Hey Everyone! Today, we embarked on our snow mobile excursion. This had to be one of the most fun things I have ever experienced. There were 10 of us that went along. We traveled up Mt. Larkspur in Aspen. We went all the way to the peak at 11,000 feet. We had a few injuries but for the most part everyone was healthy at the end. Thanks to Lonnie Paxton for bringing us on the adventure.
When we returned, I had some time to interview Dr. David Chao, the head orthopedic surgeon for the X-Games and the San Diego Chargers. Make sure you check it out below!
Last night’s competitions went off. First was SMB Speed and Style. I will flip and twist my bike all day long but if you stuck a 400-pound piece of machinery underneath me, there is NO WAY I would attempt anything these athletes do. Much Respect!! The Bronze medal went to Cory Davis. The Silver went to my Redbull teammate and all around awesome guy, Levi LaVallee. The Gold went to Joe Parsons. It was a super tight competition. They were neck and neck all the way through. Levi had a low landing which threw off his run. They all were amazing and didn't hold back a bit.
Ski Superpipe men's final was a changing of the guards. Tanner Hall and Simon Dumont have dominated this competition for a long time. Then out of nowhere comes Xavier Bertoni to capture Gold. I personally feel Simon got a bit ripped off in his final run. It's nice to see a new face on the podium. This also gives the veteran guys a good swift kick in the ass to step it up. Congratulations to all the competitors.
Here’s my interview with Dr. Chao.
K-Rob: How did you get involved with the X-Games?
Choa: My high interest in Sports Medicine and taking care of athletes of all kinds. I noticed that Action sports athletes weren't Just dare devils but practiced and trained hard just like any other professional athletes and needed medical care.
Being involved with NFL players, what are the comparisons and differences between NFL Players and Action sport athletes?
The similarities are they're both professional athletes competing at a very highest level of there profession. The differences are in Action Sports you go higher, further and the things you do are much more fantastic. But a good result is that you ride away or "pull off" the trick or the event. Also the ramp doesn't move. In football there's 21 other players on the field moving. A good play is you tackle or knock the other players to the ground and this happens repeatedly. When I talk to football players they think Action Sports guys are crazy and Action Sport guys think football players are crazy. So it's all relative.
Do you feel there's a misconception about action sport athletes?
Yes, I think there is. I think the assumption is that they are daredevils and just go out and do things, as opposed to it being a full-time profession year round. That they train just as hard as football players do. The main difference is that it's just not as structured.
What has been the most challenging injury to deal with in action sports and what's the most common?
The most common really depends on the sport. Ligament injuries, shoulder injuries, knee injuries, and concussions. In my 12 years of action sports I haven't had any fatal or permanent injuries in the X-Games. That's due to the professionalism of the athletes themselves.
Do you feel head injury is overlooked in action sports?
Yes. It's not just the hits taken at an event, but the ones taken in practice and training. 12 Years ago when I was working my first X-Games an athlete would go down and get a concussion, all the medical would rush to them. The athlete was like, "What are you all doing here? At home when I go down, no one comes to help pick me up. I pick myself up." Whereas football, from the time you're playing Pop Warner as a kid, you expect a coach or athletic trainer to come get you. Whereas in Action Sports you get up and dust yourself off. I think sometimes that's what perpetuates into a concussion. In football all the concussions are witnessed. So there's more tracking more science and more people trying to input on better health. In Action Sports not all the concussions are witnessed. certainly not by a medical staff. So that creates more potential to have problems further and complicated problems in the long run.
You have developed a trustworthy relationship in Action sports. How's that make you feel?
:That's the best part about it. I do this and I love helping athletes, whether they are Action Sport athletes or Football players. It's like I have my own little lab. If I can help somebody get back and they end up winning or pulling a trick then it gives me great personal joy knowing I had some small role in it.
Who are the biggest crybabies in sports? Skateboarders, BMXer's, FMX riders, snowboarders, skiers, snow mobile racers?
Being the thought that I would cry doing any of the things they do, I'd say me.
Kevin's Response: A very politically correct answer.
Who has the longest list of surgeries?
It's probably a tie between you (K-Rob) and Junior Seau.