OT the XGames kid died - rip**

[reedny]

My only point is that kids do things knowing they could die. A lot of kids join the army just so they can get college paid for and they risk their lives just for that reason.

I've done crazy stuff before on skis, and like cuse troop my pops drag races cars to.

I mean why do people sky dive are they idiots?

I'll take the 5th on that question. And I know lots of people engage in risky hobbies. I ski raced when I was younger and did other (endurance) sports. There was some injury risk, of course (even driving a car carries some risk). But I can't really say that any of those common activities involved an aggravated risk of death every time out -- like flipping a motorcycle or snowmobile. I guess it comes down to how far people are willing to go for amusement.

All that aside, it still seems like the noble purpose of defending our country -- dangerous as it is -- stands apart from stunts and spectacles passed off as "sport".

 

[4evaOrange]

This is a very interesting thread...points being made on both fronts. I seem to lean towards the side of OrangeCrush. I don't want to call him an idiot or stupid, but what he was doing was stupid and idiotic if that makes sense. There is danger every day for some of us, whether in the line of duty serving or policing or as easy as driving to work in the morning.

There is a certain point that in sports there are going to be injuries, extreme accidents, and death. But what he was doing was greatly increasing his death risk.
I tend to leave the item you have to use for what it was created for. A spoon for eating, a football for playing football for, a parachute for jumping out of planes, a snowmobile to use for navigating snowy terrain, not for trying to do back-flips off ramps with.

 

[CuseTroop]

This is a very interesting thread...points being made on both fronts. I seem to lean towards the side of OrangeCrush. I don't want to call him an idiot or stupid, but what he was doing was stupid and idiotic if that makes sense. There is danger every day for some of us, whether in the line of duty serving or policing or as easy as driving to work in the morning.

There is a certain point that in sports there are going to be injuries, extreme accidents, and death. But what he was doing was greatly increasing his death risk.
I tend to leave the item you have to use for what it was created for. A spoon for eating, a football for playing football for, a parachute for jumping out of planes, a snowmobile to use for navigating snowy terrain, not for trying to do back-flips off ramps with.

I dont know who invented the snowmobile, or honestly when... I have seen some old ass machines up here in Alaska, and they were crazy looking. Over sized, slow, no technology.. things change.

Just because it was invented for one thing, doesnt mean its meant to do just that one thing forever..

 

[4evaOrange]

Point taken, but that doesn't change the fact what he switched to was something that greatly increases risk and injury, and in this case death.

I'm like you, I saw in either this thread or the one on the bball board, you certainly are not going to catch me on a snowmobile trying to do some crazy ass shiznit!!!

 

[nralecuse]

Caleb was 5'10 160. Flying through the air on a 450lb vehicle meant for traversing snowy terrain. Before the accident Moore stated he had 10 concussions in previous accidents. He was an idiot.

This is just plain wrong. If you were with a member of this man's family I do not believe you would say such a cold and thoughtless utterance. So why do you do it here? Have you no decency? The simple fact that a human life was lost demands our respect. The value of human life continues to be degraded and trivialized by modern culture and perhaps you have bought into that way of thinking. I would rather hope you just gave in to the relative anonymity of a forum board and posted impulsively. I hope this is not really the person you are or wish to be. Everyones life has enourmous value - everyones. Every loss of life is a moment of sadness and deprevation. This thing of life; it is deserving of the highest measure of respect.

Couldn't help myself on this. Sorry for the rant.
GO ORANGE !

 

[bnoro]

Anyone trying to backflip a snowmobile is a Darwin Award nominee waiting to happen.

It's horrible that the kid died, but if you're that kid's parents, shouldn't you put a stop to that immediately? Snowmobiles are fun but they are not meant to be backflipped. Even dirtbike riding is much safer than this.

 

[billsin01]

You can think that way. I don't think a smart person puts athletics above their life. It's one thing to pull a Willis Reed, it's another to pull a Hank Gathers.

Eh, I think people are arguing two points that can really co-exist. I mean the idea that anyone is back-flipping a snowmobile is stupid and dangerous. Doesn't mean you can't do it, but it's stupid and dangerous.

Having said that, it's tragic that the kid lost his life and everyone should absolutely have sympathy, if not empathy for him (and his family, friends, etc.). Saying you don't give a stuff is easy to do when you're talking big on a message board and you don't know the kid at all. If it was a family you knew and you were in front of his mom, I'd have to think you'd feel a bit of sickness in the pit of your stomach.

And as for stupid things, I drive all over Balt/Wash/VA all day every day for my sales job -- I don't even want to calculate the percentage chance that I get into a serious car accident driving 30000 miles a year in this region.

 

[Moontan]

And as for stupid things, I drive all over Balt/Wash/VA all day every day for my sales job -- I don't even want to calculate the percentage chance that I get into a serious car accident driving 30000 miles a year in this region.

The Vegas line is currently at even money.

 

[billsin01]

The Vegas line is currently at even money.

That didn't make me feel better.