be pushed. Surgeons take risks every day trying to save lives, but the upside is lives saved. Climbers take risks, but the upside, I'm told, is both physical and spiritual, measured not only by the satisfaction of discipline done and muscle built but by a soul that is never the same.
What exactly is the social good of hanging off a motorcycle flying through the air so a bunch of people who pay money to see whether you will live or die can get their money's worth? Or not.
The X Games, as far as I can tell, are an attempt to blur the line between sports and stupidity, between achievement and insanity in service of box office and ratings. Stiepock is not about to draw the lines. Neither is the supposedly legendary (these are not my legends) Brian Deegan, leader of the Metal Mulisha team that Lusk was on. "Jeremy motivated me to be a better person; he was my best friend. The bond of this team is one that will never be broken."
Not even by a stupid and senseless death. Which may say something about the bond itself.
Would we let our beloved pets be strapped in to try what these human beings do? No, we would lock up the sponsors.
Maybe the only way to stop the insanity is to stop watching, stop going and stop patronizing the advertisers who think the way to make money is to get enough people to turn out to see if anyone will die today. Last week, one did.
http://www.poconorecord.com/...216/NEWS04/902160320
This guy is out of his mind. This article made me cringe the whole way through. RIP Lusk....all the best to his family!
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thank god the author didn't relate the sport to say, nascar, off-road racing, etc... seems logical to relate it to a surgeon... NOT. what an asshole.
Has she never heard of Boxing, Skydiving, Downhill Skiing, Aeroplane acrobatics, Caving Scuba Diving, etc etc? They all require calculated risks.
She doesn't even seem to respect the fact that the guy died doing what he loved, which was performing incredible stunts on a motorcycle in front of passionate fans. Everyone involved knows the risks, thats what makes the sport so popular.
Who wants to chip in to buy this person a flight to the UK so we can enter them in this...?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZC5ykhXDDbo
http://www.creators.com./opinion/susan-estrich.html
all she says is that if people took it that way, she didn't mean it and apologizes. but she never apologizes outright and admits she went overboard.
the original article was enough to piss anyone off. fmx fan, moto fan, football fan, no matter. it was distasteful.
I posted this article because (unknowingly that there were 2 other instances of the same topic) but it amazes me the lack of respect people have in general for other people. This is a prime example. That is one of the reasons the US is where it is today in my opinion.
Sure hope she hasn't pissed off the wrong people...
Pit Row
Showed a complete lack of respect for a life, family and everyone who loved and cared for the young man.
Unfortunate that her first article was so cruel and didn't even make one reference to any condolences of JL's passing that it showed her true colors as not only a journalist, but human being.
"Motocross driver" love it.
I'm betting you "get" women's gymnastics...
In a 5-year study of women gymnasts, 70 participants (i.e., one woman for one season) sustained 66 major injuries (i.e., brought to the attention of a physician and produced disability). Forty-seven of the 70 athletes sustained injuries. The trunk had the lowest incidence of injuries (11), the upper extremity had 20, and the lower extremity had the highest incidence (35 injuries). Two categories, stress or trauma, segregated the injuries and provided rationale for the high incidence of injuries on this team. These athletes were of national caliber. They were constantly trying to improve performance. They engaged in intensive practice and difficult maneuvers. The self-motivation of these women increased the number of injuries caused by stress (a total of 21); the combination of intensive practice and the maneuvers is responsible for the traumatic injuries (45). From this evidence, women's gymnastics should be recognized as a hazardous sport for the competitor. Risk factors should be evaluated constantly by her, the coach, and the team physician.
When you have no idea what the sport is about if gives you no room to comment or make false acquisitions. She not only dissed Lusk but shes dissing anyone that throws a leg over a motorcycle.
How can you write an article like that then come back in say "oh I didn't mean to offend anyone." Honestly Susan shut up we don't wanna hear it, the deed has already been done and once again I hope you get served.
OK, now someone is going to kick this chicks ass, right.
Wake up Kids. It's the Metal Mulisha not the Gambino Family. They jump dirt bikes and sell a clothing line. Not wack people out. Maybe they get out of hand at a techno bar in Orange County once in a while and smack glass in some dancing queens face, but other than that they're harmless.
I'm with B335i - Delete it
And before you start, I personally hate freestyle and no I'm not "down with the Mulisha."
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