Big air-heads

After watching a short documentary about extreme sports athletes, I have no sympathy for the men and women who put their bodies at risk for the “adrenaline rush” that comes with getting big air, or pulling off a 720 (needless to say, my extreme sports jargon is lacking).

These men and women are risking serious injury, and even death, by pushing the bar upward year after year. Yes, I know they’re entertainers, but when does it stop? When skateboarder Jake Brown fell 45 feet onto the base of the mega-ramp during the X-Games two years ago, it was one of the most horrific scenes I’ve witnessed.

After three days in the hospital, Brown was lucky enough to walk away from the incident without serious damage. He was back on his board the following year at the X-Games.

I liken the euphoria that comes with extreme sports to a serious drug addict. Honestly, what’s the difference? Both can kill you quite easily, and I can only assume loved ones of these athletes beg them to stop for fear of permanent injury or death.

The way I see it, athletes like Brown, Tony Hawk, Dave Mirra and Brian Deegan — be it on a skateboard, a bicycle or a dirtbike — live life with zero boundaries.

And, like a drug addict, they do it quite selfishly.