That Dude Is Gonna Die. Cool

The X-Games display impressive athletes, but they're really all about Thanatos

There is a fine line between sports and stupidity. The X-Games are designed to erase that line, not by showing athletes doing what you can't do, but what you're not willing to do. And while the objective of these sports is not always clear (What does make the best stunt biker?), the appeal is unmistakable: these people are wacked. You don't have to know the intricacies of sky surfing to appreciate people free-falling from a plane with a skateboard strapped to their feet. It translates just fine.

When ESPN first staged the X-Games four years ago, its goal was to hold...

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